THE WORLD LEADING FLEET AND VEHICLE MANAGEMENT COMPANY www.leaseplan.co.in DRIVE wise J u n e 2 0 13 | Vo l u m e 03 | I ss u e 03 Making driving a pleasure to function optimally under all conditions, an engine needs oil. The oil serves multiple purposes. It reduces the friction between various components and reduces the temperature inside the engine. Most importantly, it provides the lubrication to make sure the engine runs smoothly. Dirty or overused engine oil and not having enough oil in the engine can result in a very expensive engine failure. Make sure to run a weekly check on the engine oil level to ensure that it is within the prescribed level. Get the oil changed at manufacturer recommended intervals to ensure the engine functions optimally. Seven Car Maintenance Mistakes – and how to avoid them In this issue of DriveWise, we look at the seven most common mistakes that people make while maintaining their cars, and provide tips on how to avoid them, and, expensive repair bills. By Ishan Raghava Car maintenance can be daunting for an average consumer who wants nothing more than to buy and use one. After all, given the complications of modern cars, dealing with components such as the engine can be quite intimidating. However, the mistakes that can lead to very expensive bills are rather basic. Here’s a list of those basic maintenance mistakes that one should avoid. Averting these will ensure that the car remains reliable and all components function as intended. It will also go a long way in avoiding any expensive maintenance costs. content powered by www.autox.in Not Checking Engine Oil Levels: To put it in perspective, oil is as important for an engine as blood is for the human body. Just like the human body needs clean blood Ignoring the ‘Check Engine’ Light: In today’s modern automobiles, a majority of cars now have sophisticated computers controlling and keeping a watch on their vital functions. These computers help run the vehicle reliably and efficiently. They’ve also become smart enough to monitor various aspects of a car and throw up a warning if some component is not working as intended. So if the ‘Check Engine’ warning lights up on the dash of your vehicle, it is advisable to get the vehicle checked at an authorized dealer as soon as possible. If the fault is caught in time, further damage can be prevented. DRIVE wise Not Changing the Air and Fuel Filters: Dust and dirt is an inescapable feature of Indian weather conditions. So it is no surprise that it greatly affects a large number of working parts in an automobile. Two of the components that are most effected by dust and dirt are the air and fuel filters. Both of these filters are designed to prevent dirt and dust from the air and fuel going into the engine. If they become clogged due to excess dirt trapped in them, they lose their efficiency rather quickly. This has a direct effect on the performance of the vehicle. Both the filters should be inspected at each service and replaced according to manufacturer specified intervals. Driving with an Overheating Engine: Given the superheated temperatures that prevail in our country, engines and vehicles are naturally tasked with performing in extreme conditions. Therefore, there is a massive amount of stress on the engine cooling system of the car. This system keeps the temperature within the engine under control. It also ensures the engine functions optimally when the ambient temperature itself is content powered by www.autox.in so high. Failures of the cooling system are not unheard of and the chances of such failure increase with the age of the car. It is always advisable to keep an eye out on the engine temperature gauge in summer months, to make sure the engine is running in the optimum temperature range. In case the temperature does shoot up, one should stop driving and seek expert help to rectify the problem. If the vehicle is driven on an overheating engine, it can cause considerable damage to the engine’s internal parts. In extreme cases it can even necessitate a rebuild of the engine, which needless to say will hurt your wallet. In case the engine overheats, do not try splashing water on to the engine directly to bring the temperature down. This can lead to massive damage or even failure of major components. Not Checking Wheel Alignment and Tyre Pressures: The other often ignored aspects of a vehicle are the tyres. These are not given the attention they deserve, given their importance in keeping a car on the road. To make sure the tyres are in good condition, the tyre pressure should be checked weekly, as excessive or low tyre pressure can lead to uneven wear. A periodic check of the wheel alignment (every 5000 km) is an important step, which should be adhered to. This can help avoid premature wear and tear of tyres. If performed diligently, these two steps will maximize the life of the tyres and avoid premature expense on replacing tyres. Not Checking Ancillary Fluid Levels: While checking engine oil level is very important, there are a few other fluids in every car. Their levels also need to be checked regularly to maintain the car in prime working condition. The most important of these is the coolant level, brake oil level and if equipped, power steering oil level. Shortage of either of these fluids can cause problems in the safe and efficient running of a vehicle, so these too should be checked periodically. Since in Indian conditions there is increased stress on the engine cooling system, it is recommended to have the whole system cleaned every two years. The old coolant should be flushed out and refilled with new coolant. This will ensure the engine cooling system retains its efficiency to tackle our extreme summer weather. Servicing Not Undertaken at Authorised Dealers: Since today’s cars are getting increasingly sophisticated, it is becoming difficult to get them serviced properly at the non-authorised service centers. Either the service centers don’t have the required diagnostic equipment to effectively service the car or they don’t have enough handson experience to know what the common issues are and how to solve them. Even more so with premium vehicles. The more premium the vehicle, the more complicated it is to service and maintain. Secondly, while the vehicle is in its warranty period, getting serviced in a nonauthorised service center can lead to the warranty being void. Then there is also the question of whether the independent service center uses original spare parts or not. Therefore, it is advisable to stick to authorized service centers to make sure the vehicle is given expert attention. n Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors. LeasePlan or autoX are not responsible for any damage or loss resulting from reliance on or use of any information provided in this newsletter.