Today’s cars are sophisticated and complex. Most of them use advanced technology and electronics that can prevent car owners from attempting to work on their vehicles. Therefore, most car owners bring their cars to the shop whenever there is a problem, even if the truck only needs simple maintenance.
Although truck owner inevitably has to bring their vehicle to the shop for major auto repairs, they can do many simple maintenance works, regardless of their skills with trucks or their experience.
Here are some basic maintenance tasks you can do yourself, saving you money and time.
Replacement of engine air filters
Engine air filters need replacement every 15,000 to 20,000 miles or once a year. Despite the changes, the air filters remain the same. The truck’s manual usually has a how-to illustrated instruction on how to change the air filter of the truck’s engine. Otherwise, many online tutorials can guide you. Most cars have the air filter housed in a box under the hood for easy access, and you have to open the hatch to remove the dirty filter.
Painting or applying a protective coating
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You can extend the life of your truck with paint or protective coating. For example, you can apply Durabak paint on the truck bed and other exposed metal parts to prevent rust, dents, scratches, and chemicals from damaging the truck’s surface. It is easy to apply the paint with a brush or roller.
What are the 4 types of maintenance?
- Corrective maintenance is the process of correcting defects or malfunctions so that equipment can continue to operate safely. This type of maintenance is often needed when parts need to be replaced or adjusted, or when safety issues are identified.
- Preventive maintenance is the systematic and routine inspection and testing of equipment and components to identify potential problems before they cause disruption or accidents. By identifying these issues early, preventive maintenance can help prevent costly downtime and injuries.
- Risk-based maintenance is a method of managing risks associated with equipment by evaluating them and taking appropriate action based on that information. By understanding the risks posed by an asset, risk-based maintenance can help reduce the likelihood of accidents or system failures occurring.
- Condition-based maintenance is a proactive approach to maintaining systems that relies on accurate information about the status and performance of systems in order to make informed decisions about which repairs or replacements are necessary. By tracking system conditions over time, condition-based maintenance can help ensure optimal performance while minimizing disruptions.
Replacement of windshield wipers
Wipers are essential to ensure safety while driving in the rain. To ensure that the wipers function as intended, they need replacement every six to twelve months because the rubber blades dry out and turn brittle due to exposure to the sun. Wiper blades typically snap into place with the included plastic clip. Therefore, you do not have to spend a lot to replace them.
Replacement of cabin air filters
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About 90 percent of vehicles today have cabin air filters. You should check your car manual to find its location. The method to remove and replace the filter is similar to how you remove and replace the filter for car engines.
Checking fluid levels
Your truck uses different fluids, and checking they are at the recommended levels is vital for the vehicle’s performance. While modern cars have sensor systems to monitor them, a manual check is still recommended. Fluids you should check include engine oil, engine coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, and the fluid for the windshield washer. Use dipsticks to check the engine oil and power steering fluid. The other liquids are in reservoirs with marks on the side, so you can easily see if the fluids need topping up.
As you can see, these maintenance tasks are easy, and you do not need special tools. You can do other maintenance tasks, but you may need to learn how to do them, such as replacing the serpentine belt, changing bulbs, installing a new car battery, or rotating tires. The most important thing is to learn essential vehicle maintenance and get more familiar with your vehicle, so you can do simple tasks and avoid taking your car to the shop as much as possible.
Look for leaks
Leaks can be caused by a number of things, but the most common are bad gaskets or leaks at the joint where the engine and transmission meet. Here are some other things you might need to check:
- Check fluid levels in the engine, transmission, and differential
- Look for signs of water getting into the firewall, radiator, or turbocharger
- Test drive to see if there is any unusual noise or vibration
- Check fluids cooling system – may need a new thermostat or fan belt
Do a battery load test and electrical system verification
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Knowing what maintenance you might have to do for your truck can help you keep it running smoothly. Checking the battery load test and electrical system verification are both important steps in keeping your truck running well. Battery load testing is a way to make sure that the battery is holding its charge and can provide information about how long the battery will last on a full charge. Electrical system verification checks all of the wirings in your truck for potential problems, such as loose or corroded connections. Both of these tasks should be done at least once a year, but they can also be done more frequently if there are any signs of problems.
How Often Should You Have Your Truck Serviced?
Vehicle owners are encouraged to take their cars to a reliable mechanic, but how many times should they do it?
Different manufacturers prescribe different timeframes. In general, most car experts would recommend a service once a vehicle nears or goes past the 12,000-mile mark. In some cases, they may even recommend a checkup at least once per year regardless of how often you use your vehicle and how far you drive.
For trucks, you may need a checkup once you have gone past 10,000 miles. Other manufacturers would recommend a basic service for every 15,000 miles but this will still depend on several factors, including the average driving distance and the amount of load a truck carries.
You should not wait until the truck reaches 30,000 miles since this is when the effects of wear and tear become more evident.
Additionally, you should also have the truck inspected immediately after getting involved in an accident no matter the severity. If the accident took place in New York state, you should look up a local service center on top of hiring a Long Island Car Accident Lawyer who can help you get compensated for the damages done to the vehicle.
By ensuring your truck is in good working condition, you are also doing your part in making the roads safer and keeping yourself out of harm’s way.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading our article on what maintenance you might have to do for your truck. In it, we discussed the different types of fluids that your truck needs and outlined some of the most common problems that can arise with these systems. We also gave some tips on how to keep your truck running smoothly in order to avoid any major issues down the road. Hopefully, this information has been useful and will help you keep your truck running like new for years to come.
