Every car owner and potential buyer has thought more than once in his life about which car (company and model) is really high-quality and will live a long life. It is impossible to get an unambiguous answer to this question, but it can be said that any equipment is capable of continuous operation for a long period of time if scheduled maintenance is not skipped and is not left for later. You should never forget about it. The main objective of maintenance is to support the normal operation of the machine. It includes small complex work on checking parts, troubleshooting and their immediate elimination. And also special attention is paid to appearance.
Many owners barely distinguish repair and maintenance. It is necessary to clarify again that the latter is a preventive measure, a way to prevent many “diseases” of the car.
Types of Preventive Measures
So, maintenance is carried out in several ways:
- forcibly;
- according to plan;
- after reaching a certain mileage;
- at will or need, regardless of the technical condition of the car.
There are certain types of maintenance that are documented:
- EO. These alphabetic characters indicate a vehicle check every day.
- TO-1 and TO-2. It has a simple explanation of the abbreviation - maintenance No. 1 and No. 2.
- With. It's about checking every season.
All of them are distinguished by a different set of tasks, goals and solutions, as well as different maintenance intervals. The last criterion depends on the make of the car, its model, as well as the time of general operation. More often, prophylaxis should be carried out if the car drives off-road, is actively used in the winter period of time and in summer, when the air temperature is too high. TO-1 and TO-2 are produced, as a rule, after reaching a certain mileage. At the beginning of the inspection, the conditions under which the car made a movement are also taken into account: climate, terrain and other determining factors.
Daily maintenance
EO is carried out every day after a long trip. The main task of the repairmen is to bring the appearance of the machine in proper shape, the internal parts to the correct condition, in checking the tank and filling it with gasoline, adding oil, water and air. Tires are also subject to inspection and replacement if necessary. Although you can do it yourself, you still need to observe the frequency of maintenance.
The main tasks of daily maintenance:
- support and improvement of the appearance of the machine;
- monitoring the filling of the tank and its refueling;
- oil regulation, which is necessary for engine operation;
- checking the brake system and the cooling system of the unit;
- fluid control in washers.
The cost of daily maintenance sometimes reaches high figures, so not everyone will want to bring their “swallow" to the station every day. This is quite logical, and you can understand such a driver. However, at least once every two weeks, the car should be taken for preventive measures.
First maintenance
TO-1 includes a complex of all operations that are included in the daily routine inspection. In this case, an additional amount of various lubricating, fixing and other maintenance work of this type is performed. However, the removal of various devices - the unit or other important mechanisms - is not planned.The machine is not inspected in more detail.
Second Maintenance
Of course, TO-2 includes all the work performed during the first service. Additionally, a “deep” inspection is carried out, in which a larger number of parts are considered separately and replaced if necessary.
Seasonal Inspections
Equipment maintenance is carried out at the stations during the transition to winter and summer. In a stable and comfortable climate (for example, in the middle zone of Russia), no problems arise when inspecting and replacing the necessary elements. The most important jobs in seasonal inspections are changing the fluid in the washer and changing tires. Also, there are cases when the body is treated against corrosion.
In regions where the climate is merciless, workers at the service station change engine oil depending on the upcoming season. An ordinary liquid, which is supposedly intended for any season of the year, changes its consistency due to constant surges in ambient temperature. For example, due to severe frosts, it becomes like thick honey. Subsequently, it will be difficult (or impossible) to start the car. In the summer, you should use just such an oil, since the winter one loses all its properties and becomes useless.
Maintenance work
When repairs and maintenance are carried out, any machine is diagnosed, after which the following work is performed:
- verification of fixtures of parts and elements;
- checking the filling of the tank;
- diagnostics of wiring and compliance of the paper scheme with the real one;
- control check of the car’s performance and complete final diagnostics;
- adjustment work;
- lubrication work.
What should I look for before traveling?
When leaving the garage, the driver must be confident in the operability of each vehicle system. That is why you should pay attention to the following nuances that will help maintain a special frequency of maintenance:
- body and complete car;
- the correct location of the side mirrors and their presence;
- license plates and their readability (it is important that they are not dirty with dirt);
- the presence of locks on the doors, trunk and hood and their stable operation;
- full serviceability of all electrical systems (wipers, headlights, etc.);
- the presence of all necessary fluids;
- tightness of systems;
- normal steering performance;
- proper operation of measuring instruments.
Tires
The first step is to monitor the tire pressure. Not only the long operational period of the wheels depends on this, but also the safety of the driver.
You need to pay attention to the following factors that will help detect problems.
- The maintenance system includes a check for wear of the treads, both side and central. The cause of this problem may be excessive tire pressure. It should be adjusted to get rid of unnecessary problems and quick wear.
- Simultaneous wear on both sides. This is facilitated by sharp and constant cornering. If the tire pressure is incorrect, the problem is exacerbated.
- Wear on one side only. It is necessary to pay attention to the camber.
Electrical systems
The most common problems are found with the battery. If you check it every day, then avoiding the problem is quite easy:
- Operation and maintenance include accurate battery checks. If you do this manually, you should definitely familiarize yourself with safety precautions.
- Keep the device in constant cleanliness, avoiding clogging and debris.
- In winter, be sure to lubricate the battery with special grease.
- Particular attention should be paid to the tray. If corrosion has appeared, then it must be removed using saline.When metal succumbs to destruction, it is best to treat the surface with a liquid with zinc, and then paint it.
- The battery level needs to be checked every three months.
Thanks to these tips, the car, like a watch, will start in any frost.
Brake system
Whatever the frequency of maintenance, the brake system should be checked for leaks constantly, and the more often, the better. After all, few people want to know about a malfunction during the ride, when the car simply refuses to respond to the desire of the driver to stop. When checking, remember that the liquid is dangerous and can easily harm your eyes.
When pouring a new solution, it should be borne in mind that it should not stand open in air for a long time. Otherwise, the latter will fall into the liquid, and it will be difficult to slow down.
Engine
Of course, the engine is an important component of any car. It must be checked as often as the brake system. All types of maintenance have a unit inspection in their list of tasks.
- It is necessary to pay attention to the cleanliness of the engine as a whole.
- Do not forget about liquids that must be constantly added and monitor their condition.
- Special attention must be paid to drive belts.
- The ignition system should not be ignored either. And it’s best to even replace candles, which will soon complete their operational period.
- The air filter must also be checked and replaced if necessary.
- Replacing and maintaining the operability of the fuel filter is also included in the list of tasks for service stations at scheduled inspection. Special attention should be paid to leakage. It should not be, which, in principle, is quite logical and understandable to each driver.
With an engine it is better if the driver is poorly versed in the car system, do not work independently. The maintenance tools used at the stations allow monitoring and replacement of parts twice as fast.
Motor oil
Before checking engine oil, it is necessary to correctly install the car. The process should be started either before the engine is turned on, or five minutes after it is turned off. When buying oil, you should pay attention to whether it is suitable for the installed type of unit. After all, modern technology is too demanding and capricious in such matters. If the driver noticed that they constantly have to change the oil (too often), then you need to look for a leak. Sometimes it happens that the latter could not be found. In this case, there is talk of wear on the pistons in the engine. The constant frequency of maintenance will help to notice all existing problems. But some models themselves too often require an oil change. You should consult with an employee of the service station or read the instructions. The oil level is recommended to be constantly maintained at an average level. If there is too little fluid, then there is a chance of spoiling the oil seal.
Coolant level
Until the engine cools completely, do not open the grille and tank. Hot steam and liquid can damage parts of the body of the driver or service worker. The substance should be added through the tank. It is impossible to leave the canister unattended open, as it poses a danger to the environment (contains poison).
Power steering fluid
To check the condition of the power steering fluid, the vehicle should be installed on level ground. Before drowning the unit, during idle, turn the steering wheel to the extreme position and put the wheel system in the direction of linear motion. In order to check the fluid and get the correct and accurate results, it is necessary to fix the control wheel in a certain position, and the engine should be warmed up to an average operating temperature.
Why is it so important to visit the service station?
The machine is constantly exposed to dust, sunlight, and also experiences vibration. This applies to any car, even if drivers try to drive only on flat roads. Those machines that are idle for a long time without operation spoil much faster compared to frequently used ones. Of course, the main parts will not become worthless, but the rubber elements will age over time, and they will have to be replaced. Therefore, if a car with a mileage of 3 thousand km stood for a long time in the garage, it must first be taken to the station to carry out maintenance. Service stations have enough equipment, and employees will carry out work in a short time.
