Do you know the leading cause of premature failure in cars?
Putting things off till tomorrow. Yes, how many times have you said to yourself,
“I’ll check it tomorrow,” when you hear a squeaking sound in your engine?
When tomorrow comes, there is work waiting and no time to send the car for servicing till the next day.
The price you pay for putting off servicing your car is high maintenance cost as minor problems would become a major breakdown if left unattended.
Preventive maintenance
Remember the old cliché: Prevention is better than cure?
For many motorists maintenance means sending their cars to the mechanics when there is strange noise in the engine or when the temperature gauge reading is too high.
It is like seeing a doctor when your blood pressure is too high or when you feel breathless just walking a short distance.
By then the harm to your body system has set in and you will need expensive medical treatment to solve your health problems.
You could have avoided all the suffering from your illnesses and money you spend on medical treatment if you regularly ‘service’ your body through exercise and proper diet.
Preventive maintenance of your car engines is similar to preventive maintenance of your body!
By following the fundamentals of preventive maintenance your car can run efficiently and you will be assured of getting the most out of your car.
And you will be pleased with your efforts and savings.
Preventive Maintenance can do three things:
l Reduce failures.
l Save on operating costs.
l Keep car safe and available at any time.
Let’s look at each of these
REDUCE FAILURES
When work load is heaviest your car needs preventive maintenance the most. You can’t afford to have your car breakdown on the road and go through the hassle of calling for your mechanic and tow truck.
SAVE ON OPERATING COSTS
The few ringgit it cost to carry out preventive maintenance will pay for themselves many times over. For example, an engine tune-up can save you a possible 15 per cent in fuel consumption and increase maximum power by more than 10 per cent .These savings can be used to maintain other components and repairs. Preventive maintenance also help your car to burn less fuel per kilometre and that means more saving.
KEEP CAR SAFE AND AVAILABLE AT ALL TIME
If your car is not performing well you tend to take chances to save time lost to tinkle with your vehicle. If you seem to have problem while travelling on the road you may have to ignore it as long as the car could move and try to fix it when find a place to park the car. Maybe you have not checked the brakes lately and you suddenly find yourself driving your car without brakes which is very dangerous to yourself and other road users. To keep your car as safe as possible, it must be in excellent condition. Good preventive maintenance will assure you of a safe car to use.
KEEPING RECORDS
A good way to be sure all maintenance is performed on schedule is to keep records in your car service booklet. Follow the recommendations in your car service manual for specific service intervals. Keep the service record booklet in a safe place in your car.
Motoring is a fortnightly column by Zaidi Ibrahim a retired engineer with vast experience in automotive, vehicle and safety training. Readers with any query on motoring and vehicle maintenance can reach him through: [email protected]