I will be turning 18 soon. I already have been driving for almost over a year with my 2014 RAV4 that has almost 90k miles. (Bought at 85k)
What are the 5 most important things that as a young adult I should know how to do for my car on my own? I know there any many things but what are the top 5 supposedly?
Basic car skills that every young man should have:
- changing a flat tire on the side of a road
- correct use of booster cables to start a car
- winter driving and getting unstuck
- regular maintenance (ie engine oil+filter, air filter, tire rotation, brake pads)
- just knowing all the parts of a car and what they do
- being a skilled and attentive driver. Having the confidence to recover from bad situations.
Here are my top 5:
- How to safely use a car jack
- How to change a tire
- How to check fluid levels (oil, transmission if automatic, coolant)
- How to change oil, oil filter, and also air filter
- How to properly add fluids to the correct level (oil, transmission if automatic, coolant)
I'm proud you want to know how to do these things! You would be surprised at the adults I know that can't do any of them. None of these are hard to do, though with all of them it would be good if you have someone experienced to walk you through how to do them safely and correctly if you are unfamiliar with them.
I hope others will chime in but here are my top five (in no order).
- Check the engine oil every week.
- Check the tire pressure every week.
- Change oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles (consider using a synthetic oil...WalMart brand has worked okay for me)
- Keep an eye on tier tread. Google how to check it and buy good tires (I’m not a fan of Goodyear as they seem to ride rough)
- Check these fluids each month (coolant, brake, and transmission).
In a few years the traction control sensor may engage randomly in dry conditions and the car may brake suddenly at the same time. This is a known issue and could be a result of the bushing going bad on the steering rack. I’m in the middle of trying to get mine fixed now.
