Qatar Technical Inspection Company

Maintenance is one of the most important aspects which determine the longevity, performance and reliability of whichever vehicle you drive. Maintenance is something most of us ignore, until our vehicle breaks down on the road, and we start wondering what happened, what is wrong and where. There are a lot of things involved in looking after the vehicle not only to keep clean, shiny and good looking from outside.

Maintenance means, taking care of every part of the vehicle, under the hood, under the chassis, in other words the parts that directly concern the performance of your vehicle. We will talk about how to maintain your vehicle, and it is good if you go through the owner’s manual to have an idea about its routine maintenance.

Simple Preventive Maintenance Check list

The condition and pressure of the tires.
The function and condition of all lights.
Level of Engine oil.
Level of Coolant in the radiator & reservoir.
Level of Brake fluid in the reservoir.
Level of Transmission fluid in case it is automatic.
Level of Steering power fluid.
Level of Clutch oil in the reservoir (in case it is hydraulic).
Level of Distilled water in the battery.
Level of Fluid in the washer reservoir.

Things to be done in a service station or at your house if possible

Change the engine oil and filter every 3000km to 5000km depending on the weather means when if it’s hot you should change the oil in less mileage because the viscosity of the oil will be less in the hot season, so by maintaining the engine will keep its performance at the highest level.

Interior & Exterior should be maintained by keeping them clean and in good shape, so the vehicle should be washed regularly, and keeping the vehicle always clean is one of the signs of good maintenance.

And last but not least you should have a regular general check up for your vehicle as per the owner’s manual specifies, and also you should have a log book so you can note down all the maintenance which is done and should be done, and all the repairs you do so you have something to refer to when needed.

Change the transmission oil and filter every 50,000km for automatic, and 85,000for manual transmission and that will lead to a high performance and smoothness.

Check the followings :

Air filter and replace when it becomes dirty or as part.
Fuel filter and replace if it’s dirty.
Check the spark plugs and replace if needed.
Check the battery and clean the terminals regularly and apply a light coating of grease to prevent corrosion.
Check belts, replace glazed or worn out belts.
Check hoses, replace bulging, too hard or too soft hoses.
Check tires for cuts, bulges, excessive tread wear or uneven tread wear, and in such cases the tires should be replaced (in a work shop). Keep on rotating the position of the tires and balance them at intervals of around 10,000km.
Check the windshield wiper blades, Do not wait until the rubber is worn out or replace them, they should be replaced every year so your windshield will not be scratched and to have a clean and clear view.
Check brakes if you feel that it becomes unresponsive, act slowly or if you hear sound while braking. So there is no harm if you open, checked the brakes from time to time and clean it from the dust.
Check the shock absorbers and replace if needed.