How To Keep a Vehicle Maintenance Log?

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No need to be a mechanic to service your car. An attitude like DIY person can save money by reducing car maintenance costs.

There’s diverse handy maintenance you can do yourself. Start the most popular, like engine oil and filters changing. And step by step you will complete schedule car maintenance services.

You just need time for maintenance your car and benefit from paying your local auto repair shop for it.

If you drive with a warranty, be aware, that manufacturers are recognize as not cover repair under warranty. Best to stick to the recommended maintenance schedule and keep documentation of it.

What are the Top 8 Basic Maintenance Of Your Vehicle?

#1Coolant level or condition

Under normal operating conditions of the cooling system, the level can reads by simply looking at the expansion tank. Considering the coolant always colored, it is easier to locate the level between min and max.

If level is not at the right level, wait for the engine to cool down before adding liquid, otherwise you will burn your face with hot water vapor.

#2 Brake fluid level

The brake fluid reservoir usually placed in front of the brake booster, a part that looks like a big bowl with a backside located under the hood. Some car manufacturers place this reservoir above the Abs block.

It’s only fluid that’s no need to refill. Its drop in level corresponds to the wear of the brake pads. If by accident the circuit leaks, you will see the empty reservoir and the indicator light on the dashboard turn red. In this situation, if you cannot detect the problem, call a mechanic.

Also read: How to Maintain your Brake System?

#3 Interior and exterior lights

You should inspect every light on your car I mean your Turn signal, fog light, backup light, tail light, Head light and Interior light.

Have someone help you confirm they are on while you are to pass the command or wait until it is dark to test the lights. With the rear-view mirror, you will see the lights on car back.

#4 Tire pressure and condition

The entire load of the vehicle rests on your tires. If they don’t properly inflate, they will soon damaged and even torn. Keep them in good condition by performing a monthly check on their pressure, including the spare with a tire gauge.

Tire pressure and size information posted on the driver’s door jamb or in the owner’s manual.

How to check tire pressure?

According to the recommendation of Goodyear you should :

Use a tire pressure gauge. Read the pressure when the tire is cold, because tires heat while driving, which can affect the value. If possible, do measurement in the morning.
Unscrew the cap and place the pressure gauge on the valve. Don’t alarm if you hear a brief hiss- this is normal.
Read the pressure on the gauge and compare it to the recommended value for the tire (in psi or bar).
Add air using your own compressor or by visiting your garage.
Recheck the pressure with the pressure gauge against the manufacturer’s specifications. Replace the cap on the tire. Check each tire. If the tire pressure drops too often, ask the garage for help. There could be a problem with the rim seal or a defective valve.

Also read: How to properly maintain your car tires | Everything you need to know about your car tires

#5 Windshield washer fluid and blades

Don’t wait for another vehicle to spray mud on your windshield and force you to pull over to clean it by hand. Inspect your windshield washer fluid regularly, as well as your windshield wipers.

If you need to replace your wipers, get a new one before you remove the old one, so you can benefit from the disassembly instructions before installing the new one. That way, you won’t have to break anything.

#6 Engine oil level

To take a proper reading of your engine oil level

Parked the vehicle on a flat surface and turn off the engine.

With the engine cold and hood up to pull the dipstick, it is usually yellow. Be careful not to confuse it with the transmission dipstick.

To identify it, know that the pipe that contains the engine gauge is smaller in diameter than the other.

Once the gauge removed, wipe it dry and put it back in its holder for a second reading. At the second output, locate the level in (L) low and (H) high usually showed with two letters or mark on the gauge. If you fail the second time, you can do it again.

Note that in some cars, for example, the 2013 BMW 318i E92, the dipstick is electronic and the oil level showed on the dashboard.

In case your engine oil is not at the highest mark and you will not change it now, redo the reading several times by adding little by little of the same oil used at the last oil change.

#7 Automatic transmission fluid

The automatic transmission fluid is usually pink and of very low viscosity. It drained in the same way as the engine with a drain plug underneath the crankcase, but in most cars it refilled through the hose that contains the dipstick.

Checking the transmission fluid level done in the same way as checking the engine oil level.

#8 Power steering fluid level

The power steering fluid tank is located under the hood. It looks like a can with a black cap and two hoses connected to its base.

The level of power steering fluid can checked with the help of the max and mini mark of the tank, or according to the manufacturer with the help of a gauge located inside the cap.

This is the most neglected fluid in the car. Make sure that the fluid is at the maximum level and does not neglect any anomaly suspected at the steering wheel.

Some cars are exempt from power steering fluid and PS for example, from 2004 to 2018 Chevy Malibu, there is an electric or electronic steering rack and pinion on these cars. For these models, no power steering fluid needed. To not have to replace your steering rack and pinion or other pieces take a good survey of your steering system.

If you have trouble that is not listed on the top 10 basic maintenance. Like what car battery to buy or if you have a trouble with your alternator . Tell via the contact page or on Quora guys!

To perform a good maintenance, you need to record work operate on vehicle. It will allow you to track your auto repairs life history, compare costs repair and add the next service based on last maintenance done.

What is a Vehicle Maintenance Log?

A vehicle or truck maintenance log is an archival record that found the prevailing maintenance condition and repair to perform on an individual vehicle, depending on mileage or time.

Commercial fleet owners, ranging from small businesses to large transport operators, use it for preventive maintenance, safety, and record-keeping purposes.

What to use, apps or manual car services records?

If you hate keeping track of your vehicle’s maintenance schedule with handy maintenance log, I understand you because I also like automation. We feel more comfortable and calm when everything is going well. That’s why many people use an application. But when it burgs, it disappoints us. For example, here are some real comments made on big applications.

Even if you paid for the premium package. The app doesn’t even automatically capture trip information.”

It automatically changed your ODO meter readings. Either, it decided that your car had driven 100,000 miles more than what we showed on your odometer.”

Or you found a good app, but you just lost about 2 years of data when you switched phones, and you try to email the help desk, and too bad there’s no response.”

You can fall in love with an app, but since you just changed phones, you realize how dependent that app is on Google. Without a Google account, you can’t even save to the developer cloud.”

On some applications, if you have recorded an incorrect mileage. There is no way to go back and change the information."

It requires you to create an account before you can view the “where to refuel” map to see if the prices are correct, recent or even available in your area. And of course, that makes it useless to you. But unfortunately, in most cases, they will send your email in spam."

Some apps will do anything: confusing, nonsensical, weird and oversaturated with useless information on the interface to frustrate the customer in order to force them to buy this pathetic app! I bet you’ll delete an app like this."

Horrible for anything related to fueling…prices are 2-4 years old…it’s insane to have such a tool on your phone."

The worst app. Doesn’t show the correct mileage… it calculates nothing in particular, it just keeps the entries."

Sometimes they tempt you with a trap the administrator of the app does not allow you to use the free version of the app once you put a lot of your precious entries into the app. The administrator forces you to take a subscription or else he blocks your ID, very unfair isn’t it. "

For all these reasons, my friends, be careful but, it is up to you to judge! These words you just heard are comments made on car maintenance log giants. It’s up to you to decide if you want a vehicle maintenance log software or a manual one. I offer you the free download of the fantastic printable schedule maintenance guide for your visit and the time you have given me so far. The rudder is yours!

Keeping track of your car maintenance schedule is not too bad

Manually car maintenance record are written notes on the history of the vehicle. It may also contain repair work and checks performed on the vehicle as part of the vehicle’s maintenance schedule.

Car services records in Exel with printable sheet or maintenance log book ?

Some people prefer a maintenance log book purchased in a store or on the internet, but you will be more motivated to fill out an authentic document that you carry around with you in the car. Some may say it’s nicer to have a repair log book that has it marked on it and already set up but the advantage of creating your own maintenance log book is that by preparing it yourself, you won’t be limited by a list of pre-set items. You will put in what you want and exclude the element that you will not use, like, for example, not all the cars that use power steering fluid because they don’t have SP. If you create your maintenance log book, you will find it more suitable.

How to maintain vehicle records manually?

Maintenance records are written notes on the history of the vehicle. It may also contain repair work and checks performed on the vehicle as part of the vehicle’s maintenance schedule.

How to transform notebook to DIY maintenance records ?

Choose an appropriate notebook

Notebooks which must be ready for all eventualities in the glove compartment, a backpack or even in a trunk must be solid. It’s not requisite, but if you don’t keep your notebooks well: choose a notebook with a rounded cover on the edges and a nickel-plated border on three sides for the roughest treatment. Or get a notebook cover to fit it size.

Choose a notebook that will last for years

Choose notebooks of about 200 pages and with stitched paper for more strength, an elastic band keeps the notebook shut, if you don’t use it a cover notebook will be useful In order to protect it.

Chooses the correct size

Choose a size A5 notebook with dimensions of 8,27 x 11.69 In because this format is ideal in terms of page size and quantity that you will need for over one year of records.

Size A5 - 8.27 x 11.69 In or 121 x 148 mm

Fill out your maintenance book in 3 steps:

Count the number of a page in your maintenance book. Set aside ¾ to record preventive maintenance and leave ¼ for repair records, with dates and mileage like a real logbook.
Prepare the maintenance book in such a way as to avoid transcribing topics. Organize the note of each element with spaces proportional to its recurrence. Note on the first page useful information such as year of manufacture, model, engine, and owner’s contact information.
The services and the number of times they are repeated should be distinguished by mileage and time on the total mileage target for your maintenance schedule program. Add important information that you want to remember on certain pages for a specific service.

MAKE AN EFFORT! Create your own and maintaining your car for it benefits.

Or purchase the Vehicle Maintenance LogBook📖 | EitherDIY-store (creator-spring.com) for only $9.99