Soon your teen driver will be behind the wheel of her or his very own automobile. You’ve taught your child how to drive, and now Sun Devil Auto is here to help you teach him or her how to take proper care of an automobile. After all, knowing how to drive doesn’t do you much good if your vehicle is always in the shop for repairs that could have been prevented. Here are a few tips on basic auto maintenance.
Changing a Tire
While mobile internet access and the vehicle owner’s manual makes learning how to change a tire easy, it’s a good idea to teach your child this information before it’s needed. Learning beforehand lets your child take his or her time, can help keep your teen driver calm should the need arise to change a tire, and instills confidence.
Checking Tire Pressure
This is another maintenance issue handled by new car technology. Something you and your child should both be aware of is that tire pressure indicators are no substitute for visually checking tires. Teach your teen how to use a tire pressure gauge, how to put air in tires, and how much air to put in tires. Remember that pressure can fluctuate depending on the season, and over- or underinflated tires can negatively affect gas mileage.
Transmission and Wiper Fluids
These two are easy to replace, yet easy to forget to check. Make sure your teen driver knows to check his or her vehicle’s fluid levels every now and then to ensure they’re at their proper levels. Wiper fluid is essential for proper visibility, and running out without having more on hand can make driving conditions quite dangerous. Similarly, proper transmission fluid levels are essential for safe driving.
Brakes
There are a number of reasons for squealing brakes, such as worn brake pads, a buildup of brake dust, a lack of rotor surface cut, and improper insulation shims. You and your child should be aware of these scenarios and their proper solution. Remember that squealing brakes don’t always require a trip to one of our shops.
Power Steering
Without enough power steering fluid, drivers can get in a serious arm workout while behind the wheel. Make sure your teen knows where the power steering fluid reservoir is located, how much they should have at all times, and how to replace the liquid when necessary.
Bring Your Teen’s Vehicle to Us
For issues that cross over from basic to advanced, and even the basic issues, Sun Devil Auto has you and your teen covered. We suggest the proactive approach to taking care of your vehicle, and we deliver our services with the philosophy of delivering impeccable customer service. Get in touch with us for more maintenance tips for both you and your first-time driver.
