What inspections should be done on the car before driving?

In daily life, as ordinary people, the items we can check are very limited, but if we do these items well, we can also ensure our basic driving safety.

First, maintenance

Carefully read the maintenance provisions in the car's manual. Perform maintenance on time according to the time and kilometers limits above. The instruction manual says it takes as long as it takes, so you don’t need to go too far in advance, but don’t delay either. If we can do this, the next time a car novice is tricked into doing other maintenance, he can directly slap the instruction manual on the other person's face, and my mother will no longer have to worry about me spending money.

Second, walk around the car

Walk around the car before going out. This step is mainly to check whether there are any foreign objects hanging under the car or under the wheels, and whether there are any stray animals. And observe the four tires to see if there are any bulges on the sidewalls. If there are bulges, the tires must be replaced because the vehicle no longer has the ability to travel at high speeds. By the way, check to see if there are any new scratches on your car, and whether it was accidentally scratched by other people or cars when parking.

Third, engine oil.

For vehicles with electronic oil dipsticks, you don’t need to pay too much attention. If the oil level is too low, the vehicle will alarm. But it's best to check whether the oil level is normal just like a vehicle with a traditional oil dipstick. If there is an abnormal decrease or increase, it should be noted. Generally speaking, during normal maintenance cycles, users do not need to add engine oil. But older German cars still need to be looked at more (in fact, they don’t have to be too old, my own car has started to burn oil after 3 years and 80,000 kilometers).

Fourth, fault light

The design of the fault light of each car may be slightly different, but for ordinary novice users, there are only two points to remember.

1. The yellow light means that certain functions of the car will be restricted, and the vehicle can still continue to drive, but it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.

2. The red light means that the car is no longer capable of driving and needs to stop immediately. Any forced driving may cause irreversible damage to certain systems of the vehicle, or continued driving may cause serious personal injury.

Today’s cars are very advanced, with some complete self-checking systems and complex electrical systems. It is almost impossible for ordinary users to repair them manually, so at this time, just look at the two colors of light prompts to judge. Unless the vehicle system prompts otherwise.

Of course, in the above situation, after the vehicle has stopped, you can try to turn off and lock the vehicle, and then power on again after five to ten minutes. If it is some computer crash or other fault, this situation should be eliminated.

5. Abnormal noises

If there are abnormal noises in the chassis or suspension while driving, it may be that foreign objects are stuck in certain positions of the chassis. Get off the vehicle. Check it out. If there are no foreign objects, it is likely that there is a problem with the chassis or the suspension's movable mechanism, and it needs to be checked by a professional.

6. Engine

If the idling vibration increases during driving, or the engine noise increases, it may be due to carbon deposits. Use manual mode and drive at a slightly higher speed for a few minutes. Maybe there will be a change. During your next maintenance appointment, have it checked by a professional.

7. Transmission

As the age of the vehicle increases, the transmission may not be as smooth as when it was first bought. This is normal, but maybe You can also get some improvement by changing the transmission oil. Some gearboxes, such as dual-clutch, will not drive as smoothly as other gearboxes due to their innate structure. This is normal. If you don't know whether you can accept it, please give it a test drive.

8. Summary

A car is a very mature machine. From the beginning of its design, contemporary cars take into account that most people who drive it know nothing about it. Therefore, many things are maintenance-free and have very good durability, and do not require car owners to worry too much. To put it simply, if you use it with confidence and maintain it on time, the car will not break down so easily. Pay attention to checking your tires and tire pressure every day. If something goes wrong, don't worry, your car won't turn into a bomb immediately, calmly pull over and call for help.