Getting Your Teen’s Car Road Ready

It’s never too soon to teach your teen some routine car maintenance. And with schedules soon changing for back-to-school, your teen may be spending a little more time driving. So, get your teen’s car back to school ready and check out these car maintenance tips for teens. Be sure to involve your teen in the process of assessing the quality of things like their wiper blades and tires. Show them how to check the levels of fluids, including oil and windshield washing solution. Simple, but important, car maintenance basics should be something your teen feels comfortable doing by themselves.

Maintenance Tips for Teen Drivers

Even if you don’t know much about cars yourself, you and your teen can still practice these simple maintenance tips for teen drivers.

• Changing Wiper Blades – If your wiper blades are leaving streaks or scratches on your windshield, it’s probably time to change them for new ones. Check your owner’s manual to see what model wipers your car needs, and teach your teen how to find them online or in stores. Then, work with your teen to remove the old wipers and replace them with new ones. This is a fairly easy task but can make a big difference when driving in inclement weather.
• Windshield Wiper Fluid – Where does windshield wiper fluid go in your car? Take your teen under the hood of the car and show them which vessel is for wiper fluid. Be sure they know how to top it off, and that it’s important to use the proper solution for the climate.
• Checking the Oil – How do you check the oil in your vehicle? Does your teen know when the dipstick is, and how to properly read it once removed? To keep your car running its best, go through the basics of checking the oil and refilling as needed. Help you teen keep track of the last time the car had an oil change, and when it should next be brought into Master Muffler South Salt Lake for another.
• Tire Care Basics – Every driver should be able to look at their tires and check for optimal conditions. Teach your teen driver to check air pressure and look for bald spots in the treads. Let them know that routine tire alignments can help prolong the life of the tires and help them get the most out of a set of wheels. To go along with tire care basics, be sure your teen knows where the spare is kept, how it is removed from the vehicle, and how to replace a flat with it. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a flat and not knowing how to remedy it!
• Check Engine Light – Does your teen know what to do if the “check engine” light comes on? Let them know that part of being a responsible driver is communicating with you and/or your mechanic should any issues arise. Whether it’s an issue with the spark plugs, gas cap, or sensor, get your teen’s car back to school ready with a tune-up.
• How to Jump-Start an Engine – Did you know you can purchase a device that provides a jump in the event no other motorists are nearby? Or, sometimes it’s tricky to get another car’s engine close enough to use traditional jumper cables. No matter which method you teach to your teen, be sure to go over how to safely jumpstart a car in the event the battery dies.

As you can see, these are fairly simple automobile maintenance routines that don’t require a lot of skill. However, if you have questions about your specific make or model, feel free to contact Master Muffler South Salt Lake to schedule an appointment.