Six Car Parts to Check After Homecoming
For those of you who choose a private car to travel for homecoming, you might want to think again. Because the car that has been used for homecoming has to work harder than usual days. Long trips, extreme road terrain, and traffic jams force some components of your car to work extra hard. Even though your car did not experience any problems during the homecoming trip, some parts and components still need to be checked once you return to ensure that the car remains in good health. According to reports from various sources, here are six car parts that need to be checked after the homecoming trip.
1. Engine
The car's engine is certainly the first thing you need to check. An easy way to do this when checking the engine is by listening to the sound of the engine. Listen carefully to the engine sound when the car is started. Make sure you don't find any odd engine noises or experience any problems when starting the car's engine. If you find any irregularities when starting the engine, check the engine at the nearest repair shop.
2. Fluids
After the car's engine is checked, the next step is to check the fluids in the car, such as engine oil, brake fluid, radiator fluid, and wiper fluid. If the fluids in the car need to be topped up, you can start by topping up the easily available fluids, such as radiator fluid and wiper fluid. Filling these two fluids is also easy for you to do yourself. You can do it at a repair shop for other fluids, such as engine oil and brake fluid, which require special filling methods.
3. Legs
The car's legs are located at the bottom and function to support the weight of the car; therefore, this component is vulnerable to damage. Some important components of the car's legs are:
- The suspension provides stable and comfortable conditions in the car's cabin when passing through uneven roads. If your car goes through uneven roads and the suspension makes a sound and does not provide a comfortable condition, you can be sure that your car's suspension is damaged.
- The tie rod serves as a link between the car's steering wheel and the wheels. A damaged tie rod can affect the vehicle's stability when it is being driven.
- The ball joint is a hinge connecting the wheels to the car frame. The condition of the ball joint that needs to be checked is whether the rubber is torn.
- Bushing serves to dampen vibrations in other leg components. If your car's condition is unstable and the vibration is more pronounced than before, the condition of your car’s bushings needs to be checked at the nearest repair shop.
4. Wheels
Wheels or tires are part of the car's legs. However, since this component is vital to the car, you need to pay special attention to it. The location of the wheels at the bottom and directly facing the road surface makes the wheels quickly deteriorate. Here are some things to check on your car's wheels:
- Check the wheel sprouts and treads. Make sure that the wheel treads are uneven and thin. If the wheel treads are thin and tend to be invisible, they should be replaced.
- Check and ensure that no dangerous materials (such as nails and other sharp objects) are stuck in the tires.
- Check the tire pressure at the normal level. Generally, a description of the normal tire size of a car is posted around the driver's door. You can confirm the normal tire pressure through the tire filling service at the nearest gas station.
- Check if your tires need alignment and balancing. If the steering wheel shakes at a certain speed and the car seems to turn itself even though it travels straight ahead, you can be sure that your wheels need shoring and balancing. For those who don't know what spooring and balancing are, spooring is a process in cars to straighten the position of the car's four wheels to their original factory settings. Balancing, on the other hand, is an adjustment or effort to maintain balance at the top and bottom or left and right points of the wheel by adding lead to the missing parts.
5. Indicators on the Instrument Panel
The next check you need to do on the car after it has been used for homecoming is to look at the indicators on the instrument panel. This check is quite easy to do by turning the ignition key to the on position and looking at the indicators on the instrument screen. If an instrument lights up, such as a picture of a battery, then it is a sign that your car battery needs to be repaired or replaced.
6. Car Cabin
Don't forget to check the cabin of your car. It would help if you cleaned up the dirt and garbage left in the car. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt. Remove the carpet and clean the entire cabin area, including the cavities, gaps, and under the car cabin. A dirty car cabin can cause various bacteria and viruses to settle in the car. Not only does it make the car’s air conditioner's circulation dirty, but it can also become a hotbed of disease.
There is no need to worry about the condition of your car after homecoming. Follow the six tips above to ensure that your car is in a healthy condition after homecoming. Prepare Motor Vehicle Insurance from MSIG Indonesia to provide maximum protection for your car. Get more information about Motor Vehicle Insurance products at the following link: https://www.msig.co.id/help-support#productenquiry to be immediately assisted by our marketing personnel.
