Cars are an incredibly useful tool that can take you from place to place in a quick and relatively safe manner – but that’s only as long as you take proper care of it to make sure everything runs as it should. Without proper maintenance, you run the risk of your car failing you at the worst possible moment, so make sure you check these ten things regularly.

1. Oil

Oil is the blood that runs through your car’s figurative veins – it’s what keeps the car running, so making sure the oil is at an appropriate level can go a long way in ensuring that your car runs smoothly. It’s easy enough to check the oil level with the dipstick. It’s also recommended to replace the oil on a regular basis – it’s best if a qualified mechanic handles this.

2. Tyre pressure

Make sure your tires have the right pressure regularly and you’ll be able to prevent flat tires and other problematic incidents. Improperly inflated tires can be the cause of serious accidents. Check in with the tire manufacturer to find out what the right pressure for your tire and use a tire pressure gauge to make sure it’s on the right level.

3. Brakes

It goes without saying that poorly functioning brakes are bad news. Make sure a professional has an eye on your brakes – don’t wait until they start making sounds. It’s always better to be safe than sorry – that goes double for brakes in a car.

4. Power Steering Fluid

Always make sure your car is responsive to your input by making sure you have a reasonable amount of power steering fluid. Just like oil, it can be easily measured and replaced on your own, so you shouldn’t have any trouble taking care of this aspect.

5. Alignment

Don’t wait until your start feeling your alignment is off, as it can make a big difference if you’re travelling long-distance. By regularly checking your alignment, you can always be sure your car will react exactly how you want it to.

6. Coolant

Whether it’s antifreeze in the winter or coolant in the warmer seasons, it’s incredibly important to maintain the right temperature in your car’s interior, so make sure the liquids are at the appropriate level at all times – you never know when you might need them.

7. Tire tread

With the 20 pence coin test in the UK

It is possible because the rim on a 20p coin is just the right size for measuring a depth of 1.6 mm. So basically, all motorists need to do is insert a coin into the grooves around their part-worn tyres and check whether the rim of the coin disappears from their view. If it does, then there is sufficient tyre tread depth remaining. If the rim stands proud of the tyre, on the other hand, then the partially worn tyre is no longer valid and needs to be replaced forthwith.

The depth of the main grooves of the tyres must be at least 1.6 mm on 3/4 of the tyre tread.

Checking for wear must always be carried out at several points across the circumference and width of the tyre. It also involves getting them checked regularly, both inside and outside, by a tyre specialist. If the legal treadwear limit has been reached, the tyre must be removed and replaced.