As a car owner, there are some simple maintenance tasks that you can carry out at home that will save you both time and money. These easy tasks will help to keep your car running well and will help you to avoid more costly repairs.

However, if you’re a home mechanic and like to tinker with your car maintenance, there are a few mistakes that are commonly made and that you should be aware of so that you don’t make them yourself.

1. Checking and maintaining oil and fluid levels

Checking and maintaining oil and fluid levels is something that any home mechanic can do easily. And, it’s something that you should do on a regular basis.

But, avoid the mistake of using poor-quality oils, transmission fluids, or even just water instead of coolant in your radiator. Modern cars need high-quality oils and fluids to keep them running in tip-top shape. And, the better quality fluids that you use, the less chance of something going wrong with your engine or transmission.

If you’re not sure what type of oil or fluid you should be using in your vehicle, check the owner’s manual. This should give you some indication as to what’s required. 

While just adding water to the radiator was common in years gone past, modern cars really do benefit from using coolant. Coolant is designed to absorb some of the heat from the engine and to stop the water in the radiator from boiling during hot weather. 

Coolant also protects metal parts from rusting and rubber or plastic parts from corroding.

2. Inspecting and changing the oil and air filters

While you’re checking the oil and fluid levels in your car, you should also check the condition of the oil and air filters. These filters can become clogged after a long period of usage and can easily be replaced. However, you need to know how and what to replace them with.

One mistake to avoid is not to consult the owner’s manual. This will show you precisely how to change these filters correctly. Sometimes, you might even need a special tool to remove them.

You also want to ensure that you replace your filters with high-quality parts. After you’ve taken off the filter, check the brand and the part number to ensure that you buy the correct replacement filter the first time around. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

3. Checking and maintaining lights and indicators

When it comes to checking your lights and indicators, don’t try to do this on your own. While parking in front of a large window to check your lights might seem like a good idea, it’s far better to enlist the help of someone else who can stand outside the car and check whether all the globes are working and have the same brightness.

Also, don’t forget to clean the inside of the lights while you’re changing the globes.

4. If you don't have the expertise, take it to a qualified mechanic

Another common mistake that home mechanics make is tackling jobs that require a high level of expertise. While regular maintenance jobs are fairly easy and can be performed by any home mechanic, more complex tasks really do need a professional with the right tools and equipment.

Therefore, know your limitations and take the car to a qualified mechanic for those complex jobs.

In Summary

There are many maintenance jobs that home mechanics can easily complete on their own cars. Common mistakes to avoid include not using high-quality oils and fluids, trying to use replacement parts that are cheap and not ideal for your vehicle, or trying to complete tasks that are outside of your expertise.