National Car Care Month: Your Maintenance Checklist 

Chocolate eggs, rainy spells and car maintenance. If you don’t see the link, you might not know that April is National Car Care Month, a time to give your vehicle a little bit of love. 

Whether you haven’t checked in with your car’s maintenance in a while or have been avoiding repair work, it’s the perfect month to do so. 

To help you get involved with National Car Care Month, we’ve created this car maintenance checklist so you can get started. 

Your Home MOT Checklist for National Car Care Month

This easy-to-follow resource will help you examine all the key areas of your car to ensure nothing gets missed. 

Under the bonnet

• • • Top up your fluids and oils, including screenwash, coolant and engine oil. 
    • Pollen filters (aka cabin filters) should be replaced once a year depending on the vehicle model and mileage, so April is the perfect time to get these replaced when hayfever season ramps up
      

Under the car (undercarriage)

• • • Look out for any damage caused by potholes to the undercarriage or exhaust system (also tyres / wheel arches)
    • Check for signs of fluid leaks 
    • Be vigilant for signs of rust or corrosion
      

Tyre condition 

• • • Look for tyre tread wear by inserting a 20p coin into one of the grooves. If the outer band of the coin is visible, your tyres may be illegal
    • Check your tyre pressure and inflate it to manufacturer-recommended levels. If you are having repeated problems with your tyre pressure, this could indicate a slow puncture
    • Assess the wheel alignment, as this can be knocked out of place when driving over potholes or bumpy terrain. Some key signs include the car pulling to one side while driving or uneven tyre tread
      

Visible defect checks

• • • Check the windscreen for chips or cracks, and make sure that none of them go beyond legally accepted dimensions (10mm within the driver’s direct line of view or 40mm elsewhere)
    • Assess the condition of your wiper blades, and look out for dry or cracked material 
    • Replace any broken bulbs, as this is vital for vehicle safety
      

Restock emergency provisions 

• • Emergency breakdown kits, first aid kits, torches and blankets are all important items to have in your boot, so make sure you’re stocked up with these essentials

Here to help

If you spot any potential problems, or simply want to arrange a safety check, get in touch with the Mr Tyre team.

A professional can identify issues that you might miss, so it’s always worth getting them to give your car a once-over to complete essential inspections, such as brakes and suspension checks.

By leaving issues unresolved, you run the risk of them worsening over time. This could render your car unroadworthy and lead to failures at the worst possible times. Luckily, all you need is a professional to diagnose and resolve the issue. 

Get involved with National Car Care Month and let Mr Tyre help you out. With around 40 branches across Central England, it’s easy to find one of our local garages to resolve any issues you may encounter. Whether it’s a fresh set of tyres or a diagnostic report, we’re here to help.