DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE OF MAKATI, INC.

Technical Vocational Education and Training Center

A. Arnaiz Ave. Cor. Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City

CAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

Module Title: Preventive Maintenance
Duration: 3 Hrs.
Participants: 20 - 40 Participants / Session
Cost per Session: Php 6,000.00/session

Description:
This module provides information and knowledge to all car enthusiast and owners who
want to gain access in car preventive maintenance matrix, car safety checklist, and
understand the basic warning lights so that in the end extend the life of their vehicle.

General Objective:
At the end of the session, the participants should be able to identify and interpret the
failure symptoms and what should be done to prevent later problems.

Module Content:
I. Overview
1. Automobile Components
2. Automobile Auxiliary Systems

II. Introduction to Preventive Maintenance

1. Importance of Preventive Maintenance
2. Four Categories of Preventive Maintenance

III. Car Maintenance and Servicing Checklist

A. Basic car safety checklist
B. Fluids checklist
C. Tires checklist
D. Lights checklist
E. Other general things to check

IV. High Mileage Vehicle Maintenance Checklist

1. Monthly (or More Often
2. Every 3,000 Miles
3. Every Six Months
4. Every 5,000 Miles
5. Every 10,000 Miles
6. Every Year
7. Every 30,000 Miles
8. Every Two Years
9. Every 40,000 Miles
10. Every 60,000 Miles
11. Every 80,000 Miles
12, Every 100,000 Miles

V. Basic Car Warning Signs

1. Warning Symbols
2. Safety Symbols
3. Common Symbols

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 CAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

I. INTRODUCTION
“Prevention is better than cure”
Caring for your car and keeping it in proper running order takes a little bit of
effort, but you definitely don’t have to be a mechanical whiz to keep your
vehicle running well. The biggest hurdle is being aware of what needs to be
done—and how often—for optimal vehicle upkeep. By knowing the basics about
what your car needs, and when you should perform routine car maintenance,
you’ll ensure that your car is in top-running condition.

MAINTENANCE
Is a set of organized activities that are carried out in order to keep an item in
its best operational condition with minimum cost acquired.

Purpose of Maintenance
- Attempt to maximize performance of production equipment efficiently and
regularly
- Prevent breakdown or failures
- Minimize production loss from failures
- Increase reliability of the operating systems

Four Categories of Maintenance

1. Breakdown Maintenance
Implies that repairs are made after the equipment is failed and cannot perform
its normal function anymore.

2. Predictive Maintenance (PDM)

Is a set of activities that detect changes in the physical condition of equipment
(signs of failure) in order to carry out the appropriate maintenance work for
maximizing the service life of equipment without increasing the risk of failure.

3. Scheduled Maintenance
Is a stitch-in-time procedure and incorporates inspection, lubrication, repair
and overhaul of equipment if neglected can result in breakdown.

4. Preventive Maintenance
Is a process of checking, inspections, cleaning, and minor adjustments to keep
the vehicle in good condition and prevent sudden failure.

Advantages:
 Lower maintenance and repair costs
 Keeps equipment in good condition to prevent large problems
 Extends the useful life of equipment
 Finds small problems before they become big ones
 Is an excellent training tool for technicians
 Helps eliminate rework/scrap and reduces process variability
 Keeps equipment safer
 Parts stocking levels can be optimized
 Greatly reduces unplanned downtime

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II. CAR MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING CHECKLIST
Vehicle technology continues to improve all the time, and car engines of today
are much more advanced than what your parents grew up with. But even
though modern car engines are a bit more complex now, the list of simple
things you can do to keep your car running right are largely the same as they
were half a century ago.

 Basic car safety checklist

 Seatbelts – check tension and belt buckle operation
 External Lights – replace bulbs if necessary
 Handbrake – ensure that it can hold the vehicle on a slope
 Windscreens & Mirrors – check windscreens and mirrors for cracks
 Windscreen Wipers – check wear on wiper blades, replace if necessary
 Horn – ensure this works
 Fluids – check engine oil and engine coolant levels
 Tires – ensure tires are at the correct pressures, check tread wear
 Spare Tire & Jack – ensure they are operational, check toolkit

 Fluids checklist
 Engine oil
 Radiator coolant
 Brake fluid
 Power steering fluid
 Clutch fluid (manual cars)
 Windscreen washer fluid
 Transmission/Transaxle fluid
 Differential fluid

 Tires checklist
 Tire pressures
 Tread wear and tread depth
 Spare tire
 Car jack
 Tools, EWD and Portable tire inflator

 Lights checklist
 Headlights
 Directional lights
 Indicators/hazard lights
 Brake lights
 Reverse lights
 Park & Fog lights

 Other general things to check

 Radiator hoses
 Engine air filter
 Battery
 Fan belts
 Cabin filter

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III. High Mileage Vehicle Maintenance Checklist
Here are the things that you need to do to greatly extend the life of your
vehicle.

Monthly (or More Often)

– Check the tire pressure
– Check the oil level (synthetic, high-mileage oil is recommended)
– Check the coolant level
– Clean the backup camera lens

Every 3,000 Miles

– Change the oil, and replace the oil filter (newer cars can often go a year
between oil changes. Check your owner's manual to see what's
recommended for your car)
– Check the washer fluid level
– Add fuel injector cleaner to fuel

Every Six Months

– Check the power steering fluid level
– Wax the car to extend the life of the paint and to prevent rust

Every 5,000 Miles

– Adjust the clutch, if your vehicle has a manual transmission (some are
self-adjusting)

Every 10,000 Miles

– Inspect the belts
– Rotate the tires

Every Year
– Inspect the brakes
– Inspect the hoses and clamps
– Clean the battery connections
– Check the brake fluid level
– Check the manual transmission fluid (if your car has a manual
transmission)
– Check the coolant strength
– Back-flush the radiator from the engine side with a garden hose
– Rinse off the air conditioner condenser
– Buff the plastic headlight assembly, if dull, to maintain good visibility
– Replace cabin air filter (you may need to do this more often, if you drive
a lot—every 15,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. Older vehicles may
not have cabin filters)

Every 30,000 Miles

– Replace the spark plugs. Some are designed to last up to 100,000
miles,
so check to see what kind you have, and when they'll be due for a
change
– Replace the distributor cap and rotor (if applicable)
– Inspect the spark plug wires (if applicable)
– Change the transmission fluid

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 – Replace the oxygen sensors (for vehicles manufactured late 1970's to
early 1990's)
– Inspect the shocks for leaks, and perform bounce test
– Replace the PCV valve
– Clean the throttle body

Every Two Years

– Flush the coolant system
– Check the battery electrolyte level

Every 40,000 Miles

– Replace the fuel filter

Every 60,000 Miles

– Replace the air filter
– Change the automatic transmission fluid (if you drive an automatic)
– Inspect the brakes
– Inspect the accessory drive belts
– Replace the timing belt (if your vehicle has a timing chain, it doesn't
need to be replaced, unless there's a problem with it)
– Have the front end alignment inspected and checked

Every 80,000 Miles

– Inspect the U-joints

Every 100,000 Miles

– Replace the oxygen sensors (for vehicles manufactured after mid-
1990's)
– Replace the rear axle lubricant

As-Needed Maintenance
– Have the alignment adjusted. This can help extend the life of your tires.

IV. BASIC CAR WARNING LIGHTS

A) WARNING SYMBOLS
Warning symbols are normally in red. They indicate a potential problem or
safety issue that should be checked by a professional.

1. Engine Temperature Warning Light

What it means: Your car's coolant is overheating.

What you can do: Quickly pull over and let your car cool down or the heat can
destroy your car's engine.

The symbol also comes in blue which means the coolant temperature is below
what is needed for optimum performance. It normally pops up when you start
up your car in the morning and the symbol should disappear once the vehicle
warms up.

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2. Oil Pressure Warning Light

What it means: If the engine oil pressure warning light is on, it may mean
your engine has lost normal oil pressure.

What you can do: It could be something as simple as being low on oil, or it
could be an indication of serious engine problems. The trouble is, you don’t
know whether the problem is serious or no big deal, so the best course of
action is to pull over immediately, turn off your engine, and call for your
mechanic.

3. Battery Charge Warning

What it means: Your car's battery juice is running low.

What you can do: First thing you should do is turn off anything that draws
power from the battery, except for the headlights if you are driving at night.
This includes the air conditioning and heating system, the stereo, any interior
lights, and any accessories such as heated seats or heated mirrors. Do not turn
your car off until you get to somewhere safe, just in case it doesn't start again.

4. Brake Warning Light

What it means: It's likely that you left your handbrake on. But if the light is
still lit when you are driving, it could mean your car is low on brake fluid or
something more severe.

What you can do: If the red brake light blinks, or comes on and off
intermittently, and there is no change in the feel of the brake pedal, then have
the vehicle properly diagnosed by a qualified repair shop as soon as possible.
But if the light is permanently lit, the vehicle should be pulled to the side of the
road and towed to a qualified repair shop.

5. Airbag Indicator

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What it means: There's something faulty with the airbags.

What you can do: Take your vehicle to a qualified service center or your dealer
immediately to have the problem diagnosed. Remember the faulty Takata
airbags?

6. Seatbelt Indicator

What it means: You're not wearing your seatbelt.

What you can do: This doesn't require a checkup from a professional but it's
quite possibly the most important aspect of driving. Seat belt use is one of the
most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes, yet millions do
not buckle up on every trip. Safety first and put on your belt, buddy.

(B) SAFETY SYMBOLS

These symbols might appear as different colours in different cars and they
should be looked at.

1. Engine Warning

What it means: If this is illuminated, it means there is an issue with your

engine.

What you can do: It may be down to a minor electrical issue, but it could also
be something which if not checked straight away, could lead to further and
more substantial damage. Bring your car to the mechanic when you can.

2. Traction Control Light

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What it means: Your car is losing its grip.

What you can do: Slow down and allow your vehicle to regain traction. The
light should go out but if it stays on, there could be an underlying problem
with the traction control system.

3. ABS Indicator

What it means: There's something wrong with your car's Anti-lock Braking
System (ABS).

What you can do: If the warning light comes on while you are driving, it means
the ABS is not working properly. Your brakes will still work, but the ABS might
not engage if you need to make an emergency stop. If the light remains on, you
need to have a mechanic diagnose the ABS light issue as soon as possible.

4. Tire Pressure Warning Light

What it means: According to your tire pressure monitor system, at least one of
your tires is running low on pressure.

What you can do: Head to your closest petrol station and add air as necessary.

5. Glow Plug Indicator

What it means: If your car is running on diesel, this is the glow plug indicator.
Due to the nature of diesel engines, they require some extra help when first
starting up at a cold temperature. The glow plug is a heating element that is
activated during startup when the temperature of the engine is too low.

What you can do: Normally, the glow plug indicator light will come on only
when the engine is cold. Typically, this light flashes only when an issue has
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been detected. The most common reason to replace glow plugs is age. Over
time, after repeated warm-up cycles, the glow plugs age and are not able to
produce any heat. Replacing your glow plugs should get rid of any issues.

(C) COMMON SYMBOLS

The following are all related to your vehicle’s lighting system and routine needs.
For instance, the need to fill your windshield washer fluid, or top up petrol.

1. High beam light indicator

What it means: The light is active only when the high beams are active and
has been a standard in vehicles for decades.

2. Low windshield fluid indicator

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What it means: You're low on windshield washer fluid. Spare a minute and top
it off.

3. Low fuel indicator

What it means: Your car needs fuel. Time for a trip to the petrol station.

Fun fact: The symbol on the fuel gauge also has an arrow next to it - this
indicates which side of the car has the gas cap. No more gas station three-point
turns in rental cars ever again.

4. Service reminder

What it means: It's time to send your vehicle to service.

Remember to take some of these lights seriously as you may not know what
will happen to your car the next moment if you decide to ignore it. When in
doubt, always check with your mechanic or a professional. Drive safe folks!
Consult Your Owner's Manual
Use the maintenance schedule outlined here as a starting point, but know that
it's also a good idea to consult the owner's manual for each of your vehicles to
see what the manufacturer recommends. As a rule, newer cars tend to require
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less frequent maintenance, while older cars tend to require more. It's also
worth noting that the technology in newer and older cars is quite a bit different,
so you may find that some of these maintenance items don't pertain to your
situation. Customize this maintenance list to your needs. Then, use it to stay
on top of all the things that you need to do to keep your vehicles performing
smoothly for many years to come.

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