Getting Started

Don't damage your engine or other components by letting dirt or other debris fall into any openings.

The first thing you need to do is get some old rags to wipe off any dirt, oil or other debris around the filler caps and dip sticks that can fall into the openings when you remove the filler caps and dipsticks.

Second, you need to familiarize yourself with where all the fluid reservoirs and filler caps are.  Check your owners manual to find out exactly which filler cap is which on your particular vehicle.  If your owners manual doesn't clearly show you where each cap and dipstick are located, or they are not clearly marked, then either find someone that can positively identify them for you, or get a repair manual for your particular car or truck.

Making a mistake like adding engine oil to a transmission, or adding transmission fluid or power steering fluid to the engine can cause severe damage, and result in expensive repairs.
 

Monthly Checks

Radiator Coolant Reservoir
Brake Fluid Reservoir
Radiator Hose with Split
Serpentine Belt Damage
Checking the Transmission Fluid
Check your Tire Pressure
You can find the recommended tire pressure in the owner's manual or on the tire pressure placard located somewhere on the car (e.g. on the driver's door opening, inside the gas tank, inside the glove box)
Check your tires for wear on a regular basis.  Uneven wear is a sign that the car needs to be taken to a shop for an inspection and necessary repairs.
Checking the Engine Oil

At least once a month, check the following fluid levels with the engine shut off and cool:

Check and fill the radiator coolant if necessary to the proper level (which you can see in the overflow tank without taking the radiator cap off).

Check and fill your washer fluid (again, this should be in a plastic container that you can see through).

Check the power steering fluid level. To do this, unscrew the cap on the power steering fluid reservoir and pull it out. Just like an oil dipstick, you will see marks on the power steering fluid dipstick. The fluid level should be at the full mark. If it's not, top it off, but don't over fill it.

Check the battery for corrosion and clean it or have it cleaned and as needed. Batteries do eventually get old, and when you need to replace your battery, have the alternator checked to make sure it's still functioning properly.

Check the wiper blades. It's not difficult to replace worn wiper blades yourself. Replace just the blades once a year as needed before the rainy season. You can also replace the entire wiper assembly if needed.

Check your brake fluid level and color. If the brake fluid level is significantly below the "Min" or "Add" line, you should have your brakes inspected for excessive wear.  Normally, brake fluid is brown in color. If the fluid looks dark or black, it needs to be replace.

The brake fluid reservoir is on top of the master cylinder. On most cars, the master cylinder is located at the back of the engine bay, mounted on the firewall on the driver's side. On most newer cars, the reservoir is transparent, with lines marked "Min" and "Max"; the brake fluid level should fall between these lines. Cars older than the 1980s may have metal reservoirs, requiring you to remove the reservoir cap. (Newer caps screw on and off, while some older caps need to be pried off with a screwdriver).

Add brake fluid to the reservoir if necessary. Pour the fluid carefully into the reservoir, wiping up any spills, as brake fluid is toxic and corrosive. Use only the brake fluid with the DOT specification recommended in your owner's manual. There are three main specifications: DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5, each having its own properties. It is possible to use DOT 4 brake fluid in some cars that call for DOT 3 fluid, but never the reverse, and DOT 5 brake fluid can be used only in cars that call for that specification. Replace the reservoir cap. As brake pads wear down, brake fluid can channel itself out of the brake lines into the calipers. It is also possible to have the brake fluid reservoir full and not have the brake fluid reaching the master cylinder. If your brakes feel spongy even with the reservoir full, take your car to a mechanic

Brake shoes and pads wear out and need to be replaced periodically to maintain maximum braking efficiency. Have your brakes checked by a mechanic once per month. If you notice ANY problems with the brakes, such as the pedal feeling 'soft' or going down farther than normal, the brake pedal is 'hard' and the car jerks to a stop, or car vibrates, pulls or jerks when you hit the brakes, take your car to have the brakes serviced immediately. If the brakes fail, you can have a very serious crash.

While you're under the hood each month, check the following:

Check your radiator hoses. If they have cracks or worn spots, or if they are soft, they need to be replaced. It's a good idea to replace both hoses at the same time so there's less chance of the one you didn't replace failing. To replace the radiator hose, you first need to drain the radiator. There will be a drain valve near the bottom of the radiator. Place a clean, large drain pan under the drain valve and loosen it slowly. The antifreeze will begin to stream out into the pain. Keep pets away as antifreeze tastes good to them, but it will kill them if they drink it. Once the radiator is drained, locate the clamps on each end of the hose where it's attached to the engine and the radiator. Loosen these clamps, slide them out of the way, then remove the hose. This will usually require twisting and pulling the hose at the same time. You may even have to use a flat head screwdriver to gently lift and pry the hose loose. Once the old hoses are off, use new clamps to install the new hoses.

Check the belts. With the engine shut off, twist the belts and look for cracks or tears. If you see any, it's time to replace them, or have them replaced. Today's serpentine belts are quick and easy to replace, and there may be instructions in your owners manual. If not, it's simply a matter of finding the spring loaded tensioner and using a wrench or ratchet to release the tension on the belt. Once the tensioner is released, the belt will easily slide off the pulleys. You can usually use the new belt to pull against the tensioner when installing it, but you may need take the pressure off the tensioner again to install the new belt on some engines.
If you don't know what the tensioner is, and your owners manual doesn't tell you, take the car to a garage, and before you buy the belt, ask the mechanic if he or she will show you how to replace it. If they won't, tell them thanks anyway and go somewhere else to buy the belt. You can also try an auto parts store. Most people that work at an auto parts store aren't mechanics, but they should at least be knowledgeable enough to know how to change a serpentine belt. Try asking one of them if they can show you how to change the belt, and buy the belt from them if they can. Depending on the make, model and year of the car you own, you may need to buy a tensioner tool. These are basically a long, bar like wrench or ratchet used to reach the tensioner to relieve the spring pressure. The auto parts store should sell these if you need one.

Now it's time to check the automatic transmission fluid level with the transmission dipstick (manual transmissions don't have a transmission dipstick). To check the automatic transmission fluid, the engine has to be running. Start the engine, hold the brake pedal down, slowly move the shifter through all the gears, waiting about a second in each gear, then back to park. Leave the engine running, go under the hood and remove the transmission dipstick. There will be marks on it just like the oil dipstick. If the fluid is low, top it off until it reads full. Again, don't over fill the transmission. If your not sure how much fluid to add, add about 1/8 of a quart at a time and keep checking it until it's full.

Check the Lights. Turn on your lights, with the headlights on dim, and walk around the car to make sure they're all working properly. Turn your high beams on and check them. Turn on one of your turn signals and check to see if it's working front and back, then check the other turn signal. Turn on your emergency flashers and check them front and back. Most cars use a different circuit for the turn signals and emergency flashers, so just because the turn signals are working doesn't mean the emergency flasher are, and visa versa. Don't forget to check the little light above the license plate
You can check your own brake lights and back up lights if you have someplace you can park near reflective glass windows. If not, ask a friend to stand behind the car while you hold the brake pedal and put the car in reverse. Some bulbs are easy to get to and replace, others not so easy. If you can't figure out how to get to a burnt out bulb, have them replaced or have someone that knows how to replace them to show you how.

Weekly Checks

At least once a week, check your tires:

Look for cuts, scrapes or worn spots on the tread and sidewalls, especially if you or you or someone else that drives your car tends to hit curbs. Make sure your tires are properly inflated to the manufacturers specified pressure. Tire gauges are cheap and easy to use. Tires should be replaced when tread wear indicators are showing between the treads. Ask you local tire dealer if you are unsure how to identify tread wear indicators. Have them replaced when they become worn beyond acceptable limits. If you run over something, stop as soon as it's safe and check your tires for damage.

Keep your car’s tires at the recommended inflation. This can help prevent accidents. This can also help improve steering, stopping, traction and load-carrying capability of the vehicle.  Under-inflated tires are a significant factor in tire failure. You can find the recommended tire pressure and vehicle load limit on placards and vehicle certification labels, which are usually attached to the vehicle’s door edge, door post, glove box door or inside of the trunk lid.

Make sure your tires are routinely rotated based on the frequency outlined in the vehicle owner’s manual. Tire rotation reduces irregular wear.

Make sure your tires are balanced. This helps avoid vibration or shaking of the vehicle when a tire rotates.
 

Daily Checks

Check your engine oil daily:

Checking your oil is easy, and you should make it a habit to check your oil daily, or at the least, once a week. To check the oil, locate the dipstick, pull it out, and see how much oil there is on the end of it. There will be two marks on the end of the dipstick. The mark toward the end of the dipstick will say "ADD", and the one about a quarter inch above it will say "FULL". The oil should be somewhere between these two marks. If it's below the "ADD" mark, you need to put in 1 quart of oil. If it's half way between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks, you need to add one half of a quart. Never over fill your engine oil. If you put in a full quart while the oil is only half way between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks, you'll be putting in too much oil. Too much oil can be just as harmful to an engine as too little oil.

The engine should be cold when you check the oil for two reasons. One, a hot engine can burn you quickly. Two, when you shut off your engine, there's still oil in the engine that hasn't flowed back into the oil pan. The end of the dipstick goes into the oil in the pan, and it's here where the oil level is read. To get an accurate reading, the engine needs to remain shut off for about five or ten minutes before you check the oil level.

In addition to checking the oil level, you should also look at the condition of the oil. Clean oil is almost clear and thin, but over time it turns black and gets thick. If your oil is black, or it drips off of the dipstick more like syrup than oil, you need to have it changed. If it's only been 1,000 miles or less since you had the oil changed, then most likely you need to change the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve. If the PCV valve was replaced recently, and the oil is still turning black within 1,000 miles, take the car to a reputable garage. You may have a problem that is going to cause damage to the engine if it isn't repaired.