There's More to Checking a Car Than Belts, Hoses and Tires

Having spent the better part of the last 40 years covering the auto industry or working in various dealerships as a salesman, one of the gambits we've used (here's a an auto industry spoiler folks) in the past to keep ourselves -- the salesperson and the dealership -- in front of our customers is the "service reminder letter."

This is a letter that starts:

"Dear Mr. Shmedlap,

"At ABC Motors we want to make sure that your 2010 Rollscanardly stays in great shape. Financial industry statistics show that besides your house, your car is the largest investment you will make and ABC Motors wants to help you make sure that your Rollscanardly runs like new for as long as possible.

"In order to make sure that happens, we want to remind you that it's been three months since you purchased your new car. To mark your car's three-month anniversary and to keep it running in top shape, we're going to give you a free oil and filter change - normally a $39.95 value - and chassis lubrication. We'll also give you a complementary car wash so your car will stay new-looking as long as possible. And, we'll make sure your car's major systems are in working order."

That's a great note, right? I have a copy sitting right on the hard disk of the laptop I am using right now as it is pretty standard boilerplate for the industry, but take a good, close look at the note. Is there anything missing from the list of service items? Let's see, there's the lube, oil and filter and the major systems check, but, like an open-book test in school, do you see something missing? Here's the answer: lots of systems that aren't so major.

Indeed, there are many systems in cars that people take for granted. For example, when was the last time you had your car's manifold checked or how about the rear bearings in a front-drive car, or how about the boots on your car's CV joints (constant velocity - these are the joints that compensate for changes in rotation speeds as you turn the front wheels in a front-drive car)? These are just a few of the items that you never think about having checked but which should be checked fairly frequently. We've had a chance to do some thinking about this and have come up with a list of items that should be checked that you've probably overlooked.

For example, when was the last time you checked out your car's exhaust system. This is a check you can easily do yourself. Normally, your car's exhaust system should have even pulses coming out the tailpipe. Each pulse represents the exhaust coming down the pipe from one cylinder in your car's engine. The pulses should be even. There are two ways to check this. The first is by standing near - but out of the direct path - of the tailpipe and listening. The exhaust stream pulses should sound nice and evenly spaced. Another way to check is to take a rag and, standing to the side of the tailpipe, placing the rag over the tailpipe. Again, the exhaust pulses should feel even (you use the rag to keep from getting burned on the tailpipe, never use your bare hand to do this). Interestingly, if you listen closely while you are doing this, you may uncover another little-done check, the manifold system. If you hear hissing or funny burbling from any place from the engine to the tailpipe, the chances are good that your exhaust manifold system is broken. It may be a broken pipe at the manifold itself, or it could be a problem with a head gasket. This is a problem that you'll have to take to your local service center for further diagnosis.

The bearings are also items that people take for granted. Admit it, when was the last time that you actually checked out your car's bearings. Indeed, if you ask 10 drivers, you'll probably get vacant looks in the faces of about five or them as they don't even know what a bearing is or does.

Simply, the bearing is the device that allows the wheel to turn. There are two sets of them per wheel, the inside and outside. The bearing race (the device that contains the bearings) for the inside bearing is located closest to the suspension, the outside bearings are located where you would expect, at the outside of the wheel hub (indeed, both are in the wheel hub). You can tell if a wheel bearing is going just by listening. If you hear a loud whirring sound - something like a snowtire on a dry pavement - that speeds up and slows down when you do, then the chances are good your bearings may be going. If they are going, then it will take a trip to your service area to have the job done right.

Here's an interesting check that will require some thoughtfulness and a spare block of wood and your car's tire jack, checking the idler arms for freeplay. There are two sets of idler arms for each front wheel, the upper and lower. They help set your wheel's position as you turn the wheel and they keep each wheel where it is supposed to be. They also assist with your car's alignment.

If there's too much play in the idler arms your wheels can develop a slight wobble that can translate into a shimmy or can become a low-level resonant that could lead to early tire wear or even damage to your car's steering system. To check the idler arms, first, park your car and set the emergency brake; then place a large wood block against both rear wheels as an added precaution. Then, using your car's tire jack, raise the car so the front wheel is just off the ground and then move the wheel. If there's a lot of play in the wheel as you move it back and forth, chances are good that one of more of your car's idler arms may need replacement. Try rocking the wheel in both planes side to side as you look at the fender and side to side as you look at the front. You can also try pressing upward to see if there's too much up-and-down play. If the wheel exhibits any unusual behavior such as too much wiggle or too much up and down movement, then a trip to the service area is warranted.. Be careful not to take your car more than an inch or two off the ground when using the tire jack for this and try to keep as much of your body out of the way as possible.

If these items seem all right, then you may want to make sure the central door-locking system is working. In many vehicles, you not only are able to lock the doors from the driver's position but it will also lock as you drive. In Ford's, for example, the locking system comes on when you've traveled about 30 feet, while in GM products, the locking system works when you shift into drive. Make sure this happens correctly or else you may be looking at a car that has only one or two doors locked, if any are at all and if you have kids, you don't want the doors unlocked.

Then, there's the neutral-start switch that enables your car to start. The neutral start switch is integrated with the brakes and automatic transmission system. The only way your car will start, if the system is working correctly, is if you have your foot on the brake when you turn the ignition. If the neutral-start switch is working correctly and you forget to put your foot on the brake, then your car won't start. If it does start - and your foot isn't on the brake - then you have a problem that should be looked at by a trained mechanic as it means your car's safety systems aren't working correctly and it could lead to your car not starting at all.

Here's an easy one that you can also overlook, the remote mirrors on your vehicles. These are also called the outside mirrors and it's easy to overlook their proper operation, if you have very little occasion to change their settings, however, there may come a time when you have to change their settings to see if there's a car in the blindspot to the right rear and you may find the mirror won't move. That's not a good time to find out the mirror isn't working correctly, so it pays to check your remote mirrors frequently just to make sure they work correctly.

These are only a few of the systems on a car that many people forget to check. Why even the humble wiper blade or constant velocity joint boots both rubber and both subject to the rigors of not only road grim and dirt (the CV joint boots) but also industrial pollution (the wiper blades) need regular checks because roadside chemistry or industry chemistry (air pollution) can cause premature failure. Be sure to change the wiper blades every four to six months (about average life due to ultraviolet light and industrial pollution) and have the CV joint boots looked at for dry rot and wear about every six months. The CV joint boots require a trained mechanic to fix.

These are a few of the tips that we've learned about after more than 30 years of auto writing and a bunch of years in the auto-selling business. Our sources have been the mechanics we have worked with and even outfits such as the America Automobile Association that, several times a year puts out lists of items that should be checked.

(Source: author's experience, work with mechanics in 40 years of writing and sales.)