Your place · Car ownership
The maintenance schedule
Use the schedule in your owner's manual for your type of driving, not the shop's (some push extra service). Monthly: check all four tires and the spare when cold, using the pressure on the driver's door label, not the tire, and check tread with a penny; replace at 2/32 inch. Rotate tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles if the manual says to. Use the oil grade the manual lists. Get check-engine lights looked at. Before any repair, get a signed written estimate, and keep every repair order.
What to know
- Find the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual for your type of driving. Some shops make their own schedules that call for more frequent service than the maker recommends, so compare, and ask the shop to explain anything extra. Source: FTC
- Put the next few items (oil change, tire rotation, inspections) in your calendar by date or mileage.
- Check tire pressure monthly. Check all four plus the spare when the tires are cold, meaning the car hasn't been driven for at least three hours. Use the pressure on the label on the driver's door edge or in your manual, not the number on the tire. Source: NHTSA Don't rely on the dashboard warning: it only comes on when a tire is significantly low. Source: NHTSA
- Check tread the same day. Tires should be replaced at 2/32 of an inch. Put a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of his head, it's time for new tires. Source: NHTSA
- Rotate tires if your manual recommends it, generally every 5,000 to 8,000 miles or sooner if they wear unevenly. Some cars shouldn't be rotated, like those with different front and rear tire sizes. Source: NHTSA
- Use the oil grade in your manual. Using 10W-30 in an engine built for 5W-30 can lower gas mileage by 1% to 2%. Source: FuelEconomy.gov
- Don't ignore the check-engine light. It could be as small as a loose gas cap or something that leads to costly repairs, so have a mechanic look. Source: FuelEconomy.gov
- Run your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls twice a year. Source: NHTSA
Your maintenance calendar
Intervals come from your owner's manual unless noted. Fill in your car's numbers.
| How often | What |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Tire pressure (including the spare) and tread Source: NHTSA |
| Every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, if recommended | Tire rotation Source: NHTSA |
| Per your manual | Oil and filter change, with the oil grade it lists |
| Per your manual | Coolant, brake fluid and other fluid checks |
| Twice a year | Recall check by VIN Source: NHTSA |
| When installing new tires | Balance them Source: NHTSA |
What a puddle means
From the FTC. Source: FTC
| Color | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Yellowish green, pastel blue or fluorescent orange | Antifreeze leak or overheated engine: bad hose, water pump or radiator |
| Dark brown or black, oily | Engine oil leak, from a bad seal or gasket |
| Red, oily | Transmission or power steering fluid leak |
| Clear water | Usually normal air conditioner condensation |
Smells and sounds that mean stop
- Burned toast smell: often an electrical short. Try not to drive until it's checked. Source: FTC
- Hot metallic smell with steam from under the hood: the engine overheated. Pull over right away and get a tow. Source: FTC
- Gas smell that doesn't go away: possibly a fuel leak, which needs immediate attention. Source: FTC
- Light smoke from a wheel: a stuck brake. Have it towed. Source: FTC
- High-pitched screech while moving: brake wear indicators telling you brakes are due. Source: FTC
If it doesn't work
- Shop recommends a big repair you weren't expecting? Get a second opinion, and ask first whether there's a diagnostic charge if you go elsewhere. Source: FTC
- Getting a repair? Ask for a signed written estimate listing the problem, parts and labor, saying the shop will call you before going over a set amount. Source: FTC
- Bad repair or billing dispute? Talk to the manager first and keep records of dates, costs and names. Your state attorney general or local consumer protection office can help. Source: FTC
- Lost the manual? Most makers post it free on their website. Search your year, make and model plus "owner's manual."
Good to know
Choosing a shop
Look for a shop before you need one, ask people you trust, check for current certifications like an ASE seal, and ask whether they've worked on your make. Source: FTC
Get the paperwork
Ask for a repair order that lists each repair, the parts and their cost, labor, and the odometer reading. You can ask for the old parts back. Source: FTC
Tires save money
Properly inflated tires can save up to 11 cents a gallon and add about 4,700 miles to a tire's life. Source: NHTSA
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission Auto repair basics
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Tires
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recalls
- FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA) Keeping your vehicle in shape
Lesson H5.2 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed.
Find it online: