If you’re interested in a car repair career, you’ll soon learn that engine issues are among the most common and expensive problems a vehicle can have. For many clients, hearing that their car’s engine is damaged or broken can be difficult—especially if regular maintenance could have prevented the problem. Throughout your auto repair studies, you’ll learn all about important maintenance tips that you can pass down to your future customers.

Whether you’re advising a client on how to keep their new car running for a long time, or want to help a client with an older car get a few more years out of their vehicle, you’ll soon have plenty of maintenance tips to share. Here’s a look at some of the tips you can pass down once you finish your studies and become a car repair expert.

 

1. Car Repair Experts Know that Regular Oil Changes Make All the Difference

As you’ll soon learn in your courses, regular oil changes are an essential part of keeping any car running at its best. Engine oil helps keep engine parts well lubricated so that they work properly and don’t overheat. That’s why throughout your future career in car repair, you’ll want to remind clients to regularly check their car’s oil.

Over time, engine oil can carbonize and accumulate as black sludge or carbon deposits inside the engine. That sludge can build up on valves, and metal particles and other contaminants can cause wear and tear to the engine. Oil levels can also drop over time as some oil gets burned by the engine. Low oil levels can cause permanent damage to the engine if left unchecked, which is another top reason why regular oil checks are important for engine maintenance.

Trained car repair experts advise their clients to check their oil at least once a month, and change their oil every 5,000 to 7,500km.

 

2. Car Repair Experts Recommend Checking the Cooling System

Engine coolant helps to prevent the engine from overheating. Unfortunately, it’s possible for leaks to occur and for coolant levels to fall too low. When this happens, your future clients might notice that their engine heats up more than usual, which could cause permanent damage to the engine and the car.

That’s why you’ll need to remind your clients to regularly check their engine coolant. Additionally, make sure to warn them not to check coolant levels while the engine is still hot. Otherwise, they risk getting splashed by hot coolant or damaging the engine block by adding cold coolant.

As you start your career in car repair, you’ll also need to remind clients that if they notice any of the following signs when checking their coolant, they’ll need to bring their car in for repairs:

• Debris is present in the coolant
• Coolant is rust coloured or has no colour

 

3. Car Repair Experts Remind Clients that Air Filters Need to be Changed

During your auto mechanic apprenticesship, you will learn that engines need clean air to function properly. A car’s filters ensure the air that enters the engine is clean and free of debris. But if that filter gets clogged or too dirty, less air will be able to enter the engine, or dirty air will enter the engine.

Car repair experts often recommend changing the air filter every 4,828km. Throughout your career, you can advise clients to double-check their owner’s manual so that they can check the air filter when it’s best for their car.

With the help of these regular maintenance tips, you’ll be able to help your customers keep their cars—and their car’s engines—running smoothly for a long time