Writing by Texas A&M University English Language Institute students: How to do a Visual Check of Your Car

Photos and essay by Hussam Al-Mashhadani

Many people suffer from daily issues or failures that occur in their cars. Some of them can be classified as minor, while the others can be classified as major issues. These failures, in fact, may occur due to an abundance of minor, but important, details that compromise a part or many parts in your car. Nevertheless, these failures can be avoided by several steps, which produce together what is known as visual check, or maintenance, of the car.

First, you need to check the engine’s oil level. This can be done by pulling a stick marked with a ring at the end. It is usually found in the upper part of the engine, even though in different places in different cars. Still, it can be found there. What you need to do for this step is to first pull out this stick and then check visually the amount of oil on that stick. There are usually two lines with words written down on each. The first, or the upper line, refers to maximum, and the second one which is the bottom line refers to the minimum limit. After that, you need to wipe the oil from that stick, put it in again, and pull it one more time. Then you need to see the level of oil. It is usually between the minimum and the maximum level on the stick. If not, then you need to fill the engine with oil somewhere between the minimum and the maximum level. However, the important thing is not to leave it under the minimum level. Otherwise, it will lead to the destruction of the engine in the future. Doing this step may protect the engine from severe friction which leads to total failure.

The second step is to check the radiator fluid. In fact it is a very essential component in the engine, because it is responsible for cooling the engine’s temperature while it is operating. This step can be done by removing the radiator’s cover which can be located in the upper part of the radiator. For safety, never open that cover while the engine is working, because it is hot, and the steam might scald your hand. However, after opening the cover, you need to fill the radiator with anti-freeze fluid to the permitted limit. Don’t use water though, because water may cause additional damage inside your engine such as rust. Then, you need to close the cap to the radiator very tightly. Basically, following this step can prevent the over heat in the engine which lead to a general failure in the engine’s performance. Also, not using water may prevent from forming rust inside the engine which leads to the same results eventually.

The third step is to check the brakes and its fluid. This process can be done by having a visual check on the brake pads. Look at them in their place and see if the thickness of these pads is normal. The normal thickness ranges from 0.25 - 0.5”. If it gets below that range, there might be a danger to the brake system, so you need to replace them by then. Another thing we should take care of is the brake fluid, and that can be done by the same step as the engine oil’s check. Doing this step actually can prevent the failure of the brake system which is an important component in your car.

Another important step is to check the battery. Usually, the battery’s life ranges from 1.5 - 2.5 years depending on the conditions and the maintenance as well. The battery generally has two outlets. The positive, which always comes with a red colored ring surrounding it, and the negative one, which always has the same thing as the positive but with a black ring instead. The positive pole, most often, comes with a bigger diameter than the negative one, because it represents the live line. In other words, it represents the outlet of electrons that gives the energy to the engine as it needs a great amount of energy to start, whereas the negative one comes with a smaller diameter, because it is considered as the inlet of the energy that comes from the engine. However, to maintain a good condition of your battery throughout the year, you must keep it clean. Simply, remove the cable connector from its terminal, then start cleaning it with a wire brush, just as you brush your teeth. Make sure the cables are unbroken or rusty. Otherwise, it will leak the battery’s charge, and eventually, the battery will be damaged. First, take the positive port, then the negative. When you put them back, you need to put them in reverse order. This way you will maintain the longest battery’s life, and you can save some money as well.

All in all, many people would consider these steps as unimportant, and doing them is a waste of time. However, in my opinion, small things can cause huge damage to your car in places that you may not realize. Furthermore, with these steps you can guarantee a longer life for your engine, brake system, your car, and the most important thing you have, your life.

The first step,…oil level