Skip to content

Mécanique Générale

General mechanics: checklist for maintaining your car

Whether you have just bought your first car or have owned a vehicle for many years, you must regularly perform its general mechanical maintenance . Indeed, whether your car is new or used or even a collector’s item, it is an essential part of your life that you must take care of in order to avoid breakdowns or costly repairs and allow you to drive safely. If you own a new car, you should know that regular maintenance is mandatory to assert the warranty on it.

So with time and the accumulation of mileage, certain car parts are subject to wear and require regular maintenance in a general mechanics garage or to be done by yourself to function properly. To help you better preserve your vehicle and not forget anything, here is the list of general mechanics maintenance to be carried out.

Vehicle maintenance to be carried out in a general mechanics garage

The frequency of maintenance of your vehicle will vary from one model to another and it can depend on the mileage traveled or the time. However, you will have to take into consideration the first eventuality that occurs. Generally speaking, every 6 months or between 6,000 and 8,000 km, you must do a light service, every year or between 16,000 and 24,000 km, do a more thorough service and when your car reaches 100,000 km, you will certainly have many parts to have serviced and changed.

In addition, certain road and weather conditions such as snow, ice, extreme temperatures, sand, traffic jams, etc. will influence the frequency of servicing. The same applies to your driving style (transporting large loads, towing, sudden braking or acceleration, etc.).

The main maintenance tasks to be carried out in a general mechanical workshop are:

  • Brake system check

It is the safety system of your vehicle that must therefore be continually in perfect working order. To do this, check the discs and brake pads periodically and every year do a general maintenance that includes cleaning, lubrication and adjustment of the moving parts. In addition, if you hear an abnormal noise or feel a strange vibration, do not hesitate to take your vehicle to a general mechanics workshop to prevent any accident.

  • The tires

For good road grip, it is essential to equip your vehicle with high-performance tires. In addition, you are probably aware that in Quebec, you must by law have equipped your vehicle with winter tires between December 1st and March 15th at the very least. So, when it comes time to change your tires, it is best to also have their alignment checked to ensure safe driving and reduce your fuel consumption.
Many general mechanics shops , in addition to offering the sale, installation, alignment and balancing of your tires , will offer you a storage service in their heated garage.

  • Replacing the engine oil and oil filter

You could take advantage of your two annual visits to your general mechanic’s shop for changing your tires to have your car serviced at the same time, including changing the oil and filter in order to preserve the components of your engine and thus optimize its operation.

  • Inspection and replacement of various systems

    • Visual inspection of the exhaust system, suspension and steering and replacement of defective parts.
    • Replacing the air filter and cabin filter every 10,000 km in urban areas and 25,000 km in rural areas.
    • Cleaning the air conditioning system condenser.
    • Checking engine fluids and topping off.
    • Replacing spark plugs for gasoline cars.
    • Automatic transmission check and related repairs if necessary.

  • Major maintenance of 100,000 km

When your car reaches 100,000 km, you will need to perform major maintenance on several important components such as cleaning and possibly changing the timing belt, ignition cable, fuel injectors, among others. In addition, the gearbox oil will need to be changed.

General mechanical maintenance that you can do yourself

  • Between two visits to the general mechanics garage or more regularly, you can carry out relatively simple checks to ensure the proper functioning and good performance of your vehicle. The main ones are:
  • Check the oil and coolant levels from time to time, especially if you notice that your vehicle tends to heat up abnormally.
  • Inspect tire air pressure and wear periodically. Be aware that the minimum tread depth on tires is regulated. It must not be less than 1.6 mm (2/32 in) for a light vehicle and the tread indicator must not touch the road.
  • Check the windshield washer fluid level and refill it regularly. You could use a lot of it to improve your visibility on the road especially in winter.
  • Check the wear level of the wipers and if necessary, replace them. Pay particular attention in the fall, as the summer sun tends to dry out the rubber of the blades.
  • Make sure your horn, lights and signal lights are working properly. A bulb can easily burn out without you noticing, which can result in a fine.
  • Check that the air conditioning and heating system are working properly.
  • Check the battery condition. If you see verdigris, clean it to avoid starting problems.
  • Have your vehicle washed regularly inside and out, including in winter. Indeed, road salt is particularly corrosive for certain parts of your car. In addition, you will have better visibility on the road if the optical globes of your headlights are clean.
  • In the winter, when temperatures drop below freezing, make sure to always keep your fuel tank at least a quarter full. This will prevent condensation and freezing from causing major damage.

For general mechanical maintenance or to have your tires changed every season, trust the professional mechanics at Pneus Groupe Unik in Dorval and make an appointment!