You may see your gas mileage decrease. Your vehicle may start running rough. If your check engine light comes on that could also be an indicator that your vehicle needs a tune up. The owner’s manual that came with your vehicle may suggest a tune up at a certain mileage.

Prior to going on a trip, you should:

Check all lights. Check your headlights (high and low-beam), brake lights, turn signals, parking lamps and (if you have them) fog lights to make sure they are all operational. You should clean your headlights using glass cleaner to improve night visibility.

Check wiper blades. Inspect them for cracks or tears, and make sure they’re operational. If they’re in good shape, it’s still a good idea to clean the rubber blade with little glass cleaner.

Check all hoses. Look for any cracks or holes in hoses, and replace any that are not in good shape.

Check all belts. Inspect all belts to ensure that none are worn, loose or frayed.

Inspect the battery. If there is corrosion on the terminals, you can clean it away with a toothbrush and a pasty solution of water and baking soda.

Check all fluids. Check the reservoirs to ensure that your coolant and wiper fluids are at the proper levels. Check your oil using the dipstick. Check transmission fluid, power-steering fluid and brake fluid. Refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for advice on checking all the fluids.

It is also a good idea to have a good set of basic tools and a emergency kit on hand, these can be purchased from most auto parts stores.

Remove any unwanted items from your truck and check tire pressures to save on gas mileage.

Although there are many things that can cause tire damage, improper inflation is the main problem we see. Always keep a tire pressure gauge in your vehicle and frequently check the pressure of all tires.

There are many sensors and computerized components that manage your vehicle’s engine performance and emissions. When one of these fails, the “check engine” light is illuminated. Although your car may seem to run fine, it is important to have the issue addressed to prevent long-term problems.

YES. The failure of a timing belt in many cars can result in major engine damage. The cost of repairing an engine with a broken timing belt is much greater than the cost of a timing belt replacement.

Milky brown engine oil is an indication of coolant in the oil. This can be caused by a blown head gasket (or other gasket), a failed transmission cooler, or cracked casings. This condition is very serious and needs to be checked by a professional technician immediately.

To help ensure dependable, trouble-free performance, replace your car’s fuel filter approximately every 30,000 miles or as recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

This depends on the type of spark plugs that are in your car. Older cars (15-20 years old) are more likely to have standard plugs and they last 12,000-15,000 miles, newer models up to the year 2000 are platinum tipped and will last 30,000 miles. Some 2000 and newer have iridium tipped plugs and will go 90,000 to 100,000 miles.