Knowledge Is Power: Automotive Education for Women

Created by Melanie Cavender

This guide is part of Knowledge Is Power, an automotive education initiative designed to help women become more confident and informed vehicle owners. Although the program focuses on empowering women, these instructions are useful for anyone who wants to learn more about basic vehicle maintenance.

Throughout this guide, you'll learn how to inspect your tires, check essential fluid levels, examine your windshield wipers, test your exterior lights, and identify upcoming maintenance needs. The instructions are designed to apply to most gasoline-powered passenger vehicles, regardless of make or model. Keep in mind that vehicle specifications and some inspection procedures vary by manufacturer. Your owner's manual should always be your first reference for information specific to your vehicle.

The goal isn't to teach you how to repair everything yourself. It's to help you understand what you're looking at, recognize when something might be wrong, and feel more confident discussing your vehicle's needs with a service professional.

Before getting started, gather the following:

1. Vehicle owner's manual (printed or digital)
2. Tire pressure gauge
3. Tire tread depth gauge or a penny
4. Clean paper towels or shop rags
5. Flashlight
6. Notebook or smartphone for recording your results
7. Tire inflator or access to an air compressor (optional)
8. Another person to help check exterior lights (recommended)

You won't need expensive equipment or specialized mechanical knowledge to complete this inspection.

1. Park your vehicle on a flat, level surface in a safe, well-lit area.
2. Shift the transmission into Park, turn off the engine, and engage the parking brake.
3. Allow the engine to cool before inspecting anything under the hood.
4. Gather your supplies and locate your owner's manual.
5. Find the sections of your manual that explain tire pressure, engine oil, fluid levels, and maintenance.

Preparing your vehicle correctly is important for both your safety and the accuracy of your inspection. Never crawl underneath a vehicle supported only by a jack. Nothing in this guide requires you to get underneath your vehicle.

Your tires are the only parts of your vehicle that normally touch the road, making them one of the most important components to inspect.

1. Walk around your vehicle and look carefully at each tire.
2. Examine the sidewalls for cracks, cuts, bulges, or other visible damage.
3. Look for nails, screws, or other objects embedded in the rubber.
4. Inspect the tread for uneven wear, particularly along the inside and outside edges.
5. Compare the condition of all four tires and record anything unusual.

Uneven tire wear can indicate improper inflation, alignment problems, or suspension issues. A bulge in the sidewall or exposed internal cords may indicate serious structural damage.

Safety warning: Do not drive on a tire with a visible bulge, exposed cords, or other suspected structural damage until it has been evaluated by a qualified professional.

Proper tire inflation affects how your vehicle handles, brakes, and performs on the road. It can also improve tire life and fuel efficiency.

1. Locate your vehicle's tire information placard. On most vehicles, it can be found inside the driver's door opening.
2. Find the manufacturer's recommended cold tire pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).
3. Check your tires before driving or after the vehicle has been parked for at least three hours, when possible.
4. Remove the valve stem cap from the first tire.
5. Press the tire pressure gauge firmly against the valve stem until you get a reading.
6. Compare the reading with the manufacturer's recommended pressure.
7. Repeat the process for each tire.
8. Adjust the pressure with appropriate equipment if necessary.
9. Replace the valve stem caps when finished.

One common mistake is using the pressure printed on the tire's sidewall. That number generally represents the tire's maximum permitted inflation pressure, not the pressure recommended for your vehicle.

Your front and rear tires may also have different recommended pressures, so check the placard carefully.

Tire tread helps your vehicle maintain traction, particularly on wet roads. As the tread wears down, the tire becomes less effective at channeling water away from the contact area.

1. Locate the main grooves running around the circumference of the tire.
2. Insert a tread depth gauge into one of the grooves, avoiding the raised tread-wear indicator bars.
3. Read the measurement displayed on the gauge.
4. Repeat the measurement in several places across the tire.
5. Measure the remaining tires using the same procedure.
6. Record the lowest measurement for each tire.

If you don't have a tread depth gauge, you can use a penny for a basic check.

1. Place a penny into a main tread groove with Lincoln's head facing downward.
2. Look at the top of Lincoln's head. If you can see it, the tread is approximately 2/32 of an inch or less, indicating that the tire needs replacement.

A tread depth gauge is more accurate than the penny test. Also, remember that wet-weather traction can deteriorate well before a tire reaches 2/32 inch of tread.

Engine oil lubricates moving parts and helps protect your engine from excessive wear. Knowing how to check your oil level is one of the most useful basic maintenance skills you can learn.

1. Consult your owner's manual to determine the correct procedure for checking your engine oil.
2. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding engine temperature and how long to wait after turning off the engine.
3. Open the hood and secure it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Locate the engine oil dipstick, if your vehicle is equipped with one.
5. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean with a paper towel.
6. Reinsert the dipstick completely.
7. Remove it again and examine the oil level.
8. Compare the oil level with the minimum and maximum markings.
9. Reinsert the dipstick securely when finished.

Some vehicles use electronic oil-level monitoring instead of a traditional dipstick. If your vehicle has this feature, follow the procedure in your owner's manual.

Safety warning: Be careful around hot engine components, moving parts, and electrical connections.

Your vehicle relies on several different fluids to operate properly. Some fluid levels can be checked visually, while others require specialized equipment or professional service.

1. Locate the engine coolant reservoir using your owner's manual.
2. Wait until the engine and cooling system are completely cool.
3. Examine the coolant level through the side of the reservoir, if it is translucent.
4. Compare the level with the appropriate markings, following the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Locate the windshield washer fluid reservoir.
6. Check the washer fluid level and refill it with appropriate washer fluid if needed.
7. Identify any other reservoirs your owner's manual says are intended for owner inspection.
8. Look for unusual fluid spots or puddles beneath the parked vehicle.
9. Record any low fluid levels or suspected leaks.

If your coolant level is unexpectedly low or you notice a significant leak, have the vehicle inspected by a qualified professional.

Safety warning: Never remove a radiator cap or pressurized coolant reservoir cap while the cooling system is hot. Hot coolant can cause severe burns.

Your exterior lights allow you to see the road and help other drivers understand what you're doing. Checking them regularly is an important part of vehicle safety.

1. Turn on your headlights using the vehicle's lighting controls.
2. Walk to the front of the vehicle and confirm that the appropriate headlights are illuminated.
3. Activate the high beams and verify their operation.
4. Test the left and right turn signals.
5. Activate the hazard lights and verify that the appropriate lights flash.
6. Ask another person to stand in a safe location behind the parked vehicle.
7. Press the brake pedal while your assistant checks the brake lights, including the center brake light.
8. Check the reverse lights with an assistant, following the safe procedure in your owner's manual.
9. Record any lights that fail to illuminate or appear damaged.

Exterior lighting systems vary between manufacturers, so consult your owner's manual if you're unsure how to activate a particular light.

Even if everything looks good during your inspection, your vehicle still requires regularly scheduled maintenance.

1. Locate the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual or manufacturer's maintenance guide.
2. Record your vehicle's current mileage.
3. Review the recommended maintenance intervals.
4. Compare those recommendations with your vehicle's service history.
5. Identify any services that are due or approaching.
6. Check whether your driving habits fall under the manufacturer's severe or special operating conditions.
7. Make a list of upcoming maintenance needs.

Common maintenance items include oil changes, tire rotations, brake inspections, filter replacements, and fluid services. The intervals for these services vary between manufacturers and models.

Now that you've completed your inspection, take a few minutes to organize what you've found.

1. Review your notes from each part of the inspection.
2. Identify any problems that may affect the vehicle's immediate safety.
3. Separate urgent concerns from routine maintenance needs.
4. Contact a qualified service professional if you discover a problem that requires diagnosis or repair.
5. Schedule any upcoming maintenance recommended by the manufacturer.
6. Save your inspection results for future reference.

If you discover a potentially dangerous condition, such as a severely damaged tire or a significant fluid leak, do not continue driving until the vehicle has been evaluated and is safe to operate.