Pick Up Truck Maintenance: 5 Basic (But Essential) Tips
Pickup truck lovers know their vehicles perform double duty, work and recreation. Because pickup trucks serve multiple purposes, it’s important to pay close attention to their maintenance needs.
While they might seem simple, or even obvious, these 5 pickup truck maintenance tips are the foundation for keeping your truck running well into old age.
Engine Oil and Filter
Engine oil can easily become contaminated. That’s why it’s important to routinely check it for dirt, dust, and other debris. A clean engine is a happy engine.
The same is true with your oil filter. It needs clean air to function at peak performance. Dust, dirt, and debris slows down the engine’s performance and efficiency.
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended truck maintenance schedule and follow it religiously!
Check Those Other Fluid Levels, Too
Engine oil isn’t the only oil that keeps your truck purring. Engine coolant keeps your engine at its optimal temperature winter or summer. This fluid is another essential to keeping your engine running happily. Check it regularly.
Power steering fluid, a hydraulic fluid, is responsible for the various moving components of the steering system. It also will help prolong the life of more expensive power system parts. For example, the power steering rack and power steering pump.
If you think changing the windshield washer fluid is optional, think again. The same culprits that gunk up your engine oil and other fluids also can get into your washer fluid.
Checking this fluid regularly means you keep a cleaner windshield, and that means a windshield less prone to damage.
Tire Rotation
Keeping the tread wear running even on your tires not only extends the life of your tires, it helps to improve gas mileage. Tire rotation also prolongs the life of the suspension components by reducing unnecessary vibration.
Here at Joe Bowman Auto Plaza, our service department will also look at the undercarriage components to see if there are any other potential problems. Catching them early on prevents more costly repairs down the road.
Keep Your Exterior Clean
It always feels great to drive a clean truck. But a clean exterior is more than just esthetics. It also helps to protect the paint and removes any abrasive dust or dirt.
Winter exterior cleaning is especially important because of the road salts the highway department puts down when it snows. One big important tip: when you wash the exterior of your truck, don’t forget to wash the undercarriage. It collects dirt and debris, too.
Truck Inspection
Give your truck a physical annually. Let your mechanic check it for any potential problems. An annual inspection can help prevent any possible bigger problems later on.
And yes, it may be a bit of a hassle to take your truck for a routine inspection. But a little bit of proactive maintenance means less trouble later on.
If you want some good solid pickup truck maintenance, turn to the Chevy certified technicians at Joe Bowman’s service department. Our pros work on all kinds of vehicles every day.
They can partner with you to keep your truck running a long time.
While they might seem simple, or even obvious, these 5 pickup truck maintenance tips are the foundation for keeping your truck running well into old age.
Engine Oil and Filter
Engine oil can easily become contaminated. That’s why it’s important to routinely check it for dirt, dust, and other debris. A clean engine is a happy engine.
The same is true with your oil filter. It needs clean air to function at peak performance. Dust, dirt, and debris slows down the engine’s performance and efficiency.
Check your owner’s manual for the recommended truck maintenance schedule and follow it religiously!
Check Those Other Fluid Levels, Too
Engine oil isn’t the only oil that keeps your truck purring. Engine coolant keeps your engine at its optimal temperature winter or summer. This fluid is another essential to keeping your engine running happily. Check it regularly.
Power steering fluid, a hydraulic fluid, is responsible for the various moving components of the steering system. It also will help prolong the life of more expensive power system parts. For example, the power steering rack and power steering pump.
If you think changing the windshield washer fluid is optional, think again. The same culprits that gunk up your engine oil and other fluids also can get into your washer fluid.
Checking this fluid regularly means you keep a cleaner windshield, and that means a windshield less prone to damage.
Tire Rotation
Keeping the tread wear running even on your tires not only extends the life of your tires, it helps to improve gas mileage. Tire rotation also prolongs the life of the suspension components by reducing unnecessary vibration.
Here at Joe Bowman Auto Plaza, our service department will also look at the undercarriage components to see if there are any other potential problems. Catching them early on prevents more costly repairs down the road.
Keep Your Exterior Clean
It always feels great to drive a clean truck. But a clean exterior is more than just esthetics. It also helps to protect the paint and removes any abrasive dust or dirt.
Winter exterior cleaning is especially important because of the road salts the highway department puts down when it snows. One big important tip: when you wash the exterior of your truck, don’t forget to wash the undercarriage. It collects dirt and debris, too.
Truck Inspection
Give your truck a physical annually. Let your mechanic check it for any potential problems. An annual inspection can help prevent any possible bigger problems later on.
And yes, it may be a bit of a hassle to take your truck for a routine inspection. But a little bit of proactive maintenance means less trouble later on.
If you want some good solid pickup truck maintenance, turn to the Chevy certified technicians at Joe Bowman’s service department. Our pros work on all kinds of vehicles every day.
They can partner with you to keep your truck running a long time.
