Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Current Situation of Vehicle Maintenance in Sri Lankan Context .......................................... 3
1.2 Why Scheduled Maintenance is Important for Your Car? ...................................................... 3
1.2.1 Benefits of preventive maintenance ............................................................................... 4
1.3 How to Determine Preventive Maintenance Intervals/Schedules ......................................... 4
1.4 Do it at Right Time, but Never Over-maintain ........................................................................ 5
1.4.1 Cost and environmental impact of maintenance ........................................................... 5
1.5 Top auto Maintenance Myths ................................................................................................. 6
1.6 Intention of this Informative Guide ........................................................................................ 6
1.7 Target Group ........................................................................................................................... 7
1.8 Always Follow Your Owner’s and/or Maintenance Manual ................................................... 7
2 Driving, Road & General Safety ....................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Why Safety is More Important................................................................................................ 8
2.2 Safety Tips ............................................................................................................................... 8
2.3 Driving Through Water / Flood ............................................................................................... 9
2.4 Towing Your Car in any Emergency ...................................................................................... 10
2.5 More Safety Tips ................................................................................................................... 10
3 Disposal of Used Materials – Save the Environment .................................................................... 11
3.1 Environment Impact from Used Materials ........................................................................... 11
3.2 Environment Effect in National Level ................................................................................... 11
3.3 Energy Consumption for Services ......................................................................................... 12
4 Dashboard indicators .................................................................................................................... 13
5 Simple but significant inspections – Do it by yourself .................................................................. 14
5.1 Did You Read Chapter 2 at Least Twice? ............................................................................... 14
5.2 Open the Hood ...................................................................................................................... 14
5.3 Around the Car ...................................................................................................................... 15
5.4 Sitting on the Driving Seat .................................................................................................... 16
5.5 While Riding .......................................................................................................................... 17
6 Preventive and Scheduled Maintenance ...................................................................................... 18
6.1 Normal Conditions vs Severe Conditions .............................................................................. 18
6.2 Engine .................................................................................................................................... 18
6.2.1 Engine Oil (lubricant) .................................................................................................... 19
6.2.2 Oil filter ......................................................................................................................... 20
Car Maintenance - Your Guide – First Edition
2 | P a g e
Published by MESC - IESL
6.2.3 Air filter ......................................................................................................................... 20
6.2.4 Spark plugs (petrol engines only) .................................................................................. 21
6.2.5 Fuel filter ....................................................................................................................... 21
6.2.6 Timing belts & timing chains ......................................................................................... 22
6.2.7 Drive belts (Alternator / AC / Water Pump).................................................................. 23
6.2.8 Engine Mounts .............................................................................................................. 23
6.2.9 Engine Coolant .............................................................................................................. 23
6.2.10 Inverter Coolant ............................................................................................................ 24
6.2.11 Engine tune-up .............................................................................................................. 24
6.3 Transmission (Gear box) ....................................................................................................... 25
6.3.1 Manual Transmission .................................................................................................... 25
6.3.2 Automatic transmission ................................................................................................ 25
6.4 Other Power train Components, CV joints, Links, ................................................................. 26
6.5 Hybrid Systems Components ................................................................................................ 26
6.6 Air Conditioning system ........................................................................................................ 27
6.7 Steering system ..................................................................................................................... 27
6.8 Brake system ......................................................................................................................... 28
6.9 Battery ................................................................................................................................... 28
6.9.1 How to Jump start a car ................................................................................................ 29
6.10 Hybrid Battery (Traction Battery) ......................................................................................... 30
6.11 Tyre ....................................................................................................................................... 30
6.11.1 Air Pressure ................................................................................................................... 31
6.11.2 Regular tyre rotation ..................................................................................................... 31
6.11.3 Wheel alignment ........................................................................................................... 32
6.11.4 Tyre wear indicator ....................................................................................................... 32
6.12 Electrical and Electronic Components .................................................................................. 33
6.13 Shock absorbers and other Suspension Components .......................................................... 33
7 Correct Approach for Fault identification ..................................................................................... 34
8 References .................................................................................................................................... 35
9 Who we are? ................................................................................................................................. 36
9.1 MESC of IESL .......................................................................................................................... 36
9.2 Contact us ............................................................................................................................. 36
