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Monthly car checks you can do at home

Fifteen minutes once a month, on level ground with a cold engine: fluids, tyres, lights and the small things that strand you.

18 items · 4 sections · car, mechanic, driver

Start this checklist

Under the bonnet (5)

  • Engine oil between MIN and MAX on the dipstickPull it out, wipe it, dip it again, then read it. Your owner's manual gives the right grade.
  • Coolant between MIN and MAX in the tank
  • Brake fluid between MIN and MAXIf it keeps dropping, have the brakes checked soon.
  • Washer fluid topped up
  • Battery terminals clean, tight and free of white crust

Tyres (4)

  • Pressure checked cold, all fourUse the number on the driver's door sticker or in the manual, not the one on the tyre wall.
  • Tread depth above the legal minimum1.6 mm in the UK and EU, 2/32 inch (about the same) in most of the US. Replace sooner in wet climates.
  • No cuts, bulges or nails in the tyre walls
  • Spare tyre has air, and the jack and wheel brace are in the car

Lights and glass (5)

  • Headlights, low and high beam
  • Brake lights, with a helper or a reflection in a window
  • Indicators and hazards
  • Wipers clear the glass without streaks
  • No windscreen chips growing into cracks

Around the car (4)

  • No fresh drips on the ground where you park
  • Dashboard shows no warning lights once the engine is running
  • Service date or mileage not yet due
  • Insurance, registration and emissions papers still in date

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