Car Care Habits To Inculcate In Your Child

Your child turning 18 is a momentous occasion. On becoming legal adults, one of the perks is being eligible for a driving license!

Learning to drive a car is not only exciting but also a big step towards becoming independent. And with this freedom comes a lot of responsibility. As parents, besides teaching your child how to drive and guiding their practice sessions, it is important to explain car care habits that will stand them in good stead. Cars are complex machines and, if treated well, can serve you for a long time. So, make sure you impart these five lessons to your young drivers:

Tyre Maintenance

Tyres are probably the biggest pain point for drivers as they have to bear the brunt of being on the road literally. Your newly minted adult should be prompted to check the tyre pressure once every fifteen days. Maintaining the pressure recommended by the manufacturer ensures that the tyres perform optimally. It also helps save fuel and keeps you safe on the road.

It is equally important for your child to know how to handle a flat tyre if no help is available. They need to understand the protocols of safe parking, setting up the hazard sign, accessing different tools required to change a tyre, and how to use them. You could let them do a few dry runs under your supervision. This will help them become adept at handling the situation.

There’s a lot more about tyres that you can teach your child through this video from Ford. You can also check out how to change a tyre on Ford India’s YouTube channel

Checking Fluids

Fluids such as engine oil, brake fluid, and coolant are the lifeblood of your car. By checking these regularly, your child can keep the car in better shape and minimise the chances of any catastrophic failure. Along with the three mentioned above, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and windscreen washer fluid make up the seven fluids in a car.

Throwing out all the information at once can be overwhelming; the best way to tackle it is to touch upon one automotive fluid at a time. Let them know the function of the liquid, safe practices to follow before checking, how to check fluid levels, composition or brands to use, etc.

This video by Ford is an easy guide to all fluids your car relies on:

Dashboard Warning Lights

There could be several different warning lights on the instrument cluster, depending on the car’s make and model. While some indicators are self-explanatory, others may point to an issue or malfunction that can be difficult to understand as a layperson. To help your kid decipher the warning signs and their effects, make sure they have read the manufacturer’s handbook.

They should be able to understand and prioritise indicators based on their urgency. For example, a seatbelt sign, handbrake, or low fuel sign are common indicators. But check engine light, oil pressure or engine temperature warning are more serious issues that need to be addressed right away.

Here’s your guide to most lights in the instrument panel:

Periodic Inspection & Maintenance

The user manual specifies the frequency at which you should get your vehicle inspected at an authorised service centre. Usually, you need to get your car inspected after 5000 km, 10,000 km, 15,000 km, and so on. But if you have a Ford, this inspection schedule is halved to every 10,000 KM. Even if your Ford has not done the requisite mileage, it is recommended to have it inspected at least once a year (twice a year if you don’t own a Ford). This will also take care of routine oil changes, wheel alignment, tread checks, etc. It can also help to detect any underlying issues that can be dangerous or costly to fix later.

Let your child schedule the maintenance visits based on their convenience and have them set up alerts on their phone via a digital calendar. You should go along with them for the first couple of visits, so they don’t feel completely lost. At Ford, we mention all scheduled maintenance and part costs on our website to ensure complete peace of mind for our customers. Check Ford’s Service Price Promise to know our surprisingly affordable maintenance costs.

The Ford Advantage

As important as it is for your child to have hands-on experience in managing and caring for a car, you wouldn’t want to saddle them with maintenance issues that can be handled effortlessly.

Ford brings the best of technology and customer service for all Ford family members. FordPass allows you to access real-time vehicle information about your car through a smartphone app, making everyday maintenance a breeze. In addition to digitising tasks such as starting and stopping the engine, locking and unlocking the doors and locating the car, FordPass can run real-time diagnostics as well. Whether it’s monitoring various fluid levels, checking tyre pressure, identifying the closest fuel station, or tracking the availability of car parts and their costs – everything is just a click away!

What’s more, getting a car serviced is easier than ever with Ford. Dial-A-Ford to get your Ford car serviced from the comfort of your home with our pick-up and drop facility. And in view of the ongoing pandemic, our contactless service follows stringent sanitising protocols.

With Ford, driving and maintaining a car is stress-free. So, make sure you buy your child the perfect first car. Here’s a guide to help you out.