Login
My Garage
New hero

Car safety checks for home: fast, simple, essential

By Stephen Turvil | May 1, 2023

Share

Why not leave a comment?

See all | Add a comment

Make sure your car is ready for anything via simple, quick, intuitive safety checks you can do at home.

Car safety checks for home: fast, simple, essential

Ensure your car is safe, reliable, and ready for adventure via basic checks that take moments and are easy to understand. It is worth the effort. Countless issues that might make your car problematic on a journey can be recognised beforehand – then fixed. 

Tyres

Tyres influence how your car brakes, handles, and rides so inspect them carefully. Look for damage such as bulges, cracks, and punctures. Consider tread depth, too. To be legal, each tyre requires at least 1.6mm of tread across the central 75% of the width, and around the circumference. Replace any substandard tyres. 

Engine oil

Engine oil cleans, lubricates, and cools critical components so running low can cause a lot of damage. Check the level via the engine dipstick. It should be between the minimum and maximum marks. If it is too low, add the correct type of oil without delay.

Front and rear lights

Blown light bulbs on your vehicle make it harder to see and be seen, so check throughout. When testing the brake and reversing lights, it is useful to have someone standing behind the car to watch as you work the controls. If this is not possible, reverse towards a shiny surface such as a window then look for reflections.

Engine coolant

Among other things, coolant stops the engine overheating and grinding to a halt. Check there is enough coolant via the minimum and maximum marks on the reservoir – once the engine is stone cold. 

Wiper blades and screen wash

Wiper blades remove water, dirt, and leaves from your screen to help you see the road. However, they become less effective over time and need replacing. Typical signs of wear include leaving a lot of streaks, excessive vibration, and being too noisy. Also check that your vehicle has plenty of screen wash in its reservoir.

Brake fluid, discs, and pads

Your car requires enough brake fluid to stop safely. Check the level via the high and low marks on the reservoir. If you can see through the wheels, inspect the brakes themselves too. A heavily worn disc has a large lip around its circumference. Heavy scoring on the flat surface is another sign of wear. A badly worn pad is also easy to spot. It is much, much thinner than a new counterpart. 

Battery

The car cannot work properly without a good battery. Check it is securely installed and that there is no corrosion on the terminals. 

Related Articles

You can save big on your car insurance by simply asking
Find out how simple haggling can save you up to £200 on your car insurance renewal. Learn tips to challenge price hikes and get a better...
Car insurance price by title: Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms - who pays more?
Men vs women: who pays more for car insurance in 2025? New data reveals big differences in quotes based on title alone.
Young drivers might soon be banned from driving at night
The UK may introduce Graduated Driving Licences, placing limits on young drivers. Discover the proposed changes and who’s backing them.
The Most Common Mistakes New Drivers Make in the UK
Here are the most common new driver mistakes in the UK to watch out for