Can you use cooking oil in your car?Top 10 car maintenance tips you should know

1. Don’t use the wrong liquid. Manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure that the fluids used in a particular vehicle meet the design needs of that vehicle. Although cooking oil is a lubricant similar to engine oil, it is not the same thing. Just as you shouldn’t use water in place of windshield washer fluid, water is also not a substitute for engine oil (yes, some people have tried). Consider what happens when the temperature drops below freezing. Nothing positive.
2. check body fluids. All fluids in your vehicle, including oil, transmission, and coolant, must be maintained at proper levels and replaced according to your vehicle’s maintenance schedule. Fluids break down and get dirty over time, but they are critical to the proper operation of your vehicle.
3. Don’t neglect regular oil changes. Since you still have oil in your car, you may want to delay your next oil change a little later than recommended, but oil accumulates dirt and grime over time and should be changed regularly to reduce engine wear.
4. maintain the battery. If you notice a buildup of white, hard stuff on your car battery, it’s time to clean it. Dirt and corrosion will affect battery performance. To keep it clean, use a solution of baking soda and water.
5. Don’t forget to maintain your tires. Tires must be properly inflated and rotated regularly. Worn tires can lead to poor handling, especially in wet or icy conditions. Improperly maintained tires can increase fuel consumption and even lead to flat tires.
6. replace burned out lights. If your headlights, brake lights, reverse lights, and turn signals are too dim or simply don’t work, this can be an obvious safety issue. Also, be sure to double check that the light is actually on. Depending on your light settings, it may appear to the driver that your headlights or taillights are actually on, even though they are not.
7. Check the brakes, please. Worn brake pads and other components can jeopardize your safety and the safety of others in your vehicle and on the road. If your car takes longer than necessary to stop or doesn’t stop properly, the consequences can be dire. Inspecting your brakes regularly can also save you money by catching problems before they require more expensive repairs. If your breaks are squeamish, check them out. Probably needs replacement.
8. Don’t run out of gas. No one wants to be stranded on the side of the road with no fuel in the tank, but there’s another reason not to run out of gas. The fuel pump may be damaged.
9. Don’t ignore warning lights. The check engine light and other warnings you see on your car’s instrument panel aren’t there for decoration. Ignoring them can have serious and more expensive consequences down the road.
10. track recalls. A vehicle recall indicates that your vehicle has a problem that needs to be addressed, and it’s probably one that many other drivers have experienced and reported to federal regulators. Ignoring a recall can have potentially fatal consequences. You can ask your mechanic to check for open recalls when you service your car, but you can also check online to see if your car has any open recalls.

Here’s a bonus tip from Townsend: Please read the owner’s manual. Too many people don’t, and this book has answers to all kinds of pressing questions. Wondering what that strange symbol is on your instrument panel? Your owner’s manual has the answer. You don’t have to wonder if some random guy on an online car forum knows what he’s talking about.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence at elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.