Every now and then I see a vehicle flying down the road with an under inflated tire or some other easily resolved maintenance problem.

It might be a damaged rear view mirror or a belt that that clearly needs to be replaced.

As for tires, you can find the proper air pressure for your tires on the sidewall. That figure can also be found on the sticker placed on the side of your driver’s side door, which also includes the proper tire sizes for your vehicle.

If your vehicle was purchased used, it’s a good idea to ensure the right size tires were installed by the previous owner.

Even though the tires give a maximum pounds per square inch figure, don’t feel compelled to hit that figure.

It’s safe to inflate your tires about five PSI less than the maximum to allow for the expansion of air when the tires warm up.

A whining noise from your drive belt means it needs to be replaced. Belts typically needs to be replaced when you see cracks in the rubber while the engine is not running.

If you want to drive your vehicle for many years to come, the oil in your engine should also be maintained regularly.

Not only should the oil level be within operating range, which is clearly marked in the dipstick by crosshatches or some other marking, it should also be changed regularly.

When the oil turns a dark black it’s usually time to change it.

Most newer vehicles come with a notification system to alert the driver that the oil’s life is nearing the end.

Be sure to check the owner’s manual for your particular vehicle to get the correct timeline for all regular maintenance and for the proper method to reset the monitoring system if you change the oil yourself.