Car care guide | Harold Park Repairs

A few regular checks can catch a low fluid level, worn tyre or failed light before it becomes a breakdown or a larger repair. Use this guide as a prompt, then follow your car’s logbook and owner’s manual when they give a different interval or method.

What to check, and how often

Item	How often	How to tell it needs attention
Engine oil level	At least monthly and before a long trip	Below the minimum mark, a sudden drop, an oil warning or a fresh leak
Coolant level	Monthly, with the engine fully cold	Below the tank mark, coloured drips, a sweet smell or rising temperature
Tyre pressures	Monthly and before a long trip, when cold	Below the tyre-placard figure, repeated pressure loss or a tyre that looks low
Tyre tread	Monthly and before a long trip	At or near the tread-wear bars, less than 1.5 mm, damage or uneven wear
Washer fluid	Monthly and before a long trip	A weak spray, an empty tank or blocked nozzles
Wipers	Monthly and before wet weather	Streaking, smearing, chatter or split rubber
Lights	Monthly and before a long trip	A failed globe, rapid indicator flashing, dim output or warning on the dash
Brake fluid, look only	Monthly, with the car level	Below the marked range, dark fluid or a brake warning
Battery	At each service and before a long trip	Slow cranking, dim lights at start-up, corrosion or repeated flat starts
A service	At the logbook kilometre or time interval, whichever comes first	The date or distance is due, or the car develops a new noise, leak or warning

Do these checks between services too, because a slow puncture or a new leak will not wait for the next one. If the rego inspection is also due, our pink slips page explains what that separate inspection covers.

Checking engine oil step by step

Park on level ground, switch the engine off and let it cool. Check your owner’s manual for the correct waiting time. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, refit it fully, then remove it again. The oil should sit between the minimum and maximum marks. Do not overfill it.

Some newer cars have no dipstick and show the level through the dash. Follow the on-screen process with the car in the position and temperature state specified by the maker. If the level is low again soon after topping up, arrange an engine and cooling check. A repeated loss points to a leak or oil use that needs investigation.

Oil condition and oil level are different checks. Oil can be at the correct level but still be due for replacement under the logbook service schedule. Short trips also mean the engine may not stay hot long enough to clear moisture from the oil.

Tyre pressure and tread

Check pressures when the tyres are cold. Use the figure on the tyre placard, usually on the driver’s door frame, not the maximum printed on the tyre sidewall. Check every road tyre and the spare. A slow leak may show up as one tyre needing air more often than the others.

NSW requires at least 1.5 mm of tread across the part of the tyre that touches the road. Tread-wear indicator bars sit inside the grooves. When the surrounding tread reaches those bars, the tyre needs replacement. Cuts, bulges, exposed cords and one edge wearing quickly need attention even when the central tread looks deep. See our tyres and batteries page for workshop checks.

Warning lights: stop now or book in soon

Stop safely and switch the engine off for an oil-pressure warning, a temperature warning, a brake warning or a charging-system warning. Continuing can turn a manageable fault into engine damage, brake trouble or a car that stops in traffic. If the check-engine light is flashing, ease off, stop safely and call for advice. Do not keep driving hard.

A steady check-engine light, ABS light or tyre-pressure monitoring light usually means book the car in soon, provided it still drives normally and no red warning is present. Check the owner’s manual because symbols and instructions vary. Our diagnostics page explains how fault finding starts, and auto electrical testing covers charging and starting faults.

Short trips, stop-start traffic and when to call

Many logbooks class repeated short trips, long idling, heavy stop-start traffic, dusty driving or towing as severe use. Annandale errands and slow Parramatta Road traffic can fit that pattern. The severe-use schedule may call for some items sooner, so read the notes beside the normal interval in your logbook.

Ring us if a level keeps falling, a tyre keeps losing pressure, the car overheats, braking feels different, a new vibration starts or a warning light appears. Tell us when it began, what the dash displayed and whether it changes with speed, braking or temperature. We look at cars, 4WDs, utes and vans of every make. You can also use the long-drive checklist or read about maintenance that is easy to miss.

Questions about routine car checks

How often should I check the engine oil?

Check the oil level at least once a month and before a long trip. Use the method in your owner's manual, because some newer cars show the level on the dash instead of using a dipstick.

Can I open the coolant cap when the engine is hot?

No. Hot coolant can be under pressure and can cause serious burns. Let the engine cool fully, then check the level in the expansion tank against its marks.

What is the minimum legal tyre tread in NSW?

The minimum is 1.5 mm across the part of the tyre that touches the road. Check the tread-wear indicator bars in the grooves, and have a tyre checked sooner if one edge is wearing faster.

Which warning lights mean I should stop?

An oil-pressure, temperature, brake or charging warning means you should stop safely and switch the engine off. A flashing check-engine light also needs immediate attention.

How often should I check my car?