The 10 Things You Should Check on Your Car Every Month

Most of the faults that cause breakdowns or MOT failures do not appear overnight. They build up slowly, and a ten minute check once a month catches the vast majority of them before they become expensive or dangerous. None of this needs tools or mechanical knowledge.

1. Tyre pressure

Check all four tyres, plus the spare if you have one, when they are cold, meaning the car has not been driven for at least a couple of hours. The correct pressure for your car is on a sticker inside the driver's door frame or fuel filler flap, or in the handbook. It is not the number printed on the tyre itself, which is the maximum the tyre can take, not the recommended setting.

2. Tyre tread and condition

Look for uneven wear, which can point to a wheel alignment or suspension issue, as well as cuts, bulges, or embedded objects. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, all the way around. A 20p coin in the main grooves is a quick way to check: if you can see the outer rim of the coin, the tread is likely close to or below the limit.

3. Engine oil level

With the car on level ground and the engine cold, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert it fully, then pull it out again to read the level. It should sit between the minimum and maximum marks. Running low is one of the most common causes of avoidable engine damage.

4. Coolant level

Check the level in the coolant reservoir, not the radiator itself, against the min and max markings on the side of the tank. Only ever open this when the engine is cold, since a hot cooling system is pressurised and can cause burns.

5. Brake fluid level

The reservoir is usually a small translucent tank near the back of the engine bay, marked with min and max lines. A level that has dropped noticeably since you last checked is worth getting looked at, since it can point to worn brake pads or, less commonly, a leak.

6. Windscreen washer fluid

An easy one to forget and an automatic MOT fail if it is empty. Top it up with a proper screenwash mix rather than plain water, especially in winter, since plain water can freeze in the lines.

7. Lights and indicators

Walk around the car with the headlights, sidelights, indicators, and hazards on. Get someone to stand behind the car while you press the brake pedal to confirm the brake lights work, since you cannot easily check these alone.

8. Wiper blades

Run the washers and wipers and look for streaking, juddering, or a torn rubber edge. Worn blades are cheap to replace and make a real difference to visibility in rain, especially at night.

9. Battery and terminals

A visual check is enough for a monthly look: check the terminals are not heavily corroded, and that the battery is not visibly bulging or leaking. If your car has struggled to start recently, or the battery is more than four or five years old, it is worth getting it load-tested at a garage rather than waiting for it to fail completely.

10. Dashboard warning lights

Note any warning lights that come on and stay on after starting the engine, rather than just the bulbs that briefly flash during the startup check. Some, like a tyre pressure warning, are low urgency. Others, like the oil pressure or brake warning light, mean you should stop driving and get the car checked rather than continuing your journey.