Cars & Maintenance

Diagnosing what a car is telling you, and the maintenance intervals that actually apply to yours.

• Oil Change Intervals: What the 3,000-Mile Rule Gets Wrong

  Modern engines on full synthetic go 7,500 to 15,000 miles. Here is how to find your actual interval and the driving conditions that shorten it.

• Why Tyre Pressure Drops in Cold Weather (and What to Set It To)

  Pressure falls about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F. Here is the physics, why the door sticker beats the tyre sidewall, and how to set it correctly in winter.

• Finding a Coolant Leak: Where to Look and What the Colour Tells You

  Losing coolant with no puddle usually means one of four things. Work through the pressure test, the cold inspection, and the head gasket check in order.

• Check Engine Light: What the Ten Most Common Codes Actually Mean

  A code names a symptom, not a broken part. Here is what the ten codes that come up most often are really telling you, and what to check first.

• When to Replace Brake Pads: Thickness and Noise Explained

  Pad life ranges from 25,000 to 70,000 miles. Here is how to measure what you actually have left and which noises mean stop driving now.

• Car Battery Drains Overnight: Finding the Parasitic Draw

  A healthy car draws about 50 milliamps when parked. Here is how to find the circuit pulling more than that, using a multimeter and about an hour.

• Car Won't Start but Makes a Clicking Noise: How to Diagnose It

  A single click, rapid clicking, or silence each point to a different fault. Here is how to tell them apart in about ten minutes with basic tools.