9 Tips for Making Your Kia Parts Last Longer
“I don’t mind car repair bills.” Said no one ever.
You shell out a whole bunch of cash and don’t get to enjoy anything new. You still have the same Kia car you had before. Except now you’re out a few hundred dollars.
Did you know that there are things you can do to slow the break down of your Kia parts? Following a few simple maintenance tips can make your car and all its parts last longer.
If you want to save money on car repair, keep reading. Here we have 9 practical tips for making your Kia parts last longer.
1. Change the Oil
Regular oil changes are one of the best ways you can keep your engine in tip-top shape. And since the engine is such an expensive part to replace, it makes sense that you’d want to help it out.
Oil flows through the engine, lubricating all the moving parts. It reduces friction in the engine and minimizes heat buildup. This enables your engine to run smoother, cooler, and for all the parts to last longer.
It gets dirty through this process and doesn’t work as well. Change it out every once in a while to keep it nice and clean.
To find out how often you should change your oil, check your Kia manual.
2. Warm Up the Engine
Another great way to help the engine is by giving it a chance to warm up. As an engine sits and cools, the oil settles to the bottom.
If you start up your car and immediately start driving, the oil hasn’t had a chance to distribute itself again yet. You don’t have to wait long, just 30-60 seconds, and your engine will last much longer.
3. Give it Some Gas
Have you ever noticed that RPM gauge on your dash? This shows you the revolutions per minute that your engine makes.
Lower revolutions equal lower gas mileage. Thus, most cars are programmed to keep the revolutions as low as possible.
However, every once in a while it’s good to force the engine up into the higher end of its RPM range. This will clean out carbon buildups in the engine.
So every few hundred miles when you’re in a safe place to do so, punch that gas pedal and rev up the engine. Also, make sure the car is thoroughly warmed up first.
4. Rotate Your Tires
Your tires see a lot of wear and tear. It’s the part of your vehicle that makes contact with the road so there’s a lot of friction.
There isn’t any way to reduce wear and tear on your tires to zero. But you can help them wear more slowly.
The tires on the front of your Kia wear differently than on the ones on the back. Be sure to rotate your tires regularly to help distribute the wear. This simple trick can help you get thousands of miles more use out of your tires.
Also, make sure that your tires are always properly inflated. Underinflated tires wear out much faster than those at optimum inflation.
5. Battery Life
Batteries generally only last a few years anyway. But you can get more life out of them by following a few simple tips.
Check the terminal connections and battery brackets on occasion to ensure they are all tight. Loose electrical connections and a vibrating battery can both reduce battery life.
If you notice corrosion, clean it off. You should also consider having a professional check the battery as corrosion is usually a sign of a problem.
Try to park inside during the winter to keep your battery from getting too cold. Excessive heat is also a problem, so park in the shade during the summer.
6. Minimize Brake Use
Brakes are another expensive repair bill you want to avoid. They are also essential to the safe operation of your vehicle so you shouldn’t ignore them. Keep them in good shape for longer with a few driving tips.
Drive slower. Your brakes won’t have to work as hard to stop the car. If you know you’re going to slow down soon (approaching a traffic light, exiting the freeway, etc.) coast first and only use the brakes when you need to.
Also, keep an eye on what’s happening a few cars ahead of you and don’t tailgate. You’ll have more warning and can respond earlier to potential hazards. This means less slamming on your brakes.
7. Wash Your Car
Did you know that you can actually preserve many Kia parts simply by keeping your car clean? During daily use, your car picks up contaminants that can cause corrosion.
The outside of your car has paint to protect it. But the underside doesn’t. The wheels are constantly throwing dirt and grime up onto the underside of your car.
Wash your car down thoroughly every once in a while to clean all that out. This is especially important in the winter if you live somewhere they put salt on the road to help with ice. Salt destroys the metal parts of your car by speeding up corrosion.
8. Clean the Windshield Wipers
Windshield wipers aren’t that expensive to replace. But if you don’t have to, why should you? It’s easy to lengthen their lifespan by simply wiping them off once in a while.
Also, avoid using them to break the ice off your windshield. That’s what an ice scraper is for.
9. Lighten the Load
The more weight that an engine has to pull, the harder it has to work. So a simple way to lessen the strain is to lighten the load.
Don’t carry around a bunch of unnecessary things in the trunk. Stick with the essentials. You’ll get a few more miles out of your engine and a few more miles to the gallon to boot!
Help Caring for Your Kia Parts
These simple maintenance tips can help your Kia parts last much longer. This keeps your repair bills down and saves you a lot of money in the process.
Another way to save money is to try your hand at simple car repairs. For tips on how to perform many simple fixes, check out our auto repair section. With the right information in hand, you’d be surprised how easy it can be!