Most expensive car problems start as small, visible ones: a tyre slowly losing pressure, a coolant level creeping down, a wiper smearing, a stone chip starting to rust. A twenty-minute check once a month catches nearly all of them early. You do not need tools or mechanical knowledge — just the owner's manual and a few minutes on the first weekend of the month.
Before you start
Park on level ground, engine off, ideally in the morning before driving so tyres and fluids are cold. Keep the owner's manual handy — it shows where everything is and the correct figures for your car. A tyre gauge and a torch are the only tools you need.
1. Tyres (5 minutes)
- Pressure: check all four and the spare, cold, against the figures on the driver's door frame or fuel flap — not the maximum printed on the tyre.
- Tread: look at the tread wear indicators in the grooves. Note any uneven wear.
- Sidewalls: look for cuts, bulges and cracks. Turn the steering to see the inner side of the front tyres.
- Foreign objects: nails or stones in the tread.
See tyre care.
2. Under the bonnet (5 minutes)
- Engine oil: level between the marks on the dipstick, or as shown by the car's display.
- Coolant: level between the marks on the expansion tank, checked cold. Never open a hot cap.
- Brake fluid: level between the marks. A falling level needs inspection, not just a top-up.
- Washer fluid: top up with water and a little screen-wash. Avoid plain detergent, which can smear and harm paint.
- Power steering fluid if your car has hydraulic steering.
- Look and sniff: leaks, chewed wires (rodents are a real issue in parked Indian cars), leaves in the scuttle panel, unusual smells.
3. Battery (1 minute)
Look at the terminals for white or greenish corrosion, check the clamps are tight, and note whether the car has been slow to start. Indian heat shortens battery life; have it tested at each service, especially before winter.
4. Lights and signals (2 minutes)
Switch on the headlights (low and high), parking lights, indicators and hazards, and walk around. Have someone press the brake while you check the brake lights, and engage reverse (engine on, brake held) to check the reverse light. Check the number plate light.
5. Wipers, washers and horn (1 minute)
Run the washers and wipers. Streaking, juddering or a band of unwiped glass means new blades. Sound the horn.
6. Brakes (observation only)
While driving during the month, note any squealing, grinding, pulling to one side, a soft pedal or vibration under braking. Any of these means a prompt inspection. Brakes are not a DIY item.
7. Body, paint and glass (3 minutes)
- Walk around in daylight looking for new scratches, dents and stone chips. Chips that expose metal need touching up before rust starts.
- Look for bird droppings or sap that have been missed — remove them now. See droppings and sap.
- Check the windscreen for chips that could spread.
- Run a hand in a plastic bag over the bonnet: if it is rough, the paint needs decontamination. See pollution and paint.
8. Inside the cabin (3 minutes)
- Lift the mats and feel the carpet for damp, especially in the monsoon.
- Check seat belts latch and retract smoothly.
- Note any warning lights on the dashboard at start-up that stay on.
- Check the AC cools properly and does not smell — a smell points to the cabin filter. See AC service.
- Remove rubbish, food and anything heat-sensitive.
9. Documents (1 minute)
Confirm the registration, insurance and pollution under control (PUC) certificate are valid and available, physically or in an official digital form. Note the next service date and the insurance renewal date. See insurance renewal.
The checklist in one table
Seasonal additions for Kolkata
Before the monsoon (May)
Check tread depth — replace tyres near the limit for wet grip. Replace wiper blades. Check door and boot seals, clear the scuttle panel and drain holes, and check the AC is working well for demisting. Make sure the cabin filter is clean.
After the monsoon (September)
Dry out carpets and mats completely, check for rust on stone chips and lower panels, clear mud from wheel arches, and have the underbody inspected if the car went through deep water. See post-monsoon care.
Before winter (October to November)
Have the battery tested — the first cool mornings expose weak ones. Clean the inside of the windscreen for foggy mornings. Check headlights are clear and aligned. Consider decontaminating and protecting the paint before the dusty months.
Before summer (February to March)
Check coolant and AC performance, condition leather and protect the dashboard, and check tyre pressures more often as temperatures rise.
Keeping a simple log
A note on your phone with the date of each monthly check, tyre pressures, any top-ups and anything you noticed is enormously useful. It shows whether a fluid level is slowly falling, when the wipers were last changed and how long the battery has been in. It also helps at service and at resale: a buyer who sees a record of regular checks trusts the car more. Add the dates of washes, interior cleans and any coating or polishing too.
Bikes
If the household also has a bike or scooter, the same monthly habit applies: tyre pressures, chain slack and lubrication, brakes, lights, horn and the battery. See chain care and washing a bike.
Common things owners miss
- The spare tyre. Often flat when needed. Check it every month.
- The jack and tools. Know where they are and that they are complete, including the locking wheel nut key.
- Rear lights. A failed brake light goes unnoticed for months without a second person.
- The washer reservoir. Empty exactly when a bus sprays mud onto the windscreen.
- Warning lights that come on briefly. Intermittent warnings are early signals; note them and mention them at service.
- Small fluid spots under the car. Look at the parking spot when you move the car; a fresh spot each week is worth investigating.
None of these takes more than a minute, and each one has stranded drivers.
What to leave to professionals
This checklist is about noticing, not repairing. Anything involving brakes, steering, suspension, airbags, the fuel system or electrical faults belongs at a qualified service centre. So does anything you are unsure about. The value of the monthly check is that you arrive at the service centre early, with a specific observation, instead of late with a breakdown.
Before a long trip
Do the whole checklist the day before, plus: spare tyre pressure and tools, a basic emergency kit, water, and a clean windscreen inside and out for night driving.
Where a regular wash helps
A clean car is easier to inspect: chips, leaks, tyre damage and droppings stand out. Car Ninza crews wash your car at its parking spot on fixed weekdays and will point out anything worrying they notice — a bulging tyre, a fresh dent, a chip. Every monthly plan includes one full interior and exterior clean, which fits naturally alongside your monthly check. Book a free demo.
