Basic Truck Maintenance You Can Do in Your Driveway

A work truck that breaks down costs more than a repair bill. It costs you a day's work. The good news is that a lot of the maintenance that prevents breakdowns is simple enough to do in your driveway with basic tools and a few minutes a month. Here's what you can handle yourself and how often to do it.

First rule: your owner's manual is the boss. Maintenance intervals, fluid types and capacities vary a lot between trucks and model years. Use this guide to know what to check, and the manual to know the specifics for your truck.

Safety Before Anything

• Work on level ground with the parking brake set.
• Let the engine cool before opening the coolant cap or touching anything near the exhaust.
• Never get under a truck held up only by a jack. Use rated jack stands on solid ground, and chock the wheels.
• Wear safety glasses and gloves, and keep loose clothing away from belts and fans.

Monthly Checks (About 10 Minutes)

Engine oil level

With the engine off and the truck level, pull the dipstick, wipe it, push it back in all the way and pull it again. The oil should be between the marks. Some engines are best checked warm, others cold, so check your manual. If it's low, top it off with the oil type listed in the manual. A truck that keeps needing oil should be looked at.

Tire pressure and tread

Check pressure when the tires are cold, before driving. Use the pressure on the sticker inside the driver's door jamb, not the maximum printed on the tire's sidewall. Adjust for heavy loads or towing if your manual lists separate numbers.

For tread, the penny test is a quick check: put a penny into the tread with Lincoln's head upside down. If you can see the top of his head, the tread is at or below 2/32 of an inch and the tire needs replacing. Look for uneven wear too, which can mean an alignment or inflation problem.

Lights

Have someone help you check headlights, high beams, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights. Many bulbs are simple to swap, and a dead brake light invites a ticket or a rear-end collision.

Fluids at a glance

With the engine cool, check the coolant level in the overflow reservoir, the brake fluid reservoir and the washer fluid. Coolant and brake fluid that drop over time can mean a leak. Never open a hot radiator cap.

Every Few Months

Wiper blades

Replace blades when they streak, skip or chatter, usually every six months to a year. Most snap on and off in a minute. Measure the old ones or check the size list at the store.

Engine air filter

The air filter box is usually held closed by clips. Pull the filter and hold it up to light. If it's dark and clogged, replace it. Dusty jobsites and gravel roads clog filters much faster than highway driving.

Cabin air filter

Often behind the glove box. A dirty cabin filter weakens airflow from your vents and can cause musty smells. It's usually a five-minute swap.

Battery

Look for white or green crust on the terminals. With the engine off, you can clean it using a wire brush and a paste of baking soda and water, wearing gloves and eye protection. Make sure the terminals are tight. Many auto parts stores will test your battery for free, which is worth doing before winter.

Belts and hoses

With the engine off, look at the serpentine belt for cracks or fraying, and squeeze radiator hoses to check for soft, swollen or cracked spots. You don't have to replace them yourself, but catching a bad belt or hose early can save you from a tow.

Oil Changes: DIY or Shop?

Changing your own oil is doable with the right setup: the correct oil and filter, a drain pan, a wrench for the drain plug, a filter wrench and safe access under the truck with ramps or jack stands. Follow the interval in your manual or your truck's oil life monitor, which often reads differently for severe service like towing, dusty conditions or lots of idling.

If you change it yourself, recycle the used oil and filter. Many auto parts stores accept them. If you don't have a safe, level place to work, a shop oil change is often worth the money.

Simple Schedule

Leave These to a Shop

Brake repairs beyond a visual check, anything involving airbags, transmission work, and diagnosing warning lights you can't identify are best left to a qualified mechanic unless you have the training and tools. A flashing check engine light means stop driving soon and get it checked.

A truck cab that smells as bad as it runs? See how to get rid of truck and garage odors, or organize your garage so your tools and fluids are easy to find.