It is important that any car you drive is suitably roadworthy, safe to be on the road. This forms part of the legal responsibilities of the driver of any vehicle being driven.
The acronym FLOWER may help drivers remember some of the simple weekly checks that can be performed to minimise the risk of a breakdown.
Fuel – Whether the vehicle uses petrol, diesel or is charged by electricity, it is important that there is sufficient fuel for your journey. This is particularly important in the winter months, as breaking down due to lack of fuel will quickly leave occupants of the vehicle subject to colder temperatures.
Lights – All lights should be in working order and a weekly check of all lights is advised, with any failed bulbs changed immediately. You may need help to check that the brake lights are working (but could use the interior mirror and see if the lights are working against reflective surfaces).
Oil – The oil rarely needs topping up but should be checked periodically. Frequent topping up may indicate an oil leak.
Water – Similar to oil, engine coolant rarely needs topping up unless there is a leak but should be checked periodically. Windscreen wash (in a separate reservoir) will need replenishing as this is used every time the front/windscreen is cleaned using the windscreen wash.
Electrics – The instrument panel on the dashboard will have a number of coloured icons. Any that remain on (after the engine has been turned on) that are coloured yellow indicate a component that needs attention. If the icon remains red, the car should not be driven until the issue has been fixed (but note that the parking brake icon should remain red while it it applied).
Rubber – As tyres are the only thing that keeps the car in contact with the road surface, and are subject to wear, it is incredibly important that they are all in good condition (including any spare tyre). This means that they should be free from damage (cuts, tears, bulges) and that the tread depth of each tyre is above the legal minimum of 1.6mm (across the central 3/4 and around the whole circumference). Windscreen wipers should be checked regularly too, to ensure that there are no tears in the rubber and that they are effectively cleaning the windscreen.