We know that keeping your car in top running condition is a concern for most drivers which is why we’ve put together our top ten simple maintenance checks that you should be doing on your Mercedes, whether you lease or own it.

Even if you are leasing with a maintenance package then you should still complete these checks as they will help you know when you need to arrange for maintenance work to be completed.

Checks to Keep Your Car Safe

1. Tyre Depth

There is a legal minimum tread that all vehicle wheels must have and you should regularly check that all of your tyres, including the spare if your car has one, meet this standard. The minimum tread is 1.6 mm around the entire circumference of the wheel over the central three-quarters of the tyre.

You can easily check this using a 20 pence coin, as the tread should be over the border of that side of the coin. Alternatively, you can check using a specialist tread depth tool.

2. Tyre Pressure

The second aspect of your tyres you should check is their pressure.

We advise consulting your vehicle manual or the manufacturer’s website for your tyres’ recommended pressure. Be careful to make sure that you have the right pressure for each tyre as some models have a different recommended pressure for front and rear tyre.

You should avoid checking your tyres when they are hot, which will be after a longish drive, as the air pressure reading will be inaccurate then.

3. Make Sure Your Lights are Working  

You should regularly check that all your vehicle lights are working. This includes:

• Headlights
• Brake lights
• Daytime running lights
• Fog lights
• Indicators
• Reversing light

If you have a friend or family member that is able to walk around the vehicle checking the lights as you test them. Alternatively, if you are checking them on your own you can use a reflective surface or window and check your lights when facing it and then turning around and facing away from it to check your rear lights.

4. Fluid Levels

Under your bonnet you’ll want to check that all your fluids are at the correct levels and top up as needed. Most of these fluids will have a maximum and minimum level on their containers and you will want each to fall in between the two.

You should check:

• The oil
• Screenwash
• Engine coolant

Please be careful to check these when the engine has cooled to avoid injury and on a flat level to get accurate readings.

5. Windscreen Condition

When checking your windscreen you should be looking for any chips or cracks in the glass and if you do spot any get them repaired as soon as possible to avoid them growing and becoming a larger problem.

For cars older than three years old they will fail their MOT if there are any larger than 10 mm in the driver zone or 40 mm anywhere else on the vehicle.

6. Windscreen Wiper

There are two quick checks you’ll want to do for your windscreen wipers, both front and rear. The first is to take a look at them whilst out of the car to check that the rubber doesn’t appear worn or in need of replacing. Then when you are in the car you should check that they all move correctly and are not smearing dirt or water across your windscreen or the rear window.

7. Check Your Battery

Car batteries will have a lifespan of between three and five years but your driving habits are one of the things that can affect how long they last.

If you don’t use your car regularly then the battery will degrade and go flat and frequent jumpstarting could cause further problems as it puts additional strain on the battery, may damage electronic components such as engine management.

You should also check the connectors are fitted correctly and there is no corrosion around them as a fault connection could cause a power loss whilst driving.

8. Don’t Let Your Tank Get Empty

We know that will fuel price at record highs that filling up might not be an option for everyone right now but if you’re able to we recommend keeping it above the quarter line to prevent sediment and particles from the bottom of the tank coming up and potentially clogging other parts of the engine.

9. Keep it Clean

Keeping your car clean not only makes it look nicer and gives you a cleaner driving environment it prevents grit and dirt building up on the exterior that could speed up wear, damage the paintwork and block your line of sight.

How often you’ll need to clean your car will depend on how regularly you use it, the condition of the roads you are driving on and the weather but we recommend cleaning your car at least once a month.

10. Keep Up with Servicing

We know you won’t be completing the servicing yourself but it’s important to keep track of when your Mercedes needs servicing and arranging for it to be serviced in line with the recommended servicing intervals.

Some modern cars will let you know when they need servicing but not all cars do so it’s important you’re aware of when your car will need servicing and don’t just rely on a light appearing on your dash.

For more tips check out our other blog posts or find our top Mercedes deal here.