Free car care guides
Car Care & Maintenance Cheat Sheets
Six interactive, printable guides for the moments every driver panics — and the habits that keep a car out of the shop.
Quick answer
Check tire pressure and fluids monthly, follow your mileage-based service schedule, and never ignore a red warning light or thick white smoke. Use the guides below to decode lights, smoke, tire codes and fluid colors.
What's going on with your car?
Start here
Dashboard Warning Lights
Red = stop safely. Amber = get it checked soon.
All six guides
Exhaust Smoke Color Guide
White, blue, gray or black smoke — what it means and whether to keep driving.
4 colors
Dashboard Warning Lights
Decode every red, amber and green symbol and know what to do next.
24 lights
Tire Size & Speed Rating Decoder
Read any sidewall: width, profile, rim, load index, speed rating and age.
Live decoder
Under-Hood Fluid Guide
Where each fluid lives, what color it should be and when to change it.
7 fluids
Car Maintenance Schedule Checklist
Monthly to 100,000-mile checklist you can tick off and print.
Printable
Gas Mileage & MPG Savings
See how many dollars a year each habit costs or saves you.
Calculator
Monthly
Tire pressure, oil, coolant, lights
5–7.5k mi
Oil change, tire rotation
30k mi
Air filters, brake fluid check
60–100k mi
Plugs, transmission, timing belt
Car care FAQ
Check tire pressure, engine oil, coolant and washer fluid monthly, test your lights, and watch for new warning lights, smoke or leaks.
These quick checks catch most problems early.
Red oil pressure or temperature lights, a flashing check engine light, brake warnings, thick white exhaust smoke, and brake fluid leaks.
Stop driving and get help.
Most cars need an oil change and tire rotation every 5,000–7,500 miles, plus bigger services around 30,000, 60,000 and 100,000 miles.
Your owner's manual has the exact schedule.
Ask for service records, check fluids and tire age, look for warning lights at start-up, and run a VIN history report to see reported services, accidents and title problems.
Before you buy
Was it maintained — or neglected?
Shopping for a used car? A VIN check shows accident, title, odometer and service history — so you know how the last owner treated it.