- conduct an external inspection of the car, walk around it from all sides;
- lift the hood and visually check for the presence of: coolant in the expansion tank, fluid in the washer reservoir, brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir (it should always be on the same level), the electrolyte level in the battery and the oil level on the dipstick in the engine crankcase and gearbox. Top up these fluids if necessary;
- on a car with a carburetor engine after a long period of parking, it is necessary to pump fuel into the carburetor float chamber using the manual pumping lever on the fuel pump;
- check the tire pressure with a tire pressure gauge at least once a week; practice will tell you how often this needs to be done.
A tire that is 10% over-inflated reduces its service life by 10%, while a tire that is 10% under-inflated reduces its service life by 20%. The standard pressure for 175/70R13 tires is 1.9 kg/cm², and for 175/65R14 tires it is 1.8 kg/cm², with the same pressure on the front and rear wheels. The remaining tread depth of a passenger car tire should be at least 1.6 mm;
- make sure that the lighting and signaling devices are in good working order by turning them on with the engine off, the ignition on, and the central light switch on.
Particular attention should be paid to the presence of brake lights, turn signals and reversing signals;
- check the completeness of the car, it is necessary to have a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, an emergency stop sign, a spare tire, a jack, a pump (better electric), a hammer, a pressure gauge, a screwdriver, a crowbar and several different keys; when opening the cabin doors, make sure that they do not touch objects and do not disturb anyone, and after getting into the car, you need to close them.
You should always keep your car door closed, and if you need to start driving with the door open, you need to be very careful;
- make sure the brakes are in good working order by pressing the brake pedal;
- at the start of the movement, check the serviceability of the steering by turning the steering wheel left and right - the steering wheel should turn easily and there should be no additional knocks or jolts in the hands.