When it comes to car maintenance, many drivers do not think of having work done on their car until it breaks down. Unfortunately, that is the wrong way to go about handling maintenance. Routine maintenance will keep your vehicle running instead of leaving you stranded on the side of the road. Be sure to have a mechanic periodically look at the following areas.

Brakes

Your car's brakes are crucial when it comes to safety, which is why it is definitely one area of your car you should not ignore. How often you have a brake inspection will depend on the amount that you drive.

If you drive the car frequently every day for commuting to work, a 6-month inspection should be enough to ensure they are working properly. You can have your brakes inspected at the same time as when you have your tires rotated. This is because a brake inspection will involve removing the tires from the car and looking at the rotors and brake pads.

A brake repair inspection can help fix issues with squealing or grinding when you apply the brakes, or prevent your brakes from getting to this point if the pad will need replacement soon. In a worst case scenario, an inspection could even help prevent brake failure.

Transmission

A transmission is another part that can be easily ignored if your vehicle is working fine. The transmission is what shifts the car into the proper gear when accelerating. Part of performing routine maintenance will involve cleaning the filter, checking the pan for leaks, as well as replacing the transmission fluid.

You should have this type of maintenance done after driving 30,000 miles. Ignoring your transmission could cause the gears to slip while accelerating, delayed or rough gear shifting, grinding, or cause a transmission fluid leak that will cause the red fluid to leak all over your driveway.

Wheels

Part of having your tires installed will include a wheel alignment and balancing. However, wheels can become unaligned as you hit potholes, drive over railroad tracks, or just take on the normal wear and tear of driving.

Wheel alignment need to be performed after 30,000 miles, though you should have it done earlier if you notice problems with your wheels. This includes if the car drifts to the side of the road with your hands off the wheel, uneven tread wear across the width of the tire, and vibrations when driving fast.