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Knowledge

The 10-minute car checklist

Do this before a trip out of Lagos, or any week the car has been working hard. Ten minutes in the compound beats an hour on the shoulder.

A woman with a checklist and keys beside a car in a compound
  1. Walk around. Look for a soft tyre, a fresh leak, or a lamp that is cracked.
  2. Check tyre pressures cold, including the spare.
  3. Engine oil on the dipstick, with the car level and the engine off for a few minutes.
  4. Coolant in the reservoir, only when the engine is cold. Do not open a hot cap.
  5. Brake fluid between the marks. A sudden drop means a leak, not a top-up habit.
  6. Lights, indicators and brake lights. Ask someone to stand behind the car.
  7. Wipers and washer fluid. Harmattan dust and rain both need a clear screen.
  8. Horn, and a glance at the belts if you can see them without tools.
  9. Documents, jack and wheel nut wrench. A spare without a wrench is luggage.
  10. Fuel for the distance, plus a margin. Do not plan to hunt for a station after dark on an unfamiliar road.

If the check turns up a part, search by your car or send us the details.