Vehicle checks before you drive

By the end of this topic you can

• You can check tyre tread and pressures correctly.
• You can check that all the lights and indicators work.
• You can find and check the engine oil, coolant and brake fluid levels.
• You can make sure the windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean and clear before you set off.
• You can answer show me, tell me questions with confidence.

What you need to know and understand

• Car tyres must have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tread, all the way around.
• Tyre pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold, using the figures in the vehicle handbook.
• Fluid levels should be checked at least weekly. Low brake fluid can lead to brake failure.
• You must be able to see clearly, so all windows must be clear of ice, snow and mist before you drive.
• Lights must be clean and working, and number plates must be clean and readable.
• Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition can bring a fine and 3 penalty points.

A walk round the car

Before a journey, especially a long one, walk round the car and look at it properly. Many instructors teach the word POWDERS to help you remember: petrol (or charge), oil, water (coolant and screen wash), damage, electrics, rubber (tyres and wiper blades) and safety items such as seat belts and mirrors.

• Tyres: look for cuts, bulges and objects stuck in the tread, and check the tread depth.
• Lights: switch on headlights, indicators and hazards and walk round. To check brake lights, use reflections in a garage door or window, or ask someone to help.
• Glass: windscreen and windows clean, no chips in your line of sight, and wipers that clear properly.
• Under the bonnet: oil, coolant, brake fluid and screen wash levels between the minimum and maximum marks.

Checking the fluids safely

Your car's handbook shows where each reservoir is. Park on level ground and wait for the engine to cool before opening the bonnet. Never take the cap off the coolant tank when the engine is hot, as hot liquid can spray out.

For oil, pull out the dipstick, wipe it, push it fully back in, then pull it out again and read the level against the marks. Some newer cars show the oil level on the dashboard instead. Coolant and brake fluid are checked against the high and low marks on their see-through tanks.

How this links to your driving test

At the start of the test the examiner asks a 'tell me' question, such as how you would check the tyre tread or the brake fluid. During the drive they ask a 'show me' question, such as washing the windscreen or switching on the rear demister. Getting one or both wrong counts as one driving fault, but you will fail if your driving becomes dangerous or potentially dangerous while you do a show me task.

Common mistakes

• Checking tyre pressures after a long drive. Warm tyres give a false reading, so check them cold.
• Only looking at the outside edge of a tyre. Check across the middle three-quarters and all the way round.
• Taking your eyes off the road for too long during a show me question. Practise finding switches by feel first.
• Clearing only a small hole in an icy windscreen. Clear all the windows, mirrors and lights fully.

Test yourself: Vehicle checks before you drive

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Before You Drive Checklist
• Car Maintenance Checks for New Drivers
• Dashboard Warning Lights, Overheating and Car Fires