Regular maintenance should always include a check of your car's fluid levels. Power steering may seem like a luxury you could live without but if it fails you could be putting yourself in danger. A car designed to have power steering can be very hard to steer without it. If it goes suddenly, you could lose control of the vehicle and end up in a very bad place.

A clean windshield is important all year long, but as long as you use real windshield washer fluid, you have a built-in anti-icing system, too. Washer fluid doesn't freeze, so if you spray it onto your windshield when you have some freezing problems, it helps to break down the frozen layer.

Spark plug wires are pretty durable. They aren't a moving part so they don't wear out too often. A careful inspection of your plug wires can avoid any problems. The only thing that can really go wrong with a plug wire is a break in the insulation. The insulation keeps the electricity where it needs to be so it sparks on the inside of your engine, not someplace else before it gets there.

Most cars still have a spark plug or 8 in there someplace, and even today's technology hasn't stopped them from wearing out. It's an easy maintenance procedure that can make your car run more smoothly and increase your gas mileage.

Radiator coolant actually raises the boiling point of the water, allowing it to carry more heat away from the engine, and that means cooler running. If you're running low, things can get steamy fast. Think of your coolant as a spring dance chaperone, there to keep things nice and cool even when you're doing a lot of moving around.

You should never let anything come between your car and a good battery connection. If you want the day to come to a grinding halt in a hurry, driving with corroded battery posts is the way to do it. It takes only a millimeter of crunchy white residue to keep your car from starting.

If you had to pick one thing your car can't be without (please don't say the cupholder) it would be the brakes. A perfect running car that starts on the coldest mornings and purrs like a milk-faced kitten doesn't amount to much if you can't stop when you need to. That's why you should be sure to take good care of your car's braking system.

Why is it that we never seem to remember to change our windshield wipers? You know you need 'em, you know they're cheap, you know how easy it is to install new wipers, but your windshield is still carrying those worn out, useless strips of rubber.

Your timing belt is the most important maintenance item in your engine. Think of your timing belt as the conductor of the complex mechanical orchestra that is your car's engine. If things don't happen just at the right time, the whole piece is thrown off.

Be sure you have a safe area to do your oil change. Level, solid ground is a must so that you can safely jack up your car. I also like to put something on the driveway or garage floor underneath the engine in case you spill. Cardboard or a piece of plywood are great for this.