You don’t necessarily need to take your Toyota down to the Toyota dealer every month to have it looked at. The fact of the matter is that Toyota cars and trucks are very reliable, especially when you take care of them and make sure you’re up to date on your maintenance. Still, a regular visual inspection of your Toyota can help keep things running smoothly as time goes on.

When you inspect your Toyota, you’re going to start with the exterior. Specifically, you’ll want to start with the tires. At least twice a month, you want to look to see that your tires are wearing evenly, and that they’re inflated. Once a month, you’ll want to check your tire pressure with a gauge.

From there, check out the body of your Toyota. You’re looking for new scratches or damage to the vehicle. If there’s anything significant, you’ll want to get it fixed to avoid rust or other problems.

Next, you’ll check underneath the vehicle for puddles of fluid of any sort. Water may drip from your air conditioner, and that this is normal. Anything else, however, indicates a problem.

Look at your exhaust. If there is smoke in your exhaust, it can indicate a problem. It may be time to call your Toyota dealer.

From there, it’s time to look underneath your hood. Check the oil level, to make sure it isn’t low on oil. Also, take a look at the oil to see if it is thick or gritty. If it is, it’s time to have your oil changed.

Next, look at your coolant level. Check the overflow tank, if you’ve got one. Otherwise, make sure you don’t take off the radiator cap while the engine is warm.

You’ll want to check some other fluid levels, as well. You’ll want to check brake fluid, power steering fluid, and transmission fluid.

You should also to check the belts under your hood. If there are any belts that are loose, worn, or frayed, you’ll want to have them replaced as soon as possible.

While checking these things won’t guarantee you won’t have a problem, they can put you on alert in order to do some preventive maintenance before it becomes a bigger problem.