under The vehicle – rear
28 CHECK DRUM BRAKES
Use a flat-blade screwdriver to peel back the rubbers on the slave cylinder – if there’s any liquid underneath, then it is leaking and needs replacing. As can be seen here, this cylinder seal had gone – on a three-year-old car! Also push on the piston on each side of the cylinder, to make sure it pivots and hasn’t seized.
31 CHANGE POLLEN FILTER
The pollen filter is under the glovebox. Lying in the footwell, remove the underside of the glovebox trim using the two plastic stoppers, then reach underneath – there’s a cover with two clips that need to be pushed in. Remove the cover and you can pull out the old element and put in a new one.
29 LUBRICATE DRUM BRAKE
Gently lever the shoes forward from the backplate, then use a hacksaw blade or similar to apply copper grease to the areas where the pads rest against the backplate. Turn the adjuster wheel (under the piston) to move the shoes in slightly, then trial-fit the drum. Continue to adjust until there’s just slight friction when you refit the drum.
32 CHECK INSTRUMENTS
Inspect the seatbelts for wear and tear. Pull them sharply to make sure they ‘grab’ properly otherwise it’s a safety issue that will fail the MOT. Run through all the instruments and controls to make sure they’re functioning. Also check all lights, including the brake ones – can you see their reflection using a nearby wall?
30 LUBRICATE ALL LOCKS
All the locks, hinges and catches need lubrication, using old engine oil in a can or spray grease – the latter will let you get right inside locks with an extension tube. This is especially important in winter, with extra salt and grime around, as skipping such a job could result in mechanisms getting stiff or seizing.
33 RESET SERVICE INDICATOR
To reset the service indicator, turn on the ignition with all doors closed. If the car has a push-button start, press and hold this for two seconds without touching the brake pedal. Now press and hold the accelerator and brake pedal simultaneously for at least 20 seconds until you get the message that the reset is complete.