Car Maintenance Checklist: Printable, Winter, Road Trip

Download the checklist

The printable PDF fits on letter paper. It has check boxes for every month, every oil change, once a year, a winter section, and a road trip section, plus lines to copy in the intervals from your owner’s manual. Print one per car and keep it with your car maintenance log.

Your owner’s manual comes first

How often your car needs an oil change, a tire rotation, new filters, or fresh fluids depends on the make, model, engine, and how you drive. The maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual sets those intervals (how to read one: car maintenance schedule). Many manuals also have a separate schedule for hard use, such as towing, dusty roads, or lots of short trips. This checklist doesn’t replace that schedule. It covers the quick checks in between, which anyone can do in a driveway, and reminds you to look up the rest.

Every month

Tire pressure. Check all four tires and the spare with a gauge, when the tires are cold (parked 3 hours or more, or driven less than 2 miles). Use the pressure on the sticker in the driver’s door jamb or in your owner’s manual, not the maximum printed on the tire. Michelin advises checking at least once a month and before long trips.
Tire tread and sidewalls. Do the penny or quarter test and look for bulges, cuts, and cracks. How to read the results: how long tires last.
Lights. Headlights (low and high beams), brake lights, turn signals, hazard lights, and the license plate light. A second person or a reflection in a window helps.
Fluid levels. Engine oil on the dipstick (if your car has one) and windshield washer fluid. Glance at the coolant and brake fluid reservoirs; the level should sit between the marks.
Wipers and glass. Wipers that streak or skip need new blades. Chips in the windshield can spread.
Warning lights. Any light that stays on after the car starts deserves a look in the owner’s manual.

Every few months or at each oil change

Oil and oil filter, at the interval in your manual or when the car’s oil-life reminder says so.
Tire rotation, at the interval in your manual. Many shops do it with the oil change.
Engine air filter and cabin air filter: check them, and replace on your manual’s schedule or sooner if they are dirty.
Belts and hoses: look for cracks, fraying, bulges, or leaks.
Battery: clean, tight terminals with no white or green crust.
Brakes: listen for squealing or grinding, and notice a soft pedal or pulling to one side.
Your MPG: a drop with no change in driving or weather can be an early sign of low tire pressure or another problem. See how to calculate MPG.

Once a year

Have the brakes inspected: pads, rotors, and brake fluid.
Have the battery tested, especially before winter (how long a car battery lasts).
Have the cooling system checked: coolant level and strength, radiator, and hoses.
Check the alignment if the tires wear unevenly or the car pulls.
Replace the wiper blades if they don’t wipe clean.
Look up open safety recalls for your vehicle by its VIN on NHTSA’s recall site (nhtsa.gov/recalls).
Find the date code on each tire. Tire makers such as Michelin and Continental recommend replacing tires 10 years after they were made: tire date code calculator.
Do your state inspection or emissions test if your state requires one.

Winter checklist

The CDC’s winter weather advice says to get your car ready before the cold sets in:

Have the radiator system serviced, or check the antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester.
Replace the windshield washer fluid with a wintertime mix.
Check tire tread and pressure; replace worn tires and fill low ones to the pressure your car calls for. Pressure drops in cold weather, so check it more often.
Keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
Check the heater, defroster, brakes, brake fluid, ignition, emergency flashers, exhaust, oil, and battery.
Pack a winter car kit: phone charger, warm clothes and blankets, windshield scraper, shovel, flashlight and radio with extra batteries, water and snacks, first aid kit, jumper cables, sand or cat litter for traction, and reflectors or flares.

Expect lower gas mileage in winter: fueleconomy.gov says city MPG in a gas car can be about 15% lower at 20 °F than at 77 °F.

Road trip checklist

A few days before a long drive:

Tires: pressure (cold), tread, and the spare or repair kit. Michelin advises a pressure check before long trips.
Fluids: oil, coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid. If an oil change is due during the trip, do it before you leave.
Lights and wipers, especially if you will drive at night or in rain.
Battery: a slow start is a reason to have it tested.
Recalls: check for open recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s recall site.
Load: stay under the maximum load on the door sticker. Extra weight and a roof carrier also cost gas.
Emergency kit: jumper cables, flashlight, first aid kit, water, phone charger, and reflectors.
Budget: price the drive with the gas trip calculator.

Keep a record

A checklist tells you what to look at; a log tells you what was done. Write each service in your car maintenance log with the date and odometer, so you know when the next one is due.

FAQ

How often should I check my tire pressure?

At least once a month and before long trips, with the tires cold, as Michelin advises. Use the pressure on the sticker in the driver’s door jamb or in your owner’s manual.

How do I get my car ready for winter?

Following the CDC’s advice: check the antifreeze, switch to winter washer fluid, check tire tread and pressure, keep the tank near full, check the heater, defroster, brakes, battery, lights, and exhaust, and pack a winter kit with a scraper, blankets, a flashlight, and jumper cables.

What should I check before a road trip?

Tire pressure and tread, the spare, fluid levels, lights, wipers, and the battery. Look up open recalls for your VIN on NHTSA’s site, and get any service that will come due during the trip done before you leave.

Does this checklist replace my owner’s manual schedule?

No. Your owner’s manual sets the intervals for oil, filters, fluids, belts, and rotations for your car. This checklist covers the quick checks in between and reminds you to follow that schedule.

Sources

CDC, Preparing for a winter storm (car preparation and winter car kit) (checked November 12, 2026): cdc.gov
Michelin, Tire safety tips (pressure checks, cold tires, door sticker): michelinman.com
Michelin, When do I need new tires? (10-year guidance): michelinman.com
fueleconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), Fuel economy in cold weather: fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA, Check for recalls (VIN search for unrepaired recalls): nhtsa.gov