Vehicle Technical Knowledge and Basic Maintenance
The pre-trip habit: BLOWBAGETS
Philippine driving schools teach the daily check as BLOWBAGETS: Battery, Lights, Oil, Water (coolant and washer fluid), Brake, Air (tyres), Gas (fuel), Engine, Tyre (condition and tread) and Self (are you fit to drive?). Items frequently ask which of these is checked before a long trip.
Tyres
Measure pressure when tyres are cold - hot tyres read higher and lead you to under-inflate. The legal minimum tread depth is about 1.6 mm; worn tyres lose grip in rain and are prone to blowouts. Never mix radial and bias-ply tyres on the same axle, and check for bulges and sidewall cracks.
Fluids and heat
Engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid and washer fluid each have a marked dipstick or reservoir level. Never open a radiator cap while the engine is hot - pressurised coolant will scald you. If the temperature gauge climbs, pull over safely and let the engine cool before inspecting.
Brakes and warning lights
A pedal that feels spongy, sinks toward the floor, or a vehicle that pulls to one side when braking is a defect that grounds the vehicle. Red warning lights (oil pressure, battery/charging, temperature, brake) mean stop and check; amber lights (check engine, ABS) mean schedule service soon.
Trap
Questions often reward the safe answer over the convenient one: "drive slowly to the nearest shop" is usually wrong when the oil-pressure light is on - the correct action is to stop the engine.
Rule of thumb
If a warning light is red, stop; if it is amber, book it; if it is a noise or a pull, get it checked before the next trip.