According to new data from a survey of British motorists, we are becoming less equipped to even check the basics under the bonnet.

Not only is this potentially adding to our motoring costs, but it can prove dangerous.

While ‘show me, tell me’ was introduced to the driving test to help new drivers understand and do basic checks on their cars, these latest results appear to undermine those aims.

Kitted out

According to a survey by car dealers JCT600, drivers are becoming less and less equipped.

Of course, cars are more complicated than a few decades ago. Engines are often covered by plastic sound insulating covers. Computer tech is used to ensure optimum running, and the traditional mechanical working appear to have been lost to the mists of time.

For example, 1/3 of UK doesn’t know how to check brake fluid levels.

Here are a few of the headline diagnostic results of the survey:

  • 33% of car owners do not know how to check brake fluid
  • 26% of car owners can’t change a car tyre
  • 20% of car owners do not know how to change a windscreen wiper blade
  • 10% of car owners do not know how to check tyre tread
  • 9% of car owners do not know how to check oil
  • 9% of car owners do not know how to check tyre pressure

Stopping to think

Motor retail group JCT600 has uncovered  a potentially worrying truth about our motoring knowledge.

Brakes are fundamental to road safety. The fact that a third of drivers don’t know how to even check the brake fluid level occasionally between services is a worrying thought when you look in the rear view mirror.

And while the full size spare wheel is a hing of the past, you may as well make the space saving version obsolete too. More than a quarter of car owners (26%) wouldn’t know how to change a wheel.

Mechanically ignorant

It appears that 71% of the UK currently own at least one car. Of those, 23% do claim to undertake some, or all, of their car maintenance. Worryingly, it is thought that the majority of these are well beyond their twenties hen it comes to age.

The survey found that those who went to university or completed a post-graduate degree were more likely to not know how to change a tyre (25% and 29%), windscreen wiper (18% and 22%), or check their brake fluid (32% and 39%).

It also found significant differences between men and women’s car maintenance knowledge. While only 16% of men were unsure how to check brake fluid, this rose to 36% amongst women. Gender automotive knowledge gaps appear to still be alive a kicking.

Young, tyred and heading North

According to YouGov data, 38% of the UK only change their car tyres when “absolutely necessary”. Looking at generational differences, 25-34 year olds are least likely to know how to change tyre (30%). They were also most likely to not know how to change a windscreen wiper blade (22%), check tyre tread (10%), and check brake fluid (34%). Whilst 18-24s were most likely to not know how to check oil (9%) or tyre pressure (9%).

When looking at differences across the country, Northern regions lacked the most car maintenance knowledge.

People from the North West were most likely to not know how to change a tyre (26%). Those from the North East were most likely to not know how to change windscreen wiper blades (22%). Meanwhile, people from Wales were most likely to not know how to check brake fluid (31%).

Sign of the times

Graham Thacker, a Director at JCT600 found the results of the survey surprising. With the huge number of cars on the road, their apparent essential nature to modern lifestyles, he expected the results to reflect a greater practical knowledge. But perhaps it is a sign of the times that we rely more and more on the service sector in all aspects of modern life. Gone are the days when weekends involved taking the car apart on the drive or front garden. It seemed both a necessity but also a happy hobby for many. Cars were certainly less reliable, but they were also easier to work on. What’s more, it certainly saved a few bob too.

 “With so many car owners in the UK,” says Thacker, “it’s surprising in a way how many of us do not know how to perform basic maintenance checks on our vehicles. But in another way, it’s less surprising that with such busy lifestyles, many of us choose to leave car maintenance to the professionals so that we can get on with our day.”