Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Care and Maintenance
- Currently we are experiencing high demand and we are continually searching for quality low mileage used wheelchair accessible vehicles cars to clean and service for our waiting list.
- Contact us if you’d like to sell your car, or have a chat about your wheelchair accessible vehicle requirements and we will actively search for the perfect WAV vehicle for your requirements.
- All of our WAVs are backed with a comprehensive multi point pre-delivery inspection service and 12 month MOT
Buying a wheelchair accessible vehicle can represent a large financial investment and for many is an essential piece of equipment. Carrying out some simple regular vehicle checks can help keep your wheelchair accessible in good working order and even identify some vehicle failures early before they become a bigger problem. Below is a list of some simple checks that you can do or if you are unable perhaps ask a friend or neighbour to complete them on your behalf.
If you have any questions regarding a wheelchair accessible vehicle or are looking to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle, call 01934 820077 or email
Situated on the main A371 and less than 10 minutes from Junction 21 of M5. We have a large selection of wheelchair accessible vehicle available in stock and are always on hand to offer help and advice and to discuss your individual requirements.
View our current stock of USED WAV CARS for this month. We also buy used wheelchair accessible vehicles, just on the outskirts of Weston super Mare in the small village of Banwell, North Somerset BS29 6HA
Checking the Oil Level of your WAV
Oil is the lifeblood of your engine so making sure it has the right amount is vital to keep your engine running smoothly. To check, park the car on level ground with the engine turned off. Open the bonnet and look for the oil dipstick on the engine they are often colour coded for easy location. Simply pull the dipstick from its tubing and with a clean cloth wipe the oil off the dipstick, then reinsert the dipstick back into the tubing. Next, remove the dipstick again but this time don’t wipe. If you look closely at the bottom of the dipstick, you should notice a minimum and maximum marker. The oil should come up to the maximum marker. If it is below this maximum level, the oil will need to be topped up. When topping up the engine oil it is important that you use the correct oil type for your engine don’t just use some old oil that you have found lying around in your garden shed it may damage the engine. The easiest way to get the correct oil for your car is either refer to your owner’s manuals or go into your local motor parts supplier who should be able to look up the correct type.
An example of the dipstick location. Vehicle in image is a Peugeot Partner 1.6 HDi
WAV Maintenance Checking the Engine Coolant Level.
Engine coolant is vital to keeping your engine running smoothly. Not only does the coolant prevent the engine from overheating but because engine coolant has anti-freeze properties it protects the engine in sub-zero temperatures, and it also prevents corrosion within the engine passages. To check the coolant the vehicle needs to be on level ground with the engine switched off and cool. Next, you need to locate the expansion tank under the bonnet this is a clear bottle with min and max marks on the side and a screw cap on the top. The coolant level should be between these min and max marks on the expansion tank. If the coolant needs topping up don’t remove the cap unless the engine is cold, or you could get scalded by a sudden release of hot pressurised water. When topping up the coolant system is it best to top it up with the correct antifreeze that is recommended by vehicle manufacturers as some types of antifreeze are different and don’t mix well.
Top Tip If you find that you are regularly topping up the coolant system on your vehicle this could indicate that there is a fault with the vehicle’s cooling system so I would recommend taking the vehicle to a garage to be checked out.
An example of the coolant expansion tank location. Vehicle in image is a Peugeot Partner 1.6 HDi
Buy Used Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Bristol, Bath and Somerset UK
View all our current stock of used WAV vehicles on our website and should you have any questions regarding one of our used wheelchair accessible vehicles or any other vehicle we have for sale then please complete the contact us page on our website and we will endeavour to respond to all enquiries in a timely manner.
Topping up screen wash and checking wiper blades
Locate the screen washer filler cap under the bonnet they are usually coloured with a symbol of a windscreen and a fountain of water. Using either watering can, or a jug top the screen washer to the maximum marker. It is best to top up the screen wash with a diluted screen wash solution and not just water. Screenwash solutions prevent freezing in extreme weather conditions and help remove insects and grease deposits from the windscreen. To check your wiper blades just simple lift them slightly from the windscreen and run your finger along to blade and check that they are not split, if they are then they need to be replaced. Don’t forget to check the rear wiper blade as well.
An example of Screen wash top-up location. Vehicle in image is a Peugeot Partner 1.6 HDi
Checking the Lights of your Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle
Many vehicles today have a built bulb failure warning system that alerts the driver that one or more bulbs have failed. However, if your vehicle isn’t fitted will such a system it is good practice to regularly check that your lights work correctly. Simply turn all the exterior lights on and then walk around the vehicle making sure that they are all illuminated. Checking your brake lights can be tricky if you’re on your own so having a helpful assistant can be beneficial. However, if you have no assistance there are a couple of ways of checking your brake lights on your own. One, reverse the vehicle close to a high wall when it is dark and should be able to see the brake lights illuminate the wall when applied. Secondly, if you have a smartphone that takes videos position the phone behind the vehicle and set it to record, apply the brakes, and then just play back the recording.
Checking your tyres
Driving a vehicle with defective tyres is not only illegal but it is very dangerous. So, checking the condition of your tyres is something that should be done regularly. The Current legal minimum tread limit is 1.6mm. To check your tyre tread you can use either a tyre tread depth gauge or if you don’t have one you can use a 20p coin. Simply put the 20p coin between the tyre tread and if you can’t see the outer band of the coin then your tyres are above the legal limit. Some tyres have small wear bars located between the tread, when these bars are flush with the outer tread then the tyre needs to be replaced. Remember to check the tread across the whole width of the tyre and look for signs of damage or uneven tyre wear.
Top Tip. An easier way to check the front tyres is to turn the steering wheel to the full lock position, this enables you to get a better look at the full width of the tyre.
Correct Tyre Pressures for your WAV
It is not only the tread that you need to check it is also important to make sure the tyre has the correct pressure. The tyre pressures for your vehicle are often found on a label inside the door jam or on the back of the fuel filler flap cover. If you cannot find one of these labels on your vehicle, then you will need to refer to the owner’s manual. When referring to the vehicle owner’s manual it is important that you know the size of the tyres fitted on your vehicle as these can vary on different models. The tyre size will be stamped on the side wall of the tyre and will look something like this 205/65 R15. If you have adjusted any of the tyre pressures and your vehicle is fitted with a tyre monitoring system, you may need to reset this. This is usually done via the vehicle’s menu options.
Top Tip. If you do not have a vehicle owner’s manual many are available free of charge online!
