When you drive constantly, you may become too comfortable with your car’s response. You may not notice the warning signs it is trying to give you. This can mean the difference between inexpensive maintenance and very expensive repairs. It can also be a life and death problem if it affects your safety.
Tune Your Ears to Your Engine
Each week you should turn off the music and ride in silence. This can be boring, but it can also be enlightening. You should listen to every nuance of your car’s performance. Your engine may be pinging, signaling that it’s time to change spark plugs. These are critical to your engine’s capability. If allowed to disintegrate within the engine, the spark plugs not only stop doing their job, but they cause a chain reaction of problems.
Even more likely, your brakes may be whining. This is a sign to have your brake pads changed. Many people ignore this until the pads are worn away. At that point, they are forced to spend big money on a brake repair. Sometimes the expense is too great, and they just junk the car. To avoid this, listen for that tell-tale whine and have your pads replaced on time.
Figure Out Your Car’s True Feelings
Your car can’t talk, but it does reveal itself in many ways. Vibrations can signal a number of problems. If there are vibrations while the car is still, it indicates an engine problem. If it is while you are driving, the problem may be with your suspension. Some modern steering wheels actually have vibrations built in to warn you about such things as stopping traffic or straying from the lane lines.
You may also feel a wobble to the way your car is driving. This may be very dangerous if the cause is a bad tire. Once that tire is wobbling, there’s only one solution. You had better pull over and put air in it. Then get yourself to a service department to have it repaired. When shopping for used cars, it pays to follow this same list in evaluating the car for sale.
Watch Your Dashboard
If your dashboard lights come on while you are driving, that’s a sign that you’d better heed. Some are so easy to address. Low tire pressure, for instance, is just a matter of stopping to add air. The battery light probably means you need a new battery. The brake light hopefully is just telling you to get brake pads.
However, sometimes these lights signal more expensive problems. That’s why people tend to ignore them until it’s too late. Smart drivers find a good service department that can not only read the engine codes, but can actually make the repairs. One thing you should never do is to turn off the light without having a repair done. The code is an important diagnostic tool that your mechanic needs to find the problem.
Check Your Fluids
Many car owners don’t do one of the easiest and most obvious tasks. That is simply to check the levels of their car fluids. It is best to do it when the car is cool. You can check your manual to see how to examine all of the fluids in your vehicle. Transmission fluid, brake fluid, and, when applicable, 4×4 gearbox fluid are all vital to your car’s road success. Coolant should be mixed correctly. All of these should be drained and replaced at manufacturer recommended intervals.
As cars become more automated, there’s a temptation to let down our guard as car owners. Instead we need to be more vigilant. Paying close attention to your car’s signals can save you money and bring you peace of mind. Now you can turn the radio back up and enjoy some carefree driving again.
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