It’s pretty easy to tell when your car is getting old on the outside. The paint starts to get dull, your headlights aren’t as bright and you might have a few scratches here and there. But what about under the hood? It can be hard to tell what’s going on in your car’s guts, not to mention when certain parts need timely maintenance. We at Milex Complete Auto Care have some good tips on how to tell when your car’s mechanics need a check-up from inner wear and tear!
1. Jerking motions while driving, or revving while idling.
Both of these are indications you will need to have your car checked as soon as possible. What they most commonly indicate is engine trouble, whether that be from normal wear and tear or from lack of frequent maintenance. It could also be from issues with your air filter, but either way, you should get it checked!
2. Reduced gas mileage or engine misfiring.
If your car frequently overheats or struggles to accelerate, it could be a sign your car needs maintenance. Overheating can be caused by something as simple as dirty air filters. These can be replaced for as little as $40, but engine overheating can cause some serious damage.
3. Problems when your gas gets very low.
Many people try to stretch the amount of time between their visits to the gas station as much as possible. But if you find that you’re having trouble with your car when its gas gets low, that could be a signal of something more than an empty tank. Sputtering or stalling when accelerating or driving at high speeds could mean that your fuel pump or fuel pressure regulators are wearing down or malfunctioning, or even that your electrical system is on the fritz.
4. Trouble starting, or electrical appliances stop working.
These signs could mean that your alternator is struggling or on its last legs. Both of these appliances create domino effects in your car when they begin to fail. They are not the only ones to experience damage, and if you leave it to time, the problems with your car will only spread to other systems, like the headlights and power locks. A poorly-performing alternator can even cause your battery to die.
5. A bumpy ride or trouble steering and braking.
This one is kind of surprising, but issues with steering or braking can actually be a sign of problems with your shock absorbers. Your shocks are what protect your car from a lot of the roughest parts of the roads. Especially in cold places, your shocks can protect your suspension system and other parts of your car from the damage of potholes, rough pavement and any off-road driving. When your shocks become damaged, your car will obviously show signs of instability, but that damage can also lead to compensation from other systems. This is why your steering or braking could become more difficult, as your car tries to maintain its position in space with less help from its shocks.
There are a number of ways to know what’s going on inside of your car without even cracking open the hood. You just have to know what your driving experience is normally like and pay attention to any changes. The worst thing you can do is ignore possible signs of damage until it’s too late to do anything. To prevent wear and tear damage and harm to your car, visit your local Milex Complete Auto Care to perform some preventive maintenance measures.