Most people don’t get their car serviced until it’s too late. Don’t be like most people. Regular servicing can prevent minor issues from becoming major, budget-draining problems. It will also minimize your trips to the mechanic and keep your car on the road longer.
But how do you know when your car needs servicing? In this article, we have shed light on five common ways your car will let you know when it needs some looking after. Catching these signs early will prevent smaller issues from ballooning into bigger ones.
Why is it crucial to service a car?
Here’s why your car should never be overdue for a service:
1. Ensures your safety
Regular servicing ensures your car is safe for driving. While there are multiple reasons behind automotive accidents, poor car condition is one of the most common. Imbalanced wheels, faulty braking systems, and worn-out windshield wipers are some of the various car-related issues that may cause accident
2. Maintains the car’s value
There is a remarkable difference between a well-maintained car and another that is neglected by its owner. If you have plans on upgrading your drive in the future, how well you take care of your car will determine how much money you’d get for it when you plan to sell it.
3. Boosts car performance
Keeping an eye on your car’s fluid levels, brakes, and internal mechanics can reduce internal wear and tear. This, in turn, might increase the vehicle’s overall performance. A well-maintained car would not only sell for a higher price but it will also be a cinch to sell.
4. Increases fuel efficiency
Anyone who states they don’t care about fuel efficiency is either lying or don’t drive their car frequently. For any person who drives their car every day to the office, even a 1% increase in fuel efficiency would result in savings of hundreds of dollars in the long run.
5. Retains your car’s resale value
Any car buyer would be willing to pay over-the-odds for a car that has been kept in good condition, and routine servicing could help you hold on to your car’s resale value. The absence of any visible faults will convince the buyer that the car will stay road-worthy for years to come.
What happens if I don’t get my car serviced?
If you don’t get your car serviced on time, you might be inviting trouble.
Routine check-ups ensure your vehicle’s fuel efficiency stays top-notch. Without them, you’re looking at more trips to the refilling station. For instance, if tires are imbalanced, your car won’t run as smoothly as it should, requiring you to fill the tank more often.
Over time, your car will become less safe to drive. Issues that could have been fixed within a few minutes will balloon into something much more severe. Your car’s wear and tear will hurt its value, preventing you from getting its true price.
If you don’t get your car serviced on time, you might be inviting trouble.
Routine check-ups ensure your vehicle’s fuel efficiency stays top-notch. Without them, you’re looking at more trips to the refilling station. For instance, if tires are imbalanced, your car won’t run as smoothly as it should, requiring you to fill the tank more often.
Over time, your car will become less safe to drive. Issues that could have been fixed within a few minutes will balloon into something much more severe. Your car’s wear and tear will hurt its value, preventing you from getting its true price.
If you don’t get your car serviced on time, you might be inviting trouble.
Routine check-ups ensure your vehicle’s fuel efficiency stays top-notch. Without them, you’re looking at more trips to the refilling station. For instance, if tires are imbalanced, your car won’t run as smoothly as it should, requiring you to fill the tank more often.
Over time, your car will become less safe to drive. Issues that could have been fixed within a few minutes will balloon into something much more severe. Your car’s wear and tear will hurt its value, preventing you from getting its true price.
5 Signs to look out for
Watch out for these signs between visits to your mechanic:
1. Dashboard warning lights
Even though there’s a large number of dashboard lights that can showcase there are issues with your vehicle, knowing which ones to keep an eye on and what issues they’re pointing to is an excellent way to help your car maintain peak performance for long periods.
On almost all cars, the dashboard warning lights will appear for a few seconds when you switch on the ignition, before going out. If one or multiple of these lights stay on even when you’re driving, chances are there’s a problem with your car that needs urgent attention.
2. Weird noises
Hisses, clicks, and squeaking are all telltale signs of an issue under the bonnet. If the noise is getting louder with each passing day, pull over the car and call your mechanic. If the mechanic cannot come to you, drive the car slowly to his place or have it towed.
If the hissing sound is coming from under the bonnet when the engine is idle (such as when you’re at a traffic stop), the engine might be overheating, which is an extremely serious problem. But it is just one of several issues that the hissing sound could indicate.
3. Vibrations at low speed
If your car starts shuddering whenever you take the foot off the accelerator, there’s a chance the tires are unbalanced. This problem mostly arises after the tire hits a big pothole. If not taken care of within a few days, the damaged tire might go beyond repair, requiring replacement.
Other probable causes of tire vibration include improper tire and wheel balanced, out of round tires, uneven tire wear, separated tire tread, and loose lug nuts. Only a qualified mechanic will be able to recognize which of these problems is causing the tire to vibrate.
4. Dripping colored liquid
First things first, it’s standard for a car to leak water in the summer. The car’s evaporator core leaks water from under the passenger side of the engine when the AC is being used. This is totally normal and you don’t need to worry about it.
However, if your car is leaking colored liquid, you might be staring at a much more severe problem. It might indicate that your car is leaking brake fluid, power steering fluid, or the least serious of them all, engine oil. If you notice the vital fluid levels have dropped, have a mechanic visit your premises.
5. Sudden loss in power
A sudden loss in power or stalling could indicate several issues with your car, some of which may only require a simple fix. Your vehicle’s spark plugs could be faulty and while replacing them isn’t difficult, you should still leave the task to the professionals.
Or else, your fuel injection system could be malfunctioning. It might also be that the catalytic converter is clogged, disrupting airflow to the engine. Only a mechanic will be able to identify – and fix – the jerking, juddering, and stuttering issue.