You have probably sat down and wondered how your neighbour’s 15-year-old car runs better than your 5-year-old car. Cars are much more than just a regular day at the car wash thrice a week and detailing once a month.
The longevity or quality running of a car is very dependent on the car’s servicing and maintenance by the owner. As a regular driver or car owner who is not a full-on car enthusiast, lacking the knowledge of car care is justifiable.
However, as a regular licensed driver, it is your responsibility to ensure that you keep yourself and other motorists on the road safe. Road safety is observed by ensuring that you offer necessary care to your car to improve its reliability.
Learning about how to take care of your car means that you should know the things to observe. Before we delve into the indicators that you need to take care of your car, we shall highlight the advantages of car care.
- Better car reliability
- Better performance
- Good car aesthetics
- Cost-effective solution
There are other numerous benefits of car care. We shall now discuss the indicators of needed car care.
Strange Engine Noises
Every driver should be conversant with the normal engine noises for their car. This will help the driver identify and detect whenever they hear any unusual engine noises. Unusual engine noises can include squeaks, screech sounds, etc.
If you hear strange engine noise, you should visit a Florida Toyota dealership. Toyota dealerships provide a variety of services, including new and car resale, automobile trade-ins, servicing and repair, and more.
The Toyota dealerships have certified mechanics who analyze the engine area and find where the strange noises are coming from. Early solving of strange engine noises can save the driver from major catastrophes.
Some engine noises, such as the engine drive belt squeaks can lead to the belt snapping. Engine drive belt snapping can cause engine overheating. Car service time frames should be closely adhered to, to avoid such occurrences.
Clogged Key Locks
Clogged key locks are a common occurrence for people who live or drive on dusty roads. For these people, if they do not clean their cars well, the key locks get clogged. The dust particles get in between the door panels and end up clogging the moving parts.
Clogged key locks can also be a sign of car neglect. When car locks are left unattended for a while, the metallic parts can get stuck. Clogged key locks can be a DIY project. However, this is only for the few people who are conversant with car lock systems.
Regular car users will have to talk to their mechanic to fix the issue.
However, to avoid getting clogged key locks, you should regularly clean your car. The cleaning sessions should be thorough and focus on moving parts to clear dust particles from these parts.
If a car will not be used in a long while, the driver should open all car doors at least once a week. While at this, the driver should also start the engine to prevent rust build-up, oil solidification, or clogging of pipes.
Squeaking Brakes
A common item that is always ignored during car service is the brakes. Most service stations check the common items, i.e.
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Coolant levels
- Fuel filter
- Tires
- Bodywork
Regular checking of the car brakes is vital for the driver’s and passenger’s safety. The squeaking of the brakes can be caused by wearing out of the brake pads. When brake pads are used for a while, they wear out. Due to wearing out, the metal pads embedded in the brake pad are revealed. The metal pads cause the squeaking sound during braking.
A rusted brake rotor can also cause squeaking sounds when braking. A common cause of rusting of the brake rotor is vehicle neglect. When rust and other types of debris like dust or metal chippings accumulate in the rotor, they cause a squeaking noise when braking.
To avoid problems with your vehicle’s braking system, you should carry out regular inspections of the brakes. If the brake pads seem worn out, they should be replaced to ensure vehicle safety.
Cracked Dashboard
Most vehicle dashboards are made of urethane foam. that is placed over vinyl. When a car is abandoned, or the driver is not strict about where they park the car, the dashboard can start cracking or chipping away.
Dashboard cracking is caused by overexposure of the dashboard to the sun’s rays. Exposure to sun rays causes the vinyl layer of the dashboard to get brittle. This brittleness then leads to easy cracking of the dashboard.
Drivers should be conscious of where they park their cars. Parking under a shade will help protect the vehicle from UV rays of the sun, therefore, preventing dashboard cracking and chipping.
You Cannot Remember the Last Time You Had an Oil Change
Oil changes can be described as the most common car maintenance practice is changing of the engine oil. Changing engine oil offers numerous advantages. Some of these advantages are:
- Improved engine efficiency
- Better gas mileage
- Ensures the engine lasts longer
- Reduce harmful emissions
As a driver, if you cannot recall the last time you had your oil changed, then that should be a warning. Every driver should be aware of the due dates for their engine oil change to ensure that they do not delay and experience issues like oil sludges.
During oil changes, it is paramount that you change the oil filter too.
Conclusion
Numerous car reviews describe car reliability based on the car’s build quality. In as much as this is correct, it is not entirely true. The measure of a car’s reliability is also largely dependent on the care given by the owner.
To get the most service out of your car, it is therefore important that you ensure that you carry out regular maintenance operations. Apart from the regular service operations, you should also cultivate a habit of regular car care to ensure your car stays in good condition.
