5 Car Maintenance Mistakes You Must Avoid

Most car owners don’t prioritize essential car maintenance in order to save money and time. They assume that everything is fine as their car is running smoothly. It leads to big faults and even bigger repair bills down the road, making them feel guilty of ignoring or not getting fixed the common faults that they could do. Surely, you don’t want to go through such plight. 

This is why we have compiled common car maintenance mistakes you should avoid.

Not Changing Air Filters:

Air filters trap the dust, debris, grit and pollens so that the engine receives clean air. This is why they get clogged with these particles over the time. A clogged air filter affects the engine’s performance which in turn leads to numerous drivability issues. It may be resulted into the failure of various sensors on a car which costs you hundreds of dollars in repair.

Therefore, it is essential to get air filters changed from time to time to ensure a long life and better performance of the car engine.

You should change your air filters after every 12,000 miles or as per the instructions given in your car’s user manual.

Delaying Oil Change:

Older cars often require oil change more often than newer cars. Old and dirty oil doesn’t lubricate your engine efficiently and fails to prevent it from overheating. Furthermore, it affects your fuel mileage and the life of the vehicle. Generally, your car manufacturer will recommend an oil change on time frame like 3 months or your mileage like 3,000 miles.

Not Checking Your Tires Pressure:

Checking your car tires pressure is as essential as other maintenance steps. Under-inflated tires affect your car’s fuel economy, steering, suspension and other components, thereby leading to costly repairs. It also makes your tires wear faster which leads to frequent tire replacement. On the top of that, you might get a flat tire or an exploded tire in hostile circumstances.

Besides checking air pressure, make sure to take a note of tire rotation and alignment.

Neglecting to Check Your Brakes:

Brake pads tend to wear down more often as they are one of the most used parts. Needless to say brakes are the most important feature from the viewpoint of safety. You can’t afford to skip their maintenance as they stop your car. Otherwise, no one likes to go through the walls or bump into the tree. Listen to your brakes. Do you hear squeaking noise when you applied the brakes? It means that time has come to replace your brake pads. Even consider changing the pads if its depth is less than that ¼ inch. Replacing your brake pads can be expensive but getting into a mishap due to worn out brakes is more costly.

Not Stopping the Car Even When Engine is Overheating:

Driving the car with an overheated engine is not a good idea. When the engine overheats, the seals start to melt or crack—all of which may lead to leaks. And you end up with a damaged engine.

So, it is better to turn off your engine and park your car to the side of the road. It may be safe to drive if the car is okay with coolant. Otherwise, call for a tow truck.

By avoiding such car maintenance mistakes, you can save on the cost of common car repairs and time being wasted in the auto repair shop.