Whenever you drive past a broken down car on the side of the road does your stomach lurch? Are you thinking, “That could be me one day”?
If you can recognise the signs that your car may need to go in for a service, you can stop the problems before that is you stranded on the side of the road, waving down the AHG Roadside Assist guy.
The golden rule is to pay attention to your car when it is in good nick, so you can notice when things start to go wrong.
Let’s start with the brakes
They are one of the most important safety features in a car. We are all guilty or paying too much attention to our reflection in the rear view mirror, then needing a speedy application of the brakes to save ourselves.
We use them so much it should be easy to notice when something is going wrong. It’s time to make an appointment with your dealership service department when you notice:
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It is taking you longer to come to a complete stop at the same speed |
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The brake pedal has to be pushed in further to engage the brakes |
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The brake pedal fluctuates with a jerky motion when you try to stop |
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Your car pulls to the left or right when you try to stop |
They are maybe the most confusing part of a car for us women. When our men wax lyrical about torque, cam, and the benefits of VVTI, we daydream about shopping.
Thankfully, when an engine is sick, it lets you know. You just need to pay attention. Call your dealership when:
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The engine starts cutting out, causing a complete loss of power, usually when you are accelerating |
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It starts making noises that weren’t there before, like ticking or knocking sounds |
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The engine still runs after the ignition is turned off, making knocking noises |
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There is a small lack of response when accelerating that is usually worse when starting from a complete stop |
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The engine pulses or jerks at low speeds |
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The engine runs unevenly and the car shakes while idling |
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It doesn’t accelerate as fast as normal, or loses speed going up hills |
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The accelerator is spongy and it takes longer for the car to speed up |
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The car surges, going faster without any extra pressure on the accelerator |
A car in tip top condition can be a dream to drive, but when something starts to go wrong with the handling, it can cause all sorts of problems. You should consider taking you car in when:
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The suspension gets springy and moves up and down too fast, thudding at the extreme limit |
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The steering wheel must by turned further for the same response, or is harder to turn |
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The car moves to one side when the steering wheel is released |
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You can feel the front wheels moving from side to side through the steering wheel |
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The car requires constant adjustment to maintain one direction |
While it is important to pay attention to the mechanical parts of the car while driving, it is equally important to pay attention to what goes on when you get out and turn the car off. Investigate and smells or stains as they come about.
That dark patch that sometimes appears under your car, especially in the summer, isn’t a horrible leak, just the air conditioning. If you notice a suspicious looking black patch (oil), greenish patch (coolant), or reddish patch (steering fluid), take your car to your dealership service department.
Smells like sulphur, burned toast, or eggs might also mean there is a problem. Look for the cause of the smell before starting your car up again. If the smell is hot and metallic, you just need to let your car cool down for a while.
And if you do end up on the side of the road with the AHG Roadside Assist man, make sure you can explain what happened. Don’t worry about describing the problem with the correct jargon; they are qualified mechanics who will be able to find any problems for you.
