Everyone who drives a car should have the basic knowledge regarding car maintenance and repair, but unless you are a motorhead or a professional, you likely have your limitations. On the off-chance that any of the following signs and symptoms are present in your car, you may need to pay a visit to your local car repair shop for an unscheduled maintenance/repair job.
The Dreaded, But Often Ignored, Blinking “Check Engine” Light
Earlier in the year, data from a study was published on the New York Post, that an alarming number of drivers ignore their blinking “Check Engine” lights for far too long.
Most of us are guilty of that to some extent, as we tend to consider it something that can be checked out later during a maintenance visit. For obvious reasons, that’s a bad idea in general, but in case the “Check Engine” light actually resembles the icon of an engine in red/yellow, it indicates that the situation is more urgent than usual and requires an immediate visit to the repair shop.
More often than not, ignoring such an obvious sign of car trouble can lead to permanent damage to your car’s engine, a breakdown in the middle of nowhere, or even an accident. Another seemingly subtle but obvious sign that your car engine is in trouble, is when the radiator is leaking. You can easily notice any liquid dripping on the ground below the under-the-hood area of the vehicle. Although this is a quick fix if discovered right away, you can check out the top best Radiator Stop Leaks products reviewed on GrandPrixTimes for your buying guidance.
You Have Not Prepared Your Vehicle for the Upcoming Winter
Winter isn’t that far away anymore, with some states already beginning to feel the early pinches of cold way before time. If you have not yet prepared your vehicle for the dangerous driving conditions which prevail during the winter months, it’s a definite sign that you need to pay a visit to the local car repair shop.
The Strange Noise: Never a Good Sign
If you hear any noise while driving or even putting on the brakes that you cannot explain, it’s never a good sign. Some of the possible causes and associated sounds are as follows:
Metallic Scraping – If it’s coming from outside the car, something has likely fallen off partially, only to be dragged along the road each time you step on the gas. If the metallic scraping sounds more like metal-on-metal action and it is coming from inside the car, that’s much more serious and you need to get it checked out immediately.
Squealing Brakes – The brake pads are at the end of their lifetime and need to be replaced as soon as possible.
Crunching Gear Changes – If your gear box is making crunching noises when you shift gears, it needs to be changed.
Engine Noise Feels Off – The noise from the engine should be even, as long as you are maintaining the same speed. If that is not the case, it indicates a misfiring engine, and is therefore a high priority repair.
Weird Bonnet Noises – Caused mostly due to a belt coming loose, but if ignored, it will branch out into multiple other more serious issues such as overheating.
Everyone who drives a car should know a bit about it, but just in case you are ignoring the fact that there is significant vibration and a pulling sensation on engaging the brakes, know it to be an urgent situation. Either your suspension springs or brake discs/pads are going, and the latter is both more likely, as well as being a lot more dangerous.
