Your vehicle is very important to your everyday life. Whether you use it daily to get to and from school or work, or if you use it less often and only for errands or entertainment, it’s still something you put a lot of money into and you need to keep working properly. However, like anything, your vehicle is susceptible to wear and tear, and this means there will come a time when you need to have it fixed and maintained. Regular vehicle maintenance like oil changes can help keep your vehicle working properly, but sometimes there are underlying issues that can come out of nowhere. If you leave these issues unfixed, it can cause even more damage to your vehicle. Check out the following five car problems you absolutely cannot ignore.
- Auto Engine Knocking
If you’re noticing auto engine knocking on your vehicle, it’s a good idea to get your vehicle into the shop right away. There are many reasons why the engine could be making noise, and it can run from low oil pressure to connection failures. Sometimes these knocking sounds can get worse over time and if left untreated can actually seize your engine to the point where you’ll have a very expensive fix on your hands. In fact, the average cost of an engine replacement is around $5000, so you can be happy to spend a few hundred dollars to get it fixed right away then to let it go unanswered.
- Grinding Brakes
Your brakes play an important role in your vehicle’s functionality, and having these go out can put you at serious risk of an accident and/or injury. If you notice your brakes are grinding when you apply pressure, it means your brake pads have worn off. This means you need to apply harder pressure to get your brakes to stop, and it can even create significant damage to your overall brakes. As soon as you hear this noise, it’s important to get your vehicle to the repair shop right away.
- Low Tire Pressure
There can be a lot of reasons for your tires to have low pressure, but you don’t want to assume it’s not a big deal. Low tire pressure can be the result of extreme cold weather, or it could be a sign that there’s damage to your actual tire. If this is the case, you want to have the tire fixed or replaced as soon as possible. If you continue to drive on a tire that has low pressure, you will find that it will do more damage, which could end up costing you more money. If you notice your tires need air or your tire pressure monitoring system comes on, be sure to have your tires looked at right away before the damage spreads.
- Tough or Shaky Shifting
Your vehicle switches gears to make for a smooth ride, but if you notice that your vehicle struggles to shift gears or that it’s shaking when shifting gears, this could be a sign that your transmission needs some serious TLC. Waiting too long to have this diagnosed could put your vehicle at risk of dropping the transmission, and that will be a $5000 expense to fix. Instead, you should pay the fee to have your vehicle diagnosed by a mechanic and see what the reason for the issue is. You may find it’s just a loose connection, and this could be a simple and inexpensive fix.
- Warning Lights
Your vehicle is a very smart object, which means it’s capable of letting you know when there’s an issue. This is done by projecting warning lights on the dashboard of your vehicle. These warning lights can be anything from low tire pressure to a check engine light, and the warning can be something little to something extremely expensive. No matter what it may be, it’s still very important for you to take the vehicle to the mechanic to see why that light came on. This way, you can rest assured your vehicle is being treated right away and you’re not creating a bigger issue by ignoring something that’s important.
No matter if you spent a lot or a little on your vehicle, you want to ensure you keep it lasting for a long time. If your vehicle experiences any of these warning signs or issues, you’ll want to have it inspected right away to ensure you’re not dragging your vehicle into the ground.
