Your car is a significant part of your daily life and it’s your responsibility to ensure it receives regular care and attention.
As a car owner, you have to stay alert and attentive to the needs of your vehicle. Furthermore, to ensure optimal performance, you need to carry out regular maintenance and repair tasks.
However, while regular maintenance is crucial, you need to keep an eye out for those warning signs that dictate your car’s need for immediate attention. These signs act as an indicator that your car needs to be serviced and repaired urgently.
In this blog, we will examine five signs that will help you know when it’s time for you to take your car to a professional service for an inspection.
1) Check Engine Lights
Seeing your check engine light flash on is never a good sign and had best not go ignored. Your check engine light could mean multiple issues, ranging from a minor one to something more severe.
Moreover, your check engine light could be triggered by a range of car problems. At times, it may not mean immediate danger. Nonetheless, you need to take it seriously. Some common causes that may trigger this warning light include possible issues with your car exhausts, the engine, the fuel system or any electrical parts.
If your check engine lights turn on, you need to investigate and address the issue immediately. If you ignore this warning sign, it could negatively impact your vehicle. That’s why, to effectively resolve the problem, you might need to visit a technician.
2) Oil Pressure Warning
Your oil pressure warning light is another indicator you have to keep tabs on. As your car engine needs proper oil pressure for cooling and lubrication, if this light flashes, you need to give it your full attention.
When the warning light comes on, you have to safely pull over your vehicle and turn off your engine. If you continue to drive with low oil pressure, it could cause irreparable damage.
At times, the warning light could persist despite your vehicle’s oil level being normal. In these situations, it’s best to get help from a professional.
3) Sensitive or Unresponsive Brakes
It’s your car and you’re the expert. As such, you need to trust your instincts and experience when it comes to its performance. This is especially true concerning braking.
Ideally, when you apply your brakes, you will feel a quick response that is smooth, clean and easy. If you notice any resistance, abnormal sensitivity or strange noises when using your brakes, your car may need servicing.
Brakes are a vital component of your car and could get strained due to everyday driving. Your brake pads, cables and disks experience day-to-day wear and tear, which means a change in performance is expected. However, you need to be aware of these changes and get them examined early on for your car’s health and safety.
4) Unusual Vibrations
When driving, you have to watch out for any abnormal vibrations or a pull in certain directions when steering. Both of these occurrences point towards problems with your tyres or suspension system.
Sometimes, the cause could be a loose piece of plastic, whereas other times it could be something more severe like worn-down tyres or the loosening of a bearing. As a result, ignoring these vibrations could have lasting consequences.
To rectify these issues, it’s best to visit a car servicing garage and get your car checked. Even if the cause ends up being nothing of concern, it’s vital to have it fixed correctly to prevent the issue from snowballing.
5) Ignition Problems
If your car is healthy and operating at optimal capacity, you ought to get a nice clean start when you turn your key in the ignition.
As technology advances, your driving experience has also become smoother and easier, right from ignition. That’s why any issue with ignition is quickly noticeable and needs to be immediately addressed.
If you hear any coughs, splutters or whirring upon turning your key, it’s not a good sign. Turning your key multiple times to get your engine going is another red flag to look out for.
The range of ignition problems and their possible causes is numerous and as a result, you need to get them checked out by a professional as soon as possible.
To Sum Up
Being aware of what signs you need to look out for is crucial to maintaining your car’s performance, health and safety.
By understanding these signs, you are able to take prompt action, prevent any future damage and avoid costly repairs.
You know your car and you need to trust your instincts if anything feels amiss. If you observe any of the above signs, you may need to take your car to a garage and get it checked out.
Furthermore, you don’t always need to wait for something to go wrong. Regular car servicing and maintenance allow you to spot and address any issues before they turn into bigger problems, and that’s all you need to keep your car healthy and safe!