When you own a car or vehicle, maintaining it and giving it regular maintenance is very important. Making sure that your car is well taken care of can help you to avoid preventable issues that often arise over time, can save you potentially thousands of dollars over the years, and can greatly increase the longevity of your vehicle’s life. However, if you are not an automotive expert yourself, it can be difficult to determine when you should be bringing your car in for maintenance, and what maintenance needs to be done. So if you find yourself in that situation, check out these tip and tricks that will help you to know if it’s time to bring your vehicle down to Barry’s Auto Body for some maintenance:
1) Dashboard Lights
Having a light begin to shine on your dashboard is typically a good indicator that your car is in need of maintenance. Most people are familiar with the “check engine” light, but there are several more that drivers should be aware of, including an oil pressure light and a tire pressure warning light, among several others.
2) Knocking Noise from Under the Hood
If you’re beginning to hear a sound that sounds like knocking coming from under your vehicle’s hood, it is important to get it checked ASAP! This sound could possibly be an indicator of worn engine bearings, a problem that if not dealt with quickly could mean a more expensive repair is in your near future.
3) Fluid Leaks
This is another issue that seems to be an obvious indicator of issues. In many cases it could just be your vehicle’s AC leaking, but in more serious cases your vehicle could be leaking coolant, oil or brake fluid, among other things, all of which could be serious if not addressed quickly.
4) Difficulty Handling
Is your car getting a little more difficult to control? Maybe you have to make sudden manunevers and sharp turns to keep yourself in control while driving? This could be an indication of several issues. In some cases it may just mean that your power steering fluid is leaking or that your wheels are misaligned, but it could also be an indication of more serious problems including structural issues in your vehicle’s frame.
5) Delayed Response from the Vehicle
If your vehicle is stalling for a moment or two before responding to whatever you are trying to do, whether that be starting the vehicle or braking, this is typically a strong indicator that there are some internal issues occurring in your vehicle.
6) Rough Idling
When your car is in motion or idling and it begins to sputter, this is typically a strong indicator of engine issues. This should be checked out as quickly as possible in order to keep them from escalating.