Auto

7 Questions Each Driver Should Ask

If you are into AV this blog is not for you. These questions are for old school auto lovers who believe that driving is a thrilling art. Here are some questions that every driver should ask, although many ignore.

Why and How Often to Check Tire Pressure?

Driving with over or underinflated tires endangers your safety. The right pressure is a factor in safety, tires life span, and fuel consumption reduction.

The average period for checking tire pressure is once a month. The correct pressure for your tires is the manufacturer’s recommendation. You can find them in the vehicle log, sometimes inside the car on the driver’s side door or the fuel tank valve.

Also, remember to check the one on your spare tire!

However, if you have checked the tire pressure while the weather is hot, add 0.3 bar to the recommended pressure. Then readjust the pressure when the tires are cold.

Never deflate a hot tire (pressure increases with temperature).

If the pressure is always faulty, consider replacing the tires very soon. Or, in case you are thinking of selling your car, leave that to the next owner, as replacing tires doesn’t add much value to the price.

When to Change Transmission Fluid?

Most people know that they need to change their engine oil regularly. However, as far as the transmission is working, they leave the fluid unchanged until things begin to go wrong. In other words: until it’s too late, especially when we are talking about automatic transmission.

Automatic transmissions are very complicated beasts. A manual transmission is basic by comparison, and most of the things that go wrong with them are due to driving style or at least exacerbated by the driver.

The minimum change interval is about 50,000 km.

Other typical service intervals are between 96,000 km and 160,000 km. Ignoring these intervals will endanger your life and the market value of your car.

Should You Worry if Your Signal Lights Blink Faster Sometimes?

Blinking faster is an indicator that a bulb has burnt out. The voltage load goes down when a bulb burns. Thus, it is easier for the circuit to pass more electricity and cause lights to blink faster.

When to Change My Timing Belt?

The timing belt is one of the fundamental components of a car’s engine. The breakage of the timing belt can cause serious damage to the entire engine.

Changing the timing belt varies greatly between vehicle models and brands. Although the frequency of change is between five to ten years, it depends on many factors: kilometers traveled, time, belt materials, and the engine. Therefore, replacing the timing belt can be between 60,000 to 160,000 kilometers.

When Should I Worry About My Brakes?

If you hear a scraping noise, foreign objects may be stuck between the rotor and the caliper. When driving, small stones and road debris can get stuck. The resulting friction can damage brake parts. Try to dislodge them by driving in reverse. If the problem persists, contact your repairer.

Some cars have a wear indicator as a metal tab on the brake pad. It alerts you about the condition of the brake pads. If you hear a horrible screeching or hissing noise coming from your wheels when you press the brakes, it’s probably because the brake pad wear indicator is rubbing against the disc to alert you. You should plan to change your brake pads as soon as possible and check if a red light comes on on the dashboard.

Why Does My Car Aquaplane?

Aquaplaning is a phenomenon that occurs when at least one of a vehicle’s tires loses contact with the roadway due to water, oil, or fuel. The aquaplaning then causes a loss of control of the car.

Aquaplaning occurs after heavy rains when the water accumulates in the pavement or on the road. This water interposes between the tire and the road. The tire is then no longer in direct contact with the latter.

Speed is the most important factor in aquaplaning. Slow down when it rains or if the road is wet.

How Can You Save Money on Fuel?

Adopting an economical and environment-friendly driving style helps you reduce your fuel consumption.

  • Accelerate slowly when the light turns green. And brake gradually when it turns red. This behavior can save you up to 20% fuel depending on your car model. Also, avoid always wanting to overtake other cars. The goal is to maintain a constant speed to consume less gasoline.
  • If you stop for more than 1 minute, switch off the ignition. Do not let the engine run unnecessarily. switch off the engine to make a phone call, consult a map, change passengers, or if you are stuck in a traffic jam.
  • Downshift rather than braking whether in the town near a traffic light or on the road. Consider downshifting rather than braking. Using the engine brake saves fuel.
  • Avoid leaving the air conditioning always on In summer, air conditioning is very practical. The downside is that you easily get used to leaving it on. Result: we forget to turn it off even when it’s not hot. We get in the car and the air conditioning is already on. Remember to turn it off as soon as possible and turn it off when you get out of the car. In town, it’s 30% savings instantly! On the road, it’s more than 15%.
  • Do not use neutral when going downhill. Contrary to popular belief, using neutral when going downhill does not allow you to consume less fuel. Why? Because technically, the engine continues to consume fuel to maintain its idle speed. Whereas if you use the engine brake, the engine consumes nothing.

So for all grease monkeys out there, don’t overlook these questions.

An old sage once said that listening to the sound of the universe and observing the signs, helps you understand life better. So does listening to your car sound, it helps you prevent problems before they become massive.