Unknown to some of us, there are some bad driving habits that we often exhibit with our cars.
These bad driving habits can place your car under unnecessary strain. Some of these bad driving habits might even lead to problems that will require you to waste money on needless repairs. The interesting thing is that you might not even be aware that you are doing some of them.
Autojosh has put together 5 common bad driving habits that can damage your vehicle.
Carrying Too Much Load
Carrying very heavy load is an excellent way to damage a car suspension system. This is because the heavier a car is, the more pressure that is put on the car suspension system. So, ensure to keep your car as light as possible always. Only carry necessary items in your car.
Revving Your Car’s Engine Before It Is Warm
It is not advisable to rev your car engine immediately after you turn on the ignition. Allow your car to warm itself for some minutes before you step on the throttle. Doing this will allow oil to circulate throughout the engine. It will also allow the oil and blocks to work at the right temperature. Revving the engine will not hasten up these processes.
Allowing Your Fuel Tank To Dry up
One of the best car maintenance habit is to always top up the fuel in your tank in order for it not to go so low. Filling up your tank can help to prevent damage to your fuel system.
Dirt and particles from fuel settle at the bottom of every fuel tank. When you allow the level of the fuel in your tank go so low, you make your car to suck up the dirt particles. This process over a period can have a damaging effect on the car engine.
Not Using Your Parking Break
Contrary to what most people think, the parking brake or hand brake is not only designed to be applied when the surface is not level or slant. Your parking brake should be used at all times.
Not using the parking brake puts the whole weight of your car on a very little piece of metal in the transmission called the parking pawl. The parking pawl is a very small object. It is just about the size of your finger.
So with too much pressure on it, the parking pawl can eventually break from too much weight on it. This can be avoided when the parking brake is always applied, this way the load on the car is evenly distributed.
Ignoring Warning Signs
There are warning signs that your car gives you that informs you that something is wrong . Do not ignore such warnings. Ignoring them might mean letting the problem degenerate to the point where it damages the car. When your car start making unusual sounds, or giving you some warning signs, ensure to immediately inspect the car to find out the cause of the warnings.
Credit : autojosh.com