Cars need regular care and maintenance to work efficiently. Among all the parts that make a car, the engine is the most important. But did you know that you may have some driving habits that have an adverse effect on the car’s engine? We’ve compiled a list of the most important ones.
1. Too much hard braking
Hard braking is the most common bad driving habits, and a lot of people do it almost every day. The problem with hard braking is that it puts a lot of wear and tear on the pads, discs, callipers and brake lines. These are just some of the many parts subjected to excessive force when you need to slam your foot on the brakes while you are driving. This can cause them to wear out faster than normal.
2. Running your car with a low amount of fuel
This is another mistake that drivers make regularly. You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to fill up your fuel tank. In some modern cars, the fuel pumps are inside the fuel tank and they’re designed to be cooled and lubricated by the fuel in the tank. Running your tank down to almost completely empty could damage your car’s fuel pump over time.
3. Not letting the engine warm-up
It’s the same as running your car with a low amount of fuel. One of the biggest problems that lead to overheating and engine damage is not letting your car properly warm up on a cold day. Leaving your engine idling can cause a lot of wear and tear on the engine parts and also cause it to overheat. If you are unable to go out for a short drive because it’s too cold, make sure to at least let the engine idle so it will have some time to warm up before you start driving.
4. Descending a hill in neutral
Manual cars aren’t as common nowadays, but for those who still own one, it’s important to keep your feet in check. Put your car into 5th gear if you want to make sure that it will not go too fast while you’re going downhill and avoid always resting your foot on the clutch. If you’re driving in neutral with the clutch engaged, it will become harder for you to control the vehicle should anything happen during your descent.
5. Driving too fast over speed bumps
Driving over speed bumps too fast is one of those bad driving habits that can put a lot of unnecessary stress on your car’s suspension and steering. If you’re forced to slam on the brakes, this will only make things worse. Driving over speed bumps too quickly accelerates the wear of the car’s suspension components such as shock absorbers, rubber bushings and ball joints. It also has the potential to throw the car’s wheel alignment out of adjustment. Remember, speed bumps are there for a reason: to slow you down!
6. Avoiding regular car servicing
We’ve all been there: the car is making strange noises and the mechanic tells you that it needs immediate repairs, so you drive for a couple of days and then get in for an inspection. The problem with this is that if your car does need repairs, it will cost you a lot more than just buying a new car. And by the time your car needs to be repaired, it will have been greatly damaged and you’ll find out how expensive fixing your old car really is. Take it to a mechanic regularly to increase your vehicle’s durability and minimise your repair bills.
