Before your vehicle breaks down, there are inevitable warning signs to take note of. You need to notice the signs early enough to ensure your vehicle gets the required service from a trustworthy auto repair shop. Otherwise, if it becomes an emergency, you may rush into just any shop and the damages that you could have prevented may escalate.

A standard repair service will take note of the signs as well as fix all the things that should be fixed before they cause problems for you. Nobody wants to get stranded on a highway when they should be in the comfort and safety of their home. You can visit Mifflinburg Auto Body to learn how to identify a reliable auto shop.

Vehicle Warning Signs

As soon as you notice the following signs, ensure you contact your auto repairer for more diagnosis and repair:

Excess Exhaust Smoke

A change in your car’s emissions should cause concern, particularly if the car produces excess/ colored smoke from the exhaust. The smoke color often dictates the problem of the car. Black smoke indicates it is burning a lot of fuel. Blue indicates the presence of oil around the combustion area. White shows a coolant leakage within the engine.

Reduced MPGs

When you realize that you are spending more money and time on gas, you need to visit an auto shop. Most times, all that is required is just a little tune-up to resolve the problem. This could be changing the air filter, cleaning the sensor, or changing spark plugs.

Strange Noises

When you are driving and hear strange noise, you need to stop and check it out, especially if it’s a repetitive sound. Some common weird sounds are a grinding sound when you step on the brake and a knocking sound.

Fluid Leakage

Vehicles use different fluids to run their different parts. Hence, whether it is oil or transmission fluid, if you see any fluid leak, you need to check it closely. If you see a puddle underneath your vehicle every morning, a part of your engine requires attention.

Leaking fluids will overwork your engine, which means there is a high chance of engine failure. It will burn the fluids quickly, leading to damage of the pistons and belts that require proper lubrication to function well. Also, your vehicle may overheat if the coolant is insufficient to bring down the temperature.

Odd Smells

A strange smell indicates that there is a problem. Some common smells are:

1. Burning paper smells – indicate that your clutch needs repair.
2. Gym bag smells – indicate the presence of mold in your heater or AC vents.
3. Maple-like smells – indicate that your vehicle has coolant leakage.

You can visit http://www.cars.com/articles/whats-causing-that-smell-in-my-car-1420685136993/ to read more about strange car smells.

When Does Your Vehicle Need Servicing?

For regular servicing, you can take your vehicle once each year to the auto shop. This will ensure that it runs smoothly, and any potential problems are taken care of in advance. You also need to change the oil once each year if you do not put a lot of miles on the vehicle. Or you can change it frequently if your vehicle works under tougher conditions.

Vehicles operating under the following conditions require frequent servicing:

1. Convey large loads or tow trailers.
2. Drive in traffic situations that require frequent stops.
3. Drive in extremely cold, snowy, dusty, or hot conditions.
4. Take frequent short trips, like 5 miles and below.

How Long Can You Drive Your Car Without Maintenance?

If your car is very new and operates under ideal conditions, you may not need routine services for your first thirty-five thousand miles except tire and oil rotations. But if your car is an older one, it will naturally experience more wear. As a result, you need to schedule maintenance according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

You can get more information from the vehicle’s manual or search the internet using your car’s model as the keyword. This will help you to know the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance, using the mileage and age as a yardstick. You can click here to read more about car servicing.

Conclusion

Mobility is a very important aspect of life and cars help to make that happen. They help us travel from one place to another. However, they require servicing, repairs, and maintenance at different times. The information shared in this article will help you know when you need to visit an auto repair shop.