These are some “Must NOT” tips to apply on your daily life if you use a car all the time. It is important to take the car service every six months and always make sure that the input levels are correct. It’s also good to know what not to do and these are some things that skilled mechanics have to say.
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- Starting the car as if there was no tomorrow
When you start the car in the morning, especially in winter, heating the engine with strong throttles is a bad idea. The oil and components have not yet reached the ideal temperature … and being less protected will accelerate wear on the vehicle’s engine.
As we reminded you in our tips to start the car cold, wait a few seconds for the oil to reach the circuit and then always accelerate progressively.
- Pushing the clutch so much… And leaning on the shift lever
The clutch is one of the most punished elements of the car. As it works by friction, it suffers wear every time it is stepped on. That is why you do not have to rest your feet on it without need (there is an overexertion that affects the disc and all the pieces that act on it).
Another bad habit is to use the shift lever as an armrest. Without knowing it, you are pressing the internal mechanisms of the change, which wears out and causes slacks in synchronisers, bearings … In the long term it translates into vibrations and that the gear of the gears is more imprecise. You know, use the lever only to change gears … and better do it gently. And in automatic changes, never try to start pushing it (use the tweezers), or drive in neutral. You will only get to stunt it.
- Using the brakes too much … or not do it
Depressing the brake pedal too long can accelerate the wear of the discs and pads, deform the discs, which create vibrations in the steering wheel when braking and deteriorating the brake fluid, making the brake system less fatigue resistance. As we told you in our tips to raise and lower mountain passes, use the engine brake lowering gear. This will keep the brakes and you can control the car better. And finally, do not rush the pads and shoes too much … change them in much cheaper than renewing the set of discs and drums.
If on steep slopes sometimes we abuse the brakes too much, when we face a speed bump, many times we do not. It is true that our dear mayors have liked to place too many (they can only rival roundabouts), but we must stop when we meet one. If you do not, you run the risk of bursting a tire, or causing problems at the suspension anchor points.
- Move the address with the car stopped
Avoid manipulating the address with the car stopped. Think that, at least, on tires, wheels and suspension there is a ton of weight … the tires can deform and the suspensions become unbalanced, with damaged bearings. In addition, you can wear the steering rack, which will lead to slack driving. It is true that now the vast majority of cars have power steering, in which this problem is not so serious … but in them you should never turn the steering wheel to the limit. If you do force the mechanism (the steering pump itches in a vacuum) and it will break down sooner.
Arrived at this point, we cannot ignore those who climb curbs with the car to park. Sometimes it is inevitable (we all do it). Try to climb the lower area and slowly, because you can deteriorate the suspension settings and end up unbalancing tires and tires, causing vibrations in the steering wheel. And when parking, if the tires do not touch the curb, the better. These “pinches” against the concrete wear the tires a lot and it is easier for blowouts to occur, in addition to damaging the bearings.
- Driving with the car in reserve
Yes, your car is capable of moving with less than five litres of fuel in the tank, but the fuel pump doesn’t like anything. This element (in cars with electronic injection) is submerged in the tank, so there must be enough fuel to ensure lubrication and cooling of the pump. So, make sure that the car does not circulate in reserve, since the pump may be out of order.
- Do not leave your car oil too long
Do not let more than three months go by without changing oil, if it is synthetic oil it can be up to six months without you having to do it, but never more than that. The oil lubricates thousands of components that run through your vehicle and allows it to run efficiently. When it does not change constantly it becomes thicker and instead of improving the performance it damages it.
- Ignore the warnings
If the board has an icon that you do not know, it is best to review the manual to find out what is happening. Never let a warning remain on the board, because even if you don’t feel the car has any damage, it may soon show it.
- Do not leave the gasoline tank empty
Although gasoline is usually clean, it is not saved from different particles that accumulate at the bottom of the tank, so it is always advisable to fill the tank when the needle reaches a quarter of the tank. It is also important because many times the pumps work better completely submerged, since it is the humidity that makes them measure the level of gasoline correctly.
Here at Alpha Mobile Mechanics you are also part of the team, so we explain every detail related to the process and keep you aware of the way we complete this process.