Ways You’re Accidentally Damaging Your Vehicle

Get the most out of your car without problems. Understand the ways you’re accidentally damaging your vehicle, and steer clear of these mistakes.

No one has time for unnecessary vehicle trouble. But sometimes, you shorten the lifespan of your car without realizing it. Check out the ways you’re accidentally damaging your vehicle, and stop doing these things!

Hitting Potholes

Depending on your location, hitting potholes is inevitable. If possible, you should avoid hitting them. Potholes bend car wheels and can throw your vehicle out of alignment. In a worst-case scenario, a pothole can break suspension components. Moving forward, avoid potholes as much as possible.

Putting Off Repairs

Life gets busy, and it’s easy to put off car repairs, especially minor ones. However, this does more harm than good. Failing to fix small issues makes your car susceptible to worse problems in the future. For example, your heater fan can fail if you don’t replace the air filters. If something is wrong, take your car to the mechanic. You’ll prevent problems in the long run.

Ignoring Fluid Leaks

Pools of liquid under your parked car are never a good sign. Never ignore fluid leaks because they indicate car trouble. A brown or black leak is usually oil from the transmission. A transmission fluid leak is dangerous because it implies internal damage, like a bad torque converter. As soon as you notice a leak, service your vehicle!

Overloading Your Vehicle

Did you know you can prevent transmission problems by not overloading your vehicle? Towing more than your car’s capacity strains the transmission and overheats the system. Don’t put unnecessary stress on your vehicle because it may lead to irreversible damage. If you must carry extra weight, install an external transmission cooler to avoid overheating.

Leaving Things Inside the Car

You’re accidentally damaging your vehicle by leaving the wrong things inside the car. Some items are sensitive to extreme heat or cold, which may lead to explosions or leaks. For example, a 19-year-old woman left a can of dry shampoo in her car on a hot day. The shampoo contained flammable ingredients, and the can exploded in the vehicle. This left a hole in the roof of her car.

Although this is an extreme consequence of leaving items in your vehicle, it’s important to know the potential results. When in doubt, take items inside!

Driving Near Empty

Gas is expensive, and everyone wants to get the most out of their tank. However, driving near empty isn’t a good idea because the fuel pump doesn’t suck up gas. Instead, it’s sucking up air. This makes the fuel pump hotter and more susceptible to wear and tear.

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