Smells
If you have ever been in your car and smelled something like rotten eggs or gas, your vehicle might be in need of some serious maintenance. Most of the time, if you can smell something coming from under the hood of your car or from the vents, you should get your car checked. If the smell is of gas, you could smell a gas leak coming from underneath your car, which causes a fire hazard.
Burning smells are a sign that your brakes are in need of changing or that you need a new clutch. No matter what the smell is, if it’s not something you normally smell, you should have it checked.
Warning Lights on Your Dash
The lights on your dash are often overlooked. If any of the maintenance lights come on, you could have one of many issues with your car that need to be looked at right away. Even if the vehicle is operating like normal when the light comes on, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t an issue. The issue just hasn’t become bad enough for your car to break down.
A battery light could be a problem with the car’s alternator or any of the other electrical components. If any of these components give out while you are driving, your car will die and leave you stranded wherever you are at that time. Your best choice is to have it checked out, no matter which light comes on.
Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance covers everything that you can do before a problem occurs. If you take care of this maintenance on a regular basis, you shouldn’t have many issues with your vehicle for a very long time. These consist of oil and oil filters, air filters, brake pads, shock absorbers, and more. Typically, your vehicles owner’s manual will have a schedule for you to follow to keep up with your regular maintenance.
Engine Noise
You should know what it sounds like when you start your car and what it generally sounds like while you are driving down the road. If the noises start changing and you start hearing a squealing noise, you might have an issue with the alternator or a belt. Noises that sound like a knocking sound might be an issue with the valvetrain. If you hear a strange noise, it would be wise to get it looked at by a mechanic to find out what it might be.
If you can smell, hear, see, or if you just feel like something is off, a trip to the mechanic would be your best bet. Making sure that you won’t end up stranded is always the best choice, and that means ensuring that your vehicle receives the proper maintenance when it is needed.
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