Four Common Habits That Severely Damage a Vehicle
The passage of time and extreme weather conditions will undoubtedly cause your car to deteriorate. But, you’re also a major cause of your car’s demise. Here are four ways your driving habits and choices are wreaking havoc on the health of your vehicle.
Parking without employing the emergency brake or otherwise known as the parking brake, handbrake, or e-brake, puts a lot of pressure on your car’s transmission, according to U.S. News & World Report Writer John M. Vincent. His exceptions to this rule are when you’re stopped on a 100% level surface or your brakes are exceedingly hot.
Not hitting the open road is actually worse for your car than taking it out for regular spins.
“If a car sits too long, its battery will likely be dead, its gas stale, and its tires out of round. Its paint will also probably be neglected,” Vincent reports. “Parking a car for a long time also invites critters to turn it into their own condo.”
Of course, the flip side of driving it too much can cause problems, as well. According to Vincent, short consecutive trips are definite troublemakers.
“Almost as damaging as letting a car sit too long is using it for short trips where it never has a chance to warm up and get its fluids flowing before it’s parked again,” he writes. “If you haven’t gone far enough to get the engine warm, you need to drive further.”
Hitting the gas and slamming on the brakes not only make for a jolty, uncomfortable ride, these actions also burn gas and minimize the lifespan of your brake rotors and pads, respectively. Plus, these driving habits put your safety and the safety of those around you in jeopardy, adds Vincent.
If you suspect your brake rotors are damaged, check out this video on how to replace them:
News Source: U.S. News & World Report
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.