Small But Important Signs That You're Neglecting Your Car's Maintenance

Whether or not you maintain your car will have a tremendous impact on the number of repairs you'll face over the years and on the overall lifespan of the engine and other components. This is why it's good to ensure you never neglect any part of your car's routine maintenance. Note a few small but very important signs that you're neglecting the care of your car so you know to better maintain it and ensure its overall longevity and durability.

Balding tyres

Balding tyres are very dangerous, as weak and thin rubber is more prone to a blowout while on the road. It's also difficult to steer and control the car when the tires are worn, so you might easily skid or slide when you hit the brakes or make a quick turn.

Balding tyres also indicate that you're probably not rotating the tyres as often as you should, as they may be suffering uneven wear in the area of the worn rubber. It also indicates that you're not checking the condition of your vehicle's tyres as often as you should, and having them replaced when needed! Have the tyres rotated every year or as often as is recommended by your mechanic, and regularly inspect the tyres for wear so you can replace them before the rubber actually wears down completely.

Fluid levels are too low

When you get your car's oil changed, the mechanic will usually top off the fluids. You might ask him or her if the levels are sufficient when they check the reservoir tanks; if not, this can mean that you need to be checking those fluids more often and that you should have your mechanic look for leaks in the tanks, cracks in hoses and the like.

Smells

Your car should never have a burning smell, a noticeable exhaust smell or any other odd odour. If you notice any type of smell and decide to ignore it, this can be a mistake! A burning smell can mean an oil leak, leak of transmission fluid, or an overly hot engine or transmission.

An exhaust smell can mean that emissions are not being filtered through the catalytic converter, which can make the engine run hotter. Other smells can indicate damage to the brakes. If you've decided to put off having these smells checked, this can mean that you're not properly maintaining the vehicle's exhaust or having the brake pads replaced as needed, which can lead to more serious, and more expensive, repairs down the road.

Contact an auto repair service for additional information.