There are a few car parts which are notoriously linked to having faults and causing breakdowns. These parts need to be checked regularly and well maintained in order to ensure the smooth running of your vehicle and prolong its life. With modern cars lasting much longer than they used to with a little extra care you’ll be able to keep yours running well over 100,000 miles. Here are the parts you need to know about to keep on top of and avoid a breakdown:
Automatic gearboxes
If you drive an automatic, you need to be aware that automatic gearboxes commonly breakdown. This is usually do to things like wear and tear, aggressive driving styles, towing a vehicle or poor driving habits which affect its efficiency and put strain on the gear box. Having a new gear box installed can be costly and inconvenient, if you experience any juddering when changing gears it’s important to get it looked at immediately.
Turbo
The miniature turbo compressor in your car helps your engine to be more efficient by pushing air on to it so that more oxygen can be burnt with the fuel. To help protect your engine you can do several things to look after your turbo so that it doesn’t need to be replaced. This includes not over revving your engine until the engine oil has warmed through properly,
Water pump
The shaft inside your water pump wears thin over time and eventually can start to leak. It’s important to watch out for this as it can be really dangerous and lead to your engine overheating. Usually a warning light will alert you if you have a problem with your water pump which you must get repaired straight away to prevent any future problems.
Brake and steering
The brakes and steering on your car are vitally important and must be repaired immediately if you suspect any faults. Common signs of brake faults are a squishy feeling brake pedal, the car pulling to one side when driving and a shaking steering wheel when you go to brake.
Despite the amount of checking and maintenance, sometimes a breakdown is unavoidable no matter how well you look after your car. Having a breakdown recovery plan and breakdown cover that you can rely on is essential to cover your back if the worst should happen. By taking good care of your car and looking after these parts, hopefully you shouldn’t need to use it any time soon.