We all want to save money when taking care of our vehicles. But there are ways to complete the job at hand while taking care of our car as well.
Vehicles are very sensitive to what happens to them, and with present-day vehicles increasing the number of functions that rely on the vehicle’s computer, they will only be getting more sensitive.
So let’s dive into this matter and see how we can prevent any mistakes that we could do to our vehicle.
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Washing their engine
There is nothing wrong with cleaning your engine, but there is something wrong about washing your engine with a high-pressure hose.
The water that comes out of this hose is dangerous to your onboard electronics. This water can damage those electronics and cost you an arm
and a leg with replacing them.
So if you want to wash your engine, it is preferred that you use brake clean or engine degreaser. Let the engine degreaser set on the spot you are trying to clean for 15 to 20 minutes and then scrub it with a brush.
Make sure you let your engine cool before attempting this. After you have scrubbed the spot with a brush, then you can use a hose in that one area. Do not spray outside that area. After you are done cleaning the engine, let it air dry before you start it.
Washing the vehicle with a sponge
This was news to me because sadly, I have to confess I use a sponge to wash my vehicle. But no longer, a sponge can scratch your paint due to the toughness of the sponge itself.
You want to use a microfiber cloth and when washing your vehicle, go in one direction instead of in a circle. Washing in one direction will prevent your paint from being scratched and keep that fantastic paint fresh for years!
Driving their vehicle while it’s overheating
I know some people think they can make it home even if their car is overheating. But is it worth damaging your vehicle over? When your vehicle is overheating, that means that you have a low coolant. A part could also be malfunctioning in your cooling system.
There are a couple of ways to let your engine cool down so you can make it to a safe place. 1st option that you have you can pull over open your hood and let the engine cool down over 20-30 minutes.
The next option is that you can turn on your vehicle’s heater. Make sure you turn it on full blast since the heater is powered by the heater core which has hot coolant in it.
If you turn that on it will cycle the coolant through and be able to help cool the coolant even further. You are thus giving your engine a chance to cool down.
Not checking tire pressure
Tire pressure is one of the leading causes of flat tires with modern-day vehicles. Did you know that tire pressure can affect your fuel economy?
The government did a study about this and saw that tire pressure could affect your fuel economy up to 3%.
So if you can save 3% of your fuel economy in your vehicle over the entire year by just stopping by the gas station in checking your tire pressure for free, isn’t it worth it?
Driving with the engine light on
Maybe some people believe if the engine light is on and they do not see why it is on perhaps, it will just go away. Sadly this is not true, and you need to find out why that engine light is on.
They are many auto parts stores that will check your engine light for free. So stop going by the automotive repair shops to see why an engine light is on.
Those shops enjoy you coming by because they will charge you labor to check the engine light.
Prevent yourself from being stranded on the highway with an overheated vehicle. Here’s my article on How often should I replace my car’s thermostat?
Driving with a loose body part
I have seen this numerous times while driving daily. I will be driving down the highway, and a vehicle will pass me that has a bumper half hanging on.
This is dangerous for other vehicles on the road, and a police officer can write you a ticket for this. Maybe you do not have the money to fix a correctly, but you can still temporarily fix it.
By binding, the damaged body piece to a body part that is not damaged will correct this problem temporarily. I have seen people use screws and other means to make this happen.
If you do not want to make a hole with a screw in your body part, then take the body part off of the vehicle. Remember, you affect the drivers around you by how you drive and take care of your car.
Filling the radiator with water
This mistake can cost you quite a bit of money depending on how long you keep the water in your radiator. The reason why you need to mix coolant and water with a 50/50 ratio.
Is that water has a boiling point of 135ﾟF, and your thermostat does not open until 180 to 190 ﾟF. Start by mixing the water with the coolant you are increasing the boiling point of the liquid.
But do not think that if you only put coolant in the system that the boiling temperature will be so higher and your engine will run amazingly. Because truth be told just coolant in the system does not help as much as you think it would.
It has been shown with antifreeze as the only liquid in your cooling system. It is less effective and relies on water to be in the system. Some options are trying a waterless solution. But they are being tested and have just released into the market.
I would wait for them to be tested though by others, no need to damage your vehicle from newly released cooling options.
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Not checking their oil level
Another tip there I am guilty of as well. I ran a vehicle and locked up the engine. Of course, this is when I was a teenager and knew nothing about cars outside of what I saw on Gran Turismo.
When you are feeling up your vehicle, this is an ideal time to check your engine oil. It means to be in the middle of the hashed rectangle on the dipstick. If it is below, you need to add some immediately.
Letting their wipers stay broken
This is a mistake that can cost you quite a bit of money if you do not fix it. Wipers are very cheap and if you do not replace a wiper that is becoming unattached from the wiper arm. The wiper arm can scratch and damage your front window costing you hundreds of dollars to repair.
So don’t try to cheap out when replacing your wipers. If you pay a little extra, then they will have a longer life, and that will save you money.
A great example of paying more for windshield wipers would be instead of paying for the cheap ones, pay for the more expensive silicone wipers.
With being made out of silicone, this will assist in the windshield wipers lifespan of not falling victim to dry rot as quickly.
Jumping wires together
Jumping wires on a sensor or solenoid are highly frowned upon. Yes, you can trick the system into thinking that everything is OK by that sensor or
solenoid was put in the system for a reason. If you jump that solenoid or sensor, then your vehicle does not have the capabilities of catching a problem before it becomes a significant issue or repair.
Not changing their transmission filter
Most vehicles have a transmission filter that is in the transmission oil pan. Many people do not know about this transmission filter. So when your car starts shifting hard or slipping a transmission repair shop will say it is the transmission and it needs to be replaced.
By if you change the transmission filter at the correct maintenance interval timing that they manufacture has set in place. You will be able to prevent this problem in the future.
Not checking the oil filter for the seal
This is a problem that does not only occur to vehicle owners but mechanics as well. When replacing a filter, you need to check for the rubber seal that is on top of the filter.
This seal makes sure that no fluid comes out of the filter when the engine is running. If you do not check for this seal when replacing the filter, you run the risk of double stacking the seals.
This is not a situation that two is better than 1. When the fluid starts to warm up, it can push through both of the seals, causing a big mess. It also runs the chance of locking up your engine, which will cost a lot of money to replace.
Thank you for reading my article! I hope you found it beneficial and enjoyable! Check out my Youtube channel for more DIY Auto repair and flipping cars for profit videos! Thank you again!
