Nine Signs That Your Car Will Soon Need Major Repairs
Most of us— about 92% —own a car. This country is so car-centric that you’ll have to plan and research carefully if you want (or should) try car-free living . The good news is that modern cars are generally quite durable: the average lifespan of modern cars is more than 16 years and about 100,000 miles, based on the cars that end up in junkyards across the country. The bad news is that getting as much use out of a car requires regular maintenance and repairs: the average cost of owning a car now exceeds $1,000 per month .
Even with this kind of maintenance, no car lasts forever—and there are usually signs that your car is about to go to the great junkyard in the sky. Some car problems are long-term, leaving you limping through repair after repair for years, but eventually your car will develop a problem that indicates it will have a catastrophic problem and stop working altogether. If you see any of the following warning signs while driving, it’s time to start planning a new one because your current trip is about to end.
Do you hear the “rod knock”
If you hear a loud knocking or smacking sound when you turn on your car that gets louder when you step on the gas pedal, you may have a knocking sound . This can be caused by insufficient oil (due to persistent leaks or missed oil changes) or worn belts, causing the connecting rod bearings to wear out. Sure, your car is still moving, but a knocking rod is a sign that your engine is about to shut down—possibly dramatically. Fixing the problem can cost up to $3,500, depending on the specific cause and severity.
The car shakes and vibrates
Has your car started shaking and vibrating every time you drive it? If every time you drive to the grocery store you feel like you’re driving a snarling Mustang and your steering wheel is jerking under your hands, you should go straight to a mechanic because your car may be about to stall. Severe shaking is usually a sign of engine misfire or transmission problems. An engine misfire occurs when your engine’s cylinder doesn’t ignite gas properly, and depending on the exact cause, it can require major repairs. Transmission-related shaking can be caused by something as simple as low fluid levels, but it can also indicate mechanical problems with the transmission itself, which could cost you $5,000 or more . In any case, if your car feels like it’s going to break into pieces when you drive it, it’s about to stop moving altogether.
It slows down when it shouldn’t
If you drive a car with an automatic transmission, it should not stall when you take your foot off the gas pedal. If so, it may not be a serious problem, but it is definitely a sign that your car is getting ready to abandon you. Causes could be the alternator that produces the electricity needed to run your engine, clogged filters, a faulty fuel pump, corroded spark plugs, or even just a bad sensor. Even if your car is otherwise running well, don’t wait to have it checked for stalling. You never know when you’ll stall at a traffic light and won’t be able to start your car again.
The engine doesn’t stop running
The opposite of stalling is an overloaded engine that continues to run even after the ignition is turned off. Engine ” burning ” occurs when the fuel in the cylinders burns on its own due to “hot spots”. Even if the engine does eventually stall, it’s a sign that something worse is ahead because there is something seriously wrong with the engine : either you have faulty or incorrect spark plugs, a damaged fuel injector, timing problems, or severe buildup. carbon in the cylinders. – the latter of which is quite a big problem if left unchecked as it can cause serious engine damage.
The car frame is rusty
You might think that a little rust on your car isn’t a big deal, and that’s largely true if the rust is superficial. Even if rust has eroded the roof of your car and it leaks when it rains, the car will still be drivable.
But ” structural rust ” is a much bigger concern. When your car’s frame starts to rust, it’s only a matter of time before your car fails. However, if you’re not regularly under your car, you may not notice a rusty frame until it’s too late, but there are some warning signs that will tell you that your car is about to fail due to rust:
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Bend or cracks in the body. If any of your car’s panels are warped, it may indicate that your car’s frame is weakened by rust.
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Hard doors. If your car’s doors are difficult to open and close, but your car’s body has never been damaged (such as in an accident), this could be a sign that rust is eating away at your car.
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Holes. Have you looked under the rugs on your floor recently? If your floor has a hole in it, your car has a serious rust problem.
Seeing (or smelling) smoke
Visible smoke of any kind coming from your car is never a good sign, but some smoke scenarios suggest an emergency:
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Blue smoke. Smoke with a bluish tint usually means that oil is entering the engine and being burned along with the fuel. This is a very bad thing that can happen to your car and you need to get it checked immediately if you don’t want to experience total car failure yourself. It could be the head gasket that is allowing oil to get into the cylinders. Failed head gaskets also cause pressure to flow back into the rest of the engine, causing even more problems.
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Sweet smoke. Is white smoke coming out of your car with a “sweet” smell ? A faulty head gasket can cause antifreeze to leak into the engine, where it mixes with the fuel. If your engine is also overheating, this is probably what is happening.
If you suspect you have a blown head gasket, have it repaired immediately. A head gasket repair can cost you $3,000 or more .
Gears “jump” from one to another
If your automatic transmission begins to squeak (shakes and makes a loud noise when shifting into the next gear) or begins to “jump” from one gear to another while driving, this may be a sign that your transmission is faulty. the boom is about to begin. The fix may not be major – the problem could be as minor as low transmission fluid or one worn part that is easy to replace. But it could be a sign that your transmission is failing, and the worst way to find out is when your car suddenly stops moving on the freeway.
Headlights suddenly dim
If you’re driving at night and notice that your headlights suddenly dim and get even dimmer, this could indicate a faulty alternator . The alternator generates power for the headlights and other lights in your car, and if it doesn’t produce enough power, those lights will dim and even turn off completely, even if the car is still running. If this happens to you, it’s only a matter of time before the alternator stops generating enough power to start the car and it stalls.
Excessive and mysterious leak
This should be pretty obvious: if you notice a puddle of leaking fluids under your car wherever you park, then you’re on the verge of engine failure. If you’re in a situation where you have oil, antifreeze, and transmission fluid in the trunk and every trip starts with topping up, you may have loose or failed gaskets or loose drain plugs – and if those plugs or gaskets fail completely While driving, the results can be catastrophic if the engine suddenly loses all lubrication and fluid pressure.
Your car is always telling you something—and if it’s something that it’s about to die, you should listen.