Getting stuck on the road in your car can be a very frustrating experience, especially when you do not know what could be wrong with the vehicle. Most times, cars will give you warning signs to let you know that there is a problem; not understanding them or just ignoring them altogether will make you end up in a sticky situation.
There are some easy issues that you can quickly diagnose, which can save you from any embarrassing situation or a trip to the mechanic. Here are some ways to know if something is wrong with your car.
Listen When You Drive: Most of the time, the first way to know if something is wrong with your car is through the sounds it makes when you drive it. By listening, you can tell that something is different as you go. If you hear squealing noises when you brake, your brake fluid might be almost exhausted. Squeaking noises when you turn your steering could be a sign of power steering issues or worn-out shocks. Sounds will usually tell you that something has changed within your car parts. To know where to get the right car parts from, you can check out Jegs high-performance auto part reviews or just read reviews about car parts.
Use Your Nose: Your nose can be your best friend when diagnosing problems with your car. When driving, you should not perceive any of the following: gas, sulfur, or mildew. The smell of sulfur may mean that your battery might be damaged or there is an issue with the catalytic converter of your car. The gas smell may mean that your gas or oil is leaking, and mildew might be that your cabin filter is dirty.
Be Mindful of What You See: There are signs that you may see that would indicate issues with your car. Most cars have a computer that monitors their systems and lets you know that there is an issue by turning on a light. They may flash different colors to tell you the urgency of the problem. Red will mean, see the mechanic immediately, yellow will mean that there is a cause for concern, and green or blue means everything is fine. If you see smoke coming out of your hood or exhaust, it might mean that your car is overheating and should be checked out.
Check Your Fluids
There are different fluids that should be adequate in a car for it to function correctly. If any of these fluids are low and not attended to quickly, it can cause severe problems for your vehicle. Checking and replacing your car fluids may not take a lot of time or money, but the issues that might come from ignoring them definitely will.
From the above, you can see that it doesn’t take much to diagnose problems or keep track of any issues that may be wrong with your car. Doing all these may save you an expensive trip to the mechanic and prevent you from getting into an embarrassing situation.