Your automobile could represent one of your biggest and most significant financial commitments, yet we often fail to provide our vehicles with the necessary maintenance care. Professionals like mechanics and technicians understand this well; acting as the physicians for cars, they encounter every issue imaginable.
"My role is to provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your vehicle’s condition, enabling you to make informed choices regarding its maintenance," explained Bogi Lateiner, a master automotive technician from Phoenix and proprietor of the company. Girl Gang Garage a network offering practical training for women in various trade skills.
Frequently, according to technicians, we make maintenance choices—or fail to make them—in manners that may introduce possible safety risks and could result in expensive errors. To shed light on this issue, we consulted automobile repair specialists regarding their significant "don'ts" which serve as valuable warnings for everyone:
1. I will not overlook vehicle upkeep.
Among all the errors she encounters, Lateiner revealed to Pawonation.com that this is the most frequent one. "People believe 'it doesn’t matter much,' and figure they will address it down the line," she stated. "However, in truth, preventive care tends to cost far less than fixing issues after they arise."
Lateiner stated that she would always prioritize routine oil changes. "Engine oil is crucial," she elaborated. "It ensures your engine stays cooled and lubricated."
When the engine oil becomes thicker than normal or begins to degrade, and the additives within it fail to perform their intended functions… the engine may suffer premature damage, leading to either small-scale issues or major failures," she explained. "Therefore, maintaining clean oil inside the engine is absolutely vital.
Lateiner recommends changing the oil about twice as often as the 15,000-mile intervals that car manufacturers typically recommend.
“I cut those oil change intervals in half most of the time,” she said. “The longest I would go is 8,000 miles on a full synthetic oil change on a European car with high-quality oil.”
2. I will not depend only on car maintenance alerts.
When discussing oil changes, Robin Reneau, who is both the owner and chief technician at, Georgia Auto Solutions In Conyers, Georgia, she mentioned that she would never depend on the oil change reminder sticker to decide when her oil truly needs changing.
"You may not consistently cover the same number of miles within the suggested oil change period, which could result in oil changes being done too early or delayed," Reneau explained to Pawonation.com.
The variability in driving circumstances can render these general reminders ineffective. "Elements like regular brief journeys, hauling trailers, or operating in very hot or cold climates can speed up the deterioration of motor oil, demanding more frequent replacements than what’s stated on the label," Reneau explained. "As the engine ages, increased wear might alter how the oil performs, leading to earlier-than-expected servicing needs."
Rather than doing that, Reneau mentioned that she monitors her vehicle's oil level and condition to keep tabs on her oil usage and figure out when it would be appropriate to replace it.
3. I will not utilize after-market car components.
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) components are precisely created by the automobile maker for your specific vehicle model, whereas aftermarket parts are manufactured by third-party companies and generally come at a lower cost.
Grace Claudio, a master automotive technician at BMW Manhattan in New York City, informed Pawonation.com that utilizing aftermarket components can prove costly over time.
Claudio provided an instance where an after-market battery isn’t recognized by the car’s system. Consequently, the vehicle continues to believe it has a defective battery and thus fails to function properly due to this misidentification.
I've experienced situations where everything falls apart, which only exacerbates the problem," Claudio stated. "This leads to a much costlier fix.
4. I will not utilize coolants or fuels that differ from those recommended by my manufacturer.
Automobiles are designed to operate using specific kinds of liquids, and Lateiner advised vehicle owners to strictly adhere to the recommendations provided by the manufacturers.
She mentioned that this applies to your coolant, motor oil, and the kind of fuel you use," he explained. "Therefore, if your vehicle requires 91-octane gasoline, you must use 91-octane.
If a car owner opts to use fuels not intended for their vehicle, it can result in more significant repair problems. Lateiner mentioned that she has encountered instances where European vehicles exhibited unusual symptoms which were resolved after switching to the correct motor oil.
5. I won’t purchase any non-prescription item that claims to prevent leaks.
Lateiner cautioned against utilizing items that claim to prevent leaks in engine oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and flat tires.
It's a Band-Aid. At most, it serves as only a short-term fix, and quite frequently, it ends up doing more harm than help," Lateiner stated. "Those meant for tires can completely ruin your wheel, and whoever changes your tire will likely despise you.
6. I won’t change my car’s exterior without considering the climate where I live.
Certain individuals enjoy applying car wraps to their vehicles, which involves covering them with a specialized vinyl film. This method allows owners to alter the appearance of their cars without resorting to painting. However Cheyenne Ruether A master auto body technician from Las Vegas mentioned her preference for painting vehicles instead of wrapping them, particularly in sun-drenched states like Nevada.
“Because the UV rays here are so extreme... they often cause cracking or delaminating” relatively quickly, Ruether said. “And they are a huge pain to remove.”
7. I will not place a mismatched rubber floor mat on the driver's side.
Claudio mentioned that many customers place a rubber floor mat over the standard carpeted one on the driver's side to maintain cleanliness inside their vehicles. However, this can be problematic because frequently, these additional rubber mats do not fit correctly, posing a potential safety risk.
"The floor mat on the driver's side may become entangled with the accelerator, making it impossible to stop the vehicle. Alternatively, it could get caught behind the brake, making it difficult to slow down," she explained.
Rather than that, Claudio suggests removing the carpet floor mat and choosing one that fits properly around the accelerator and brake pedals.
8. I would absolutely not disregard a vehicle's warning signal.
"Our vehicles nowadays, particularly, are engineered to automatically correct many problems," Lateiner stated. When these cars can no longer fix themselves, they generate an internal code that triggers a warning light to notify the driver.
That’s the sole method through which the vehicle alerts us about an issue, preventing it from becoming severe enough that you end up stranded beside the road," Lateiner explained. "Pay attention to your car, as it is attempting to communicate with you.
Lateiner advised that if you notice a warning light, you ought to consult your owner’s manual to understand its significance, as certain indicators might point to problems you can resolve independently.
Depending on the problem, you can also ask your local car shop about what they recommend doing next. “If you’re financially not in a position to do a real fix, you can say, ‘I’m not in a position to fix this right now. I really just need to know, is this safe to continue driving? How much time do I have?’” Lateiner said. “It’s always better to know than to not know.”
9. I won’t substitute tires with previously owned ones for my car.
Claudio mentioned that clients might inadvertently opt for used tires instead of new ones when replacing their old tires.
She has witnessed used-tire dealers provide clients with tires that aren’t the right size or have bulges in the side walls.
“Often, they install a rather poor condition tire,” Claudio mentioned. She advised keeping an eye out for tires that appear cracked or show signs of wear on both the inner and outer edges.
Despite appearing normal, an old used tire might still be dangerous. Companies such as Michelin manufacture tires with this concern in mind. recommend Replacing tires no more than 10 years following their manufacturing date. Numerous automotive producers additionally recommend Replacing a tire with a new one at least every six years, irrespective of its condition.
To determine a tire's age, examine the four-digit code. Tire Identification Number On the sidewall, the last two digits represent the year the tire was manufactured, whereas the initial two digits denote the week. For instance, a Tire Identification Number (TIN) such as "0719" signifies that the tire was produced in the seventh week of 2019.
10. I wouldn't deceive a car mechanic regarding the problem I'm experiencing.
Car technicians and mechanics are tasked with identifying issues with your vehicle, so avoid making their work more difficult by lying.
We hear it constantly... 'I have no idea what occurred. Suddenly, it began producing an odd sound,'" Lateiner stated. "Then we examine it and think, 'Obviously, you've been driving your low-profile vehicle off-road.'
"The more precise details you provide, the faster we can pinpoint the real issue, as you won’t be leading us on a wild-goose chase," she went on to say.
For additional assistance, Lateiner suggests noting down the times when you encounter the "odd noise." Should you struggle to articulate what the sound entails, Lateiner advises capturing either an audio or video recording that you can share with your mechanic. Alternatively, consider inviting another person along for a test drive so they can also listen to it and provide input.
In the end, keeping your car well-maintained might entail some initial expenses and additional homework, yet it will likely spare you frustration over time.
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