Minor car repairs can lead to major issues if not catered on time. This is not only essential for a vehicle’s long life but also helps in maintaining road safety. Minor car repairs such as oil change, filter replacement, adding coolant and brake pad replacement might not seem important; however, you may face major issues if you ignore them for too long.
Here is a quick guide that can help you in identifying small repair work on a car that can be fixed at home before they lead to bigger issues.
Minor Car Repairs That You Should Never Ignore
Small repair work on the car does not always need traditional bodywork – but taking care of them is as important as major repair work. Small car repairs include minor dent repairs, scratches etc.
Car Battery
Due to humid and extreme weather conditions, car batteries last around 2 years in the UAE. A bad car battery can stop your car in the middle of the road hence, you need to know how to deal with a dead car battery after finding out the actual reason. In case you get stuck while driving, here is how you can jumpstart your car’s battery.
If your car’s battery starts draining, pay attention to it. There might be faulty wiring, poor installation of the equipment, frequent short trips or corroded wires. Here is our step-by-step guide to cleaning corroded car battery terminals.
You must notice the signs of car battery failure, otherwise, negligence can immobilise your car randomly while driving. You can also test car battery performance to ensure you are getting the most out of it.
Engine Air Filter
The engine air filter is designed to stop dirt, debris and other particles from going into the engine. If your vehicle has a bad engine air filter you may start noticing these symptoms such as unusual noises or experience bad fuel economy. It is suggested to replace the engine air filter after 20,000 km to 25,000 km. Hence, keep an eye on when to change the car air filter to avoid costly repairs.
If you ignore changing the engine air filter for too long, then there is a chance that your engine will stop moving due to dirt and debris.
Brake Pads
Brake pads work by pressing the disc brake rotors with friction which helps in stopping or slowing down the vehicle. Being a contact wear item, the pads can go bad quite frequently. Bad brake pads can cause poor braking response and reduce the overall safety of the vehicle.
It is advised to change brake pads after every 45,000 km; however, the changing period depends on the quality and thickness of the pads.
Spark Plug Replacement
Spark plugs ignite the fuel in your engine which helps in starting a vehicle. Even though spark plugs can go for many kilometres if you start noticing the signs of bad spark plugs then replace them as soon as possible.
A faulty spark plug can cause several issues such as reduced fuel economy, a rattling sound, issues in restarting and acceleration problems. Besides, a bad spark plug can also cause can cause ignition switch problems.
A Coolant Problem
An internal combustion engine heats up enormously when used. It is, therefore, necessary to cool it down to prevent the parts from being damaged. To do this, you need to add coolant. Normally, your car lets you know when it’s low by showing a warning light on the dashboard. Also, always use an approved liquid and if you notice a rapid drop, then your cooling circuit is leaking.
Minor Dents
Dents on a car not only spoil its aesthetic value but also reduce the resale cost. There are different types of car dents and some can be fixed at home. Some popular methods of removing car dents include:
- Suction cup method: In this method, you can do a small car dent repair by pressing the pump on the dent and pull it out.
- Hairdryer method: You can apply heat with the help of a hairdryer to the dent and cool the dented area with liquefied compressed air. This rapid temperature change makes the dent pop out.
- Boiling water: Pour boiling water on the dent and see the magic. This works well for dents on plastic bumpers.
You can also avoid major car repairs by keeping a check on engine oil. Car engine oil plays an important role to keep all the engine components running smoothly. Oil change intervals depend on the vehicle’s age and driving conditions. Experts recommend changing car oil after every 8,000 km to 12,000 km.
The engine oil starts becoming thicker if you delay the change for a longer period. The thicker oil won’t reach all the engine’s components which causes unusual car noises and internal damage. Also, the absence of engine oil overheats its parts, since there is no oil to absorb heat.
Now you know you don’t need to take your vehicle to the garage for some minor issues, although there are some challenging car repairs that need to be taken care of quickly to avoid bigger issues in the future.
That said, if you aren’t a pro then there is no harm in consulting professionals for these fixes.
With this, we conclude our guide on minor car repairs that can prevent you from major expenses. If your car is facing bigger issues such as engine replacement then consider buying used cars for sale in the UAE at reasonable rates.
If you find this guide useful, stay tuned to the UAE’s leading car blog for more tips.
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