Common Car Problems

There is nothing more annoying than discovering your car’s breakdown right the moment you least expect it. In fact, it’s just a machine and no one (even manufacturer) can give you a guarantee it will work faultlessly. However, what one can do is to get prepared for such unpleasant surprises.

First and foremost, you’d better employ maintenance. If you want to extend your vehicle’s life, do not forget to treat it carefully. Checking oil levels, replacing the cabin air filter and engine air filter, checking engine coolant level etc.  will save your money on repairs. It is quite easy and doesn’t take a long time.

On the other hand, it requires information which things in the car need to be checked, how it should be done, and what signs and symptoms you need to pay attention to. For this reason, every conscious car owner needs to know his car’s manual. Even if you lost it, you can find it on the Internet. For instance, epcatalogs.com website offers factory service manuals(FSM). So before fixing car problems yourself, make sure you have learned the manual to the fullest extent

How To Fix Your Own Car

  • Purchase basic tools for repairs (screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, penetrating oil etc.);
  • Read the service manual;
  • Keep a list of what was done, and an indication of when the repair happened;
  • Take pictures of car’s parts so you know how to put them back.

In order to fix the problem, you need to know exactly which component or part has failed. And even if you can’t do without a mechanic, you can easily check all the stages of the repair on your own. It will help you to avoid unreasonable payments for unfulfilled auto mechanic work.

Car Problems You Can Fix Yourself

There is a range of car problems you can solve without professional help:

  • Flat tire;
  • Head or tail lights out;
  • A dead battery;
  • Squeaky belts.

For example, if your car is tilting, and there is a loud thumping noise, you need a small car jack with a built-in lever and lug nut ratchet. Usually, it’s placed within a spare tire in your trunk. Put the jack on a stable part of the frame, pump up the car and remove the lug nuts. Then make sure you properly tighten the nuts and slowly bring down the jack.

On the whole, you can do a wide range of repairs yourself, regardless of your technical skills. It is important to assess yourself in a rational way. If you’re not sure you can fix it, leave it. Your mistakes may cost more than the previous breakdown. Anyway, do not neglect car problems. Any defect can lead to the failure of other parts and make your drive unsafe.