5 'worrying' signs that your car needs maintenance

In fact, except for sudden tire problems, everything can be prevented. Therefore, you just need to carefully observe your beloved "car" through some suspicious signs, then you can minimize the damage to the lowest level. Of course, between spending money to prevent a small error and fixing what is completely damaged, you know which one to choose, right?

1. Heavy smoke when running

Don’t think this is “normal” because the vehicle is carrying a heavy load, or that diesel engines tend to emit more smoke than usual. In fact, there are four types of smoke: white, gray, blue, and black. Each color of smoke signals a different problem, and depending on which color you choose, you will have to fix the problem at a corresponding cost.

White smoke means that the engine is pushing too much water through the exhaust. This problem is caused by a faulty head gasket. In diesel engines, it could be a problem with fuel injection timing. If you see excessive white smoke and think it is normal, it is likely that one day you will have to spend money on new cylinders.

Blue smoke usually has a distinctive and unpleasant smell. This problem is easy to diagnose, because it means that your engine is “consuming” more lubricating oil than usual. If this smoke appears regularly every time you start or accelerate, you need to quickly replace the Piston Rings. Note, this will be a fairly expensive repair.

Black smoke indicates that your engine is getting too much fuel. If your car has a gasoline engine, you should take it to a garage to have the carburetor adjusted. If your car has a diesel engine, the black smoke may be caused by carbon deposits that need to be cleaned out.

Gray smoke can be caused by a variety of things, from a faulty PCV valve to a bad cylinder head. Gray smoke occurs when coolant leaks into the combustion chamber. In this case, you should immediately check the coolant reservoir, and if there is oil, you need to repair the cylinder head.

Note, if you are driving and have difficulty recognizing this “sign”, ask a friend sitting behind to pay attention to the exhaust pipe. In addition, you can also use the mirror to check, but when you see a lot of smoke in the mirror, I am afraid it is too late.

2. Fuel leak

Your car has many types of fluids inside (such as coolant, fuel, brake fluid, transmission fluid/transmission fluid, power steering fluid, or suspension components), and any of them can leak over time. You can easily detect a leak by looking under your car in a parking space.

If you see a strange liquid under the car, without driving through a puddle or wet environment, then this means that your brake line is leaking. And this is more certain when the brake pedal is “softer” than usual. At this time, you should not try to drive far if you do not want to have unexpected problems. In addition, oil leaks can also be observed on the engine by looking at the joint between the head and the cylinder block.

With coolant, you can easily recognize the signs of leaking liquid (a mixture of dirt and oil) when the car engine is running. With suspension leaks, it is more difficult to detect, because you have to look at the shock absorbers. Therefore, you should go to the service center as soon as possible if you detect any leaks. This will help you minimize the risk of extremely dangerous fire and explosion.

3. Unpleasant sounds such as screeching, roaring, or unusual shaking

If your car makes a slight squealing noise when going over obstacles, this may mean that your car's suspension system needs to be checked. If you hear a loud squealing noise when hitting a hard bump, this is completely normal. However, you should also carefully check the undercarriage of the car, especially the shock absorber area, to make sure there are no leaks, cracks or damaged components.

The problem becomes more complicated if the car vibrates or makes a screeching noise. There are many potential causes, and you should take the car to a garage immediately for a full check-up.

Finally, knocking noises are the worst. They signal an impending major engine failure, and they can be very expensive to fix. If you hear a constant knocking noise from your engine, it’s time to check your oil level. And in any case, if you notice this sign, take your car to a garage immediately.

4. Strange error

This error only appears when your car has been running for a while, or in certain atmospheric conditions such as: too cold or too hot temperature, after a heavy rain, ... For example, you notice that the fuel consumption of the car increases while you are still driving as usual, or an unusual noise when releasing the clutch. And if the car's engine becomes unusually sluggish in certain cases, you should take the car for maintenance immediately.

5. Abnormal electrical faults

Do you notice something wrong with your headlights, or do some buttons not work? You should check the brightness of the headlights when the car is in the starting mode but not running, or when accelerating slowly. Of course, the fuse box is the first place to check when there is an electrical problem. However, if you are not sure about everything, do not try to "touch" it, it can cause a dangerous short circuit. It is best to take the car to a service center to check the electrical system if there is a problem.

Conclude

The above 5 errors are only general because the “signs” of each car will be different. Therefore, sometimes you should turn off the music in the car and listen for strange noises, feel the stable rotation of the wheels, check the heat dissipation of the engine when running at moderate speed. Your “beloved car” will have problems over time, so you need to pay attention to some “signs” before having to spend a lot of money to repair bad damage.

In fact, except for sudden tire problems, everything can be prevented. Therefore, you just need to carefully observe your beloved "car" through some suspicious signs, then you can minimize the damage to the lowest level. Of course, between spending money to prevent a small error and fixing what is completely damaged, you know which one to choose, right?