How Do I Know When My Car Needs Servicing?
You need to have your car serviced as per manufacturer's guidelines, i.e. after a certain period or mileage. This means that you should research and read about your car and its servicing schedule to know what you are supposed to do at different times. But, if you should also know the warning signs that your car needs servicing. Here are important signs you should look for:
- Your car is squealing or grinding when coming to a stop. The squealing/grinding sound means that the brake pads or the rotors are worn out and need to be serviced.
- Oil spots under your car, an oil leak can cause a lot of problems. For instance, the oil leak can lead to low oil levels which can cause damage to your engine.
- Green leaking liquid from your car's engine, radiant coolant is usually dyed green by the manufacturer to ensure safety. Therefore, if there is a green liquid leaking, there is a high chance that the coolant has leaked. This means that your engine will overheat and this can lead to huge loses in repair or replacement.
- Slow starting is a sign that your car's battery or the alternator is on its way out. This means that you will have to have it repaired or replaced soon.
- The car is unusually noisy when running. This could be a problem with the engine among other related problems.
- Excessive vibration of your car while driving is an indication that your tire alignment has adjusted or you need new tires.
- You notice a squealing noise when you start your car's engine or turn on the AC. This is a sign that the serpentine belt that provides power to the water pump and the steering has a problem.
Why should I consider servicing my car?
One of the reasons why you need to service your car is to identify the faults/problems and fix them before they become major problems. If you don't want to spend a lot of money fixing your car, you need to service it regularly to fix the small problems because when they are left unattended, they become big problems and you will have to pay more to get them fixed.
Therefore, when you see a warning light on your dashboard, you should seek professional help from a mechanic. It is also important to read your car's manual to understand these signs and how you should identify them.
To schedule for your car's servicing, there are two factors you should consider: the mileage recommended by the manufacturer and the period from your last servicing.
Most manufacturers have their own recommended mileages depending on the type of the car among other factors. However, 12,000 miles is the mileage that most manufacturers recommend car owners to have their car serviced. Alternatively, you need to service the car once every year, i.e. full servicing every year.