When your car has a problem and you take it to a mechanic for repair, your expectation is that it’ll be fixed well. But, occasionally, this isn’t the case. This is due to repair mistakes resulting from your own actions or those that are made by your mechanic.
The reality is that auto repair errors will cost you significant amounts of money and time. Worse, serious repair mistakes can put you in harm’s way. To help you out, below a five common auto repair mistakes and what you can do to fix them:
- Failing To Fix Car Parts Correctly
Prior to releasing vehicles to the market, car manufacturers spend a lot of time assembling the car, which includes determining how tight the fasteners should be. The reason they do this is to ensure that different parts of the car can be assembled with ease and that they don’t fall off when the car is in use.
Nuts and bolts should be tightened properly to ensure sealing. Failing to do this can lead to broken bolts, leaks, and deformed vehicle parts. If your vehicle has been involved in a crash, for example, get a professional, like sandiegosautobody.com, to fix it. This way, you’ll be certain that every part will be assembled properly.
Also, you can rectify this mistake by ensuring that you acquaint yourself with the car repair manual and utilize the torque wrench to fix wheel nuts, drain plugs, axle nut, bearing, and even the head bolt.
- Not Paying Attention To Wear And Tear
As you continue to use your car, it’s bound to wear out with time; the wheels, tires, brakes, engine, transmission, light bulbs, and other different internals are all bound to wear out. Though wears like squealing brakes and blown-up light bulbs are pretty common, worn-off tires or low-pressure tires can result in fatal accidents.
Having your car inspected regularly can go a long way in preventing fatal crashes and other forms of collateral damages. Paying attention to your car’s wear and tear by having it inspected every month and prior to any trip is a great way to keep it in good shape. Additionally, ensure that your car is repaired as soon as wear and tear issues are identified.
- Not Following Auto Maintenance Requirements
Auto repairs are costly and time-consuming. However, when you fail to follow maintenance requirements and opt to skip them, the cost of repairing the car can be much higher. Every maintenance requirement you adhere to will enhance the reliability and durability of your vehicle.
For instance, an oil change should be done at least once every year. However, you need to keep tabs on your oil levels every single month to keep your vehicle in good shape. On the other hand, failing to monitor your oil levels can result in engine damages in the long run.
You can avoid this car repair mistake by tracking your auto mobile’s maintenance requirements and ensure that everything is done on time.
An auto repair shop can also help you keep track of your maintenance schedule and provide reminders when services are due. They can also catch any potential issues before they turn into costly repairs.
- Use Of Wrong Fluids
Before you add oil to your engine, it’s important that you ensure that the fluid is suitable for the car. The use of wrong engine fluids increases the risk of overloading the engine, leading to increased fuel consumption. On the other hand, the use of light engine fuel can cause the oil to burn past the rings, resulting in insufficient oil pressure.
If your vehicle’s engine is old, you’ll need to use heavy oil to take care of worn-out rings and bearings. Other than engine fluids, the use of wrong brake fluids, transmission fluids, engine coolants, or differential fluids can damage your vehicle and result in poor performance.
To address this repair mistake, adhere to fluids that the automaker has specified.
- Not Considering Warning Lights
The other auto repair mistake that car owners make is failing to consider warning lights. Your vehicle is designed to use warning lights to inform you of its status. For instance, warning lights will enable you to monitor the tire’s pressure levels, the brake system, oil pressure, and even the engine.
Moreover, paying attention to warning lights enables you to know when the car is unsafe to drive and when it’s headed for failure mode. Driving your car when the warning lights are still on can lead to increased emissions, a crash, damages to the vehicle, and may increase the cost of refueling.
To fix this mistake, attend to the warning lights as soon as they come on.
Final Thoughts
Your vehicle can experience all kinds of problems due to repair mistakes that you or your mechanic made. These mistakes may appear to be minor, but they can lead to serious accidents if they’re not fixed the right way. To avoid this, pay attention to these five auto repair mistakes and use the tips discussed above to fix them the moment they occur.
