The 10 driving habits that can damage your car
By Samuel Okello
Are your bad driving habits placing your car under unnecessary strain? We’ve put together a list of 10 things that could be damaging your vehicle – and you might not even realize you’re doing them.
- Running the tank low on fuel
It might be close to payday, or you’re running late, but running your car on low fuel will cause it to pick up dirt from the bottom of the tank.
On top of that, your fuel acts as a lubricant and coolant for the fuel pump, so letting the fuel run dry causes increased wear and tear to the pump, leading to failure, a stop by the side of the road, and eventually an expensive replacement.
- Resting your hand on the gear stick
Cast yourself back to your driving lessons (if this memory is a little hazy, don’t worry, we are in the same boat). One of the first things your instructor probably told you was to keep both hands on the wheel at all times, but many of us develop bad habits as soon as the ‘L’ plates come down. One of these might include resting your hand on the gearstick. But did you know this can be bad for the transmission?
The gearstick is attached to a control rod in the gearbox that has selector forks, which are designed to make contact with a rotating collar for a short amount of time. If you rest your hand on the gearstick, you risk applying pressure to the selector fork, resulting in unnecessary wear.
Some owner’s manuals specifically advise against resting your hand on the gearstick, it's worth checking yours to see if that's the case.
- Slamming on the brake
If you’re always slamming on the brakes because you’re driving too close to the car in front, you need to back off. Sudden stops place more strain on the braking system, wearing out your pads and discs faster, as well as costing you more fuel in the process. It's also a very serious cause of road traffic accidents.
In general, a slow and considered approach to driving, anticipating the road ahead, is better for your safety and the safety of others, your car, and the environment.
- Resting your foot on the clutch pedal
Poor clutch control will cause excessive wear, shortening the life of the plate. Make sure your foot has left the clutch pedal – using the off-clutch footrest if fitted. When performing hill-starts, leave the car in neutral with the handbrake on until you’re ready to move.
- Revving the engine before it’s warm
Avoid revving the engine until it's warmed up to give the oil the time to warm and circulate around the engine. This will avoid potential damage and pointless wear and tear.
- Delaying regular maintenance
It’s another thing that we love to put off… “It can wait until next week, next month, and next year.” Keeping up with servicing can be a pain, and quite expensive, but if you don’t you’ll suffer a build-up of horrible sludge and burnt oil in your engine. This can block oil galleries and stop the oil from protecting your engine, which can result in catastrophic failure.
- Neglecting warning lights
Some lights such as ‘washer fluid’ or ‘bulb gone’ can be ignored until you get a chance to stop, but others need to be investigated at the earliest opportunity. It’s worth checking your owner’s manual to find out what the warning lights on your dashboard mean and familiarizing yourself with the most serious ones so you know when it’s necessary to pull over immediately when driving.
- Hitting potholes and speed bumps
Where possible, potholes should be avoided. Reports have found that a third of all vehicle damage is caused because of potholes. The impact can cause buckled wheels, lumps in the tire, and cracked alloys, as well as upsetting the tracking and wheel balancing. Similarly, driving over a speed bump without slowing down can cause damage to the front and rear of the car, the underside, and potentially the exhaust system.
- Being in too high a gear
You might think you’re saving fuel by keeping the engine revs low but being in too high a gear at too low a speed creates unnecessary strain on the engine and can damage your cylinder heads, leading to expensive repairs. Similarly, using a low gear that has the engine screaming is going to cause unnecessary wear and tear, too.
- Overloading your vehicle
The greater the load, the more strain you’re placing on the brakes, suspension and drivetrain. It’s also worth noting that while leaving unnecessary items like golf clubs or gym gear in the boot of your car won’t add increased strain on your car’s parts, it will affect your car’s fuel economy and possibly your car’s emissions output.
OKELLO SAMUEL
B.Eng. Automotive and Power Engineering
Technical Director
S-Line Motors LTD
Plot 6, Ojara Close, Mbuya
https://goo.gl/maps/bEGeVEN7tUVTqHnu8
0779745722 / 0708000888
