Are you wondering why your car is now breaking down faster than it used to? Well, one possible reason this is happening is your poor driving habits. The way you drive can wear out your vehicle sooner than you would like. So, avoid committing the following mistakes to prevent doing long-term damage to your car.
Riding the Clutch
Experts on clutch repair in Salt Lake City note that both beginners and experienced drivers have this bad habit of riding the clutch even in heavy traffic. When you engage and disengage the clutch too often, you are damaging it. This habit wears it out sooner and will cost you a lot of money in repairs or replacements. While in traffic, disengage the clutch completely by letting it go all the way up.
Sudden Shifting
This is a habit that some drivers just cannot break. Sudden shifts from reverse to drive and vice-versa does a lot of harm to the drivetrain over time. Simple tasks such as parking can also cause damage because of a driver’s way of backing in and then shifting to forward drive. Try sparing even only a second to completely stop before making the shift.
Using the Clutch While on a Hill
Rollback happens when you hold your car on a hill. This might scare some drivers, which leads them to use the clutch instead of the brake. This habit, however, damages the clutch and wears it out faster over time. Instead of using the clutch, use the emergency brake to prevent your vehicle from rolling down the hill.
Running on Low Gas
This might seem harmless because there are times when you only have just enough cash to get home. However, this can damage the car’s fuel pump. The pump stays cool because it remains submerged inside the tank. Tanks that are near low or just a quarter full can damage it. Pay a bit more whenever you gas up to prevent this from happening.
Accelerating Too Fast
Some drivers feel the need to satiate their need for speed, especially on a clear highway. However, accelerating too fast has negative effects on your car. You will not only step on the gas to accelerate but will also need to hit the brakes when you have to slow down. Hard acceleration uses up a lot of fuel and overworks the drivetrain. When you have to stop, you will also put a lot of pressure on the rotors and brakes. You might have to spend a lot on repairs and replacements when you hard accelerate often.
Carrying Heavy Loads
Heavy loads put a lot of pressure on certain car parts, such as the suspension, drivetrain, and brakes. Carrying too much also consumes more fuel. All these lead to higher costs for repairs or replacements and refueling. Keep the weight low whenever you drive to avoid this problem.
These are some of the bad driving habits you might want to break to avoid damaging your car. Do regular maintenance to keep your vehicle in top condition and reduce repair costs.
