Common Driving Habits That Could Potentially Damage Your Vehicle
How you drive has a bigger effect on the longevity of your vehicle than you might think. Here are some common bad driving habits that may shorten the life of your car. Changing how you drive can help you avoid auto repair bills.
Heavy Braking and Accelerating
Atlanta traffic is a mess and can have you accelerating very fast to get out of the way of oncoming vehicles and slamming on the brakes when the car in front of you stops suddenly. Neither of these habits is good for your vehicle. Slamming on the brakes will reduce the lifespan of the components of the brake system, and excessive acceleration from a stop will cost you more gas. It’s better to take a measured approach to brake and accelerating and engage in defensive driving techniques.
Ignoring Dashboard Warning Lights
It can be quite annoying when a dashboard light comes on. The thing to remember, though, is that those lights are meant to warn you of a problem that, left unchecked, can develop into a catastrophic failure over time. It’s best to take your vehicle to your favorite auto repair shop to have diagnostics run to determine the source of the warning light and then have that issue repaired before it becomes a bigger problem. A little inconvenience now can save you time and money in the long run.
Speed Shifting from Forward to Reverse
Shifting your vehicle from forward (drive) to reverse without stopping the vehicle before the shift can damage the transmission. It’s important that you allow the vehicle to come to a complete stop before shifting out of drive and into reverse. The same is true for a manual transmission vehicle.
Hitting Potholes
It may be impossible to avoid all potholes, but you should make an effort to not hit them. Hitting potholes, especially at high speed, can damage your wheels, unbalance your tires, and throw off your wheel alignment. You might also blow out a tire and cause an accident for yourself. If you’ve recently hit a pothole, speed bump, or curb at high speed, you’ll want to take your vehicle to your auto repair shop to have the wheels, suspension, steering, and transmission checked for damage. A little preventative maintenance and inspection can save you time and money in the future.
In Marietta, GA, you can run into all sorts of driving hazards. Your driving habits may further affect the life of your vehicle if those habits connect with the hazards in damaging ways. Why not call us here at Rocco’s European Garage and make an appointment to have our talented technicians inspect your vehicle for any damage and help you decide how to repair any issues?