Anytime your car breaks down, it always seems to be the worst timing. It’s happened to the best of us, but here’s some tips to avoid it. To avoid a breakdown, you need to know what causes them. Here are some of the leading factors into the common car breakdown.
Battery
Whether it be flat or faulty, a dodgy battery can cause havoc in your busy day. If you do have a problem with your battery it could be due to lots of short journeys. Many battery faults are due to poor electrical connections and can be easily fixed. If the engine cranks and turns over, but wont start immediately, then the battery is the biggest suspect. If the problem becomes intermittent, one day it wont start but the next day it will, then this could also be a sign that your battery has a fault. At this point, you should check the cables are in place properly and that they fit into the terminals. You shouldn’t be able to wiggle the wires.
Clutch Cables
These cables are put under a lot of stress when driving, if the clutch cable breaks it can cause a breakdown and some serious issues for your car. Normally you should be able to tell if the clutch cable is under too much stress and is about to break by the feel of the clutch. If the clutch pedal feels different when you are driving, then it may be a good idea to get it checked out.
Alternator
The alternator is a major part in running your car. Understandably, this means it is a big cause of breakdowns. To check for a faulty alternator, keep the engine running and pull out the negative cable from the battery. A functioning alternator should be able to keep the engine running on its own without this connection, so if the car stalls or dies then you may have a problem with your alternator.
Engine Overheat
Another common reason for breakdowns, the engine is the main component of a car, it works hard and so can overheat often. There is a temperature gauge in the car, so it is easy to tell when the engine is overheating. Keep a close eye on this, especially on hot days and long drives. This may occur in slow traffic where you are constantly stopping and starting, as you are using the accelerator far more than normal. If this is an issue, then try to move slowly at one pace instead of stopping often.
Fuel Problems
Every year over 100,000 drivers put the wrong fuel in their car. The AA offer a Fuel Assist service to clean the fuel out of your tank, but it’s important to not start the engine as soon as you’ve put the fuel in. This will push the fuel to the engine and cause more problems.
These are the main reasons that cause breakdowns on the roads, and there are many ways to avoid them. When buying a used car, ensure it comes with full service history. This way you know for sure what work has been done and what has been faulty in the past. Make sure you are buying from a reliable and established company, such as Angus MacKinnon, where they have a reputation for high quality used vehicles. Hopefully these tips will help keep you and your car breakdown free!
Photo credit : Dailyexpress
