Bad Driving Habits that will damage your Car
Driving may be a necessary evil, but it’s also one of the most dangerous things we do. In this day and age of smartphones and GPS systems, it’s easy to get distracted while driving. But there are many other bad driving habits that you can do that will damage your vehicle beyond repair. In the following list, I’ll detail some of the most damaging ones:
Ignoring the check engine light.
Ignoring the check engine light is one of the most common driving mistakes. While you may be thinking, “I just got my car serviced!” or “The mechanic told me everything was fine,” trust us—you need to take a look at your engine’s performance before driving again.
The check engine light is a good thing because it means that something has gone wrong with your car’s performance and can be fixed by either getting it diagnosed by an experienced technician or performing some maintenance yourself. If ignored for too long, however, this warning could cause serious damage to your vehicle as well as its owner (and possibly even other drivers on the road).
Using your car for too many short trips.
Short trips cause your engine to overheat, which can damage your car. Plus, short trips are bad for your car because they put more wear and tear on the engine. This means you’ll have to pay more money for repairs or replacement parts as time goes by.
Short trips also use up more fuel than longer ones do; this is because there’s less time between starting up and stopping when driving a long distance compared with one that’s shorter in length (for example).
Not changing your oil often enough.
In order to keep your car running smoothly, you need to change the oil. If you don’t do this regularly, then your engine will eventually break down and cause problems with performance or reliability.
Oil is what helps keep your engine cool and lubricates it so that it runs smoothly and efficiently. Without it, there would be no way for an engine to function properly! Oil also helps burn off carbon deposits on pistons and other parts of the engine—this keeps them from rusting over time (which can lead to serious damage).
Turning on the air conditioner when you're low on coolant.
How to check the coolant level?
- Remove the radiator cap and look for the level.
- If it’s low, add more water to your car.
- Why you should avoid turning on the air con when you are low on coolant:
Your car’s engine is a complex machine that needs plenty of cooling during operation. If you turn on an air conditioner when your engine is hot and running at high temperatures, then there will be some damage done to it. This will result in higher repair costs for your vehicle later on!
Not checking your tire pressure.
Not checking your tire pressure can lead to punctures and flat tires, which will ultimately damage your car. Here are some steps to help you check the correct tire pressure:
- Place a gauge on each wheel hub. The gauges should be labeled with their type (e.g., “pneumatic” or “hydraulic”).
- Fill each tire to its recommended level with air according to the manufacturer’s specifications and instructions; if there is not enough room in the vehicle for this process, you can use a compressor at home or buy an adapter kit that allows you to connect your car’s air tank directly into it.
- Compare these readings against those given by the manufacturer when they were filled up earlier today!
Ignoring squeaks and rattles.
Ignoring squeaks and rattles is a common mistake among car owners. These are signs that your car has been neglected, and the longer you ignore them the worse they will get.
Squeaks can be caused by loose parts or worn-out parts, or even a lack of lubrication. If you’re hearing an abnormally loud noise coming from somewhere in your vehicle when you turn on its engine, look down at where it is coming from: if there are any loose screws (or other objects) rattling around inside there might be wear-and-tear issues at work! If there aren’t any obvious sources for what could be causing this problem then ask yourself whether perhaps some maintenance needs doing – maybe some oil changes have been forgotten about recently?
These bad driving habits will damage your car
- Not cleaning your car.
- Driving with a dirty windshield.
- Leaving your tires on the ground instead of changing them out at the proper time.
- Parking in bad locations, such as next to a bush or tree that could damage the vehicle’s paint job and/or wheels; also parking on hillsides where there are no lights available for nighttime visibility makes it more difficult for drivers to see properly.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you understand some of the most common bad driving habits that could damage your car. If you have any questions about what we’ve covered, please feel free to reach out to us! We’re happy to answer any questions or help with any concerns.
