Detecting car problems

A car is a complicated piece of machinery. As with a machine, your car can also incur problems. Leaving a problem on its own will lead to more damage to your car. It is, therefore, important that you detect a problem before it grows. Here are a few tips you can use to detect a car problem.

  • Analysing ‘starting problems’: Turn on your car normally. If you hear a crank sound, but the engine won’t start, you have a bad fuel pump. If you cannot hear a crank sound, then you may have loose cables, bad starter or low battery. If your electronic parts are working, you may have a bad starter or seized engine. If your electronic parts are not working, you may have loose cables or low battery.
  • Analysing ‘exhaust smoke’: You should not see any smoke if your car is working smoothly. If there is a problem, you will see coloured exhaust smoke. In order to detect a problem using exhaust smoke, turn on your car. If you see white smoke, coolant or transmission fluid is being burnt; if you observe blue smoke, your car is burning engine oil; and if your observe black smoke, your fuel/air mixture is rich.
  • Detecting car problem from overheating: If the needle on your temperature gauge is over the halfway mark, you have a coolant leak, bad thermostat, broken fan, damaged radiator, leaky head gasket or a leaky water pump. To detect a problem, run you car for a few minutes and then turn off the engine. You will know if your car is leaking some water or some fluid such as engine fluid or coolant. If these small problems are checked and fixed at the right time, you can save your car from a major disaster. You can take your car to a professional mechanic or auto technician. Early problem detection can also save you money on major repair costs.

Good Steps for Car Maintenance

Detecting a problem is easy, but emptying your pockets to repair it is difficult. To avoid problems with your car, maintenance is necessary. If you want your car to run longer, a good maintenance is required. To keep your car running smoothly, here are top four tips that we deem necessary for good car maintenance.

Tyres - Tyres lose pressure during driving. They lose more pressure when the temperature is high or low. It is important to check the pressure every once in a while or every month at least to maintain proper psi rating. It is also necessary that you check the tread on tyres regularly for any wear and tear. If your tyres are worn out, replace them. If it has been more than 5,000 miles since last tyre rotation, it could increase the risk of having one tyre wear more than others. If you live in an area that is around freezing especially in winters, start looking for winter tyres.

Oil - It is highly recommended that you change your engine oil and oil filter according to your mechanics specifications or as mentioned in your car manual. This prevents engine from excessive wear. If you are not using synthetic oil, it is recommended you switch to it. This will enable your car to operate more smoothly and efficiently. Synthetic motor oils are designed to protect your car engine in different temperature ranges.

Cooling System - A car’s cooling system should be checked for low levels of coolant and leaks occasionally. It should be refilled and flushed as recommended in your car’s manual.

Full Engine Servicing - It is recommended that you have your engine tune-up every year. If you haven’t done so, now is the time. A tune-up will correct any engine problems including fluid levels, diminished power and stalling.

How often to change tyres?

Tyres should be replaced at certain intervals to ensure your safety as well as to keep you car performing in top condition. As a general rule, you should replace tyres when they start showing signs of wear or damage. A good rule is to replace tyres every 40,000 miles unless you have specifically designed tyres to last longer. If the tyres are not replaced after 40,000-45,000 miles visible problems may surface. Visit our shop to access a vast tyre range including continental, Pirelli, Yokohama, Dunlop, Bridgestone and Michelin.

How often to change coolant?

Before you decide on changing the coolant, consider the following factors:

  • Total miles covered by your car
  • Size of your car engine
  • Type of coolant
  • Age of the current coolant

In reality, there is no definite answer on frequency of changing the coolant. This is because it depends from car to car. The best advice is to consult a mechanic periodically to ensure that the coolant is performing well.

How often to change oil?

Most car manufacturers recommend an oil change every 7,500 miles or once a year. This condition applies to cars that are driven under ideal situations. Most of us think that we drive “normal” but, in fact, it is regarded as “severe” driving by mechanics. For example, short trips of less than ten miles, driving in stop-and-go traffic, driving in bad road conditions and so on is considered severe driving. If this is the case, then it is recommended to change the oil every six months or 3,000 miles.

About Brisbane Car Services

Our focus is to offer you the best car maintenance service in the area. We have skilled technicians and mechanics who understand how important your car is to you. Our specialists provide you with a diagnostics and maintenance tips on how to keep your car functioning properly as well as provide advice when you need servicing. Our specialists are trained in all types of car including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Toyota, Holden, Ford, Citroen, hummer, Lexus, Honda, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and other brands. We are also offering promotional $149 service special (conditions apply).