As you’re driving your car to the mechanic to have them repair a problem, you might start cursing your bad luck. However, It can be reassuring to know that there are thousands of people around the world doing the exact same thing. Almost everyone who drives a car, van, or truck has encountered some vehicular problem in the past, whether it was a loss of power, unusual squeaking, or smoke billowing from the exhaust. Some issues are rare, and others are exceedingly common. Knowing what repairs cars typically need will help you troubleshoot problems in the future and make you feel a lot less alone when your car just doesn’t want to cooperate. Here are some of the most common types of car repair.
New Oxygen Sensor
The role of the oxygen sensor is to detect unburned oxygen in the exhaust. If it detects unburned oxygen, it alerts the car’s computer. The computer then adjusts the air-to-fuel ratio accordingly. A broken oxygen sensor can negatively impact your automobile’s performance. Your vehicle may start idling, for one. You might also feel it shake and jerk as you drive and experience poor fuel economy. The older the vehicle, the more common this problem is. You must replace most oxygen sensors every 50,000 miles regardless of the vehicle’s make and model.
Brake Work
Your brakes are the most important safety-related part of your car. If they wear down or break, the likelihood of an accident increases exponentially. Thankfully, detecting problems with the brakes is easy. You might hear unusual noises or feel strange vibrations when you press down on them or notice that your vehicle is swerving to the side when you brake. Sometimes, the brakes may fail to work completely.
Not all problems with the brakes are major, though. In fact, most issues only require a simple and inexpensive repair. One way to reduce wear-and-tear on your brakes is to install a supplemental braking system, such as an exhaust brake for a diesel engine. This will help reduce the amount of strain that the stock brakes experience.
Battery Replacement
Replacing the battery is another one of the most common types of car repair. Age is the downfall of most car batteries. Not all batteries will make it to the end of their lifespan, either. Many things can cause a battery to stop functioning prematurely. Extreme weather is one of the most common sources of early battery death; winter and summer temperatures can push a battery to the brink. The majority of vehicles will require a battery change in their lifetime. In general, you’ll need to replace your battery every four to five years.
