Being a vehicle owner of any kind can be fun, but it also comes with many responsibilities. It’s your job to stay safe on the road, but you must also take good care of your vehicle. As time passes and your odometer increases, your car develops lots of wear and tear, and it can suddenly die on you if you’re not careful. Thankfully, there are some things to look out for as your car gets older. You can address them early instead of allowing them to send the vehicle to an early grave.
More Bouncing
Bumps are normal on the road, and a bounce when hitting a bump is equally normal. However, as your car ages and your suspension system gets older, those bumps can spiral out of control. Your suspension system is very fragile and can only handle bumps and holes in the road for so long before the struts and shocks wear down too much. A poor suspension system means a bump will turn from one bounce into multiple. It also means the following:
- Uneven tire wear
- Poor control of the steering
- Worse braking ability
- An uncomfortable driving experience
Older suspension systems greatly affect your vehicle, but you can fix them. Spot these warning signs early and get some new struts and shocks so that you can get back to driving smoothly.
Worn Timing Belt
The timing belt is an important part of your car. However, it isn’t perfect. Time and too many miles do a number on this vehicle feature. For example, Toyota’s vehicles are great. But after so many miles, pieces break, and you must either repair or replace them entirely. Timing belts are the latter, and you’ll know to replace your Toyota’s timing belt when you notice warning signs or see a certain number of miles on your odometer. Normal timing belts start failing around 60,000 miles or more, and you can also notice banging noises under your hood, engine misfires, or smoke and fumes. When your car shows signs like these, it’s time to open the hood and get to work.
Warning Lights
A warning light that flashes on your dashboard is normal for cars of every age, but it’s important to remember that as your car ages, these signs become more important. Newer cars will turn on a warning light when they detect an issue. However, there’s typically a window where you don’t need to drop everything and head to the mechanic immediately. It’s still smart to visit mechanics early, but it’s not as necessary as it is with older cars. In an older car, that window is much smaller, and things can quickly spiral out of control for your vehicle. If a light comes on, you must head to the mechanic quickly before the problem worsens.
It’s smart to look out for these things when your car gets older so that you can fix them yourself or know when to take them to the shop. Caring for a car takes a lot of work, but it’s important that you do that work. Otherwise, your car will end up dying earlier than expected. A little bit of elbow grease, time, and vigilance is all you need to ensure your car stays healthy and on the road for years to come!
