How does regular car maintenance improve roadside resilience and help avoid common car issues?
Breakdowns, faults, and even careless drivers can cause car trouble at any given moment. While it can be a hassle, learning to handle these sorts of issues can help you become a more resourceful driver. This guide will explore different roadside issues common drivers face and how they can be resolved.
Diagnosing Common Car Troubles
The first step in overcoming car issues is correctly diagnosing the problem at hand. With more modern cars, this usually involves checking the dashboard for any illuminated warning lights. If there are any present, the instruction manual can help indicate what the issue is. Otherwise, simple observation and external indications such as visibility of smoke, strange noises, or fluids, can help shed light on the matter.
Get Help from Your Phone
It turns out that your smartphone can be an invaluable tool when coping with car trouble. There are tons of useful apps that can be used while on the side of the road. These typically range from on-site mechanic finders, to help you track down a certified professional, to spare part locators, to even GPS navigators to help you find salvage yards. There are also many instruction videos and tutorials meant to help people learn how to solve basic automotive troubles by themselves.
Tools of the Trade
Having the right tools is essential if you want to do some hands-on repairs. Although cars have grown increasingly complicated, not all breakdowns require a professional. As such, having a decent toolkit to help you make modifications and repairs can prove to be invaluable. Wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, and hex keys are some of the basics needed to tackle minor issues. In addition, electrical testers and tire pressure gauges are also great to have at your disposal.
Know Your Rights
Finally, understanding your rights is a key part of managing roadside issues. Depending on the issue, your insurance provider may be able to cover for costs of repairs or sites may allow customers to pay on the go. If you take your car for professional repairs, it’s always important to double-check the bill for any additional charges before signing off. Additionally, if you end up renting a replacement vehicle while you wait for yours to be repaired, make sure to find out when the extension ends.
Despite the hassle, car troubles can provide a great opportunity for drivers to learn more about their vehicle and become more resilient on the road. Generally, the more you know about cars, the better you become at managing them. By following this guide, you’ll have a good foundation for handling common car issues on the go.