7 Driving Habits that are Damaging Your Car
Buying a car is a major investment and this is why almost everyone out there wants to keep their car in a good condition, for as long as they can. However many drivers have some driving habits, due to which, they are unintentionally damaging their cars. Here are a few habits that are bad for the life of your car.
Changing to reverse gear without letting the car stop:
A lot of drivers tend to shift suddenly to reverse gear while the car is moving forward. Doing so in any kind of transmission can damage the drivetrain. It’s recommended to always come to a complete stop when changing gears from a forward gear (1 or D) ti reverse or from reverse to D or 1st gear. Coming to a complete stop only takes a few seconds and it can save you from a lot of repair expenses.
Giving the car an unnecessary full-throttle blast:
This is something that many young drivers out there do. This is not only dangerous to one’s life but is also dangerous for the engine and brakes of a car. A problem with a full-throttle blast is that it puts a lot of load on the engine and drivetrain components. Another component that gets damaged is the brake. The amount of force needed to stop a speeding car is greater and this damages the brakes.
Abusing the clutch:
Drivers who drive a manual car do two things that really damage the car. The first is, leaving the clutch pressed at a top signal. Keeping the clutch pressed causes the clutch plate, pressure plate and other transmission components to wear out. The second thing that a few drivers do is, they rest their left foot on the clutch while driving. Using the clutch to rest your foot also damages the transmission system. Always remove your foot from the clutch after changing gears.
Running your car on low fuel:
Many of us do this, but without realizing how much harm we cause our vehicle. Keeping a low fuel level damages the fuel pump. That’s because the fuel pump only works well when it remains submerged in the fuel. Additionally, low fuel levels in a running car affect fuel efficiency. When the tank is empty or has low fuel levels, the fuel moves freely in the tank and evaporates faster.
Revving the engine before it warms up:
It’s a good idea to always let your car warm up before revving it. Always keep the engine running when idle, for about 2 minutes to let the engine reach optimal temperatures for it to be able to handle the load being put on it. Revving the engine when its cold, causes the temperature of car to change abruptly, this can stress the engine.
Resting your hand on the gear knob:
This is a very common practice by people who drive manual transmission vehicles. Though it may not seem harmful or bad. Leaving your hand on the shifter causes strain on the transmission’s bushings causing premature wear. It’s always better to keep both hands on the steering wheel.
Carrying too much weight:
The more the weight on the car, the more the amount of stress on the drivetrain, suspension and brakes. More weight on a car also increases fuel consumption. Driving with a lot of unnecessary weight can damage the car.
These are just a few bad habits that can cause premature damage to a car. What bad driving habits do you have? Do let us know by commenting below.