As many drivers try their best to keep their vehicles in good condition, there’s always a chance that someone may no longer be following the right car maintenance practices.<\/p>\n
This doesn’t mean that you must refer to your local mechanic every time there’s an issue.<\/p>\n
To the contrary, you should learn more about your car and never let others decide for you once you know what’s best for your vehicle.<\/p>\n
Car maintenance is a routine that never stops. So a good way to learn more about your vehicle is by separating the fiction from the facts.<\/p>\n
False information tends to be easily spread by others who are not that informed and the more informed you are about your car, the better!<\/p>\n
It should also go without saying that you must give the appropriate care your vehicle deserves. Your car is a great life companion and that’s a fact.<\/p>\n
Of course, if things are getting really way too serious, you should visit your local mechanic for help.<\/p>\n
Here are the 7 biggest myths about car maintenance that every well-informed driver should debunk.<\/p>\n
Never listen to this misconception unless there’s some visible damage on the sidewall or the puncture exceeds the 1\/4 inch in diameter.<\/p>\n
When it comes to small punctures, you could always put a patch on the hole. That’s a procedure that car mechanics usually take rather than opting out for replacements.<\/p>\n
Patches work effectively but make sure you apply them correctly to fix the tire airtight seal and keep the moisture away from the steel belts.<\/p>\n
Clearly, knowing when to change your tires will keep you safe while on the road. But there’s a misconception when it comes to replacing them all at once.<\/p>\n
If all your tires are the same brand, size, and model, you won’t have to be worried about when to replace them. In fact, it doesn’t even matter.<\/p>\n
What really matters, though, is tire rotation and you should do it every other oil change to keep wearing evenly.<\/p>\n
This is a misconception that makes buyers pay more money for something that they don’t really need.<\/p>\n
Just because you use a higher-octane gasoline on your car doesn’t mean that your car will get any better at performance, go faster, get better mileage, or run cleaner.<\/p>\n
Always check your auto manual and stick to the type of gas that best suits your vehicle.<\/p>\n
Usually, car mechanics will try to add more items on your bucket list that won’t add any value to your vehicle to say the least.<\/p>\n
Know that air filters need to be changed depending upon driving conditions, mileage, and time. Your manual explicitly specifies everything you need to know about your car’s air filter.<\/p>\n
Before replacing your coolant fluid, carmakers advise drivers to flush and replace the coolant every\u00a030,000 miles or so, which is about 2 years worth of driving.<\/p>\n
Feel free to refuse any replacements, provided that you feel that your vehicle is running smoothly.<\/p>\n
This myth is not only unnecessary, but also leads to a detrimental position if not acting responsibly.<\/p>\n
Don’t add anything to your oil unless your dealer or car manual advises you to do so.<\/p>\n
Worst case scenario, while you believe that adding extra protection to your engine is a great idea, adding oil additives could even have detrimental effects on your engine and affect performance.<\/p>\n
Warming your car before hitting the road doesn’t mean you need to stay there for 10 minutes to feel that your car is ready to go.<\/p>\n
Drivers are advised to warm their car just for 30 seconds before driving. In fact, an engine warms up faster by being driven.<\/p>\n
In addition, your car transmission and wheel bearings cannot warm up any faster without motion. If you still warm up your car for a long time before driving, you are probably feeling terribly cold.<\/p>\n
It’s hard to know when your timing belt will break, and, in most cases, drivers cannot find any signs to focus on before it even happens.<\/p>\n
A good way of solving this dilemma is to have regular checks with your car mechanic to determine the health of your timing belt.<\/p>\n
In fact, experts recommend replacing it every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. That said, there’s no fixed time when it comes to the life of your timing belt.<\/p>\n
Keep an eye on your timing belt and don’t let it fail. Nobody wants to be left stranded for not following the real facts about car maintenance.<\/p>\n