Prevent The Most Common Auto Repair Problems


Your car breaking down while you are on the road is never a good thing and it never happens at a time that is good for you. Most of the common problems that may cause your break down can be prevented; however, by having the right maintenance done on your vehicle to keep it in good shape.

Engine Misfire: Because spark plugs run your engine, your engine is powered by them and if they are not set right, your engine will not be able to operate with enough power. A misfire occurs when the engine does not fire right. This could happen if the one or more spark plugs have blown, the wires are bad, or there is a leak in the system. This problem can be avoided by getting your engine tuned up according to your vehicle's instruction manual.

Evaporative Emissions Failure: This occurs when fumes have become trapped in the gas tank due to leaks in the system caused by corrosion. This often happens because the purge valve is not working properly and fresh air cannot get in to help the engine burn the fumes, as it should. This problem can usually be fixed by finding the leaks, which can be expensive. This problem can be avoided by making sure you put the gas cap back on tight after filling up and by having your mechanic put on some anti-rust coating to minimize the possibility of rust and corrosion in the engine.

Lean System: This means that there is likely a vacuum leak, an injector problem, or possibly old software. Your car's computer checks the air and coolant as it goes in and out of the system, the vehicle's temperatures, and the throttle's position. When the mechanic at your auto repair shop is determining the problem with your vehicle he will connect it to the vehicle's computer, which lets the mechanic know what is wrong so that it can be fixed. This problem can be avoided if you have your oil changed and tune-ups performed on a regular basis.

Catalytic converter: leaks from converter corrosion or carbon plugging up the engine can cause problems in the catalytic converter. Because not all gas can be processed in the engine, the rest of it is burned by the converter, which cannot perform properly if there is something wrong with it. Often it leads to replacing it, which can be quite costly. This is usually solved by flushing the system, but may be able to be avoided if you have the recommended tune ups performed by your auto repair technician.

An auto repair specialist can usually help you prevent any of these problems by inspecting your vehicle on a regular basis and performing tune-ups and oil changes regularly.