One of the most inconvenient situations that you can find yourself in as a driver is being stranded on the road. You never know what might happen, even if you prepare; so keeping the number of your towing specialist handy is a good idea. You can lower the chances of your vehicle breaking down with the help of this guide.
2 Reasons Your Car Might Break Down
- Bad battery
- Bad tires
There are other reasons why your car may break down, which your towing specialist can enlighten you about, but for now you can focus on these two that you can try to prevent.
Your Battery
The following are a few reasons why your battery might give you some trouble:
--Corroded terminals (you can clean corrosion with a corrosion cleaner that you can purchase from your local auto parts store)
--Battery with bad cells (battery cannot be fixed)
--Malfunctioning alternator (battery may still be okay, but the alternator is failing to recharge it as it should)
Be sure to talk to your auto care specialist about checking some of these issues out for you to make sure your car's battery is in top-notch condition.
But no matter how much you prepare, you may still have a battery-related issue. And the first thing you should know are the signs that may reveal that your battery might be in trouble, which are the following:
- You notice that you have a hard time starting the car
- The headlights and dashboard lights are dimmer than usual, or your windows may operate slower than usual
- There may be a bad smell or rotten egg-like smell coming from your battery due to old age
Be sure to have your battery checked out if you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms before your car leaves you stranded.
Bad Tires
Worn tires, over-inflated, or under-inflated tires can force you off the road as well. But you can inspect your tires with the following tips:
- Check your recommended tire pressure in your owner's manual or driver's side door sticker and have your auto care specialist make sure your tire pressure matches.
- Stick a penny with Lincoln's head facing upward in different locations of your tire treads, making sure that Lincoln's head is completely submerged into the crevice.
There are other things that you can look out for, like an overheating issue, which can cause your engine or transmission to go out. You can have your auto care specialist check out those areas for you. Hopefully the tips above help prevent a breakdown; but you should still keep your towing specialist's number at hand, just in case. To learn more, contact a company like Frank's Towing.
