There aren’t many more inconvenient situations than those you find yourself in when you realise you can’t rely on your car. This is especially true if you’re living in Australia and sometimes have to cover longer distances. The last thing you want is to get stuck somewhere far from any reliable mechanic and be late for work or miss the family dinner.
Cars rarely break down without a warning, though, and it’s very important to be able to recognise the signs that tell you that your car needs immediate service. Here are some of them you should be careful about, especially if you’re planning a longer trip across the vast Australian continent. After all, not only do you want to get to your destination on time, but you primarily want to feel safe while driving.
Leaks
Well, cars aren’t supposed to leak, as you know. If you notice traces of oil, petrol or any liquid on the driveway or underneath your car, you might be in a serious trouble. You can even detect what kind of problem you’re having by the colour of the leak. If it’s reddish-brown toward the front of the car, it’s transmission or engine oil, or your brake fluid. Any loss of that kind is highly dangerous, as you might imagine. On the other hand, if you see bright green fluid traces, it’s the coolant that’s leaking. Finally, you may find fluid on your wheel rims, which might indicate leaking brake lines. In any case, the only thing you should do is consult and visit a reliable mechanic, such as this experienced mobile mechanic from the Gold Coast area.
Noise
Just like cars are not supposed to leak, they’re not supposed to make a strange noise. Sometimes the problem may be trivial, but you also might find yourself facing a more complex issue. In any case, a visit to your mechanic is a must. Noise can indicate anything from loose drive belt, worn out brake pads, gearbox problem to less concerning problems, such as those related to spark plugs. Still, since your car should not be making any strange and unusual noise, you need to take care of the problem as soon as possible.
Dashboard lights come on
With modern technology advancing at a great pace, our cars are now actually able to tell us about many problems they might be experiencing. Never underestimate or neglect any light on your dashboard. It’s trying to tell you something. If the problem is more serious, the light will probably blink, but that yellow indicator is your friend and you should listen to it. In case this happens to you, either pull over and call your mechanic to check what to do or find your way to the nearest car shop to have your car inspected.
Smoke
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, people say. Now, fire usually means something is horribly wrong (unless you’re throwing a barbecue party in your backyard or on one of the secluded Australian beaches). Even if you see white steam coming out of the hood, you have a problem and it’s probably related to your radiator, gasket or pipes. You need to stop immediately and allow your car to cool down. If the steam is blue(ish), you’re burning oil and there’s not much you can do, but ask to be towed to the nearest mechanic. There’s also smoke coming out of your exhaust and you can also notice by its colour what kind of problem you’re having. The only difference here is that this smoke can also be black, which suggests your engine is running too rich.
Any other issue
Perhaps you’ve noticed that your car is consuming more petrol than before, although your driving habits haven’t changed. You might find it difficult to start your car on some days or detect odd noises while driving across the Australian outback in harsh condition. These are all signs that your car is having a problem or two and that it requires immediate professional attention. Although such symptoms may not pose danger to your safety, you need to report them to your mechanic as specifically as possible, so that they could diagnose the problem and take care of it. Quality Mechanic in Logan (or any other area, for that matter) can not only identify the problem with your car, but the team can provide servicing and maintenance related solutions that are more long term. What you need to understand is that any change in the way your car performs is an indicator that there is something wrong with it.
Needless to say, the best way to prevent such problems is to have your car regularly serviced and inspected, especially before long trips. It’s always much better to set off on a journey knowing an expert has checked your car. Not only will that help you feel more relaxed and concentrated on driving, but it will also mean that you and your family will be safe, as much as you can be. If, however, something unexpected happens, you need to know exactly what to do, since ignoring problems and symptoms is always the worst option and you may end up either paying through the roof for repairs or even damage your car beyond repair.
