One of the most important things that you can do as a vehicle owner is taking your vehicle into a professional as soon as you notice signs that it needs service. However, this is not the only thing that you need to be doing in order to keep your vehicle in good health. In fact, being a responsible vehicle owner is a very involved thing that requires you to do a lot of different things on a regular basis.
But just as important as what you are doing is what you are not doing. For example, many people have these little bad habits that might not seem like a big deal at the time but can actually have a big negative impact on their car in the long run. Here are three common things that you are likely doing that are actually damaging your vehicle.
Driving With Low Amounts of Gas
Generally speaking, it is always a good rule to try and never let your fuel tank drop below half. However, most people say this just in case they get lost or something goes wrong with their vehicle, then they will still have enough fuel to keep it running until they get the help that they need. But, there is another important reason why letting the fuel tank repeatedly get low is not a good idea.
This is because the fuel pump often submerges itself in a vehicle's fuel reservoir in order to help stay cool. Therefore, if a vehicle only has a small amount of fuel, then it is not going to be enough to keep the fuel pump submerged, which is going to cause it to wear out much faster. That is why you should avoid driving very far if your vehicle ever has less than a quarter of a tank of fuel left.
Not Using the Parking Brake Enough
Most people never even think about using the parking brake unless they are parking their vehicle on a steep hill. However, it is actually a good idea to use the parking brake whenever you are parking your vehicle.
This is because all vehicles weigh a significant amount and if they are not using the parking brake, then the entire weight of the vehicle is being held in place by a small piece of metal called a parking pawl. While this component is tough, it is not invincible and can eventually wear down or break entirely if it tries to keep a heavy vehicle in place too many times.
Shifting From Reverse to Drive Too Quickly
We have all seen those action movies where the driver transitions from reverse to drive while traveling at high rates of speed. This causes us to think that flipping between the two gears when only backing out of a stall is not that big a deal. However, if you transition between reverse and drive too quickly, then it can put a lot of strain on the vehicle's drivetrain. Instead, you want to make sure that you are bringing your vehicle to complete stop when reversing before switching into drive and pulling away.
By avoiding these three bad habits, you can help to significantly prolong the life of your vehicle. To keep your vehicle in as good of condition as possible, make sure to contact our team of professionals at All In The Wrist today.
