Acquiring a vehicle
is a fairly easy task... the tough bit comes later.
You are already late, but never mind. With the car at your disposal,
long bus queues are passe.  You'll
be there, not exactly on time, but yeah, almost. Then, calamity
strikes...the vehicle refuses to move...grunts, groans, fumes, and
stops. Why, oh why... Maybe because you forgot that it too needs to be
looked after, maintained, 'regular servicing...'were those the words?
The best and most efficient method of
knowing about your car and keeping track of it is through the owner's
manual which provides complete information on how to go about it. You
can inspect your car every time you enter it, or on a daily or weekly
basis or at intervals specified in the manual.
In this section, we deal with those facts that are not mentioned in the
manual.
A few while driving tips.
At times, strange smells may emanate from inside your car. The possible
causes may be:
- Musty odours indicate the existence
of some trapped water, usually under the carpet. This will ruin the
carpet and also speed up corrosion. The proper solution would be to
remove the carpets and dry up both the carpet and the floor.
- Smoky smells are of various kinds.
Electrical smoky smells are the most dangerous and it is advisable
to shut down, open the bonnet, disconnect the batteries and seek
professional help. Other smoky smells may occur when the sound or
heat proof lining inside the engine space burns. Trace the cause.
- Fuel smells occurs either when the
fuel tank venting gets choked or if there has been an overflow.
- Sometimes, oil or exhaust smells
from the engine occur. This maybe caused either due to too much
engine oil, or if the engine oil has grown old and is burning, or if
it has been overheated.
- A typical sweatish smell emanates
when varnish is being burnt which occurs when your dynamo or
alternator is about to pack up and would, usually be accompanied by
flickering lights.
- Burning rubber smells tend to come
when you drive with your brakes on. Overheated tyres may also be the
cause.
Strange smells are an early warning
signal that need to be heeded if much more time and money are to be
saved later on.
Strange sounds tend to be sidelined in the bustle and
din of our roads, and by the car stereo playing in the background.
However, if the problem persists, the car will make its condition known
every time you take a corner or ride over a bump. Some easily
recognizable sounds are
- Strange clicking while taking a
turn from the front wheels means that the front shaft is about to
fall apart. Get it fixed before it actually does.
- A fan-belt squeal means that
another one is needed.
- Rhythmic clicks from the wheel
indicate faulty bearings at worst or just large pebbles stuck in the
tread pattern at the best.
- A change in engine tone usually
indicates engine overheating, especially if you have been driving at
constant speeds for a long time. Stopping or varying the engine
speed should be enough if there is no severe problem. Otherwise, let
the car cool down and then check radiator and water levels.
- Backfiring while normal driving
means serious problems and should be properly investigated.
Promptly.
- Engine knocks means that it is time
to get into a lower gear. If it persists, however, it is time to get
your engine and engine oil checked.
At times, your car give personal
signals which can be deciphered by only the user. Strange
'hiccups' while driving indicate faulty fuel which would in turn cause
faulty carb or fuel injector. If there is unequal or wrong air pressure
in tyres, it is evident on braking. Unexplained shudders in braking
indicate problems in suspension or linkages.
Finally, you can avoid strange repair bills if you have been going in
for regular check ups!
In this section, we deal with car parts that need regular care.
Engine
| Tyres
| Brakes
| Battery
| Interior
Exteriors
| Cooling
System |
