DRIVERS have been warned of five common bad habits that could be damaging their cars, including a keyring mistake that can lead to a major engine fault.
Driving expert Jake Smith explained that what may seem like tiny changes could actually save you thousands down the line.
GettyDrivers have been warned of five common errors that could be destroying their cars[/caption]
Jake, who is the director of Absolute Reg, urged motorists to keep themselves in check and be mindful of their driving behaviour to reduce wear and tear on their motors.
Dashboard danger
It may be tempting to ignore a warning light on your dash, especially if there are no visible symptoms of any problem in your car.
But every light is there for a reason and should at least warrant a check.
You can always take your car to a local garage and ask them to give it a once over with a good scan tool – some even offer car health checks for free.
Jake warned that “serious problems could occur” if the warnings are left unheeded.
Clutch rider
It might be natural to rest your foot on the clutch pedal before and after a gear shift, just to keep it in a comfortable position if nothing else.
But it can actually lead to extra wear and tear on your transmission.
This is because the mechanism is very sensitive to even slight pressure on the pedal.
A clutch works via a series of gear plates sliding along a gear shaft.
When you press the pedal, these plates are separated by powerful springs, effectively putting the car in neutral.
Even small amounts of weight on the pedal can engage the springs slightly, increasing the strain they are forced to bear over time.
If a couple of them go, you may have to replace the clutch as a whole – which can cost hundreds.
Gearstick gaffe
Similar to clutch riding, resting your hand on the gear stick can wear out your transmission.
Jake advised: “Resting on the gear stick or riding the clutch are two bad habits which drivers should kick, or else risk causing damage to their vehicles without even realising.”
Wearing out your gearbox can lead to slippage, poor performance and even see you needing a replacement.
In the worst cases, it could set you back more than £2,000.
Data from 2019
Pothole panic
Jake said: “Another bad habit drivers should stop is driving over potholes.
“In situations when it is safe to do so, you should drive around the potholes on the road.
“Otherwise your wheels, tyres and underneath your car could become damaged.”
Tyres can cost upwards of £75 each to replace and tyres are even more expensive.
But neither are comparable to the cost of repairing the floor of your motor, which is loaded with delicate and hard-to-source parts.
While it may seem obvious, the advice is more important than ever with potholes on the rise as Britain’s roads crumble.
Heavy keys
Less obvious is the fact that you can actually damage you engine by having “heavy keys”.
Overloading your keyring with novelty attachments or just too many sets of metalwork can lead to them weighing down on the ignition system while in use.
The system is very complex and fragile so small changes in weight can have a big impact.
It is also expensive to fix – even more so if a faulty ignition leads to problems within the engine.