What Your Car Troubles Really Mean

No one buys a car or truck expecting vehicle problems. At least, most people hope they won’t have problems with the car right away. Yet, car troubles are exceedingly common.

The average American drops around $400 annually on auto repair services for their car. Given that people must get to work, drop the kids off, or hit up the grocery store, it’s not something you can avoid. Yet, you might well wonder what those car troubles you notice along the way mean.

Keep reading, and offer a quick guide to help you decipher what those car problems actually mean.

Engine Light

The engine light or check engine light that pops up on your dash, usually in a shade of emergency red, is the last thing most vehicle owners want to see. Part of the problem with that light is that it could mean a lot of things. Your owner’s manual will give you a few options, but you’ll likely need an auto shop to check the code from the computer to track down the real problem.

Pro tip: Don’t ignore that light. It could mean your engine is in real trouble.

Noises

A well-maintained vehicle should provide you with a fairly quiet drive unless you happen to own a high-performance sports car. You expect those to make some noise. Noises you shouldn’t ignore include:

• Squealing
• Grinding
• Ticking

Squealing most often means your brake pads are near the end of their life. Grinding can mean problems with your transmission. Ticking is a solid indicator that your car needs some more oil, even if the check oil light isn’t on.

Jerking

In addition to grinding, jerking when your vehicle changes gears is another big sign of transmission issues. The same holds if your vehicle slips out of gear on a regular basis.

It’s a Lemon

While no one sets out to buy a lemon, it still happens. You can buy a lemon that comes brand new right off the dealership lot. A lemon is a car that has fundamental problems that repeated repair attempts just can’t seem to fix. The issue can stem from the engine, the computer, the electronics, or even the drive train itself.

If you’re taking your car into the shop over and over again, especially for the same problem, you’ve probably got a lemon. There are laws about lemons that protect consumers. You can head over here to learn more about lemon laws.

Dealing with Car Troubles

Car troubles haunt car owners because they almost never go away on their own. In fact, they generally get worse the longer you ignore them. Even worse, if you let the wrong problem go for too long, it can leave you broken down and stranded somewhere.

The best course of action is almost always for you to get your vehicle looked at when you notice the problem. Sometimes the fix is quick, and it’s almost always cheaper than if you wait.

Looking for more auto tips? Check out some of our Lifestyle posts.