Four Car Parts You Should Constantly Be Monitoring

Are you shopping around for discount tires in Cincinnati? Then we’re assuming your current set of tires isn’t doing so well.

First, good work on identifying the issue and acting on it, which is something that not every car driver will do. Second, there are a number of standard inspections and checks that owners can regularly do for their vehicle. These observations could help you identify any worrisome issue with your ride, and it could alert you if a trip to the mechanic is imminent.

Below, we’ve explored some self-inspections that you can do yourself. If you end up identifying any issues, make sure you head into a mechanic immediately. Ignoring these issues could only cost you more money in the long run…

Check the: Tires

Many car owners are already familiar with the renowned tire-tread trick. If you take a penny and push it against the rubber, you shouldn’t see Lincoln’s reflection. if you don’t see Honest Abe, this should be an indication that the tread is in good shape. If you do see Lincoln looking back at you, then it’s usually a major sign that you’re in need of new tires.

While you may be able to drive around with worn-down tires for a while, you’ll be drastically compromising your safety by doing so. Why? Well, the tread helps with your vehicle’s traction. If the traction is compromised, the vehicle won’t be able to maintain a constant grip with the road, especially in wet road conditions. Therefore, your vehicle will be a whole lot more susceptible to sudden skid-outs and collisions. Do you really want to compromise safety?

You should be able to notice decreased functionality of your tires after completing to a simple ride around the block or to the store. If your vehicle seems to be rolling (or skidding) a bit after you’ve applied the brakes, there’s a good chance that the tires need to be replaced. Furthermore, if you don’t have a penny handy, you can give it the old eye test. If the rubber is clearly worn down and aging, then you should probably start shopping around for replacement options.

Maintaining your tires goes beyond the status of the tread. Rather, you’ll want also to be monitoring the tire pressure at all times. The proper tire pressure varies based on the vehicle and tire brand, and you can refer to your vehicle’s guide or manual to determine the proper numbers. A simple eye-test or hand-test could do the trick, but relying on a tire pressure gauge is the most effective way of monitoring your tires’ condition. You’ll want to keep a particular eye on the pressure during the winter months, as tires tend to lose a pound or two of air during this season.

Why is it important to monitor your tires’ pressure? Well, it’s predictably dangerous to be driving around on under-inflated tires, as many of the tires’ basic functions will be compromised. Furthermore, a low-pressure tire will be more taxing on your vehicle, meaning your fuel efficiency and performance numbers will be drastically reduced.

Check for: Leaks

If you’ve owned a vehicle, you’re surely familiar with how common leaks can be. Surprisingly, there are many car owners who fail to recognize when their vehicle has sprung a leak, and their failure to react to these clear warning signs could lead to some issues (and costly repairs) down the road.

So how do you ultimately check for leaks? It’s much easier than it sounds. If you’ve been noticing reduced function from your engine or other mechanical feature, then you should check to see if your vehicle is leaving any wet spots on the road after you complete a journey. If there’s a puddle under your ride, there’s a good chance you have a leak. It’s as simple as that.

You may be enticed to ignore the issue until the next time you visit a mechanic, but doing so could greatly compromise the functionality of your vehicle. If you fail to react to these issues, you’ll end up dishing out even more money on repairs down the road.

Check the: Engine

This task is also easy and obvious, but it could end up saving you some extra money in repairs.

Plenty of drivers fail to respond to their check-engine light. This is because they’ve previously been through the ringer; the light is usually nothing to worry about, and it’s simply an observation that you can eventually bring up the next time you visit your mechanic.

Do not ignore this light if it’s flashing. We repeat: DO NOT IGNORE THIS LIGHT IF IT’S FLASHING. A flashing check engine light is a significant warning sign that something’s gone awry in your engine. While the simple illuminated light indicates that service will eventually be needed, a flashing light indicates that failure is imminent. Some suspects for the issues could be your emissions system or your catalytic converter, both of which could destroy the entire vehicle if they’re not working properly. Regardless of what’s causing the flashing light, you’ll want to get this handled as soon as possible.

There are some other obvious signs that your engine is not doing so well. Smoke that is billowing from under the hood is obviously worrisome, and there is a good chance that it’s more than steam. If you see smoke, you will want to handle the issue immediately. If you don’t, you’re risking the functionality of your engine. It’s important to keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge at all times, as this can help you anticipate any impending problems.

You should also keep your eyes on alert. If you hear any odd sounds when you’re operating a vehicle, it’s an obvious sign that the engine isn’t working properly. It could be something as simple as a small pebble stuck in one of your major parts, or it could be a sign that the car is on its final gasp. Don’t wait around to get this checked out.

The engine is the most fickle part of any vehicle, so it desperately needs to be catered to. If you fail to respond to your engine’s obvious warning signs, you could be costing yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs.

Oxygen Sensor

This is a car feature that often goes overlooked, as it doesn’t interact with the driver on a regular occurrence. However, this part is still extremely important to the function and performance of your vehicle.

The oxygen sensor is usually equipped to the exhaust manifold, and it constantly monitors the state of your engine’s exhaust. The vehicle can alert the driver if the exhaust is improperly burning too much oxygen (“lean”) or not enough oxygen (“burning rich”).

How can you tell if you need to replace your car’s oxygen sensor? There’s a good chance that you’ll be alerted via the check-engine light, in which case it’s on you to get the issue checked out by a mechanic. This part generally needs to be replaced every 90,000 miles or so, so you could also rely on the vehicle’s mileage to determine the issue.

What happens if you don’t get the system replaced? Well, you’ll obviously be compromising fuel efficiency, which is particularly important if the vehicle already delivers underwhelming specs. A failing oxygen sensor can also reduce performance, and this could ultimately lead to issues with the engine and the accompanying functions.