Minor Car Problems You Should Never Ignore

It’s not uncommon for our cars to have seemingly small issues pop up from time to time. Usually, these can be fixed promptly and easily by a trusted mechanic, getting you back on the road with optimal performance levels in no time.

Unfortunately, it’s also not uncommon for these issues to be ignored, usually out of fear of hefty bills or inconvenient downtime. While it may be tempting to leave these problems for another day, doing so can lead to more expensive and more dangerous problems plaguing your car. To keep yourself, your family and those around you safe, you need to be extra vigilant when it comes to any car problems.

In this article, we’ve highlighted some of the most common problems that get ignored by drivers and should be looked at by a professional as soon as possible.

Cracked or chipped windscreen

While you may think a cracked or chipped windscreen is purely an aesthetic problem, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Your windscreen provides up to 30% of your car’s structural strength, and any damage can weaken the entire windshield and compromise your safety in the event of an accident.

If your car has ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), a broken windscreen can impact its safety features such as lane-assist and auto-braking. As soon as you notice your windscreen has been compromised in any way, seek windscreen repair services immediately.

Broken exterior lights

Having a broken or faulty exterior light can greatly compromise your vision and your visibility to other drivers, putting yourself and those around you at great risk. If you’re caught with faulty exterior lights, you’ll likely cop a hefty fine as well.

Luckily, this kind of repair is one of the least expensive, so there’s no reason to ignore it and put yourself in any unnecessary danger.

Alignment issues

Even though it might be tempting to simply try and course-correct if your tyres start pulling you to the left or the right as you drive, this is harder (and riskier) than it sounds. Plus, this will only put unnecessary strain on your tyres and end up damaging them, leading to you requiring new ones much more frequently than normal.

Surprisingly, most drivers don’t realise that they have alignment issues right away because the first symptom is actually uneven tyre wear. To avoid this, make sure to get your alignment checked regularly and avoid expensive tyre replacements.

Squeaking brakes

Squeaking brakes is one of the most common problems that people ignore – which is a very dangerous decision to make. After all, our brakes are the only thing that can bring our cars to a halt, and that squeaking sound you hear is the sound of the brake pad indicator rubbing against the brake rotor.

If you get this problem fixed right away, it should only cost a couple of hundred dollars. If you wait, however, you could be looking at thousands of dollars spent on a total overhaul of your brake system.

Excessive oil consumption

Having enough oil in your car is essential to its proper functioning, and you have to change the oil every now and then to maintain your engine. Although it’s normal for your car to use up some oil over time, you shouldn’t have to be doing this all the time.

If your car starts performing strangely or the oil light comes on, this could be a sign that you need to top up your oil. If you continue running your car without enough oil, you could damage the engine. Top it up again and see how long it lasts, and if the problem continues then take it to a specialist.

Fluid leaks

If you start noticing odd puddles underneath your car or rivers that begin to flow below it in parking lots or your driveway, this could be a sign that fluids such as gas, coolants or oil are leaking from your car. This can drastically affect the performance of your vehicle, so make sure to see a mechanic right away if you notice any of these warning signs to avoid any more drastic (or more expensive) problems.