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Small car problems leading to bigger ones

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We’ve all been there. You’re driving along, enjoying the open highway, perhaps even cruising on the road trip of a lifetime, and all seems well with the world… and then it happens.

The dashboard suddenly lights up like a Christmas tree.

Or perhaps…

A stone flies and hits the windscreen.

Or we hear the flap-flap-flap noise that signifies a tire has been punctured.

When these issues occur, we all have the same reactions; we’re momentarily alarmed, then, well, we’re just plain irritated. Our vehicle, which moments before seemed to be running effortlessly has now been compromised and we’re going to have to spend time and money to fix the issue. This is an inconvenience, and our lives are busy, and the issue doesn’t seem that bad…

So we decide it can wait.

If you’ve done this, then fear not; you’re not alone. We’ve all had moments when our vehicle has indicated an issue to us, and our response has largely been, “I don’t care”. Unless the issue is so pressing that it is preventing us from driving, most of the time, we’ll carry on regardless.

However, there is an issue with this kind of thought process; just because nothing terrible has happened yet doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen at all. In fact, some of those small inconveniences can swiftly become much bigger problems.

Take for example, a light pinging up on the dashboard— maybe it’s the engine management light or a warning about the oil. If left unattended, these issues can cause genuine and irreparable damage to your vehicle. The lights are there to tell you to act, now, as soon as you possibly can; if you ignore them, there’s a good chance that your engine will never recover. Here, for example, is what happens to an engine without oil:

Definitely a situation you’re going to want to prevent, so follow the advice of the guidance lights and make the necessary repair as soon as possible!

Furthermore, a small chip in your windscreen may not seem like a reason to panic, but you will be amazed at how quickly those chips can grow. A chip or crack, no matter how small, will compromise the integrity of the windscreen. If your windscreen is hit again, then there’s a good chance it will completely destroy the entire screen. As a result, try and make it a rule of thumb that as soon as you see a crack, you schedule in windscreen repairs as soon as possible.

Finally, if your car tire is punctured, then it’s punctured. Continuing to drive on it will do little but guarantee that the puncture can’t be mended. Instead of a repair, you’ll have to find the money for an entirely new tire. It’s far better for the tire — and your budget! — if you pull over as soon as you notice the tire is punctured, then either change the tire yourself or wait for assistance to do so.

So when these “small” problems occur, treat them as if they’re big problems, and you won’t go far wrong.