10 Signs Your Car Needs Professional Attention

10 SIGNS YOUR CAR NEEDS PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION MILEAGE MILESTONES • Your car needs to be serviced every 15,000 miles even if it seems to be running fine • Major services at 30,000, 60,000, and 90,000 miles will help keep your vehicle in good shape EVERY 3,000-5,000 MILES • You should have your oil changed every 3,000-5,000 miles • Regular oil and filter changes lubricate your engine and help your fuel economy 3 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT • If your check engine light comes on, don't ignore it! It could be a sign of a serious problem • Your mechanic will interpret your car's computer readings to find the problem CHECK STRANGE NOISES CLUNKING: This could be a sign of a bad shock absorber, which affects your brakes, steering, and handling TICKING: A ticking sound could indicate you need an oil change-waiting too long could result in needing to replace your engine SOUEALING: If your brakes are squealing, you may need to replace your brake pads SQUEAKING: This sound could be a result of sand or water in your brakes, but should be inspected by a mechanic to rule out other possibilities GRINDING: If you hear grinding at nearly cvery stop, you could have brake problems, such as completely worn down brake pads CLUNK RIND LEAKING FLUID • Fluid pooling under your car while it's parked is a sign that your car nceds professional attention • Many systems in your car, including power steering and transmission, need these fluids to operate properly 9. SHAKING • Transmission problems can cause your car to shake as you shift gears • Both manual and automatic transmissions need the attention of a mechanic PULLING • Docs your car pull to one side as you're trying to drive forward? You may need your wheels aligned • An alignment makes your car casier to control and lengthens the life of your tires 8. POOR TREAD DEPTH • Worn-down tires are unsafe and handle poorly, especially in wet conditions • Your tires should be rotated regularly and replaced when the tread is too shallow 6. STRANGE SMELLS • If you ever smell burning, get your car to a mechanic immediately • Other smells can indicate problems with other areas-for example, a maple syrup smell is a sign of problems in the cooling system 10 SMOG AND EMISSIONS TESTING • Your registration renewal will tell you whether your vehicle needs a smog inspection • If your vchicle fails, you'll have to have it repaired before you can re-register the car INFOGRAPHIC PROVIDED BY A-1 AUTO TECH, INC. http://www.autoservicemountainview.com/ Auto Tech, Inc Tools, Training. Technology Make the Difference Sources: http://www.dmv.org/ca-california/smog-check.php http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car- problems/mechanical/5-signs-transmission-trouble.htm#page=8 http://www.autoinsurancequotes.com/news/when to take your car to a mechanic http://carcarecoach.net/2012/12/whats-that-noise-four-signs-your-car-is-trying-to-tell-you-something/ http://auto.howstuffworks.com/5-warning-signs-you-need-new-tires.htm#page=1 CApproved Auto Repai