Gardena, Long Beach, Glendale, Anaheim, and the other areas surrounding Los Angeles, CA demand reliable transportation from us at all times; it’s difficult to make it to our daily obligations without a working vehicle. In order to avoid becoming stranded on the side of the road due to a mechanical issue with your car, it is important to stay on top of your car’s recommended schedule of maintenance. Your vehicle’s manufacturer sets this schedule forth and it is designed to keep your specific car in optimal condition, extending its life for years to come. Those who do not follow their routine maintenance schedule are likely to face more significant issues with their cars, especially when those cars are performance driven, such as high-end vehicles like BMW, Audi, and Land Rover. Following your routine maintenance schedule can help you to avoid at least five common automotive issues:
One of the most critical aspects of vehicle maintenance is your oil change routine. Oil changes are important for your engine because they keep all the moving parts lubricated. When your oil level gets too low, parts of your engine can begin to corrode and grind against one another, causing fine shavings of metal and debris to pollute your oil—this only further damages your engine because the oil that lubricates the moving parts should be clean, not riddled with dust and debris. By properly lubricating your engine with ample oil changes and maintaining a full, clean oil level at all times, your engine is far less likely to suffer damage.
Another common issue is engine overheating. When your engine overheats, it could be due to a number of factors. Regular tune-ups involve thorough inspections of your fluids, including coolant levels, your radiator, and air filters. When your coolant becomes low, or your radiator cracks causing leakage, or your air filter becomes too dirty to catch any more debris from polluting your engine, it can cause your vehicle to overheat, leaving you stranded on the side of the road.
Worn out brake rotors are another common problem that automotive shops see when drivers are not able to keep up on brake maintenance. Changing out worn out brake pads can save the more expensive parts of your brake system from becoming damaged, such as your rotors and brake calipers. At least every time your tires are rotated you should have your brakes inspected.
Speaking of tires, blowouts are all too common in the Los Angeles area. Keeping your tires at the proper pressure level at all times, inspecting wear patterns to detect issues early on, having wheel alignments and tire rotations are all part of maintaining tire health, and can save you thousands of dollars in repair work.
Lastly, your fuel system needs to be properly maintained through a number of processes. Fuel system malfunctions are usually due to drivers using an improper gasoline for their vehicles. Your recommended fuel will be indicated in your owner’s manual—high performance vehicles often need higher octane fuel; check with your owner’s manual to learn more. Furthermore, fuel injectors and mass airflow sensors can become faulty or malfunction; it’s best to have routine inspections when you bring your car into the shop so that your technician can catch issues early on.
Vehicle maintenance can be equated to going to the dentist for most of us—it usually costs a bit of money, takes time out of your day or week, and very few people want to spend money on things they feel bring them little immediate reward. Trust us, it will end up saving you tons of money in expensive auto repair down the line. Furthermore, bringing your car to an expensive dealership for your routine maintenance is not necessary—the experts here at Pro Car Mechanics in Gardena, CA are a more cost-effective and highly skilled alternative, who specializes in high-end vehicles. If you own a luxury European import like an Audi, MINI, or Mercedes, stop by today for a consultation or to meet our friendly, informative staff. We offer up to 30% lower prices than the dealerships, because we believe that scheduled auto maintenance is something everyone should be able to afford.