A summary of the most common causes of vehicle breakdowns and advice on how to reduce the risk of a breakdown.
Despite the increased reliability of modern vehicles, most of us are all too aware that breakdowns do still happen. A number of the most common reasons for breakdowns are entirely avoidable and knowing these may save you the inconvenience of being stuck at the side of the road waiting for assistance. Below are a number of the most common reasons breakdown patrols are called out every day:
Flat Battery: This has to be the number one cause of breakdowns. A lot of short journeys may gradually wear down your battery, so a long journey once in a while is good to keep it well charged. When the car is serviced check that the terminals have been cleaned and that a layer of petroleum jelly has been applied to them. Additionally, ensure that the connections are secure.
Flat Tyres: While not always avoidable, there are certain things you can do to limit the chances of flat tyres occurring. Firstly, always make sure your tyres are correctly inflated. Under or over inflated tyres can greatly increase your chances of problems occurring, especially at speed. Keep an eye of your tyre tread depth and look for uneven wear, as this may indicate a problem with wheel alignment. A spare tyre is always advisable to prevent your car ending up on the back of a tow truck.
Fuel: Vehicles running out of fuel is one of the most common and unnecessary breakdown causes. Make sure you have more than enough fuel at the start of each journey. If it is marginal then fill up just to be on the safe side - you never know when you might have to take a lengthy diversion or when you might be crawling along in a traffic jam. Using the wrong type of fuel is an obvious but easy mistake to make. If you realise you have filled up with the wrong fuel, DO NOT start the car. Call for breakdown assistance immediately and they will come and recover your vehicle. Starting the engine with the wrong fuel will likely cause extensive damage to the vehicle.
Oil: Make sure your oil is kept at an acceptable level. Some cars burn more oil than others and if the engine runs out it will cause irreversible damage. Some people would recommend the oil is checked as often as once a week on many vehicles.
Alternator: Problems with the Alternator may be indicated by dimming headlights and interference with the vehicle electrics, mainly when the engine is idling. If these are not dealt with they may cause a flat battery or loss of power.
Starter Motor: Make sure the starter motor is kept well serviced because without it, as the name suggests, you will simply not be able to start the engine.
Spark Plugs: These must be replaced regularly in accordance with the vehicle's service program as they are in integral part of the vehicle's ignition system.
Some of these issues can obviously be limited by keeping the vehicle well serviced according to the manufacturers program, while others require more regular attention so should not be neglected. It goes without saying, however, that you should always have adequate breakdown cover to provide assistance in the event of problems arising. While some problems are foreseeable, some are not so obvious can occur when you least expect it.
