Motorists are generally advised book in their cars for a service once a year or every 12,000 miles, whichever comes first, but it is easy to forget when your car needs a check-up. Luckily, modern cars give us a number of signs that they need a bit of car and attention so that any issues are found and fixed before they turn into much bigger and more expensive problems.
A service is quick and easy to organise with a local garage and will involve a qualified mechanic thoroughly checking out every aspect of your vehicle from fluid levels to tyre threads. Whilst a mechanic may check some of the same factors in an MOT and a service, they serve different purposes. According to Advanced Service Centre, who offer MOT services in Thurrock, Essex, an MOT is mandatory test designed to make sure that a car is roadworthy, whereas a service follows manufacturer guidelines designed to ensure that your car is operating in peak condition and running as efficiently and safely as possible.
If you are unsure whether your car might need a service, here are four signs to watch out for:
1. Dashboard warnings
Your car dashboard displays a wide array of information from your fuel level to your speed, but if you have not serviced your car recently you will also see a warning light, possibly with an icon of a spanner or even spelling out “SERVICE”. More recent models may also display a countdown to show you how many miles or days you have left before you next service is due.
Outside of the specific service warning, if any warning lights start to light up in the dashboard then it may be a sign that something has started to go wrong with your car and taking it in for a service soon could be a good idea.
2. Strange sounds
If you spend a lot of time in your car then you will get used to how it sounds from the revs of the engine to the hum of the wheels on the tarmac. If you start to hear a new, unknown, sounds such as clicks or banging then this could be evidence that your car has developed a fault and should not be ignored.
If you can work out a pattern to the new sounds then this can help the mechanic isolate and address the issue, but any new loud noises should be taken seriously and investigated as soon as possible.
3. Mystery puddles
If your car keeps leaving mystery puddles of liquid behind wherever it is parked then this is a sure sign that your car has developed a leak somewhere and needs to be taken to a garage for a service.
The scale of the problem can be partially determined by the colour of the leaking liquid, with brown liquids signifying a particularly worrying issue, as that is the colour of the car’s power steering and braking fluids – but any leaks could mean engine trouble and are worth exploring before they develop into something more serious.
4. Brakes behaving differently
Your brakes are the most important safety feature on your vehicle and so any changes to how the brakes feel should be treated with caution.
If you feel yourself needing to press harder and harder on the brake pedal, then this could be a sign that your car is leaking brake fluid or the brake pads are wearing out. These issues are relatively common and your yearly MOT will also check these safety features, but if you feel any changes to how the brakes are working then a service is in order as soon as possible.
Service your car regularly to save in the long run
Cars remain the most popular form of transport in the UK with 32 million cars on the road, but they are also expensive. Car finance with bad credit history is available from some vendors, but however you have paid for your car you want to avoid expensive repair bills in the future, and one of the best ways to do that is to get your car regularly serviced to ensure it is always operating in peak condition.
