Top 4 Common Causes Of Car Breakdowns Over Summer

Top 4 Common Causes of Car Breakdowns Over Summer

I'm sitting here in the car on an extremely hot summer day and thinking "It would suck to have your car break down during the summer." And it got me thinking, what are some Common Causes of Car Breakdowns Over Summer?

 

I did some research and here's what I found.

Top 4 Common Causes of Car Breakdowns Over Summer

1. FLAT TIRES
2. CAR OVERHEATING
3. DEAD CAR BATTERY
4. POOR MAINTENANCE

 

Now don't worry, I looked around to find how they can be solved easily to bring back your car to live quickly. So hang around as we discuss them.

FLAT TIRES

It is OK to expect a flat tire once in a while especially if the road is being repaired. Sometimes you can encounter nails or sharp objects that can prick the tire badly. Flat tires also occur when the valve stem is rubbed in the wrong way and damaged, or when you rub the tire hard against the road surface. You may not know how the latter rather fairly common behavior would work to cause a tire, so let me please explain. Rubbing your car hard against the road or sides can rip the tire, or cause separation of the tire from the rim as happens in case of a collision.

You also expose yourself to a flat tire by leaving the tire threads to wear excessively because debris can then tear through easily. And of course, flat tires are the major result of a collision or excessive pressure on the tires, or even the lack of adequate pressure in the tires such that sharp objects will easily find their way in through the rim edges and prick the tube.

So let’s then discuss how to solve this problem. The first is prevention because it is much better than a cure. You do know that setting a reminder to check the tire pressure. Let it be at least once a month. You need to be aware of the recommended pounds per square inch or PSI.

Then, there is the checking of treads, valve stem, rim, and other things as part of a regular maintenance practice at least once in three months.

In case it happens, simply pull over to a safe place, and then do a DIY replacement of the tire. It is easy to do. Otherwise, you can call for assistance to tow the car to the nearest auto mechanic or automotive mechanic shop.

CAR OVERHEATING

Oops! This is not easy to explain because many people won’t think that it can cause a breakdown. Well, it does more regularly than you would think. How? When the engine overheats and is unable to cool down, the engine system may fail. Overheating commonly occurs if the coolant is poured, which happens when there is leakage. This means the coolant will not circulate as it should. Blockages also cause this problem after mineral deposits occur in the cooling system.

Overheating can also happen if the cooling system is broken. For instance, a poorly maintained water pump can fail. The radiator can also block hence preventing the flow of cooling fluid. You might also be on a blown head gasket or that you are using the wrong cooling fluid or antifreeze.

So, how to come out of this problem? Be sure to maintain the car to prevent the overheating problem. Second, you can easily detect engine overheating. If you notice steam from under the hood or blinking of the warning lights, it tells you the engine is overheating and there could be danger in continuing to run the car as it is. Alas! The temperature meter is showing red!

Turn off the AC immediately, pull over, and then turn the engine for about 15 minutes in case of heating. As you wait for the engine to cool, check the coolant level and top up if this is needed. If things are thicker, call for an automotive or auto mechanic or tow to the nearest repair station.

DEAD CAR BATTERY

Aha. This one sounds familiar. That’s because soring temperatures tamper with the proper functioning of the battery. For instance, it can evaporate the fluid from the battery. Irregular movements can also cause power connections to loosen from the battery.

I do not have a lot to say to you on this one because it surely can be hard to fix the battery beyond ensuring the power connections are affixed or just to replace the battery. If the battery is faulty, it will sometimes lose power, in which case you should allow for some time to charge it. You should be familiar with the process of jumpstarting the car with another car’s battery. Otherwise, call for a tow service to an automotive mechanic.

POOR MAINTENANCE

You may be familiar with the “service engine soon” light that can mean different things need to be fixed. Not many people will take initiative to schedule maintenance because it is a busy life anyway. Nevertheless, cracked or loose gas caps, faulty oxygen sensors, catalytic converter problems, spark plug or coil issues are the main causes for this problem.

The mass airflow sensor can also become faulty, causing the light to blink.

While it is easy to tighten the petrol caps and spark plugs in a DIY, most of these problems will need the attention of an auto mechanic when they happen. For instance, you cannot repair a faulty oxygen sensor. It must be replaced. However, it is not too late to learn how to check for or detect any of these issues in your car and how to solve them. Such things as oxygen sensors, spark plugs and coils are very easy to replace.

Otherwise, you can easily prevent a breakdown as a result of these issues by scheduling regular maintenance for the car. This will be very helpful as it can prevent errors that would cost you when trying to fix the engine in a DIY. It is not advisable to try a DIY unless you understand exactly what you are doing.