Car breakdown is one of the things motorists dread more than anything, being stranded on the side of the road with no clue what is wrong with your vehicle is a daunting experience and it usually happens at the most inconvenient of times.
Statistically, you’re likely to experience a car breakdown at least once in your driving life.
Contrary to popular opinion, breakdowns don’t just happen to older vehicles, there is so much technology in newer cars, issues can arise for a number of reasons.
In our latest blog, we take a look at the top 5 causes of car breakdown and what can be done to prevent these issues from arising.
Refuelling Problems
Number one on the list is running out of fuel or putting in the wrong fuel for your vehicle on the forecourt.
Something we’ve all learnt over the last few weeks is fuel is not to be taken as a certainty for availability. With the recent issues of fuel shortages across the UK, refuelling has become a real problem. If this happens to you, you should try and pull safely into the roadside as soon as you can.
Over 150,000 people per year make the mistake of filling their vehicles up with the wrong fuel. It’s easily done and can be a costly mistake!
If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve mistakenly put the wrong fuel in your vehicle, avoid starting the car and give Lindleys Autocentres Nottingham a call today. The fuel will need to removed and attempting to driving with the wrong fuel will cause serious damage.
To avoid making the same mistake twice, special caps can be purchased to put over your filler neck to make it difficult to insert the wrong fuel nozzle.
Tyre And Wheel Damage
Flat tyres and wheel damage are a close second in the cause of breakdown. Flats and wheel damage can be caused by driving over sharp objects or uneven road surfaces but in many cases, these are entirely preventable with proper maintenance.
Lack of tyre care, infrequent changing and wrong tyre pressures are the main source of flat tyres and damage.
The best way to keep your tyres safe is with regular servicing. Whilst learning how to change a tyre isn’t too much hard work, regular servicing can give you an expert opinion on the condition of your tyres.
Even if you’re sure your tyres are in good condition, getting a second opinion won’t hurt, and can help you figure out what the problem is if anything goes wrong in future.
If you’re in an emergency situation, mobile tyre-fitting is a great option for a quick tyre replacement. Lindleys Mobile Tyre Fitting covers the whole of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire and will come to you at home, work or even the roadside with a brand-new tyre.
Flat Battery
Any experienced driver will know about the dreaded flat battery!
You head out to your car on a cold winter morning, and it won’t start – we’ve all experienced this dreaded feeling and it’s one of the most common causes of breakdown callouts.
One of the most common causes for a flat battery is leaving your headlights on overnight. If you’ve ever kicked yourself for forgetting to switch your headlights off, don’t panic. The chances are that the battery won’t be completely drained, and we recommend investing in a mains battery charger to help you get some charge back into the battery.
Another good idea is to keep some jump cables in your vehicle. That way, if you find your battery giving up while you’re out and about, you’ll just need to find a Good Samaritan or neighbour to help you recharge.
If you’re really struggling and need a completely new battery. Lindleys Mobile Tyre Fitting service also offers a battery replacement service in which we come to you to replace your battery with a brand new one.
Lost Keys
Losing your car key is a heart-wrenching feeling.
Keeping a spare car key at home is a good idea, but not always a viable option if you’re not local to home.
Your key most likely includes a microchip, designed to stop your car from being stolen, which can make it harder to replace if you lose it. That’s why lost or trapped keys are a big cause of breakdowns.
You’ll either need to visit an authorised dealer or to call someone qualified out to your car to help you.
Starter Motor
A huge number of vehicles now come with stop/start technology.
This means starter motors have to work harder than ever. Although robust and durable, they can eventually fail.
If your battery is fine but the engine doesn’t turn over when you push the stop/start button, it’s most likely a starter motor problem.
Regular servicing and maintenance are the best way to avoid starter motor problems.
