Travelling by Car - Six Common Problems & Solutions
When driving on the road, there are thousands of things that can go wrong, some harder to deal with, some easier. Listing them all would take an enormous amount of time, something that you, the reader, do not have to read all of them through. So, with this in mind, we will talk only about the six most common problems that can happen to a car driver. Let’s get right into it.
- Your Car Batteries Dying on You
Car batteries dying is one of the most common problems to befall any driver. They happen seemingly randomly and can cause a ton of issues since, effectively, every part of the car is powered by batteries.
There isn’t a way to know if your car batteries are going to die a week in advance. You can improve the chances of your battery not dying by checking it from time to time and making sure that it’s charged. Car batteries have an average life span of about 2 to 5 years. So once it reaches this point, don’t be surprised if it disappoints you one day… The biggest indicator is going to be several hours in advance while driving. If you notice your headlights flickering or your engine not starting properly, the car battery could not be working properly. This is because the car battery does not have enough energy to power both the engine and the headlights, and if your engine isn’t starting at all, then your car batteries are probably dead.
- Flat Tires
Flat tires happen to everyone, without an exception. They happen when the tires get worn out or you go over some glass or anything sharp on the road. While they are common, they are also easy to deal with. Always keep a toolbox plus a spare tire in your car on the ready for any problems that may occur. The main problem with flat tires is that 60% of people don’t know how to do it. This is an enormous number for such a simple task, and it can cause countless problems on the road and delay you significantly. So, don’t be one of the 60% and learn how to change a tire by yourself. You have Google at your disposal, so take advantage of it. If you don’t know, you aren’t guaranteed to have internet access when you get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere.
- Low Fuel
When you do a million things in a day, forgetting to check your fuel levels will happen without a doubt. And when it does, you will see that the problem will become apparent soon enough. The way you deal with this problem is by planning ahead, especially for big trips. Make it a habit for yourself to check the fuel once or twice a day. You can get help from your cellphone’s to-do list to remind you every day, at a certain time, to check the fuel. Also, you can make a list of the most important things you should check before starting your travel. Stick this list somewhere noticeable such as your car door/dashboard.
- Brakes Stopped Working
This is one of the more dangerous problems that can occur, as it risks you starting an accident on the road. It might not be clear to you that they aren’t working properly at first, but if something doesn’t feel right, you should see a mechanic to check it out.
On an everyday level, you can prevent this problem by testing the brakes every time before you make a trip. Another thing you need to do is to check if there are enough fluids and whether they are functioning properly.
- Locking Yourself out of Your Car
This happens more often than you would think. It happens when you are in a rush and aren’t thinking clearly, and it is extremely irritating when you realize that you’ve locked yourself out. But don’t fear, because you can get out of this mess without too much trouble if you think rationally.
First off, if you are late to work or a meeting, call the other party and inform them of the situation and that you are taking care of it. Next, look whether there are any openings in the car, maybe you’ve left a window open and then you can open it and get in. If you have another way of reaching your destination, you can worry about the car afterwards and call a mobile locksmith. If not, then consider contacting roadside assistance to fix the problem. If a living being is locked inside then you must contact the police immediately to fix the situation, (don’t risk breaking a window, as it can hurt the baby/animal). Breaking the window should be your last option in any case.
In order to prevent this problem from reoccurring, you can do 2 things:
- Make a spare key and always keep it in a convenient location (it can be really expensive to make new keys if you’ve lost all of the previous copies)
- If your car and phone are compatible with the technology, consider opening your car via your smartphone
- Fuel Leaks
Temperature can greatly affect the fuel you use. When the temperature becomes really hot, the fuel will expand, and the fumes will need to exit some way. Most cars are fit to deal with this problem since the fumes are toxic, but the problem remains, and that is that the fuel leak evaporates. You will get a warning about this via the warning light. The bright side is that this will, in most cases, only affect the fuel cap which is easily replaceable for a cheap price.
Conclusion
Anticipating all the problems which might occur during your travel is next to impossible. You can never say for sure how exactly your trip is going to turn out. However, there are a bunch of precautionary measures you can take so that you could avoid some of the most common problems other travellers have experienced. Consider the six problems we mentioned in this article and try to follow the tips that we provided above. Unless any unfortunate accidents happen, you are less likely to go through many difficulties during your trip.
