Car Repair, The Common Issues

Here are the most frequent repairs according to the survey:

5. Replacing Spark Plugs

This is a small part that when faulty can result in huge problems for car owners. While changing the spark plugs on your own is a possibility, and can cost significantly less, a faulty spark plug can cause significant damage to your gas mileage and your catalytic converter. The latter of these car components is very expensive and therefore it is worth the small expense of the experienced mechanic to save on the potential costs of further repairs.

According to the survey, spark plugs were responsible for 3.71% of all repairs.

4. Replacing Mass Air Flow Sensor

This device measures how much air is supplied to the engine and then determines the amount of fuel that is required to keep it running. Nearly one in twenty repairs (4.36%) are because of a faulty mass air flow sensor; but this needn’t be the case. This repair is preventable if you replace your air filters on a regular basis. Replacing the air filters would cost you about $20-$30; a sensor repair can cost you approximately $200.

3. Catalytic Converter Replacement

The catalytic converter replacement takes up 6.4% of all repairs and the most expensive on this list. However, this repair is completely avoidable if you pay attention to other, less expensive, components of your car; for instance, your spark plugs and fuel injector. Ignoring these components for too long will result in a damaged catalytic converter and an expensive repair bill, often over $1000.

2. Loose Fuel Caps

Nearly one in ten repairs (9.28%) are because of loose fuel caps. While this repair is fairly cheap to correct, it can cause additional problems: mainly to the efficiency of your fuel usage. CarMD estimates that approximately 147 million gallons of gas is evaporated each year because of lost, damaged or missing fuel caps.

1. Oxygen Sensor Replacement

Only just being the top reason why cars end up in the repair shop, the oxygen sensor is an essential repair that needs to be done by a mechanic. The main reason for this is because the sensor that detects whether there is too much or too little gas in the tank is often hidden behind special covers that require specialist tools.

Conclusion

Many of the most frequent car repairs are fairly inexpensive. Those that are expensive are often the result of poor maintenance or smaller items not being repaired early enough. Ensure you don’t create a larger bill for yourself by having a preventative car maintenance schedule in place.

Actions you can take:

• Conduct regular car maintenance to check for potential problems before they become too serious.
• Change your air filters regularly.
• Speak to us about what preventative measures you can take to ensure your car is only in the repair shop when it is needed.

The post Common Car Repairs Worth Knowing About appeared first on RPM Auto Repair.

However, this can cause a number of problems which can actually increase costs, rather than save them.

So what problems can occur by attempting to complete auto repairs yourself?

Invalidating Warranties

Warranties are there to protect consumers from paying for auto repairs when something has gone wrong before the lifetime of the part has expired. Attempting to repair the faulty parts yourself can mean you do further damage or adjust something that you are obliged not to do under the terms and conditions of the warranty.

Invalidating a warranty will mean you become responsible for all auto repair costs; instead of the manufacturer or the seller.

Inserting The Wrong Part

There are many different variances to parts and if you have no experience with auto repairs, you might replace a component with something similarly named, but incorrect. This can mean that your vehicle may suffer from poor performance or further damage.

Then you could end up spending more money on returning the vehicle to their expected performance level or repairing the damage caused by the erroneous part.

Using The Wrong Tools

Professional mechanics have access to tools and equipment recommended or designed for your vehicle. If you do the repairs yourself, it is likely you will not have these tools at your disposal. Using alternatives could further damage your vehicle or the parts you are replacing or inserting into your car.

How Can You Prevent Costly Auto Repairs?

Even though owner manuals and the internet can provide all the necessary information, there is no guarantee you’ll be able to successfully implement their instructions or receive the right equipment / replacement parts. This can lead to more damage to your vehicle and high auto repair costs.

In essence, there is no substitute to a professional auto repair mechanic. They are trained and experienced to identify faults, source the correct parts and repair your vehicle.

The post Auto Repair: How To Avoid These Costly Mistakes appeared first on RPM Auto Repair.