Potential car trouble? Subtle signs of car problems everyone should be familiar with
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Eugene Bernshtam is often preceded by his reputation as a successful business personality. However, he is also known in car enthusiast circles as a car restoration and maintenance buff, who knows his stuff pretty well. Here he shares some subtle signs of car problems everyone should be familiar with.
Wear patterns on tires
If your car’s tires show any signs of wear, it’s easy to decide that they need to be replaced, which most people do almost automatically. However, before you replace them, look for wear patterns. For instance, if the wear favors either side of the tire, you might have an issue with your camber alignment, warns Eugene Bernshtam. Improper camber alignment can cause uneven movements that affect the shock absorbers, which may need your attention, especially if you’ve had camber issues for a prolonged period.
Flickering lights
One time or another, you have encountered an instance of flickering lights. Often, people just blindly replace their light bulbs, thinking that this is where the problem lies. If it persists, they move on to replace their batteries. However, this could be a case of improper electricity distribution, which is a more serious thing altogether. Sometimes, when there are malfunctioning electric components in a car, this may cause load distribution issues, which prevents the car from providing the optimal amount of electricity to your lights.
Irregular sounds
After being accustomed to handling your car for some time, you will get used to its normal sounds. Throughout years of use, things naturally wear down, and then you hear sounds that weren’t there before. Creaking and squeaking sounds are often indications of something loosely connected, which could be something as predictable as a body panel, or something as subtle as an idle washer or screw. Knocking sounds are particularly alarming, which could indicate thinning out of rubber bushings. If the knocking sound comes from the engine, be warned that you might have an accident waiting to happen.