Is your car squealing, sluggish, or unreliable? Is it vibrating more than it should? If you answer yes to these questions, it’s time you took your car for a tuneup. The vehicles of yesteryear required tune-ups every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. Nowadays, with newer vehicles, the manufacturers recommend tune-ups every 1000,000 miles. After these intervals, you see some maintenance issues, such as replacing the spark plugs. 

It does not mean you should ignore warning signs or not take your vehicle for routine maintenance. Remember, it is expensive to replace a car. So it is more economical to take better care of the one you are currently running. So try to understand what your vehicle is saying to you by recognizing these signs mentioned in this article, that it is time to take your car for maintenance or a tune-up. 

Your Car Keeps Stalling

If your car starts to stall suddenly while you try to accelerate at intersections or other times, this is a warning sign for trouble. And it can also put you in a rather difficult and dangerous situation. While merging onto a highway, you need your engine to deliver reliable performance. And most engines are designed in a way so they can support you during such times of need. If the car stalls during such times, it could be sourced back to a clogged fuel filter or fouled spark plugs.

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Warning Lights

When you start your car, you can see little indicators light up, and some of them stay illuminated. This happens for a reason, to let you know that there is a problem, or a potential problem in the car, or a vehicular component. You must keep an eye out for these indicator lights and get them checked immediately if one is illuminated. The lights can indicate a simple problem, such as a taillight getting burned out, or something more serious, like a failure in transmission. If you take heed of the car symbols early on and get them fixed instantly, you will avoid a much costlier and larger problem down the road.

Getting Poor Mileage From The Fuel

Are you driving the same distance yet having to refuel the gas tank more frequently than before? Yet you are sure that no one else is taking your car for unauthorized spins. If so, then your car might be experiencing a reduction in fuel mileage. You must investigate why you are getting fewer miles from a gallon of gas. 

If your car has a sudden drop in fuel mileage, it clearly states that your vehicle isn’t operating as efficiently as you expect it to. It could be due to a sticking brake pad or improper tire pressure. Or maybe it’s time you took your car for a tune-up. You should track the baseline fuel mileage of your vehicle so you can be aware if a problem arises.

Your Car Is Making Hard Starts

Your car might be a little sluggish first thing in the morning, and that’s not ok. If you see that your car isn’t starting when you intend it to, or if you are required to make several turns of the key for your car to start, and even when it starts, it does not stay running, you might have a problem in your hands. The culprit might be various things, including a defective starter or a weak battery.

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Brakes Are Noisy or Soft

You should be able to quietly bring our car to a stop by pressing the brakes. If you feel a rhythmic vibration or your brakes make a squealing noise when applied, that clearly indicates something is wrong. If your brake pedal feels spongy or soft when pressed down, and it requires you to put in a lot of leg power, not stopping till you have almost reached the floor, then the brakes in your car need to be inspected. Rotors, brake pads, and brake fluid are prone to wear and tear and need to be maintained and replaced periodically.

Rough Shifts

Most of the work has been taken out of shifting by the advent of automatic transmission. With it, you can get smooth, efficient, and reliable transmission. If you see that your vehicle is hesitating to go from drive to reverse or vice versa, or if you see that the gear changes are abrupt and rough, or if the car is downshifting or upshifting when you don’t expect it to, then you should know that your transmission needs to be inspected. 

Unexplained Vibration

You need to inspect the car if your car is vibrating suddenly and a bumpy road does not cause it. This vibration may be felt all throughout the vehicle, or you might feel it only on the steering wheel after going over a certain speed. This unexplained vibration can be caused by various reasons, including a tire going flat, worn or unbalanced tires, or a universal joint failing.

Loss of Power or Sluggish Acceleration

You might need high speed when merging into a highway or passing another vehicle. Then, if you don’t get the power that you have come to expect at such a moment, it can get very dangerous. You must get your car checked immediately if you see a reduction in power. You must perform regular maintenance on your car to prevent such instances.

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Summing Up

Knowing the signs and identifying them in your car early on can help you to avoid a bigger problem down the road. Proper car maintenance is key to your vehicle running smoothly and giving you a fantastic driving experience. So check to see if you witness any of the warning signs mentioned above in your car and take it for maintenance or a tune-up instantly if you do.