10 Driving Habits That Shorten Your Car’s Life
We all want our cars to work reliably and never let us down, and the first step toward trouble-free motoring is maintenance and mechanical sympathy. Look after your car well and it will look after you well. Always refer to the service manual and never skip services. But you can also drive differently to give your car an easier time and make its parts last longer. Avoid these ten bad driving habits to get the maximum service life out of your car.
We look at ten driving habits that puts more wear and tear on your vehicle and that you should avoid doing. This article does not focus on driving etiquette or law-abiding driving habits, only those ones that can shorten the lifespan of your car.
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10 Idling Your Engine To Warm It Up
It does more harm than good
It’s a myth that you have to let an engine idle to warm it up. An engine warms up more slowly when there is no load on it, such as when it’s idling and not pulling the car along. The parts of the engine need to reach operating temperature for them to expand to the correct tolerances and the oil must warm up to do its job properly. Idling prolongs all these processes, and while the engine is cold, it wears more quickly. The object is, therefore, to get the engine to operating temperature as quickly as possible. You do this by driving, not idling, but drive gently with small throttle openings, and don’t let the engine work hard or demand quick acceleration while cold.
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In winter, it can take as long as five miles or more for the engine oil to warm up properly after a cold start. An engine is warm when the oil is warm, not when the water is warm. If you have an oil-temperature gauge, you’ll see it takes longer than the coolant to warm up. Yes, an engine needs a moment for the oil pressure to build up and reach all the engine parts, but this happens within a few seconds after starting. Just get into your car and start the engine immediately. In the time it takes to fasten your seatbelt, put your personal effects away, and put your sunglasses on, all the fluids would have circulated sufficiently for you to drive off at a sedate pace.
These rules apply to well-maintained cars, so:
- Do not defer scheduled oil changes
- Always use the correct engine oil for your engine and temperature range
- Service your car according to the service schedule
- Make sure the cooling system is filled with the correct amount of coolant and antifreeze
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It’s bad for your automatic transmission
In an automatic car, it’s best to pretend your left foot is paralyzed and not to use it. Brake and accelerate with your right foot and give your left foot a rest. Braking with your left foot while your right foot is on the accelerator puts additional load on the transmission’s torque converter and/or clutches, increasing heat and wear. Unless you’re a test driver or professional doing it to performance test a car, it’s just bad for your transmission, so don’t do it.
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8 Riding The Clutch
It’s bad for your manual transmission
In a manual car, don’t hold the car on the incline by slipping the clutch. Use the handbrake instead. While the clutch is slipping, it’s wearing and heating up. You will dramatically reduce its lifespan if you make this a habit. Learn to do proper handbrake pullaways on inclines, or make use of the auto-hold function if your car has it.
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And remember, even light pressure on the clutch pedal puts some load on the pressure plate’s fingers. These are only supposed to flex when you operate the clutch, not all the time. So don’t rest your foot on the clutch while you’re not actually using it. Get into the habit of putting your left foot on the floor or on the footrest, and touch the pedal only when pulling away or changing gears.
7 Riding The Brakes
Rather select a lower gear
We don’t suggest gearing down through all the gears like a semi when you slow down, but excessively riding the brakes is bad for them and will overheat them and wear them out. Your brakes are only for slowing down, not for maintaining speed on a continuous downhill. If your car wants to run away on a long downhill and you have to keep your speed in check with the brake for prolonged periods, it’s better to go down that hill in a lower gear and let the engine do the braking so your brakes can take a breather. This is even more important when towing. To give your brakes an easier time, also look ahead and lift off the accelerator in time, so you don’t end up accelerating for too long and then having to brake too hard. Late braking is more dangerous and puts more strain on your brakes.
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6 Looking At Your Passengers
Listen and talk, but don’t look
Yes, we look people in the eye when we talk to them, but this does NOT apply to the driver of a car. Turn down the music so you can hear your passengers properly and talk away as much as you like – as long as your eyes are on the road, not on your passengers. It’s not rude, and they’ll understand. Safety is more important than looking at someone when you’re talking to them, especially when you’re driving.
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5 Going Over Speed Bumps Too Quickly
It can damage your suspension and wheels
Speed bumps don’t seem to jostle you as much when you go over them faster, because then the brunt of the impact is borne by the suspension, with the car’s body hardly able to react. It feels more comfortable for you, but it’s definitely worse for your car. The harsh jolts of hitting speed bumps at speed can throw out your wheel alignment, buckle your rims, and prematurely wear out your dampers.
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4 Hitting The Redline
Attempt at operating temperature only
The manufacturer’s quoted redline comes with some safety margin built in, and is safe to explore, but there are some provisos. First and foremost, it only applies when the engine is at operating temperature, so be sure it’s thoroughly warmed up before putting your foot down. Second, it is presumed that you maintain your car properly, and that your oil is in good condition and topped up. Revving an old, worn-out engine that’s low on oil is just bringing on its demise sooner. Anyway, there’s only so much revving you can do before bagging yourself a speeding fine, so take it easy.
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3 Overfilling Your Gas Tank
It can wreck your EVAP system
When the pump clicks, stop filling up. Don’t trickle-fill your tank to the brim, because it can be harmful. Filling up the expansion tank can cause your tank to overflow if you immediately park it in the sun and the fuel heats up and expands. The fuel can also force itself into the evaporative emissions-control system and damage it.
2 Long-Term Parking
Get someone to drive your car occasionally if you can’t
It’s bad for a car to just sit. Long-term parking without ever being driven will eventually cause the tires to flat-spot on the one side. Rodents can make a home of your car and eat its wiring, the battery will run down completely, and the air-conditioning can start leaking gas if it’s not used occasionally to circulate the fluids and keep the seals supple. Eventually, the brake discs will rust and pit and be ruined. Your car should go for at least one proper drive every two weeks that warms it up properly, right through to the end of its exhaust to expel any moisture. And keep the battery on a battery tender, or the low charge level will eventually destroy it.
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1 Overloading
Stick to the limits
Don’t exceed your car’s maximum loading limits. Overloading it will put additional strain on the suspension and shock absorbers, not to mention the tires and the brakes. The engine has to work harder and will use more fuel. A car is designed to work reliably up to its designed limit. If you exceed it, the wear and tear will eventually start to show.
Sources:
How Stuff Works, It Still Runs.
