We are warned many times not to drink and drive, drive when we are sleepy or using mobile phone. However, there still are less clear bad driving habits than the mentioned ones that you should be aware. If you don’t want to damage your car and wallet, try not to do these things while driving.
Bad Driving Habits That You Should Avoid
1. Resting Your Hand On The Gearstick
Driving instructors always advise that you should keep both hands on the wheel at all times, but many of us develop bad driving habit which is resting your hand on the shifter. The gearstick is connected to a selector fork, which is designed to make contact with a rotating collar for a short amount of time.
If you rest your hand on the gearstick, it will require the synchronizers and bushings of the transmission to handle more weight than usual, causing internal wear.
2. Keeping The Pressure On The Brake Pedal While Driving Downhill
It’s another one of the bad driving habits that send your car to the graveyard early. Driving down a steep road is not easy, and many drivers feel the urge to keep their foot on the pedal so that it’s easier to slow down at short notice. However, the best thing to do is to shift into a lower gear, which will slow the vehicle down without putting pressure on brake pads and rotors.
3. Staying On The Clutch While Driving Uphill
Many drivers do it to stay in one spot without completely stopping the vehicle while climbing a steep road. Just use the automatic brake hold system in such a position. If your car does not have one, use the hand brake for the same purpose. Remember that riding on the clutch too much will make it fail ultimately, resulting in the inability of switching gears.
4. Neglecting Warning Lights
Occasionally, some warning like “washer fluid” or “bulb gone” can be ignored until you get a chance to stop. But others need to be investigated at the earliest opportunity. Don’t ignore the warnings – because your car’s clever computer knows what its doing. It might damage the gearbox and require you to change its parts earlier than the recommended time. When you press the clutch pedal to keep the vehicle in gear, the throwout bearing has to be in contact with the pressure plate for a longer period, leading to its erosion faster.
5. Revving The Engine Before It’s Warm
Some people said that the engine oil never totally warms up so a short journey will be terrible. In fact, all vehicles start from cold; therefore, it is vital to avoid revving the engine until it is warmed up. Leave the engine to run for around 10 seconds before you set off.
6. Keeping The Tank Almost Empty
It’s a bad practice since oil pump tends to heat up and increases friction between the engine parts if it’s not submerged in enough fuel. So, instead of adding just a gallon or two every time, go for a full tank to keep your engine cool and healthy. This is also one of bad habits that are killing your manual car.
7. Overloading Your Car
Unless it’s required, strip your vehicle of every ounce of unwanted weight. A bulky car puts a strain on the components of the brake, suspension and drivetrain. The owner’s manual usually tells you your car’s maximum load weight, which will give you an indication of how much luggage you should carry as a total.
8. Neglecting To Use The Parking Brake
It’s a grave mistake because not doing so demands the parking pawl work harder and break eventually. As a result, the shifter’s ‘P’ becomes literally useless.
Wrap-up
Even experience drivers can have bad driving habits, causing excessive wear and tear on their vehicle. We hope that the list above will help you to avoid to evade the costly repairs down the road.
Reference: Car From Japan
