10 Most Common Car Problems And Their Easy Solutions

With time and use, every car tends to develop one or more problems. Whenever this happens, it’s not a time to panic or complains. The way out is to be prepared and seek solutions to whatever problems your car develops. Below are common problems prone to cars generally and easy ways to solve them.

Dead Or Discharged Battery

In the lifetime of almost any car, there are high chances that it will experience a dead or discharged battery. There are various reasons for a dead car battery including leaving electricals on when not in use, faulty charging, parasitic drain or defective alternator.

EASY SOLUTION: Whenever you have a discharged battery, you can jumpstart the car using a jumper cable and a donor car whose battery you will use to charge your car.

Secondly, you can go to a mechanic’s workshop to have your battery charged.

Engine Overheating

Sometimes while driving, you suddenly realise that your car’s temperature gauge goes all red. When this happens, it means your engine is overheating. The major cause of engine overheating is the low coolant level in the radiator.

EASY SOLUTION: Solving an engine overheating problem is simple. All you need to do is have your mechanic top up the coolant to the required level.

Worn Out Brake Pads

Due to continuous use on the road, brake pads tend to get worn out. You will know your brake pads have issues when it starts to get noisy or squeaky on the road.

EASY SOLUTION: Replace the brake pads with well-fitted ones. Ensure that they are of high quality.

Broken Lights

Broken headlights or taillights are not an unusual car problem. Two major causes for broken lights could be that it has expired or the wiring has gone wrong.

EASY SOLUTION: Check the lights to observe the wiring and correct it if it’s not right. If the re-wiring does not work, the solution could be to get the lights replaced.

Flat Tires

Flat tires are another common problem you will experience with your car. This is why it is always advisable to have a spare tire with you. Flat tires happen due to sharp objects or nails puncturing your tire such that the air deflates.

EASY SOLUTION: Flat tires can be easily resolved by getting your tires inflated again or you replace the tires.

Faulty Air Conditioner

Perhaps you entered your car and turned on the car AC, only to realize it’s not giving you the cool air you expected. If you experience this, it’s most likely your AC is broken or out of refrigerant. Your AC refrigerant might be low because there is a leak somewhere.

EASY SOLUTION: Observe your car’s AC for any possible leak points, then refill the AC refrigerant. You could do this yourself or you employ the services of your mechanic.

Unusual Exhaust Smoke

Excessive release of smoke from your car tailpipe is often indicative of serious car problems. The different colours of smoke release can predict what is wrong with the car.

• White smoke often implies that coolant is being combusted along with the fuel and there is a leakage somewhere in the Engine block, cylinder head and head gasket.
• Blue smoke indicates that there is a leakage in the valve seals or guides or the piston rings have worn out, which are causing the engine oil to penetrate into the combustion chamber which is causing the oil to burn along with the fuel.
• Black Smoke indicates that excessive fuel is being burnt in the combustion chambers due to a leak in the fuel injector, a stuck fuel pressure regulator or a restriction in the fuel combustion pipe.

EASY SOLUTION: Whatever the colour of smoke, it’s usually not a problem you can handle on your own unless you are a mechanic. When you start noticing unusual smoke from your tailpipe, it’s best to take the car to your mechanic.

Faulty Speakers

If you are a driver who loves to enjoy loud music while driving, then having faulty speakers is a car problem you would hate so much. Oftentimes, faulty speakers could be a result of bad wiring or perhaps the speakers are just damaged.

Easy Solution: Try reconnecting the wires to see if that solves the problem. If not, the speakers might be damaged and you need to have them replaced.

Oil Leaks

Sometimes, you just notice your car leaves a trail of liquid anywhere you go. This could be a result of oil leaks. The oil leak is a common car problem, and can easily be corrected.

EASY SOLUTION: Check the floor under the car and locate where the problem is coming from. It’s possible the oil filter is faulty. Your mechanic would be of help to correct this problem.

Shaky Steering Wheel

There are various reasons why your car’s steering wheel can begin to feel shaky. It could be a result of damaged suspension components or wheel bearings. It could also indicate that your car is out of alignment i.e all four wheels aren’t pointing in a linear manner and they are off their usual angle with the road while moving.

EASY SOLUTION: The first thing to do is to take it to your mechanic for proper inspection. A simple fix to get your car’s wheel alignment done.