Modern cars have evolved by leaps and bounds when compared to the kinds of vehicles we used to have just a few decades ago. Technologies such as ABS, EBD, traction control and even lane assistance have completely changed how vehicles perform and also made them a lot easier to handle for the average driver. It’s the simple advancements in features that really make modern vehicles a pleasure to drive.
The average driver who doesn’t know too much about the technology that powers all these features does appreciate how important these things are, but they often don’t understand how much hardware and software is working in the background to make their comfortable drive possible. The onboard computers on modern vehicles are far more sophisticated than they used to be, and this is both a blessing and a curse. It’s great because it makes our lives as drivers much easier, but in the case that something goes wrong, it can be quite difficult to rectify the issue in these complex systems. Here is why you should take car problems very seriously.
Electrical Problems
Nearly all modern vehicles rely extensively on electronics to keep things running. Even the mechanical components, such as the drive train or even the fuel injectors of the engine, all rely on the electrical system being in top shape to run efficiently. This electrical system is crucial for both the performance of the vehicle and the safety of the people on board.
One of the best things you can have at your disposal is an OBD scanner. This can plug directly into your car and tell you what the problem is. Since nearly all parts of the car are connected through sensors and microprocessors, you can run a quick diagnostic scan to find out what the problem is. The car will give you a preliminary warning on the odometer, and you can find more details through the OBD scanner.
Mechanical Problems
The part of the vehicle that suffers the most from wear and tear is the mechanical aspect of the vehicle. This involves all the hardware that is directly or indirectly connected to the drive train and actually helps the car move. In modern vehicles such as a hybrid Honda, it can be hard to differentiate where the mechanical aspect ends and where the electrical component starts since it is all so interlinked. In some cases, the dashboard cluster will let you know about mechanical problems, for instance, if the engine is overheating, or you are low on engine fuel, but in other cases, there will be no warning from the onboard system.
This is why you need to always pay close attention to the vehicle and use all your senses to ensure that everything is running fine. You might smell something odd like the brake shoes overheating, you could hear noise in the vehicle, or you might see that something is out of place. In some situations, the problem is very hard to detect when there are no visible symptoms, but it is causing a very slight change in how the vehicle drives and behaves.
Suspension Problems
The most neglected part in most vehicles is the suspension system. This is a very crucial component of the car, especially in vehicles that carry heavy loads or travel over rough terrain covering long distances. Suspension has outgrown the debate of IFS vs. Solid Axles, and now it is about what kind of IFS you have and what it is designed to do. In fact, a lot of heavy-duty trucks that are designed to carry out grueling work now sport independent front suspension systems rather than the traditional solid axle, and they are performing better than their predecessors.
Your suspension is what is keeping the entire vehicle in contact with the road. This is why it is so important for the suspension to be on point because if you lose traction, or have too much of it, no matter how good the car is, the performance is not going to be up to par. More importantly, safety will also become a major concern. Suspension problems are tricky because they don’t show up in the electrical system, and they are hard to diagnose mechanically. Only a seasoned mechanic will know where to look and what to look for.
We see countless examples every day of people driving vintage vehicles that are decades old. Many of them have been upgraded to meet modern demands, and they are doing a much better job than many of the vehicles that have just rolled off the showroom floor. A car is only as good as how well the owner maintains it. With the right maintenance, love, and care, your car will not only serve you for years to come, but it will also be a reliable and safe vehicle that you and your family can enjoy.
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