When you're a driver, pumping gas is both an obligation and a rite of passage. However, it's easy to forget that there was once a time that filling up your tank was as much as a matter of customer service as having someone ring up your groceries. Even though most people today simply swipe their debit card, grab the pump and fill up on their own, there are still lots of full-service gas stations out there.
Manual transmissions offer many benefits over automatic transmissions for drivers who want a more hands-on driving experience, and they also tend to be robust and reliable. Just because these transmissions can often outlast their automatic counterparts doesn't mean that they don't occasionally develop issues, however. Luckily, many issues that develop with manual transmissions are also less costly to repair. Recognizing the signs of a problem with your car's transmission can help you to get repairs done before the issue leaves you stranded.
Whether living in a city, small town, or rural area, most Americans have a very close relationship with their car. This level of familiarity makes it much easier for them to notice any new noise, vibration, or response that the car may develop.
Since any of these signs can be an early warning indication of a maintenance need or mechanical problem, knowing what the car is trying to tell you can help you avoid or reduce expensive repairs as well as help to prevent being stranded roadside by a car that suddenly ceases to operate.
Your power steering system is one of the most important parts of your vehicle, as it allows you to quickly change the direction of your car with little effort. However, if the system begins to fail, it can reduce the overall responsiveness of your vehicle and make driving significantly less safe. Being conscious of the most common warning signs associated with a power steering system that is failing can help you understand when you should head to a mechanic to have your vehicle inspected and any necessary repairs completed.
You can tell a lot about your car's automatic transmission simply by looking at the color of its fluid. Here's a quick primer on how to deduce your transmission's overall health with just a quick fluid check.
Bright Red
Crack open a bottle of transmission fluid, and remember how it looks now because this is how it'll look when it's fresh and new. Once it goes inside your transmission, however, the combination of heat and wear will cause it to take on a darker hue as time goes on.
