10 Bad Driving Habits That Damage Your Car

Owning a car gives you a sense of achievement and prestige. Regular servicing, upkeep, and safe driving practices are necessary to maintain your vehicle in good shape. We all have both good and bad driving habits, some of which may be causing your car undue stress and ultimately necessitating expensive repairs. Poor driving practices can significantly reduce your vehicle's efficiency. There is a greater possibility of wear and tear than under normal circumstances, and poor driving habits might cause your car to lose its functionality. 

10 BAD DRIVING HABITS THAT DAMAGE CAR

We'll discuss the top ten driving behaviors that might result in costly repairs and poor vehicle performance in this article.

1. IGNORING THE HANDBRAKE

Many drivers overlook safe parking practices for car maintenance, especially those with automatic gearboxes, and frequently forget to use the handbrake when parking. The parking pawl, a metal part that supports the weight of your car, gets overworked as a result. This might eventually result in expensive gearbox repairs that are avoidable.

2. KEEPING THE CLUTCH ENGAGED

This driving habit is a major catastrophe. This propensity is most noticeable when waiting for the light to turn green while maintaining clutch pressure in a traffic bottleneck. Even if it speeds up your movement, it seriously harms your car. Long-term clutch depressing causes the clutches to rub against one another, seriously damaging the bearing, release arm, and pressure plates. It is therefore preferable to compromise a few seconds and avoid causing such serious harm.

3. OVERLOADING YOUR VEHICLE

Overloading is one habit you should be very cautious about since it could prove harmful. Overloading all the time strains your suspension system, brakes, and engine, which leads to early failure. Furthermore, the additional weight may result in worse fuel economy and ultimately higher costs. Switching to a larger car with a larger engine or adding larger tyres to your current vehicle will assist in reducing the pressure on the vehicle while still providing it with enough power to go swiftly if you need to haul heavy objects.

4. HARD BREAKING

The need to move quickly constantly puts a strain on the right foot. Fast driving, however, not only strains the drivetrain and gearbox parts, but it also necessitates using the full power brakes to stop or reduce speed. This implies that you put your braking parts through a great deal of wear and tear each time you accelerate and brake. Accelerating and decelerating gradually will help your automobile last longer and be healthier.

5. HOLDING ONTO THE GEAR LEVER

Most drivers find that using one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand on the gear lever is the most natural method to drive. This is useful when switching gears often; however, the lever bushings and synchronisers may be impacted by the additional pressure from your resting hand. This causes the gearbox to wear down prematurely. It's ideal to keep both hands on the steering wheel and only shift when necessary.

6. POOR FUEL MANAGEMENT

Fuel management errors are another common mistake made by drivers. Although it can seem like a cost-effective way to save money, driving your car with a low petrol tank might damage your fuel pump, which is made to function at its best when submerged in fuel. For diesel engines, this is particularly problematic since low fuel levels can cause significant wear and tear on important parts.

Read to Know: Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Car's Fuel Efficiency

7. IGNORING WARNING SIGNS

One of the most crucial driving practices you can develop to keep your automobile in peak condition is paying attention to the warning lights that show on your dashboard. However, a lot of drivers choose to ignore these signs or, worse, try to figure out why they could be occurring on their own and try to remedy them without fully comprehending the problem. In the end, you risk more harm to certain parts of your car if you don't have a qualified specialist diagnose and fix the problem. As a general guideline, if you notice a warning sign, no matter how minor you believe the issue to be, you should take it to a qualified technician so they can determine what could have caused it to do so and ensure that no more harm has been done as a result of its absence.

8. BRAKING DOWN THE HILL

When driving downhill, we frequently find that our car is moving too quickly, and our first instinct is to hit the brakes. When braking downhill, too much heat accumulates in the brake rotors and pads, leading to overheating and premature wear. Furthermore, maintaining a higher gear when descending reduces the amount of traction available and wears out the clutch. Consequently, shifting into a lower gear and allowing the engine to reach its maximum speed is the wisest course of action. In this manner, you may allow your powertrain to naturally deflate while descending without endangering important parts.

9. SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE

Speed changing from reverse to drive is arguably the most frequent driving error, particularly when there are time constraints. Nevertheless, your car's health is impacted by this kind of abrupt direction shift, which affects the drivetrain and gearbox system.  Therefore, it is important to stop it correctly, engage the appropriate driving gear, and prevent damage to the engine, axle, and gearbox.

10. IGNORING REGULAR MAINTENANCE

All automobile manufacturers advise you to keep your car in peak condition by adhering to a regular maintenance program. It can appear that there is no immediate danger in forgoing a tyre rotation, air filter replacement, or oil change. However, if you take care of these preventative maintenance duties now, you may avoid the need for expensive repairs later.

CONCLUSION

Even minor driving errors might result in serious issues. By being aware of these behaviours and implementing small adjustments, you may drive more sensibly, lower your risk of accidents, and maintain the smooth operation of your car for many years to come. If you're having problems with your current car and want to get a new one, you can check out the Maruti cars at Indus Motors and choose the one that best fits your needs and budget.

Indus Motors is India's top-ranked Maruti dealer. Indus Motors' marketing intelligence significantly increases the sales of Maruti vehicles. The firm will help the customer choose the type and color of the vehicle and determine the best financing arrangement for them. The organisation is available to assist customers with car servicing, offering the option to pick up the vehicle from their doorstep and return it to them when the job is completed.

Check out the nearest Indus Motors service centers near you.

Read to know: Complete Buying Guide for Maruti Suzuki Invicto