Source: https://naijauto.com/safe-driving/bad-driving-habits-that-damage-your-car-415

Let's kick bad driving habits and save your money.

Beside good driving practices, drivers also have tons of bad ones that they consciously or unconsciously do all the time. Sometimes, those practices are so harmful that they cause heavy damage to your car. So it would be a great idea if you get to know what you have been doing wrong and how to make it right. Not only does that help your car last longer, but also save you a lot of money. In this article, we provide a list of bad habits that you might have, perhaps you will find a way to get rid of them.

1. Automatic car owners ignore the parking brake going on a hill

When you go up a hill, the parking brake will support the parking pawl, which is a small, metal pin within the automatic transmission, by taking a part of the forces causing by the huge mass of the car. Therefore, if you refuse to use it in that case, the parking pawl will be forced to do all the job. Gradually, the pawl will be heavily damaged until it loses the ability to response to you when you shift to the “P” one.


Gradually, the pawl will be heavily damaged until it loses the ability to response to you when you shift to the “P” one

The solution to this is just a little bit complex. Basically, you just need to decrease a part of the car’s weight to the parking brake instead of the transmission. So, while you are still pressing the brake, shift to bring the transmission to its neutral position. And then, before you stop pressing the brake, set the parking brake. Remember to slowly take your right foot away from the brake, don’t rush. Finally, shift the transmission to “P” which means “Park”. Apply this the next time to go on a hill and protect the transmission which is one of the most essential and breakable parts of your car.

Another bad practice that will add more weight to the transmission is that you lazily left your hand on the shifting stick while driving. As said before, do anything to release those weights on the transmission.

2. Being too preparative

Some people like to have their car as convenient as possible. Therefore, they tend to keep a lot of thing inside the cabin. Just to remind you that a car is actually a car, not a house. Carrying too many unnecessary things not only increase the fuel consumption but is also a drag for the brake, transmission system, the suspension and so on. Excessive weight will limit the handling ability as well, which can cause accidents,
especially on rainy days. Just keep essential stuff only. Being too greedy was never a good idea.


Excessive weight will limit the handling ability

Also, in daily driving, you possibly won’t need the spare wheel. As you may know, this secure option weighs about 18 kg. Instead of carrying that 18 kg hanging at the back of your car around and around, you can leave it in your garage. If there is a misfortune on the go, you just need to find a service centre anywhere. In case of traveling or far-away trip, you can bring the spare wheel with you now. We have the same recommendation with the tow trailer, roof rack, and roof bars as well.

3. Keep driving with draining empty fuel tank

Every car models now feature a monitor to show signals about your car condition. The fuel tank signal is one of those and it will tell you when you need to refill the tank. It is okay to drive when that signal is flashing sometimes. However, if this is what you do every single time, then you just critically need to destroy that habit. Could you live normally in just a day without feeding yourself?


When the fuel level reaches the bottom of the tank, the fuel pumper will suck the fuel at that bottom along with all the sediments before

Let’s give you a clearer view of the fuel pump system. Most of today's car models, especially ones with fuel injectors, an empty fuel tank is pure nightmare. The reason is that all the fuel sediments are stack of accumulate at the end of the tank. Gradually, the layer of sediments gets thicker and thicker. When the fuel level reaches the bottom of the tank, the fuel pumper will suck the fuel at that bottom along with all the sediments before. The stream of fuel bringing the sediments through the fuel filter will make it clogged after a time of using. Things get worse when the sediments are able to get into the engine which will cost an arm and a leg to get repaired once they need to. It is a good practice to refill the fuel tank when the liquid level downs to 20%.

4. “Riding the Clutch”

You might have seen some scenes in those car racing movies in which two drivers pressed the clutch while waiting for the signal. This could be you in real life waiting at the red lights in purpose of not wasting the time. You may save a little bit of time, but also cause a serious damage to some very vital parts of your car such as the release bearing, the release arm and the pressure plate. This bad behavior which is known as “riding the clutch” encourage the clutch’s parts to graze against each other until they are all worn down, much like self-destruct.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivkiks3wypY
8 Driving Habits That Ruin Your Car and Drain Your Wallet

Just like repair for car engine, the cost for fixing the clutch up is really not just a penny. A brand - new clutch is pretty expensive, you would not want to throw away that kind of many. So, in order to avoid the clutch conflict but still have a quick take-off, you should quickly remove your foot away from the clutch, shift the transmission to neutral position and after the light turns green, it is the right time to press the clutch again.

Source: https://naijauto.com/safe-driving/bad-driving-habits-that-damage-your-car-415

Nice one Op.

Most Nairalanders that keep sliding to my DM drives on empty fuel tank.
Not only do they do that but also scrap their body cream like this

Carrying heavy loads increases fuel consumption? First time I'll be hearing of this

dominique:
Carrying heavy loads increases fuel consumption? First time I'll be hearing of this

Yes it does...it creates a lag on the engine. Hence, the engine uses more fuel to keep up.

Alvin007:


Yes it does...it creates a lag on the engine. Hence, the engine uses more fuel to keep up.

brilliant... and if the load is ontop of the vehicle it's even worse.... It weakens the aerodynamics of the ride subjecting the vehicle to excessive wind resistance because of the larger surface area and uneven layers of steel then road noise will increase with several pockets of air here and there.

dominique:
Carrying heavy loads increases fuel consumption? First time I'll be hearing of this

U are obviously not a science student