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5 Car Maintenance Problems You Should Fix Right Away

Maintaining your car is hard work—especially when you need it every single day for commuting to your job, dropping off the kids, and running errands. With so many things to do, it’s difficult to find time for taking the car into the shop and buying replacement parts. But it’s important to take care of issues right away. Otherwise, a small issue like a bald tire can become a giant problem and turn your already-busy day into a nightmare.

Instead of trying to get away with driving a less-than-functional car, do yourself a favor and take care of these five problems right when you notice them.

1. Empty Fluids

No matter the fluid—whether it’s for the windshield, brakes, transmission, or oil—don’t waste any time replacing it when it dries out or expires. Any fluid in your car is crucial to keeping it running smoothly. Without oil as a lubricant, your engine would fail. Without wiper fluid, you wouldn’t be able to see out of your windshield as dirt builds up. And the list goes on. So keep an eye on each fluid and refill them when they get low.

Some refills, like your wiper fluid, can be done in a snap and aren’t even expensive. Others, like your oil or brake fluid, may call for a professional mechanic.

2. Grinding Brakes

If you feel your brakes grind, don’t wait to get them checked out. It’s likely because the brake pads are worn down and need to be replaced, though your mechanic will be able to tell you the sure cause of it. Either way, don’t put off fixing them. They’re the difference between a smooth, gradual stop and a potentially fatal accident.

3. Bald Tires

Tires are surprisingly sturdy—sturdy enough to hold up the hundreds of pounds your car weighs. But they do have their limits. If your tires have lost their treading or air pressure, fix them right away. You may need to replace them altogether if they’re bald, but if they’re just low on air, you can pay a couple dollars at the gas station to refill them.

Even if it means getting new tires, your safety is worth it. If you wait too long, they could blow out while you’re driving—causing an accident, damage to your car, and damage to you.

4. A Burnt-Out Headlight

If you drive mostly during the day, a broken headlight doesn’t seem like a big deal; you hardly use your lights anyway. But you never know when you need to run out in the dark. When you do, you’ll wish you took care of that light beforehand because night driving with two headlights is risky enough.

If you have a burnt-out headlight, save yourself the headache and replace it now. You might consider opting for LED driving lights this time around; they’re an eco-friendly, long-lasting option so you don’t have to change your light again anytime soon.

5. A Cracked Windshield

While it doesn’t seem an immediate danger, a cracked windshield is worth fixing right away because it only gets worse with time. A small nick in the glass eventually turns into a giant crack and can be more expensive to replace down the road. What’s more, if the crack is prominent enough, it will disrupt your vision when driving. Make things easier on yourself and touch up your windshield before it causes bigger problems.

The long and short of it is that you never know which situations you’ll be driving in. In all likelihood, you’ll end up just driving to and from work, the grocery store, etc. In close quarters, you can get away longer with one headlight, touchy brakes, and a wobbly tire. But should you make an emergency trip in the dead of night or find yourself in bad weather, you’ll be glad you tended to those maintenance issues when you did.