As a car owner, you must have gone through a lot of maintenance work to keep it running and driving with comfort. Sometimes auto maintenance involves removing and replacing some of the auto parts.
While some parts need to be replaced only when there’s an accident, some of them require frequent replacement. These parts tend to fail due to normal wear and tear. Hence you need to consider their routine replacement.
Although the owner’s manual of your vehicle should mention these things, you should also have proper knowledge about the parts.
Car Parts That Require Routine Replacement
If you’re new to driving, it must be tough for you to determine which parts should be changed more often. Also, not all parts will make you spend the same. While some parts will be found at a reasonable price, others may cause you a significant loss due to their high cost.
It’s highly recommended that you do thorough research before you purchase any auto parts. You can look into some online shops for Discount Auto Parts to see if you can get your desired car parts at a reasonable price.
Let’s take a look at some of the common parts of your vehicle that require replacement during routine maintenance.
Brake Pads
The brake pads of your car wear a little bit more every time you hit the brakes. They will eventually go down to the metal, making the brakes screech. The brake rotors can also be damaged as the pads wear down.
It’s essential to have your brake pads replaced as soon as you hear the screeching sound. The brake pads of a large and heavy vehicle wear out more often than the ones in a small car. Your driving style also determines how often you need to change the brake pads.
Filters
Your vehicle uses various filters such as air filter, fuel filter, cabin air filter, etc. based on how you use your vehicle. All of them need to be replaced at a certain point in their life.
These filters are crucial to keeping your car functional. These filters prevent any air particles, dirt, contaminants from entering the car’s engine, and any flaw in these filters will make your engine run poorly.
While going for a routine checkup, do check if your filters are working correctly and replace them without delay if required.
Battery
Whether it’s a family-friendly SUV or a sports car, each of them needs a battery to help power it down the road. Like every kind of battery, your vehicle’s battery will die at an inconvenient time.
You must always check the battery as it’s a key part of your car’s engine. Usually, you can expect the battery to last at least 3-5 years, depending on how you take care of it.
While low charge and acid stratification are the most common reasons for battery failure, your poor driving habits can also contribute to reducing battery life.
Timing Belt
The timing belt of a vehicle is a part that should never be neglected. The engine may experience significant damage if the timing belt snaps.
While a timing belt should last about 8 years or 100,000 miles, the performance may vary depending on how you use your car.
Alternator
Another vital part that keeps the battery charged and creates electricity to power some other crucial parts when the vehicle’s engine is on. If it fails, you will face issues with the radio, lighting, and even starting your car.
Depending on how frequently you use your car, an alternator may fail after 5 or 6 years of use or may last the life of that vehicle. If your vehicle runs high demand applications, the alternator will have a short life span.
Starter
Imagine you turn the key and hear a loud click, but the engine doesn’t start. It means there’s a high chance that your vehicle’s starter is malfunctioning.
It’s an essential component of a car that can go bad after years on the road. And unfortunately, you may face such problems with the starter when you’re on a long drive or at a time when there’s no mechanic available.
Whenever you go for your car’s routine checkup, make sure you check the condition of the starter and replace it as soon as it shows the signs of any problem.
Spark Plugs
If you’re facing engine issues and have crossed 80,000 miles, it’s time to check the spark plugs. These components are essential to keep your car in its peak condition.
Spark plugs in the engine generate fuel mixture, which power the engine and spark that ignites the air. If the spark plugs are damaged, you will experience issues like slow acceleration, difficulty starting your vehicle, rough idling, and misfiring or surging of the engine.
Tires
While it’s typical for a tire to last 25,000-50,000 miles, how you drive the car directly affects its lifespan.
The tires help you motor down the road safely by offering traction and grip. Driving with worn tires may put you in a serious accident, especially if you’re trying to drive on a wet, snow-covered road.
Before you go out for a drive, always check the tires. Keep a spare tire with you so that you can at least drive your car safely to the workshop to replace the tire.
Fuses
If you are continuously having problems with the windshield wipers, heaters, flashers, and other instruments, the chances are you have a failing fuse. You can find it yourself by locating the fuse box and checking for a black fuse.
If there’s any fuse with broken interior wire, you must change it as soon as possible as a faulty fuse can’t be repaired.
Final Thoughts
As you depend on your car to go anywhere you want, the only way you can continue it without any hassle is by ensuring proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Routine maintenance is necessary for improving the lifespan of every part of that car. However, some parts will lose the ability to do their job if the miles add up.
To prevent this from happening, it’s important to check the part and replace them when necessary.
