There are many obvious ways you can hurt your Subaru. Putting off maintenance or necessary service, driving dangerously, and leaving your vehicle unprotected during a storm are a few of the major ways your car can be damaged. But there are a few other things you may be doing that aren’t as obviously detrimental to your Subaru. Here are five surprising ways you may be causing damage to your car.
You Drive on Fumes
While sometimes you can’t help but drive with an almost-empty fuel tank, you should try to avoid this whenever you can. When your tank is almost empty, it can actually cause damage to the fuel pump. When there is low fuel in the tank, the pump becomes exposed. This causes it to heat up. When you put gas in the tank, it cools the pump. Going from one extreme temperature to another can damage the pump, so try to keep the needle above a quarter of a tank if you can.
Letting the Tire Pressure Get Low
While your Subaru has a system that monitors each tire’s pressure and alerts you when one is low, you still need to manually check their pressure. That’s because while the monitoring system will alert you, by the time it does, the under-inflated tire may have already caused damage to your car. It will affect the brakes, your gas milage, and how the vehicle handles.
Shifting Quickly from Drive to Reverse
When you shift quickly from drive to reverse, you may feel your Subaru jerk or lurch. That’s because abruptly changing directions strains the driveline and transmission. Let your car come to a complete stop before you change gears to avoid damage.
You Let Your Windshield Wipers Get Old
Not changing your windshield wipers regularly might seem like a minor thing, but it can put your life at risk. Old wipers won’t clear your windshield as effectively. This means you may not have the visibility you need to drive during heavy snow or ice. You should change the blades once a year, ideally before winter.
Not Using Your Parking Brake
Few people actually use their car’s parking brake, but they should. When you park your car, a small pin called the parking pawl is what prevents the transmission from engaging. However, this puts the pawl under a huge amount of pressure. This can easily damage it. When the parking brake is engaged, however, the wheels are locked. This takes some of the pressure off the parking pawl, reducing the wear and tear on it.
By avoiding these five things, you can keep your Subaru in great condition. If you do need maintenance done, we’re here to help. Schedule an appointment with us via our online service scheduler.
