5 signs your car needs mechanical attention

Car maintenance is one of the hardest parts of owning a car. There are a lot of things that one needs to take care of. While driving, one should be aware of how their car is behaving and look for signs which might hint towards their vehicle needing mechanical attention. It is better to detect a fault before it becomes a big enough problem to cause permanent or major failure of the vehicle parts. 

Naturally, any odd behaviour from your vehicle is a matter of concern. Sometimes it is just a good idea to pay attention to the signs and get it checked. Here are 5 signs your car needs mechanical attention. 

White smoke from the exhaust is never good news. It most likely means that the coolant is being mixed in the engine oil. This could be because of a failing head gasket, or there is a serious problem like a cracked block or head. This may lead to complete engine failure so it is a good idea to address it as soon as possible. 

Vibrations while driving can mean a lot of things. This can be due to many reasons. It could be due to failing suspension components, steering rack issues or engine or transmission not running properly which is in turn transferring the vibrations to the steering wheel and the pedals. 

If your car is pulling to one side then it definitely needs an alignment. Not getting an alignment at the right time could cause unwanted wear and tear on suspension components and also uneven wear the tyres. Tyres are not cheap to replace and it is better to get an alignment every 10,000 kms. 

If your car is spewing black smoke, then it is because the air-fuel ratio of your vehicle is too rich. This could be because of plenty of reasons and most of which is due to improper maintenance of the vehicle. There may be issues with the fuel pressure regulator, injectors or the intake system is clogged, causing a bad air fuel ratio. 

Overheating may be caused due to a failing cooling system. The reasons might be a faulty thermostat or air in the cooling system. If your vehicle is overheating, then it is a good idea to get it checked because regular overheating can cause a complete engine failure and unnecessary damage to your engine. One more important thing to keep in mind is that one should not mess with their overheated engine since the hot coolant can seriously injure you as well.