Becoming more educated on cars and car safety this month has been so empowering! We feel like we have the capability to handle things on our own, in the case that we ever need to. We love how this challenge has tied into July 2019’s challenge of #PutYourPhoneDown. That was an eye-opener about what not to do and we have learned from Les Schwab that there are many other things we need to add to the list.
I still remember being driven by a date to a high school dance when all of a sudden, his gas pedal got stuck. We were on the freeway and he was driving an old car and it was absolutely terrifying for about 10 seconds until he was able to fix it. Since then, I’ve had a major fear of anything involving brakes, so I decided to educate myself on what I should not be doing!
Ignore Your Brake Light
Unfortunately, there is a reason it’s on. I wish I could tell my 18-year-old self this. Things are often more expensive to fix when they have been ignored. Now, I make sure to take my car right into Les Schwab when the brake light comes on and it’s usually a simple fix.
Never turn down the music enough to actually hear your car
Cars often give warning signs in the form of sounds. If you ever hear squeaking, squealing or grinding noises, take your car in because there is most likely an issue with the brakes.
What shaky steering wheel?
Oh my goodness am I guilty of this one! Don’t all cars shake a little? The answer is no, they don’t if you keep them updated on everything. Your car should run smoothly and have no shaky feeling. This often indicates brake problems.
Let Your Car Leak Fluid
I honestly thought all cars did this until I was about 21! Embarrassing. Cars are not supposed to leak fluid and making sure you park over your cardboard square gets old really quick. The handy gif above shows how the brake fluid works. Whenever this happens, I schedule a check with Les Schwab.
Ignore a Burning Smell
Yikes! This can get scary, but in Utah, it can also happen quite frequently when driving in the steep mountain canyons. I learned from Les Schwab that a sharp, chemical odor after repeated hard braking on steep roads is a sign of overheated brakes or clutch. Pullover immediately in a safe place, check your parking brake to make sure it’s fully released and allow the brakes to cool. If you don’t, you risk heating up the brake fluid to boiling, which can cause brake failure.
Many of these things may seem obvious, but it is interesting to learn the WHY behind all of these things. We are so lucky to have modern transportation and cars, I’m so glad I know how to better take care of mine! Thanks to my friends at Les Schwab for teaching me so much.
#LesSchwabPartner
Leave a Reply