Diagnosing vehicle problems | OK Carz

Man leaning against his car with the hood up talking on a phone

How to tell if there’s something wrong with your vehicle 

Many drivers are able to determine if there’s something wrong with their vehicle the second that they turn it on. There are also plenty of others who are totally lost when it comes to vehicle maintenance. If you’re not sure if something is wrong with your vehicle, here are some easy ways to diagnose your vehicle’s problems.  

Learn to read your vehicle’s dashboard 

Oftentimes, the harbinger of vehicular disaster is a dashboard that is lit up like a Christmas tree. Whether it’s your check engine light or the oil pressure light, when you see the little icon pop up on your dashboard, you should bring your vehicle to a service station to figure out what exactly is wrong with it. Most of these codes can be determined at an auto parts store that has a code reader, which will give you the information you need.

Listen for weird noises 

If you take your vehicle out and start hearing clunking, grinding, or other odd noises that aren’t normally present, you’ll probably want to take your vehicle in. If you’re in a safe place to pull over and check that there aren’t any problems that you can see, like a flat tire, which will be accompanied by a flapping sound. When your vehicle is making sounds, a professional should be able to quickly identify and fix the problem.  

Pay attention to different feelings 

While it may seem like you wouldn’t be able to tell if something is going wrong with your vehicle, there are a lot of things that are very obvious when they’re going wrong. Your vehicle may start pulling away when you’re driving, which could indicate a problem with your tires. You may also feel your vehicle shaking or vibrating, which can be tied to a number of issues. If your vehicle is shaking, take it to an expert for diagnosis.  

  

[Related: What the check engine light means]

Service engine soon light on the dashboard

What to do when your vehicle is broken? 

Fixing up your vehicle can be a costly exercise. While you want to make sure that you have a vehicle that is able to keep you safe everytime you’re on the road, it may be a better investment to start looking for a newer model instead of funneling money into an old vehicle. If you’re looking for a pre-owned vehicle, OkCarz has plenty of options for you to choose from, and when you buy from OkCarz, you’ll have a 6 month/ 6,000-mile powertrain warranty that will help protect you and your vehicle from wear and tear.  

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