Traffic is inevitable in most U.S. cities. You probably get stuck in it every day. Do you ever wonder what the constant stopping and going is doing to your car, truck, or SUV? Well, we hate to say it but it isn’t good. As long as you maintain your vehicle, it can handle the traffic stress better than you can probably. Still, there are four things that traffic jams do to your and everybody else’s automobiles.
Burn Gas
Unless you’re stuck in a jam that will leave you sitting still for hours, you do not turn off your engine while stuck in traffic. As you have probably figured out, an idling engine still uses gas. Because your engine needs the fuel to run, you’re basically wasting gas sitting in a traffic jam. In fact, studies show that nearly 3 billion gallons of gasoline is wasted throughout the U.S. each year by people stuck in traffic.
Stresses the Brakes
The constant stop and go also adds stress to your vehicle’s braking system. Vehicle brake systems work by using friction and heat to create kinetic energy. Friction and heat naturally wear things down. Each time you step on the brakes as you creep along, your vehicle’s brake system is generating that friction and heat and this wears down the brake pads quicker than when you can drive without stopping.
Heats Fluids
Air is drawn through your automobile’s engine to help keep it cool. The cooling system doesn’t do this all by itself. When you’re sitting in stop-and-go traffic, you aren’t drawing air through your engine and this heats everything up, including fluids. The hotter your engine gets the more coolant evaporates from the system. This can heat up the other vehicle fluids, as well, and reduce their lifespan, especially oil.
Wears Down the Drive Belt
Finally, the drive or serpentine belt can be worn down more quickly if you drive in heavy traffic each day. This is just a natural byproduct of the constant motion of the belt and its related parts. In most cases, your drive belt will last 50,000 miles, but it can wear down faster if you spend a ton of time stuck in traffic. Have the belt checked regularly to ensure it is operating at its best.
Your vehicle will survive traffic jams if it’s serviced regularly. This keeps the belts, fluids, and parts cool and efficient, which means the traffic wreaks less havoc on your car, truck, or SUV. Call Village Autoworks today to schedule your next maintenance appointment.
