There are times when you can keep driving even though there appears to be something wrong with your car, crossover, truck, or SUV; however, these times are rare. Driving your automobile when it isn’t operating as it should be is not only dangerous but also costly. It’s a good idea to stop driving and call for a tow anytime your automobile is acting strange or a warning light comes on. Village Autoworks recommends you definitely stop and call for a tow in any of the following four circumstances.
Brakes Feel Strange
Never take chances with your vehicle’s braking system. If you step on the brake pedal and something feels strange (such as vibration), your brake pedal sinks to the floor, or you hear or smell something strange, pull over and park your automobile in a safe spot. You cannot afford to have your brakes go out while you’re driving. We shudder to think about that danger.
Engine Overheating
Another time to stop and call for a tow is when your engine is overheating. Even if you turn up the heater and the temperature gauge starts to move back to normal, you can seriously damage your engine if you keep driving. The hotter your engine gets, the more susceptible it is to a blown head gasket or fire, so it’s best to stop. You don’t want your radiator cap to burst.
Excessive Exhaust
You may have already blown a head gasket if you see white exhaust pouring out of your tailpipe. You should never see excessive exhaust. If you do – well, you know what to do. Excessive black exhaust means a gasoline fire; your engine is burning too much gas. Excessive blue exhaust tells you that your engine is burning oil, which is deadly to the engine parts.
Vehicle Handling Differently
Finally, if your vehicle suddenly handles differently, you could have suspension damage. Unbelievably, people have driven on broken axles and not even known it. You know how your car, truck, or utility vehicle handles, and if it feels off, you could lose control of your automobile. The handling issue could be in the wheels, suspension, or steering; nothing you’d want to chance.
Village Autoworks offers towing services for our customers. You can call our Roseville, MN, shop if you need roadside assistance. We’ll bring your automobile back to our shop, find the problem, and fix it once you’ve approved of the repairs. Call us today.