Commonest reasons for car breakdowns

To avoid  a breakdown (of the mechanical type - not the nervous variety) it's all about prevention. So in this article we'll be looking at the commonest causes of breakdown in the UK with information gathered from a number of credible sources.

The major motoring organisations have conducted some interesting research into the commonest reasons for emergency call out.

In no particular order the reasons are...

• Punctured  / flat tyre
• Flat battery
• Traffic accidents
• Lost keys
• Engine fault - (eg.cylinder head gasket, piston rings, carburettor)
• Driver error (Nothing wrong with the car!- eg. running out of fuel, wrong kind of fuel. Every year around 150,000 people in the UK put the wrong fuel in their car!)
• Altenator fault
• Starter motor
• Clutch
• Flat battery caused by interior lights left on
• Distributor cap problems
• Spark plug or HT leads

A little common sense goes along way in preventing some of the above, but a few others are preventable by some simple actions and by keeping an eye out for tell-tale symptoms..

Batteries - Modern batteries are supposed to be maintenance free, but you can easily check yourself that the connections are clean and are protected by grease or petroleum jelly. Topping up the levels inside the battery with distilled water is also good practice. Caution - do not carry out battery maintenance with your engine running due to risk of severe electric shock.  If your find that your lights are fluctuating while the car is idling then there is likely to be a problem with either the battery or the alternator.

Tyres - Best practice is to check  pressures every 2 weeks or so. Sadly most of us don't do this! You should also realise that under inflated tyres increase fuel consumption. Check your tyre tread while you're at it (Good advice can be found on some fast fit and tyre manufacurers websites). As well as tread depth watch out for uneven wear which can be a sign of a tracking or suspension problem. This often occurs if you hit the kerb or a large pothole.

Oil - If your car is running very low on oil then the moving components within the engine will wear quickly. Damage of this type is extemely expensive to put right. If your car is consuming lot of oil then this is bad news and needs investigation.

Coolant- check your levels in the plastic translucent container under the bonnet. But remember that if you top up regularly with water then the antifreeze mixture will become too weak. If regular topping up is required the souce of the leak should be found. This could be a loose hose connection or a radiator leak.

Electrics - Best left to the experts but the commonest problems with the distributor and the attached HT leads are generally due to moisture finding its way into cracks or perished rubber.


Why do so many cars break down for preventable reasons?

Sadly, the advances in car technology are deterring people from fixing and preventing simple car problems. Cars have become more sophisticated and in many areas require specialist attention. But this is no excuse for not looking after the basics such as tyre, oil and water.

Come on motorists! - be honest with yourself and get your head out of the sand and under the bonnet!

How often do you check your tyres? - Please comment