Here are two signs that you need to have an auto repair mechanic look at your car.
The smoke coming from its exhaust pipe is black
If you can see that the fumes coming from the exhaust pipe are black, then you should consult an auto repair mechanic immediately. Black smoke from a vehicle's exhaust can indicate that your car is burning more fuel than it needs to, due to a fault with, for example, its fuel injectors or air filters. If the latter is dirty, or the former is clogged up with old fuel or grime, the engine might consume far more fuel than it is supposed to.
In addition to increasing the cost of fuelling your vehicle, ignoring this issue instead of letting a mechanic repair the damage could also potentially lead to bigger problems. For example, if the smoke is being caused by a faulty fuel injector and you don't get that injector repaired, your car engine might start misfiring as this injector continues to fail. This could make it harder to start your car and might lead to the engine stalling or making loud, distracting noises when you're driving. As such, it's important to let a mechanic check the car out and get to the bottom of the problem so that you don't experience these issues.
You can hear a grinding noise
If you can hear a grinding sound when driving, then you'll need to contact an auto repair mechanic. There are two common causes of this noise; the first is a clutch that is beginning to fail, and the second is that the gear shift linkage is either broken or misaligned. If the issue is related to either of these two things, you'll only hear the noise when changing gears. However, the problem could also be the result of your power steering fluid leaking. If this is the case, you'll hear the noise when you're turning.
You should get this issue diagnosed by a mechanic and repaired quickly, as being unable to change your gears or having issues with your gear shift could make driving dangerous. Continuing to drive when there is a fault with one of these components could result in damage being inflicted on other connected parts, like the gearbox. Similarly, if this problem is caused by your power steering fluid levels dropping too low because of a leak, you might find it very difficult to park your car in tight spaces (as steering agility is important for this) and might find it harder to make quick turns.
The car was probably the most successful invention of the modern era. There are now billions of cars in use around the globe. Unfortunately, not all of these cars are properly maintained. In this blog, I plan to give you the inside track on buying, modifying and accessorising your car. My name is Damian and although I don't work in an auto repair shop, I spend most of my free time in my garage working on my cars. Over the years, I have learnt an awful lot of stuff about every aspect of automobile ownership so I would like to share some of my wisdom with you.