A tune-up can be more than regular maintenance: taking your car to a repair shop before serious issues arise can greatly extend the life of your car and how long your vehicle can stay on the road. However, it's not always obvious what kind of issues warrant a closer look by a professional. Here are some signs your vehicle needs to be taken into a repair shop:
1. The Car Sounds Like It Struggles During Acceleration
This may seem obvious at first, but if a car is making loud knocking sounds when accelerating or on steep hills, it can be a sign your engine isn't as efficient as it could be. Similarly, if the car idles or accelerates with difficulty, it could be a spark plug failing to ignite. Taking your car for a tune-up may address this issue or point to a needed fix.
2. Gas Mileage Isn't What It Should Be
Are you finding that you're filling up your gas tank more than you thought you would? Getting fewer miles per gallon than you used is a sign your car isn't burning fuel efficiently, usually the result of faulty spark plugs or problems with fuel injection. A tune-up will fix this problem and improve overall vehicle performance.
3. Problems Starting The Car
The telltale symptom a car needs to be evaluated is if it has trouble starting. This can be the result of any number of correctable issues, from a weak battery or a bad fuel pump, but it can also be caused by an ignition problem that a tune-up could correct. Bring your vehicle to a mechanic to diagnose the problem before it gets worse.
Even reliable cars need a tune-up every once in a while, and it is better to be safe than sorry. If you need a tune-up today, stop into our auto repair shop for an evaluation on your car and get back on the road knowing your vehicle is running properly!