Cars regularly break down or turn up to a workshop for a service or Warrant of Fitness (WoF) inspection and there’s a glaringly obvious problem that should first be addressed if the vehicle is to remain on the road. Often with these cases, when the driver is asked about the issue, it surfaces that the vehicle had been playing up over the last few weeks or months.

Obviously there are still instances where a vehicle will fail the WoF inspection and give no warning signs whatsoever, but here are seven signs to keep an eye out for in order to get your vehicle checked by an experienced technician before it results in a breakdown or expensive further repairs.

Engine check light

This little orange light is to let you know that the engine computer has picked up a fault with a sensor or component that helps make your engine run efficiently.

Orange lights mean that you should take your vehicle to a vehicle service repairer sooner rather than later and have the fault diagnosed. There are usually between 50 and 100 potential reasons for the light to be on, and it may not be the same fault every time. It might also be logging multiple faults.

This sign is especially best not to be ignored or brushed off, as it could only get worse with time and could leave you stranded at the side of the road.

Service reminder

This one’s pretty straight forward. A lot of modern vehicles have built in service reminders that provide a countdown until the next service. Some older models, specifically Toyotas, even have a cambelt replacement reminder that triggers a light to let you know when it’s time to be replaced.

You generally get plenty of warning that your vehicle service is coming up, so get it booked as soon as you can at an AA Auto Centre. It’s also worth thinking about any notes that were made at the vehicle’s last service that could indicate extra work this time around to help you budget in advance.

Engine misfire

Does your vehicle seem unusually underpowered? Does it use lots of fuel, and have a ‘shaking’ feeling as you drive? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then your vehicle could have a misfire.

It could be moisture that has got into the sparkplug leads or coil tubes, or the sparkplugs or coils themselves could simply be worn out and require replacement.

The misfire might start to show when the engine is cold, or when you travel up a hill, and you might notice it less on a flat road or when the engine is already warmed up. This is because the spark will always take the path of least resistance, so under load the spark will jump and create a misfire more easily. 

Flat tyre

If a tyre is flat or low on air, the driver may experience a shimmy through the steering wheel, kind of like the wheels are out of balance. It might also result in a more loose feeling and reduced cornering ability as the tyre rolls over on the wheel rim, and there’s no air to cushion the wheel rim surface against the road.

If a tyre goes flat while you’re driving, you could hear and feel a thump, or a thump vibration accompanied by the vehicle pulling to one side. The key is to pull the vehicle over safely and stop the engine as soon as you feel something is not quite right, then call for AA Roadservice if required.

Brakes

Not much ruins a peaceful driving experience more than a screeching sound emitting from your brakes (with or without braking), or perhaps a shuddering feeling through the pedal and steering wheel every time you touch the brakes. This is usually a sign that your braking system needs some attention.

Drive belts

Does your engine squeal when you first start it or emit a loud noise when you turn a hard lock? This could be your drive belts telling you that they’re loose, contaminated, or maybe just worn out. Leaving it only makes things worse, so we would recommend that you don’t delay in getting it checked by an experienced technician.

Battery

One of the most common signs of a weak battery is slow cranking when you try to start the car. To start with, it could be noticed after not using the car for a prolonged period of time. Another sign is if you find your vehicle slow to start after 30 minutes of listening to the radio. In cases like these, it might be time to get your battery checked.

Older car batteries are more likely to start creating problems or not recover after going flat, so if your battery is more than three years old it may need testing or replacing if it’s displaying these symptoms.

Always keep on top of vehicle maintenance

While this list doesn’t name everything that can happen to your car over time, these issues are among the most common early warning signs that your vehicle may be giving that something may be going wrong.

If your vehicle doesn’t seem to be performing like it used to, or you suspect something is not quite right, then the best thing to do is to have it checked out by an experienced technician in order to try and catch a problem early on before it gets more expensive or leads to an inconvenient breakdown.

How can the AA help?

• AA Auto Centre - aa.co.nz/autocentre
• AA Roadservice - aa.co.nz/roadservice
• AA Insurance - aa.co.nz/insurance

Vehicle experts you can trust