Ten bad driving habits that could be hurting your car and costing you

Running your fuel to empty is very likely one of the more common mistakes.

FROM the moment learners pass their driving test they embark picking up bad habits.

Whether it’s crossing your arms when turning or putting your arm on the headrest when parking.

But a breakdown rock-hard has exposed some habits could be costing owners thousands of dollars in repair bills for fresh clutches, fuel pumps and engines, reports The Sun.

24/7 Home Rescue said millions of motorists are blissfully unaware how their regular routines are harming their vehicles.

Ranjen Gohri, from 24/7 Home Rescue, said: “We all have driving habits — some good, and some bad.

“But in our practice very few understand that the actual way they drive their vehicle can also have a massive influence on its health.”

1. RUNNING THE TANK LOW ON FUEL

Leaving your tank to get unsafely empty permits the mud, rust and grime that sits at the bottom of it to get sucked into the system, attacking the fuel pump and filters.

Fuel also acts as a lubricant and coolant so letting it run dry can increase wear and rip on the pump leading to failure and an expensive replacement.

Two. RESTING YOUR Mitt ON THE GEARSTICK

Most people let their palm rest on the gear stick while driving but it can be bruising to your gearbox.

The lever is linked to a control rod in the gearbox that has selector forks designed only to make contact with gears for a brief amount of time.

Leaving your forearm resting with a certain amount of force will make the forks knead against the rotating cangue causing unnecessary wear.

Resting your palm on the gear stick is a bad play.

Trio. RESTING FOOT ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL

Similarly, resting your foot on the clutch can cause your clutch to engage, especially if your car has a high bite point.

Railing the pressure plate against the clutch causes warmth and wear — and fresh clutches don’t come cheap.

Four. REVVING THE ENGINE BEFORE IT’S WARM

Just like athletes, cars need to warm up very first. When you commence the engine, the oil pump shoves oil around the system and this oil takes time to fully circulate.

Commencing up the car and driving straight away is like waking up from a deep sleep, opening your eyes and then instantly attempting to do a 100m hurdle race.

You should leave the engine to run for ten seconds before setting off.

Five. DELAYING REGULAR MAINTENANCE

It might be a agony keeping up with services, and expensive, too, but if you don’t you’ll suffer a build up of horrible sludge and burnt oil in your engine.

This muck can block oil galleries and stop the oil protecting your engine, which can result in catastrophic failure.

And when you switch the car’s oil, make sure you switch the filter, too.

6. Overlooking DASH WARNING LIGHTS

A latest survey found ninety eight per cent of drivers didn’t truly understand the most common dashboard warning lights, such as tyre pressure, engine emissions and fog-light indicators.

You might, wrongly, overlook a message telling you that a bulb had deep-throated.

But overlook one that says ‘DPF’ — aka ‘diesel particulate filter’ — and you might not even get home. Don’t disregard the dash warnings — because your car’s clever computer knows what it’s doing.

Dashboard warning lights are always a good indication something is wrong.

7. Overlooking YOUR HANDBRAKE

If you’ve got an automatic car, it might be tempting to simply always leave it in ‘Park’ mode rather than engaging the handbrake.

But doing this puts lots of pressure on one part — a little metal pin called the ‘pawl’, which engages a notched ring that’s fastened to the transmission output shaft.

Over a long period of time, manhandling the pawl can dislodge or harm it, meaning you might one day leave your house, look frantically for your missing car, only to find it parked at the bottom of a hill.

8. STAMPING ON THE BRAKES

If you’re always on the brakes because you’re driving too close to the car in front you need to back off.

Not only is it hugely unsafe but unexpected stops cause swifter wear to the brake pads and discs.

9. BEING IN TOO HIGH A GEAR

Keeping engine revs low can save fuel but “lugging” — being in too high a gear at too low a speed — actually creates unnecessary strain on the engine and can harm your cylinder goes, leading to expensive repairs.

Similarly, using a low gear that has the engine screaming is going to cause unnecessary wear and rip, too.

Ten. NOT LETTING YOUR TURBO COOL DOWN

Has your car got a turbocharger? This is a contraption that coerces extra air into the combustion chamber and increases power.

And it takes longer to cool down, compared to your engine, when you come to halt.

It’s significant you idle the engine for around a minute before switching off in order to make your turbocharger last longer and make sure the bearings don’t break.

Why Your Next Car May Look Like a Living Room 1:11

With driverless cars moving closer to reality, car makers and designers are imagining a future where car interiors look more like a high-tech living room. Photo: Morgan Anderson/Yanfeng

Related movie: