How Safe is Your Sleigh?

By Catherine Powell

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I was getting ready to head out to do a little Christmas shopping this morning when I heard a neighbor’s car drive by.  I couldn’t miss it, since it sounded like an angry Florida panther.  Rowwwww!  It was apparent to anybody within earshot that a belt was crying out for attention.  Yet my neighbor drove blissfully by, totally unaware that if and when the belt broke, she’d be thumbing a ride home.  That’s because all cars made in the past 30 years have what are called serpentine belts that run everything from the alternator and power steering to the water pump and air conditioner.  When these belts break, the car stops running.  Since so many of my friends, family and clients will be out and about during the holidays, I thought I’d take the time to point out a few things that could keep you from waiting for a tow truck by the side of the road.

Little noises can spell big trouble.

My sister is one of those people who drive a car until it no longer runs.  I don’t know whether it’s in her genes, or whether she has simply become oblivious to noise after raising six kids.  I recall taking a ride with her when we were both in our twenties.  As she drove us down the road in her Dodge Dart, I became aware of a groan emanating from under the hood.  Ten minutes into the drive, I could take it no longer. 

            “What’s that strange sound coming from the engine?” I asked.

            “Beats me,” she said as she slowed for a light.

            “How long has it been making that noise?”

            “Oh, about two weeks,” she admitted.

            After thinking about what could be making the sound, I asked the obvious question.  “When was the last time you changed the oil?”

            Looking straight ahead, she said, “Change it to what?”

            In the three years she’d owned the car, she had never once changed the oil.  Seeing a Jiffy Lube sign looming large, I told her to pull in.  When the guys in the pit beneath the car took off the oil plug, the stuff that oozed out resembled molasses.  They had to run several quarts of oil through the engine to help clear out the sludge.  Once they screwed the plug back in and filled it with 4-quarts of oil, the noise magically disappeared.  It’s a good thing I happened along, or the engine could have 

seized.  Below is a short list of what other noises and lights are trying to tell you about your car.

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1.      Brake Banshees – If as soon as you step on the brakes there comes a sound like a hoard of banshees, that’s your cars way of telling you that you need to have the brake pads replaced.  Since brakes are another necessity to driving safely, the longer you fail to heed the banshees, the more likely you are to wind up rear ending a car sometime soon.  Another sign of brakes under stress is any groaning, grinding or thumping when you hit the brake pedal.

2.      Steering Column Wake-up Call – If every time you turn the steering wheel, you hear a yawning sound, this is a sign that your power steering system needs immediate attention.  Sometimes the fix is as simple as topping up the power steering fluid and sometimes the problem is more complicated. Either way, the last thing you want is to have your power steering go out while you are barreling down I-95.  If you hear any noise when you turn the wheel, pull off the highway and check the level of your power steering fluid.  If it’s low, stop at any auto parts store, tell the clerk behind the counter the make and model of your vehicle and fix the problem for less than $10 right in the parking lot.  If that doesn’t cure the squeak, groan or yawn, take your car to a mechanic before you wind up in an at-fault wreck.

3.      Grumpy Cat Sounds – If you hear a sound like an ornery tabby when you start your vehicle, the problem is either the battery or the starter.  Either way, it’s a snap to diagnose and fix.  Stop by a mechanic or an auto parts store.  Either of these places can test your battery.  In Florida, batteries typically last for 4-5 years before they need to be replaced.  Better to spend $90 for a new battery, then to have to wind up paying for a tow plus the replacement in a week or so when your battery gives out.

4.      Have You Hooked a Fish? – There are a couple of noises that your car can make that sounds like a fish flopping on a dock.  One is a loose mud flap, the other is worn out ventilation flap.  Neither are a danger to you, other than the fact that listening to the flap, flap, flap coming from beneath your car could drive you to distraction.  Either way, you can put the fish out of its misery by stopping by any service station.

The Light Show

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Back when I first drove a car many moons ago, dashboards were taken up with gauges that provided information about specific engine performance.  Now that cars have become computerized, these gauges have all but been replaced by lights that are designed to provide warnings about various automotive issues.  Below is what to do if a light show takes place when you start or drive your vehicle:

1.      Check Engine Light – Any time this light comes on, you need to heed the warning seriously.  While it could be telling you something as simple as you have a loose gas cap, it could be something much more serious.  The good news is it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to pull over and shut the car down right away.  The bad news is if you ignore the warning and continue driving with the light illuminated, you could be in for a costly repair.  If the light is steady, you can drive the car, but need to schedule an appointment with a garage.  If the light blinks, this indicates a more serious problem that needs to be diagnosed right away.

2.      The Red Thermometer is telling you that your car is seriously overheated, and you need to pull over as soon as possible. 

3.      The Battery Light will only illuminate if the battery is running out of a charge or the alternator is no longer recharging the battery.  Either of these scenarios necessitates pulling into the nearest service station or auto parts store to assess the situation.

4.      The Little Red Genie that looks like Aladdin’s lamp will only come on if the oil pressure sensor detects low oil pressure.   Low oil pressure means you need to check the level of engine oil before you damage the engine.  The fix could be as simple as adding a quart of oil to put the genie back in his bottle.

5.      The Red Exclamation Mark or Big Red B is trying to tell you that your brake fluid level is low.  This is not to be confused with the ABS warning light that has detected a fault in your anti-lock braking system.  Either of these warning lights should never be ignored, since anything that affects your brakes could lead to an at-fault accident.

6.      The Red or Yellow Tire symbol indicates low tire pressure.  Especially when the cold weather hits Northeast Florida, it isn’t unusual for tire pressure to drop as much as 5-pounds overnight.  The simple solution is to stop by the corner filling station to top your tires back up.  Just don’t overinflate them unless you want the next warm snap to cause your tires to wind up overinflated. 

7.      The Red or Yellow Gas Pump – This warning light is giving you fair warning that you are running low on fuel.  Ignore it and expect to start walking in 50-miles or less.

Catherine Powell is the owner of A Plus All Florida, Insurance in Orange Park, Florida.  To find out more about saving money on your auto insurance, check out her website at http://autoinsuranceorangeparkfl.com/