Top 5 Car Issues You Shouldn't Fix Yourself

December 15, 2018

There are some things in this world that you should always leave to the professionals. And watching a few YouTube videos on a topic doesn’t make you a professional! Becoming a mechanic is a skilled trade that takes years of education, training and apprenticing to achieve.

Of course, there are some tasks that any vehicle owner can do, such as changing wiper blades, topping up fluids, or changing the lights, but it’s advisable to leave most other things to the experts. Here are the top five car issues that you should never attempt to repair yourself:

Transmission maintenance or repairs

The transmission of a vehicle is integral to its operation. It also has literally thousands of small parts, as well as precise tolerances and narrow passageways for hydraulic fluid. Simply stated, a lot can go wrong if you were to try and fix it yourself. This is why there are specialized transmission shops that focus on this one part of a vehicle.

Replacing your timing-belt

This is a major-maintenance visit that should be done every 100,000 km or so. It’s one of the biggest repair bills that you could end up seeing for your vehicle. The parts associated with it are so vital to your engine, that there is a large chance of damaging it if the replacement is done incorrectly.

Vehicle is overheating

Another advanced maintenance job involves your cooling system, including tasks such as replacing hoses. Even with the right tools and knowledge, it can be a difficult job, especially if the engine has already overheated. There is a lot at risk associated with this repair. You and your engine can suffer some serious consequences from trying this at home. Don’t take the risk. Call your mechanic.

Driving issues and “check engine” light

If your car isn’t driving optimally and you’re having issues like stalling, hesitating or surging then you need to call in a mechanic. These sorts of issues are often accompanied by a “check engine” light that glares at you from your dashboard. Don’t ignore this light!

A simple code reader won’t necessarily tell you the answer. The average vehicle owner doesn’t have nearly enough training to diagnose and troubleshoot all the possible issues that could be causing a check engine light to appear or affecting your vehicle.

Changing the suspension

The components that make up your suspension, like struts may appear easy to replace, but don’t be fooled. There is an unbelievable amount of force that’s in a compressed coil spring, which is involved when switching out struts. Things could get put back in the wrong order or the wrong place.

Also, some of the equipment associated with these repairs is extremely expensive and would be impractical for a home mechanic to own. The labour cost attached to these repairs isn’t usually too high, but it’s still best to leave your vehicle’s suspension to the professionals.

Professional Mechanic Repairs

For all of these services and more, make sure you contact the experts at Xtreme Tire Garage. We offer services to deal with virtually every car repair. Let us help you make sure that your car is always at its best.

Call (905) 274-8000 to book your appointment today!