The intensity of wear and tear of individual parts and assemblies of a car depends both on the vehicle itself and on the actions of the motorist. However, there are the most vulnerable parts which fail earlier than others. The terms of their replacement are determined by the quality of assembly and the declared service life.
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Filters
In any modern car, such consumables are ubiquitous, as they protect important nodes and systems from contamination and negative external influences. And although standards of fuel mixture purification have increased significantly, this does not exclude the possibility of small particles getting into the fuel system, endangering the performance of other more expensive components.
The wish to save money on oil, fuel or air filters may result in failure of the most important component – engine. As a result it will cause the necessity of expensive repair or power unit replacement. In order to avoid such troubles, it is recommended to change filters at each service, or at least once a year. By the way, it also affects fuel consumption.
Spark plugs
As for spark plugs, they do not require as frequent replacement as filters. With quality fuel, these consumables will last much longer than indicated in the specifications. But if you can, inspect your spark plugs at least once every 10,000 miles to make sure there is no fouling or other signs of wear that interfere with the spark output.
By default, standard spark plugs are designed for 50,000 km mileage, and platinum and iridium products freely “pass” up to 90,000 km.
It should be noted that the spark plugs are reliably isolated from the other elements of the power plant, as this is done to protect them in case of failure. Therefore, in conjunction with the replacement of the plugs, it is recommended to assess the condition of the coils and wiring.
Brake pads
And it is important to monitor the condition of this part with particular responsibility. In fact, if the unusable plugs and filters simply lead to expensive repair of other parts, then the damaged brake system pads may cause an accident with terrible consequences.
As auto experts say, the service life of pads will make up to 30 thousand km on driving wheels and up to 50 thousand km – on slack wheels. If a driver chooses an aggressive driving style, it is reduced up to 10,000 km. The first manifestations of serious wear of the pads are accompanied by squeaking and grinding when braking. During driving and deceleration, the car may shake and the steering wheel may emit vibrations.
“Wipers.”
Wiper blades are replaced much more often than other consumable items. They are usually designed for 1-2 seasons of operation, but in practice it is better to change the wiper blades after 6-12 months. The service life of such parts is determined by the climatic conditions in the region. In addition, they are prone to cracking and hardening without use for a long time.
There are several symptoms of significant brush wear. First and foremost are the inability to perform their primary glass cleaning tasks, severe squeaks, vibrations or streaks that remain after cleaning the windows and negatively affect the view.
Water pump
The water pump is used to circulate coolant through the system, playing an important role in the correct operation of other components. However, many car owners do not pay enough attention to it, not even realizing that the life of the engine depends on it.
Even at the minimum failures in pumping coolant the temperature inside the engine rises seriously. If the pump stops working at all, the engine can jam.
Many cars made after 2000 are equipped with a built-in protection system that limits rpm if the pump fails. But the system itself is imperfect and can also fail. Therefore, experts recommend servicing or replacing the pump at least every 100,000 km of mileage. These intervals may be reduced or increased depending on the specifics of driving and workmanship of the part.
Struts and shock absorbers
Chassis components are designed for long-term operation, but only if we talk about the powerful parts, not subjected to dynamic loads and constant negative impacts.
Struts and shock absorbers, which do not run more than 60 thousand km, do not fall into this category. If a car is often overcoming pits, especially at high speeds, service life of struts is reduced promptly, and you have to replace them already after one year.
Rubber
Given the constant rise in car tire prices, many motorists see no other option than to buy them at the local tire shop in used condition. Because of this, few people adhere to the regulations and act on their financial capabilities and desires.
With standard style of driving replacement tires is performed after 3-5 years. You can detect tire wear by the deterioration of stability on the road, especially when entering curves, as well as by the increase in braking distance. Another problem is accompanied by visual signs – in the form of aging of the tread.
Battery
This node is responsible for the power supply of all electronic organs inside the car. If it fails, it can provoke a short circuit or ignition of expensive components. The average lifetime of a battery is 3 years, but after 5 years it has almost completely exhausted its factory life and becomes dangerous to operate. Particular attention should be paid to leaks and oxidation, which indicate considerable wear and tear on the part.