When your car has a problem, it’s easy to assume the worst. After all, the engine is just about the most important component of any vehicle and realizing that it has a problem is not what you want. However, there are some steps you can take to overcome the problem and find out for sure what’s causing it. You might even be able to fix it yourself, so read on and learn more.
CHECK FOR A FLAT BATTERY
The first thing you should do is check your car’s battery. It’s often the case that a flat battery gets mistaken for an engine problem. If you dfo find that the battery is flat, you can breathe a sigh of relief because that’s obviously a problem that’s a lot easier to fix than having a big problem with the engine.
LOOK FOR SIGNS OF FLOODING IN THE ENGINE
In some cases, the car’s engine can become flooded. It’s not all that common but it can happen, especially if your car is on the older side. When it’s flooded, there’s too much fuel in the engine’s system and not enough air, and it’s something that needs to be remedied before the car can be driven safely.
SEE IF THE AIR FILTERS ARE BLOCKED
One thing to take a look at is the air filters. Your engine has air filters that, of course, filter the air that enters into the engine’s system. If those filters are blocked or clogged, the engine might not be getting the air that it needs in order to function properly. So check if they’re blocked, clean them out and see if that helps your engine at all.
LOOK FOR GUIDES RELEVANT TO YOUR MODEL
If you haven’t found out what the problem is and you’ve already ruled out the options above, it might be time to look for guides for your model and maybe research common engine problems associated with that car model too. The site linked is the best place for automotive guides if you’re not sure where to start and you don’t already own your guide. Auto forums and message boards can often be useful too.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS, FIND A TRUSTED MECHANIC
When you’re not having any luck at all and it’s not at all clear to you what’s going wrong with your car, you simply need to make sure that you find a mechanic you can trust to help you with it. A reliable and trustworthy mechanic will make your life easier and you’ll be sure that they’re not going to overcharge you and generally rip you off because that is a risk.
It’s always best to approach things carefully and logically when you think your car has a problem with its engine. What you don’t want to do is make any hasty decisions or to just sell the car in its current state. That’ll likely prove a waste of money and a good car that could have been salvageable.
Photo Credit: Lexus
