4 common and innocent driving habits that are slowly killing your car

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:54 pm

As good, law-abiding Singaporeans, we all follow traffic rules (generally speaking). We don’t speed, we give way, we don’t drink and drive, we don’t text and drive. However, we often don’t know that some of our common driving habits are actually slowly damaging our cars.

With the COE on a never-ending rise, and increased maintenance costs, it is definitely wise to take better care of our cars by avoiding some of these bad habits.

Shifting into drive/reverse even though the car has not completely stopped.
I know we are all a bit kan-cheong and want to chop-chop change direction, but this is damaging your car! In an auto car, making the shift into Drive/Reverse isn’t like switching from first gear to second in a manual. Though you can do the above easily in an auto car, your car isn’t intended to do that. This can cause damage to your drive shafts and suspension.

Regularly adding small amounts of fuel to the gas tank.
Sometimes, we just cannot afford to fill the tank entirely or choose to wait for a better fuel deal (because we all like discounts and offers). However, adding a few litres of gas at a time and regularly running with low levels of fuel can actually damage your car. This forces your car to take gas from the bottom of the tank, where there is some sediment build-up. This can lead to a clogged fuel filter or debris passing into the engine.

Jerky driving.
We all have that friend who accelerates wildly on every straight road, only to brake hard at a red traffic light or stop sign. Though this will not damage your car immediately, it will cause your engine, transmission and brake system to deteriorate much more quickly. Cars that have been abused will have premature fluid leaks, broken seals and mechanical problems.

Revving the engine.
I know it sounds really cool and manly, but it really isn’t going to do any good for your car in the long run. This action puts unnecessary stress on your car’s engine while starting up as its moving metal parts are still not properly lubricated with oil.

Which of these habits are you guilty of?

Top Image: Komar / Shutterstock.com