4 Preventative Steps to Make Your Car Last a Lifetime

The most recent recall to plague the auto industry: F-150 Super Duty trucks. If manufactured between 2015 and 2017, the doors may fail to latch completely in cold weather; Just in time for the crisp fall air and soon-to-be snow fall.

If the passengers are able to open and close doors correctly, it may only be an illusion. “The door may appear close, but the latch may not fully engage the door striker with the potential that the door could open while driving, increasing risk of injury,” the recall notice states.

Unfortunately, if the car manufacturing companies themselves seem to continuously damage car parts, you - the average, ill-informed car owner- probably are too. While you can’t prevent recalls, responsible car owners can protect their biggest investment in four simple ways.

1. Use Your Parking Brake. Despite popular belief, the emergency brake is not only designed for emergency situations or when your car is parked on a San Franciscan hill. When you shift into park, the car’s weight (think thousands and thousand of pounds) shifts onto a small metal pin called the parking pawl. But when using the parking brake, the wheels are immobilized, lessening the total weight and therefore protecting the pawl. While fixing brakes or brake pads is expensive enough, the pawl can cost owners an extra $500 on average.
2. Never Drive on Empty. When it comes to gas tanks, the glass is alway half-empty, never full. Driving with low fuel exposes your car’s fuel pump, an electric tool designed to remain immersed in gas. Once exposed, however, the pump begins to overheat, only returning to a cooled state once the car is filled up at the gas station. Subjecting the fuel pump to a constant cycle of overheating and cooling may eventually lead to a replacement costing around $600. Start re-filling once your tank is one-fourth to one-eight full to avoid a surprise.
3. Replace Windshield Wipers Annually. Windshield wipers should be replaced annually, generally before the fall or winter months when they start to see more action. Surprisingly though, if you leave in warmer climates or your car is parked outside often, they may need replacements bi-annually. While this is a cheap, quick and easy fix, failure to do so can diminish a driver’s visibility and overtime may scratch the windshield, leading to costly repairs.
4. Track Your Tires. Sadly, tires will not outlast your car nor is there a set expiration date. A tire’s lifespan is dependent on how often you drive, your style of driving and unfortunately, how much bad luck you may have (think nails to a tire). According to Kansas City car accident attorney Samuel Wendt, tire failure causes approximately 11,000 accidents annually. To not join this statistic, monitor your tires for: bulges or cracks, tire pressure and tread. Also, vibrations in the steering wheel or in your seat may suggest alignment or suspension issues in the front or rear tires. To increase a tire’s lifespan, drivers should rotate their tires every 5,000 miles (or at least with every oil change) and check tires monthly.

So while you may not be able to prevent your F-150’s door from flying off on the freeway this winter, you can ensure you don’t have any more surprises this season. Protect your car and your wallet. And, for more information relating to the Ford recall, view the notice here.