When it comes to vehicle maintenance, the majority of people tend to overlook the upkeep and expect their vehicle to continue to function at maximum capacity and torque. Unfortunately, this is not the case and as with all machines with moving parts, there is a lot of room for error, weathering or breaks in the core functionality of these parts. This reiterates the need to continuously assess your vehicle performance and the lifespan of your Car Parts.
Now the next step in maximizing the lifespan of your vehicle, is understanding the lifespan of each individual part. These range from spark plugs, brake pads, camshaft bearings, headlights and bulbs to tie rods and windscreen blades. Only a couple of these will be touched on, with further articles being published that will cover the remaining parts. This article should shed some light and assist in the upkeep and maintenance of your vehicle, to hopefully get you extra miles and save you money.
Spark plugs play an extremely important role in ensuring your wheels are moving, by being responsible for the electrical spark that causes the fuel to combust and the engine pistons to move up and down, creating torque and getting you from A to B.
Unfortunately, every time the spark plug creates a spark, it weathers away a tiny fragment of the metal. Every time it ignites and some metal is displaced, the next ignition will require slightly more voltage to create that ignition and ultimately ends up in a downward spiral until the spark plug is completely worn and not functioning. This results in a vehicle that won’t start, and often leaves people stranded and confused.
Despite age, the plugs are put under many other stresses under the hood. These range from heat, oil and a variety of other potential hiccups when there are so many other moving parts around them. This further emphasizes the need to check your spark plugs regularly and ensure all of your car parts are durable and operating effectively.
Fortunately, standard copper plugs have an average lifespan of between 15 000kms - 32 000kms and the more expensive platinum or iridium plugs tend to last upwards of 100 000kms. The easiest way to determine if a plug needs replacing is if the engine struggles to start or tends to shake or be a bit rough when idling. These symptoms are a sign that you need to check in with a mechanic and get them replaced.
When it comes to the lifespan of brake pads, it can vary dramatically based on the driving style of the person behind the wheel. An aggressive accelerator of the vehicle, leading to harsh braking, will ultimately lead to faster wear and tear on the brake pads. There tends to be a general understanding that pads tend to last somewhere in the range of 50 000kms - 115 000kms.
Despite a fairly large lifespan range of brake pads, it is always a clever idea to get your brake pads checked regularly. It is advised to perform a check every time your oil is changed, this is done using a brake pad gauge which is able to determine wear and how much friction matter is left on the pad.
Irrespective of the predetermined average lifespan, there are always signs you can look out for that will assist in ensuring you catch your brake pads deteriorating before it becomes a major issue. These include signs such as, hearing a squealing or clicking noise when braking, the vehicle pulling to one side when braking, taking longer to stop than previously remembered, the brake pedal vibration and fading power.
Conclusion
Ultimately, to ensure a prolonged period of safe travels and fuel efficiency and effectiveness, the core service components need to be checked regularly. Despite the average lifespan of car parts being published, it is essential to keep an eye on important signs and signals that your vehicle is trying to tell you. This will keep your vehicle operating at maximum performance and ultimately save you time, money and your life.
Content Writer and IT Specialist