7 Vehicle Steering Warning Signs

lady with a steering wheel

Having a responsive, powerful steering system is absolutely essential for the modern motorist. Urban travel can be so demanding that vehicles need to be extremely responsive. The parts that helps ensure the drivers actions at the wheel are quickly translated into movement is the steering column and steering rack.

The steering system connects the driving wheel to the steering. It is designed to take the force of a collision and dissipate the energy in the event of an impact to the front of your vehicle. Therefore a steering failure can be a particularly dangerous situation, especially if it happens whilst you’re behind the wheel. However, with a little care and attention – you can stay on top of the condition of these parts – by keeping one eye open for the following symptoms.

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8 Tips to Help Protect Your Car’s Turbo

turbo on a car

Even though turbocharged cars have been around for a while, they are still more complex than your average road car. With the advent of computer controlled engines, they admittedly do not require as much care as older turbo powered vehicles, but it’s definitely still worth paying attention to the upkeep of the system, even with a newer car to ensure you extend its lifespan.

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7 Signs You Car’s Suspension is Failing

suspension on a car

Suspension is all about giving your car a smooth ride. Can you imagine what it must have felt like for those first motoring pioneers as they bumped and rocked their way over every single shingle and nook in the road? Nowadays, we barely notice a crevice or the smaller pot holes thanks to the high design quality and engineering of our shocks and springs.

However, suspension is about more than keeping you from being jostled and pushed around in the driving seat. Did you know that this system also helps keep your wheels in contact with the asphalt, improving traction? Which can result in an increase of stopping distances by up to 20% if the system is worn or broken.

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What to Do If You Hit a Parked Car

parked car been damaged

Most of us have done it. With the tight constraints of some modern car parks, coupled with some serious bad parking, it’s all too easy to give a little nudge or ding to another parked car and damage its wing, bumper or door mirror. You don’t want to be one of those people who simply runs off. It’s illegal for a start. So what can you do to start righting this roadside wrong?

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The Importance of your Seating Position When Driving

back pain from seating position

There is increasing evidence that sitting is not great for your health. Long periods behind the driver’s wheel can result in back pain. Getting in a car shouldn’t damage your health, and we’re not talking about avoiding accidents either. You’ll want to avoid damage to your body, which can play havoc with every aspect of your life. Ask any serious chronic back pain sufferer.

What can you do to ensure that you’re sitting comfortably, and you’re not suffering from those telling little back twinges behind the wheel, that could add up to some serious pain?

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How to Tow a Broken Down Car

how to tow a car

At some point in your life you might need a tow. Whether that’s because of a breakdown now, or your electrical car runs out of juice in the future, there’s no better way to get a downed vehicle off the road. Especially if you don’t have breakdown cover.

And there are times when your safety might be compromised, if you leave a broken down car on the road. You could need a quick tow to a safe place. Other times you may still need to be towed by the breakdown company. How do you get towed safely?

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9 Signs Your Air Filter Needs Changing

air filter in a car

Your car needs to combust petrol. And as every GCSE science student will tell you, this needs three things. Fuel, an ignition source and air.

In engines, this is supplied by the petrol, diesel or other fuel source, the spark plugs, and the air is drawn through the air filter, ensuring that dirt and muck doesn’t enter into the piston chambers. Of course – all that filth ends up caught in the air filter, reducing its effectiveness.

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Driving Tired – When Drowsy Equals Danger

tired driver

Driving drunk is a big no-no. Many people won’t drive when ill. But you may be shocked to find out that driving when you’re tired can be almost as dangerous.

With one in six crashes now being linked to driver fatigue, this is too significant a problem not to notice. As police can’t check for tiredness with a simple breath test – as with alcohol – it’s up to us all to ensure that we don’t get behind the wheel when we should be hitting the hay.

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What to Do if You Have a Car Accident?

reporting a car accident

No one wants to have a crash. But as the saying goes accidents do happen. And the more you’re out on the road, the more likely it is that you’ll either make an error of judgement, or perhaps be on the receiving end of someone else’s.

If you are involved in a crash the number one rule is to stay calm and cool. It’s a high pressure situation where people are likely to be shocked, scared and even a little angry. However, with some  preparation and fore-knowledge it’s possible to make this bad situation more than bearable. Consider the following information:

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