San Pedro Automotive Service and Repair: The Wear and Tear of Stop-and-Go Driving

It’s hard to avoid traffic in San Pedro, especially at rush-hour. Whether you’re in gridlock on the freeways or on surface streets, stop-and-go driving takes its toll on your car. Although you may not be able to avoid stop-and-go driving, you can minimize the damage with some basic preventative measures.

Your San Pedro automotive service and repair center wants to help you prevent excessive wear and tear due to stop-and-go driving. You can prolong vital components and even improve gas mileage by following a few simple tips.

Transmission:
Stop-and-go driving is hard on your transmission because it has to frequently change gears. Avoid accelerating and stopping too quickly to give your transmission a chance to rest.

If you have a manual transmission, your San Pedro automotive service shop suggests that you use your clutch as little as possible. One of the fastest ways to cause premature failure of your transmission is to ride the clutch. Limit use by releasing the clutch as quickly as possible when accelerating from a stop, as well as putting the transmission in neutral when you’re at a stoplight or stuck in gridlock.

Brakes:
In addition to being excessively hard on your engine components, stop-and-go driving wears out your brakes much faster. You can limit the amount of braking by reducing your speed and keeping a greater distance from the car in front of you.

Remember to get your brakes checked immediately if your car pulls to one side when braking, or if you hear grinding, squealing, or other noises when you depress your brake. These are signs of brake damage and should be inspected by your San Pedro automotive and repair center right away.

Gas Mileage:
Your gas mileage can decrease by as much as 30% due to stop-and-go driving. This is bad news for your car, the planet, and your pocketbook. If you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, anticipate stops and coast as much as possible by taking your foot off the gas pedal when approaching a stoplight. Then accelerate slowly so your engine doesn’t have to work as hard.

Another gas saving tip is to ensure your tires are properly inflated. If your tires don’t have the right PSI, you’re increasing fuel consumption by up to 3%. That may not sound like much, but it adds up over time, especially if you continue to neglect your tires. In addition to monitoring tire pressure, your San Pedro automotive service shop also recommends that you check tire tread once a week.

Take Care of Your Car and It Will Take Care of You:
Steer clear of stop-and-go driving when you can. Although it’s a fact of life in San Pedro, it doesn’t have to cause as much wear and tear if you take some simple precautions.