5 Vehicle Problems That Should Make You Pull off the Road Immediately
It’s hard to know how to react to vehicle issues on the road, especially if you have no idea what the cause of the problem is or have never experienced anything like it before. Most drivers eventually experience vehicle issues on the road, but knowing whether they should pull over or continue driving isn’t the easiest thing to determine – unless the problem is glaringly obvious.
Sometimes there are less obvious vehicle problems that people continue to drive through, even though the safest action to take is to pull over.
Here are 5 common signs of vehicle problems that should make you pull off the road immediately:
1. Sudden Changes in Handling
Handling problems are easy to notice, as the steering wheel usually faces sudden changes in how it feels and reacts. Whether the steering wheel starts suddenly moving to one direction or wobbling back and forth, changes in handling are always a problem that should make you pull over.
There are various reasons why the handling may change suddenly. While it may be something simple like the road surface, there is also a chance of it being much more significant, such as a loose wheel or blown tire.
2. Loud Noises
While not necessarily a vehicle problem, any loud and sudden noises you hear while driving should make you pull over immediately. It might be nothing at all – maybe you’ve just driven over a piece of debris on the road – but it could very well be a more serious issue with the engine.
Even just pulling over to take a quick look at the engine is well worth doing should you hear a loud, unexpected noise.
3. Steam or Smoke Appears
A rather obvious problem that most people will stop for, any type of steam or smoke bellowing from the hood of a vehicle is a sure sign something is wrong.
Steam often indicates issues with the cooling system, which may result in overheating and potential engine damage.
Smoke is a clear sign that there is a serious issue with some part of your vehicle, most likely a fire in the engine. Thankfully most people are aware that this is a clear indicator that you should pull over immediately, which is always the course of action to take when smoke appears.
4. Check Engine Light Comes On
As it’s designed to inform you to check your engine in the event of a problem, always pull over if your check engine light turns on. Granted, it could likely be something very minor, such as a missing gas cap, but it may be a sign of something much more serious.
So, it’s never worthwhile taking the risk of driving when the check engine light goes on. Even simple issues should be addressed once you pull over, while more serious problems can be addressed immediately.
5. Oil or Temperature Lights Come On
Another clear sign there is a problem with the vehicle, is if your oil light or temperature light comes on, be sure to pull over.
The temperature light will indicate that the engine might overheat – often due to a loss of coolant – which can cause massive amounts of damage to the components of the engine.
Similarly, if the oil light turns on then there is a good chance there has been a sudden loss of oil pressure, leading to significant engine damage in a matter of minutes.
If any of these come on, never take the risk of driving through the problem, as the damage caused could be huge – and expensive to repair.
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