Your driving style and habits might be unknowingly damaging your car and reducing its life expectancy. If you're aware of those habits, you can change them.

You Might Not Be Aware of Your Bad Driving Habits

Many times we don't realize we're doing something until someone points it out. Perhaps you don't notice that you strum your fingers when you're nervous or that you start speaking differently when you're with a certain group of friends. Habits are a part of life, and they're not always good, especially when these bad habits involved your driving. You might unknowingly be affecting your vehicle. All Service Oil brings this list of bad driving habits you should avoid.

Resting Your Hand on the Gear Shifter

This seemingly insignificant move can be affecting your transmission. Your hand shouldn't touch the shifter unless you’re changing gears. Your hand places weight on the transmission’s bushings and synchronizers, which causes unnecessary internal wear. When you’re driving, keep both of your hands on the steering wheel like you’re supposed to. Also, if you’ve been known to rest your hand on the shifter and you’ve noticed that you have trouble shifting gears, it might be time to check the transmission.

Ignoring the Warning Signals

After a while, it’s easy to learn to ignore your squeaking brakes, rattling, or other unusual noises your car makes. You even learn to turn a blind eye to the shining warning signs on your dashboard. Your car can go without a synthetic oil change for a while longer, right? All those signs your vehicle is giving you indicate that something is not right and you’re car may be in deep trouble. Don’t wait until it breaks down to fix the problem. It can be expensive or a bit annoying to keep up with your vehicle’s necessary maintenance, but paying for significant repairs or having to replace a blown up tire is even worse.  Don’t ignore the warning signs! You should make sure your engine receives the benefits of that synthetic oil change that you’ve been avoiding. It will help prevent sludge formation and keep your engine in great shape. If your car needs new oil, be sure to use the best one in the market: AMSOIL Synthetic Oil. You can try their Signature Series 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil which you can purchase online or by calling All Service Oil at (763) 257-3130.

Driving Low on Fuel

Sometimes your paycheck doesn’t last long enough for you to refill your gas tank, or maybe you like living on the edge, and you want to see how far your car can go on fumes. Driving your vehicle on low fuel severely affects your car. The rust, dirt, and grime residing at the bottom of the fuel tank get sucked into the system and attack the fuel pump and filter. Fuel doesn’t just make your car move. It also acts as a lubricant and coolant for the fuel pump. By running on empty, you increase wear and tear, which may eventually lead to costly repairs. Avoid running low on fuel and be smart when you pump gas. Don’t forget to replace your fuel filter at least once a year.

Carrying Unnecessary Weight

If you want to stop burning off so much fuel, you need to lighten your car’s load. That unnecessary cargo in your car affects your fuel economy and causes stress on the suspension and brakes. Clean your car and make sure you only carry the essentials.

Resting Foot on the Clutch Pedal

When you’re at a stop light, and you’re resting your foot on the clutch pedal, you’re engaging your clutch ever so gently. All that time you’re unknowingly using your clutch, you might be causing damages to the pressure plate, release bearing, and release arm. If your clutch gets damaged, a new one can be costly. Just try to keep your foot away from it when you’re not shifting gears.

Sudden Stops

Sometimes is necessary to stomp on your brakes. But if you need to do it often because you’re driving too close to the car in front of you, you need to stop. Sudden stops damage the brake pads and rotors and lower your fuel efficiency.

Ignoring the Handbrake

Many of us forget to use the parking brake when we park. This action puts more stress on the parking pawl, which is found within the transmission. Excessive stress can cause the pawl to wear out and eventually break. Help the poor parking pawl out and use the handbrake.

Don't Skip Your Next Synthetic Oil Change int Ham Lake

If your car has been giving you some signals that you need to change your oil, don't ignore them! When you're due for a synthetic oil change in Ham Lake, be sure to get AMSOIL Synthetic Oil. You can call All Service Oil at to get some recommendations and place your order, or you can head to their online store.