Not all drivers are experts in their car's needs, which means they can miss some common signs that might show an issue. If you're not sure what you should be looking out for, use these tips by AMSOIL Dealer-Carol Bell.

Signs of Car Trouble

Many car owners don't know too much about cars in general, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. You don't have to know everything about your car, but it can help to know some basics. To start, learn these signs that indicate there is a serious issue developing in your car.

Difficult Time Starting the Engine

When you go to turn on your car, it shouldn't struggle to start. If you have to try a couple of times to get it going, this is something you should get checked out. It's easy enough to assume the battery is to blame, but there may be another reason behind it. Rather than just replacing your battery, find out what's really wrong since batteries aren't cheap.

In some cases, it may be the cold that's affecting the battery, the connections may be loose, or it may be something else altogether. Please don't ignore any of these ignition issues since you could end up getting stranded when you least expect it. If your battery doesn't start at all, call roadside assistance to get you out of trouble.

Smoke from Anywhere

Smoke coming from your car is something you never want to see. If you're driving and notice smoke or steam coming from under the hood, pull over and turn off your car as soon as you can. Turn your car off and let it cool down before popping open the hood. Once everything is cool, go ahead and check the coolant reservoir. If you see that it's running low, this is likely your problem.

Running low on coolant can lead your car to overheat, but to get here, you may have missed a few warnings already. To start, it's good practice to check on your car's fluids regularly. If you notice they run low often, this can indicate a leak. Look out for drops of fluids under your car because this will tell you that you have a leak. While driving, if the coolant light turns on, you have a problem. Don't keep driving, or you run the risk of overheating and damaging your engine. Instead, pull over and grab some coolant from your trunk to top it off. Get to a mechanic if it's safe to get this issue fixed.

Squeaking When You Brake

When your brake pads are very worn out, you'll start to hear a squeaking or screeching whenever you come to a stop. You may forget to check on your brake pads every so often, but this screech will be hard to miss unless you're constantly blasting loud music while driving. At this point, you may already be damaging the rotor or drum, so make an appointment with your mechanic before the screech turns into grinding.

Keep your car in great shape with the help of a synthetic oil change in Austin, TX. Click here to purchase AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil made to keep your motorcycle running strong. Contact the friendly oil pros at AMSOIL Dealer-Carol Bell to find even more great products like this. Give them a call at (512) 658-0357 or stop by their online store to learn more or to place your order.

Odd Smells in the Cabin

If you notice an odd smell coming from your car, don't ignore it. This smell can be telling you that your car is having some trouble. Smelling gas or exhaust in the cabin is no good and should get checked out immediately before your car suffers serious damage. A sweet smell like maple syrup can indicate coolant is leaking, so check on this as soon as you can. Bad smells coming from the vents can be the result of mold, which can be harming your health. Get all of this taken care of to ensure you and your car stay safe.

Dashboard Lights

Your car's dashboard lights are designed to alert you when there's trouble, so ignoring them isn't the best way to go. When a light turns on, it's best to check out your car to see what's going wrong. Some issues may be small but still need to be taken care of, while others can lead to serious damage, so it's not worth the risk.

Keep in mind that when these lights turn on and blink, the issue is more urgent. It's not a good idea to drive your car with a blinking dash light, so call your mechanic and get this fixed before you move your car.

Give Your Car a Synthetic Oil Change in Austin, TX

To keep your engine well protected, give it a synthetic oil change in Austin, TX. The friendly oil pros at AMSOIL Dealer-Carol Bell will be happy to help you find just what you need. Give them a call at (512) 658-0357 to learn more or to place an order.