Detecting Issues in your New Car

Just bought a new car?  No doubt it's under warranty, but is there a way to reduce being surprised by the needing of repairs?

No one can see into the future but there may be some problems that you can avoid or nip in the bud with a little detective work.

1.  With the palm of your hand walk around the car and check the warmth of the wheel hubs occasionally after a drive.  You are looking to see if one is significantly hotter than the rest that might indicate tight bearings or dragging brakes.

2.  Keep a close eye on the tyre wear pattern in case there is a minor misalignment   The dealer will normally make adjustments for free during the first few thousand kms, but not the entire warranty period.  You are looking for a very slight feathering of the blocks.  Truck-type vehicles may show some even with a good alignment but in general cars should not.

3.  If you have hypoid differential(s), change the oil at around 1-2,000 km.  Not only does a lot of metallic debris break loose on a new hypoid gearset in those first few kms but you never know how well the unit was cleaned on assembly and its a chance to clear the magnet of debris.  Use a GL-5 oil type of the exact viscosity grade recommended.

4.  If you have a manual transmission, also change the oil in the first few thousand kms.  Put in a full synthetic of the exact type recommended, GL (usually 4) and viscosity grade.  As with the differentials, rolling element bearings (ball, needle  and roller) in these units do not like to ingest particles of metal and an early oil change will keep them quieter for a longer time.

5.  If you have a conventional automatic, understand how the torque converter lockup works in the upper gears, especially if you are going to tow.  In newer designs it may work in all or just the upper gears.  When driving conditions cause the converter to unlock, oil temperature can rise as fast as 1 degree per second and dangerous levels reached in only a few minutes.  An oil temperature gauge on the "hot" cooler line is a very useful instrument to add and will tell you if you need a second cooler.

6.  Document your fuel economy on every tank.  You can quickly plot it in Excel and determine if you vehicle meets the claimed fuel economy.  It may also likely highlight issues should they occur.  Be sure to use at least the fuel octane (or cetane) rating required.

7.  Find an internet owner's forum, join and get to know the others.  This will unearth any common problems that might occur.  Don't be the person whose very first post is seeking help to a problem.

8.  No doubt your first service is at 15,000 km (or one year) but change the engine oil yourself at around 3,000 km and install a full synthetic.  Again use the exact grade recommended with an OEM filter.

9.  Never wash your car with a pressure washer.  Although safe on many surfaces, it's an instant disaster on others such as radiator fins, doors and electrics.  Hand-wash and wax.