Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s roads might not be in the best shape, but how you drive can actually do more damage to your vehicle than the rough streets themselves.
Driving habits directly influence how long some of a vehicle’s main components can remain in good condition.
According to Randall Agüero, a technical specialist at Autopits, these everyday habits can accelerate wear on brakes, tires, suspension, steering, and other systems:
1. Take it easy on the brakes: Slamming on the brakes too often creates heat and friction, which wears down your brake pads faster and can damage the rotors. Also, braking abruptly puts additional stress on tires and suspension components. Maintaining a safe following distance and anticipating traffic conditions allows for more gradual deceleration.
2. Steer clear of potholes and rough roads. Impacts on potholes, speed bumps, and other road irregularities can damage shock absorbers, ball joints, tie rod ends, bushings, suspension arms, and rims. Over time, these impacts can also cause misalignment and reduce the lifespan of various parts.
3. Driving with incorrect tire pressure. Lower than recommended tire pressure increases rolling resistance, can increase fuel consumption, and causes uneven wear. When tire pressure is too high, less of the tire touches the road, which can make the vehicle less stable and reduce braking performance. It is recommended to check tire pressure regularly when the tires are cold, using the values indicated by the tire or vehicle manufacturer.
4. Ignoring noises, vibrations, or warning lights. A noise when braking, a vibration in the steering wheel, or a warning light on the dashboard can be signs of a problem that can still be addressed before it affects other components. Timely inspection can prevent problems with the brakes, suspension, or steering from becoming more expensive repairs.
5. Driving with the tank almost empty. Regularly driving with the tank close to empty can put the fuel pump under greater stress, as fuel helps lubricate it and dissipate heat. Also, a very low level increases the likelihood that sediment accumulated in the tank will reach the fuel system. Many drivers take it to “E” — échale (fill it up) in Spanish.
Other habits that can lead to faster wear and tear of your vehicle are testing your hand on the gear shifter, riding the clutch pedal in manual transmissions, shifting before completely stopping or riding the brake pedal in automatics.
Other driving behaviors that can contribute to your car’s wear and tear include aggressive acceleration, treating your gear shifter or clutch as a footrest, driving aggressively on a cold engine, dry steering, and overloading the vehicle.
Your car is a big investment, so it makes sense to keep it running and looking good for as long as you can. Simple things like driving carefully can help cut down on wear and tear, keeping your car in great shape both inside and out.