THE BEST SURVIVAL instinct on the road is to fix any problem, mechanical or otherwise, that may develop along the way. The best thing any driver should endeavour to do is to always “listen to your vehicle”. Some may say I’m crazy, but the truth is that, all motor vehicles “talk” and they do talk to whoever bothers to listen. Of course the vehicles have engines and several mechanical parts and this entire move is sync or harmony for the sound functioning of the vehicle. Most moving parts will produce specific sound as they perform their routines and the sounds vary with speed, loads, weather, wear, etc.Let us begin with the most obvious: the engine. Always learn to tune your ears to the sound of the engine from the time you turn on the ignition to the time when you change the gears and eventually hit the road. Make sure it sounds the same. If it changes, that means there is a problem. Alternatively, if the driving does not sound well, it could be the wheels, the transmissions, the bearings or even the road itself!Always try as much as possible to master the sounds and if they are not normal, better contact your mechanic or a friend so that you can compare notes. Good driving practice dictates that you keep listening to the sounds both inside and outside the vehicle. Most problems start with simple noise, then they turn to horrible or nagging noise and by this time, the parts have been completely damaged beyond repair! When you wait for such a scenario, the costs will be high! Imagine a case of a wornout driving shaft rubber boot getting torn and it throws out all the grease. This would lead to the CVs getting dry and making a soft crushing sound. If not attended to, the CVs will burn out and require the replacement of the whole unit instead of the grease and the rubber boots.
