Most of us…almost 92%I actually own a car. This country is so automobile-centric that you have to do a lot of planning and investigation if you want (or need) to try it. live without. The good news is that modern cars are generally quite durable: today’s cars have an average lifespan of over 16 years old and nearly 100,000 miles, based on cars that end up in landfills across the country. The bad news is that to get that much benefit from a car, you have to regular maintenance and repairs: the average cost of car ownership is now more than $1,000 per month.

Even with this maintenance, no car lasts forever and there are usually signs that your car is about to go to that big junkyard in the sky. Some car problems are long-term squealing problems that will have you limping from repair to repair for years, but eventually your car will develop a problem that indicates it is going to have a catastrophic problem and stop working altogether. If you see any of the following red flags while driving your car, it’s time to start planning for a new car, because your current vehicle is about to die.

You hear “rod knock”

If you hear a loud noise knocking or clicking noise when you start the car and the noise becomes louder when you press the accelerator, you may be suffering from rod shot. This could be due to a lack of oil (due to persistent leaking or skipped oil changes) or worn belts, leading to wear of the connecting rod bearings. Sure, your car is still moving, but connecting rod shock is a sign that your engine is about to shut up shop, perhaps dramatically. Repairing the problem can cost up to $3,500, depending on the specific cause and severity of the problem.

The car shakes and vibrates

Has your car started shaking and vibrating every time you drive it? If you feel like you’re on a bronco every time you go to the grocery store and your steering wheel shakes under your hands, you should head straight to the mechanic because your car may be on the point of death. Violent shaking is generally a sign of engine misfires Or transmission problems. Engine misfires occur when a cylinder in your engine is not firing gas properly and can be a significant repair depending on the specific cause. Transmission-related shaking can be caused by something as simple as a low fluid level, but can also indicate mechanical issues with the transmission itself, which could cause you to roll. $5,000 or more. Either way, if your car feels like it’s going to break into pieces when you drive it, it’s about to come to a complete stop.

It’s stagnating when it shouldn’t be

If you drive a car with an automatic transmission, this should not stall when you take your foot off the accelerator. If so, it may not be a major problem, but it’s definitely a sign that your car is getting ready to abandon you. Causes could be your alternator, which generates the electricity your engine uses to run, clogged filters, a faulty fuel pump, corroded spark plugs, or even just a faulty sensor. Even if your car is otherwise running well, don’t wait to have the timing checked. You never know when you’re going to stall at a traffic light and not be able to restart the car.

The engine does not stop running

The opposite of stalling is an overenthusiastic engine that continues to run even after the ignition is turned off. A “running“Engine failure occurs when the fuel in the cylinders burns on its own due to “hot spots.” Even if the engine eventually quits, it is a sign of worse things to come, because something is wrong. serious problem with the engine: Either you have faulty or incorrect spark plugs, damaged fuel injector, timing problems or serious problems. carbon accumulation in the cylinders, the latter problem being quite serious if left unchecked, as it can lead to serious engine damage.

The car’s chassis is rusty

You may think that a little rust on your car is no big deal, and that’s largely true if the rust is superficial. Even if your car’s roof has rusted away and it leaks when it rains, the car will still be able to drive.

But “structural rust» is a much bigger concern. When your car’s frame starts to rust, it’s only a matter of time before your car gives out. However, unless you are under your car regularly, you may not notice a rusty frame until it’s too late, but there are some warning signs that will tell you that your car is about to critically fail due to rust:

• Bending or cracking of the body. If any of your car’s panels are warped, it may indicate that your car’s frame is weakened by rust.

• Rigid doors. If your car doors are difficult to open and close but your car has never suffered any physical damage (from an accident, for example), this may be a clue that rust is eating away at your vehicle.

• Holes. Have you looked under the rugs on the floor recently? If there is a hole in your floor, your car has a serious rust problem.

There is visible (or smelly) smoke

Visible smoke of any kind coming from your car is never a good sign, but some smoke scenarios involve an emergency situation:

• Blue smoke. Smoke with a bluish tint usually means oil is leaking into your engine and being burned with the fuel. This is a very bad thing to happen to your car, and you need to have it checked immediately if you don’t want to suffer a total car breakdown. Maybe it’s a blown head gasket allowing oil to enter the cylinders. Bad head gaskets also let pressure flow back into the rest of the engine, causing even more problems.

• Sweet smoke. Is it white smoke with a “sweet” smell what comes out of your car? A faulty head gasket can leak antifreeze into the engine, where it mixes with the fuel. If your engine is also heating up, that’s probably what’s happening.

If you think you have blown a head gasket, have it repaired immediately. A blown head gasket can cause you to roll $3,000 or more to repair.

The gears “slide” from one to the other

If your automatic transmission begins to grind through gears (shakes and makes a lot of noise as it struggles to shift to the next gear) or starts “sliding” from one gear to another while you are driving, this could be a sign that your transmission is about to blow up. The fix maybe it’s not major– the problem could be as minor as a low transmission fluid level or a single worn part that is easy to replace. But it could be a sign that your transmission is cooked, and the worst way to find out is when your car suddenly stops on the highway.

Headlights turn off unexpectedly

If you’re driving at night and notice your headlights suddenly turn off (and get dimmer and dimmer), this may indicate a problem. faulty alternator. The alternator generates power for your car’s headlights and other lights, and if it doesn’t generate enough power, those lights will dim and even turn off completely, even if the car continues to be driven. If this happens to you, it’s only a matter of time before the alternator fails to generate enough power to run the car and it dies.

Excessive and mysterious leak

This one should be pretty obvious: if you notice fluid leaking under your car everywhere you park, you’re on the verge of engine failure. If you’re at the point where you have oil, antifreeze and transmission fluid in the trunk and every trip starts with a fill-up, you could have loose or faulty seals or loose drain plugs– and if those plugs or seals fail completely while you’re driving, the results could be catastrophic if the engine suddenly loses all lubrication and fluid pressure.

Your car is always telling you something – and if that something means it’s about to die, you should listen to it.