08 September 2011 / by Colm Hebblethwaite
The AA recently released information that reveals the main causes for car breakdowns throughout summer 2011. According to AA statistics there is a list of ten top problems experienced by drivers that resulted in the AA lending a helping hand, starting with incidents involving tyres at the top:
- Tyres – 57,000
- Battery – 54,000
- Starter motor – 14,000
- Alternator – 13,000
- Clutch – 13,000
- Engine – 12,000
- Lights – 12,000
- Fuel pump – 8,000
- Keys – 8,000
- Cylinder head gasket – 7,000
The AA has declared that most accidents could have been avoided if the drivers had taken the correct precautions in undergoing regular maintenance checks. In addition to the problems encountered above, there are a number of things you should watch out for:
- Overheating – you should watch out for the warning signs of an overheated engine by checking that the fan is functioning correctly
- Punctures – If the road is heated by the sun your tyres are more likely to burst so you should check your tyres every fortnight to ensure that they are intact
- Lost keys – The AA advise that you increase your awareness about alternative ways to open your car if you lose your keys or the electronic circuit between your key and car has broken
The AA provides a useful method for you to remember to regularly check your car:
- FLOWER – fuel, lights, oil, water, electrics and rubber
Prevention is the best way to ensure that your car breakdown cover doesn’t have to come into play. It is often the case that many garages provide a free summer service and you should take advantage of this to ensure that everything in your vehicle is running as it should be. While prevention is better than cure taking out breakdown cover means you will have peace of mind whenever you take to the road.