How city driving affects your vehicle

How city driving can affect your vehicle

If you commute to and from Toronto on a daily basis, you already know how frustrating city driving can be – especially if you’re running late for work. However, what you may not realize is how much stress you can put on your vehicle if you’re doing the majority of your driving in the big city.
Below are some common problems associated with city driving along with some tips on how to mitigate any potential damage to your car:

Too much starting and stopping

If you’ve driven downtown before, you’re aware of how much stop-and-go traffic you’re forced to deal with.
Frequently starting and stopping your vehicle can put a high degree of strain on your brakes, which can cause them to wear out much more quickly. As a result, it’s important to have your brakes checked regularly to ensure they’re still safe to use.
Stop-and-go driving can also affect your transmission, as the constant starting and stopping can take a toll overtime. It can also cause the transmission fluid to overheat, causing further issues.
Finally, it can cause your tires to experience more wear and tear. You may want to get them rotated more frequently to mitigate this issue.
Try to increase the distance between you and the car ahead of you when you’re driving downtown to reduce the amount of hard braking.

Poor roads

While it’s not always the case, city driving often means that you’re driving on rougher roads compared to cruising on the highway.  Driving on uneven terrain or through a pothole can either damage your vehicle’s suspension or cause it to deteriorate more quickly.
Make sure to drive slower when the roads aren’t as smooth to avoid any potential damage. That can be tough to do when you’re in a rush, but failing to do so could result in a costly repair job.
If you see a pothole downtown, you can always call or tweet 311 or email the city to have it looked at.

Idling

Heavy traffic means more time spent idling, which can have a negative effect on your vehicle’s well-being. If you idle for too long, your engine could have difficulty getting proper ventilation and begin to overheat.
Unfortunately, idling is tough to avoid in heavy traffic so there’s not much you can do in terms of changing your driving habits. However, that does mean that your cooling system will need to be checked regularly to ensure it’s fully functioning.

Proper maintenance

Taking care of your vehicle is always important, but it’s even more crucial to have it checked regularly if you do the majority of your driving in Toronto.