Prioritizing Vehicle Projects: What Can Wait and What Can’t?

A large part of owning a vehicle is keeping up with routine maintenance and addressing any needed repairs that may come up. Problems, both minor and significant, can occur at any time, making it hard to always be prepared for them. Preparing for the unexpected can be challenging, especially if those unexpected repairs are more costly than you may have anticipated. You might find yourself asking “Does this repair really need to be taken care of right now?” To help answer your questions or concerns, we have compiled and sorted through some of the most common repairs and maintenance needs that can wait, and a few that should be addressed as soon as possible. Read on to learn more about which projects should be a priority and which ones can be put on pause.

Minor Oil Leaks

While motor oil is a critical fluid responsible for protecting your engine against friction and wear, a minor oil leak from your vehicle isn’t something that necessarily requires your immediate attention. If you are wondering how to determine if a leak is minor, there are a couple of key symptoms that accompany minor oil leaks. If you don’t frequently see oil on the ground underneath your vehicle, or if you’re losing less than half a quart of oil every 3,000 miles, you are experiencing a minor oil leak. Minor oil leaks do not put you in any immediate danger, and likely won’t cause any extensive damage to your vehicle’s engine. Minor leaks may also only occur for a short period of time before being noticed. While these leaks do not require immediate attention, they will eventually need to be diagnosed and repaired. Slow oil leaks may occur due to small cracks in the sealing surfaces of engine components, degraded engine gaskets, or damaged or worn-out seals. If you suspect your vehicle has a minor oil leak, checking your oil level and refilling it as needed is a good way to keep your engine running smoothly until you can find the time to locate and repair the cause of the leak.

Hoses and Belts

In your vehicle’s owners manual or service manual, you will find suggested maintenance intervals for each of your vehicle’s systems. This indicates when fluids need to either be refilled or changed, or items that require regular inspection. If the time comes to inspect and replace hoses or belts, but the parts are not damaged, cracked, or split, you can usually safely postpone replacing these parts if needed. If you postpone the scheduled replacement, we recommend inspecting your hoses and belts during each oil change interval after that to ensure they are still in good condition and operating properly. You can learn more about how to inspect your cooling system hoses with our helpful article.

While most of your belts and hoses can wait to be replaced, a vehicle’s timing belt replacement should never be postponed. The timing belt in your vehicle is crucial to keeping your engine running and should be replaced regularly at the interval specified in your owners manual or service manual. The timing belt is hard to access and can’t be easily inspected for wear. A damaged or worn timing belt can result in rough idle, a rapid decrease in oil pressure, or engine misfires. If the timing belt breaks while the engine is running, it could even cause catastrophic failure, broken pistons, or bent valves. Before your timing belt reaches a point of excessive wear or is seriously damaged, it is a good idea to go ahead and replace it to prevent much more costly engine damage.

Cosmetic Damage: Minor Dents and Scratches

Unfortunately, fender benders and small accidents nearly always occur unexpectedly, leaving you with a dented bumper or a scratched fender. When you’re dealing with the aftermath of an accident, it can be challenging to find the time to get your car into a shop to take care of those minor cosmetic problems, especially if your vehicle seems to be running and driving properly. The only good thing about cosmetic damage is that it can typically wait to be repaired. Minor dents and scratches, such as door dings or surface-level scratches, do not pose a threat to you or your vehicle’s safety. However, it’s important to remember that some fender or bumper dents could cause underlying issues that you may not be able to see. It is always a good idea to have your car inspected by a mechanic to make sure the cosmetic damage hasn’t put any other components or systems at risk. If your mechanic gives you the all-clear, you can typically take as much time as is needed before making any cosmetic repairs. If a scratch, ding, or nick has gone through to the metal, it may also be a good idea to touch up the paint, even temporarily, to prevent rust and corrosion from occurring or spreading.

Unusual Engine Noises

Because your engine is among the most important parts of your vehicle, being aware of potential engine damage or needed repairs is crucial to your vehicle’s health. A number of key components, fluids, and systems must work together properly to maintain your engine’s health. If you notice any grinding, whining, clunking, or knocking noises coming from your engine, it should be inspected immediately. These sounds can be symptoms of extensive damage or wear to vital components in your engine. Some causes of engine noise may be a loose or worn-out timing or serpentine belt, a damaged or disconnected spark plug or ignition system problem that could cause misfires, a clogged air or fuel filter, low oil levels, or a clogged or damaged oil filter causing low oil pressure, a bad alternator or water pump, a worn power steering pump, or low power steering fluid levels. In some cases, these sounds might be accompanied by engine misfires or an illuminated Check Engine light. If any of these needed repairs are not addressed, extensive damage can occur, often resulting in complete engine failure and more costly repairs.

If you begin to hear any unusual sounds coming from your engine, or notice any other accompanying symptoms, find the nearest automotive repair shop as soon as possible. If you need assistance finding one near you, our parts professionals can recommend a local shop. O’Reilly Auto Parts also offers free Check Engine light testing to help you narrow down the cause of your engine problems.

Coolant Leaks

While some minor fluid leaks might not need to be taken care of immediately, a coolant leak is an urgent repair that needs to be addressed as soon as you notice it. Automotive coolant, commonly called antifreeze, is responsible for cooling your engine and preventing overheating. An overheated engine can result in unsafe driving conditions, vehicle breakdowns, and expensive engine repairs.

Common signs of coolant leaks are an illuminated Check Engine light or temperature warning light, higher readings than usual on your temperature gauge, and a pool of fluid under the front of your vehicle. Coolant can be green, blue, orange, yellow, pink, or red. To determine which color your coolant is, check the coolant reservoir under your hood. For more helpful tips on identifying leaking fluids, take a look at our How-To article. After you have identified the fluid as coolant, inspect the vehicle to determine the source of the leak and what is needed to repair it. Coolant leaks often occur due to cracked or split radiator hoses, and replacing a damaged radiator hose is essential to protecting your engine and preventing it from overheating.

Scheduled Oil Changes

Failing to complete regular oil changes might seem like a minor slip-up, but it can actually result in very expensive repairs. Changing your oil at the correct intervals is critical to your vehicle’s health. Your vehicle’s motor oil is responsible for protecting and lubricating your engine. Not changing your oil can lead to the oil breaking down and failing to lubricate critical components effectively, or a buildup of contaminants in the oil. This can allow excessive friction and wear, and can eventually result in engine failure if not addressed. Regularly changing your oil and replacing it with fresh motor oil of the appropriate type and weight ensures that harmful contaminants are properly suspended, allowing them to be trapped in the oil filter and preventing them from flowing through your engine or clogging the oil filtration system or oil passages. These contaminants can result in engine wear, overheating, corrosion, and poor fuel efficiency.

To prevent costly repairs and extend your engine’s life, we recommend completing your oil change at regular intervals. The specified interval for your vehicle’s oil change can be found in your owners manual or service manual. To find the best motor oil for your vehicle, or to better understand what can happen if you go too long between oil changes, visit our How-To-Hub for more information. If you’re not sure how to change your oil and oil filter, take a look at our helpful guide. If you’d prefer to have your oil change completed by a mechanic, we are more than happy to recommend a local shop for your convenience.

Brake Issues

Because brakes are one of the most important safety components in your vehicle, any signs of brake failure should be addressed immediately. If your brakes are making unusual noises when you use them, or if they feel different than usual or are spongy when you apply pressure to the pedal, you likely have a problem somewhere in your braking system. If these symptoms occur, they need to be inspected as soon as possible. If extensive brake damage is found, it is crucial to your safety to avoid operating your vehicle until proper repairs have been made. There are a number of signs and symptoms of failing brakes. Typical signs of brake system or component failure can include difficulty pressing the pedal, the pedal falling to the floor, or spongy brakes. These could be symptoms of a damaged or leaking brake hose, air in the brake lines, low brake fluid levels, or a damaged master cylinder, wheel cylinder, or brake caliper.

Grinding or whining sounds that occur when you press down on the pedal often indicate worn brake pads, damaged rotors, or debris in the brake system. If these sounds occur, it is time to replace your vehicle’s brake pads and rotors. If you need to replace your brakes, take a look at our helpful article for tips on choosing the best brakes for your vehicle.

Worn or Damaged Tires

Sometimes, flat or punctured tires are damaged so badly that they have to be repaired before you can drive your vehicle safely, or at all. If you notice any excessive or apparent tire damage, such as punctures, cuts, consistently low tire pressure, or air bubbles, you should change your tire as soon as possible. Often if your tire pressure is low, you will receive an alert on your dash from your Tire Pressure Monitoring System, or TPMS. However, there are some less obvious ways in which your tires could be damaged or deemed unsafe to drive on the road that won’t be as noticeable as a flat.

Excessive wear on your tire’s tread is a threat to your safety, and the safety of other drivers on the road. Tire tread is crucial when it comes to proper traction, and worn tread can decrease your ability to brake, turn, or accelerate safely. We recommend making a habit of regularly inspecting your tires, including their tread, pressure level, and physical appearance. Because properly aligned and maintained tires often experience the same amount of wear throughout their life, it is a good idea to replace all four tires at the same time. If you can’t afford to replace all four tires, or if all four are not wearing at the same rate, at least replacing both tires on the front or back is usually recommended.

Steering Problems

Your vehicle’s steering system allows you to control your car on the road. Because of this, any problems steering or operating your vehicle can greatly impact your and other drivers' safety on the road and should be addressed immediately. Your vehicle’s steering system works by taking the rotation of the steering wheel and communicating those specific movements through the steering column to the rack and pinion unit, tie rods, and wheel end. If one or more of the components in your steering system fails, it can impact your ability to control your vehicle’s movement. If you notice your car pulling to one side, you experience resistance while trying to turn your steering wheel, your steering wheel doesn’t return to center normally, or if the wheel is vibrating or shaking, you likely have a problem with your steering system. Because there are a number of things that might be affecting your steering, you will likely have to complete a thorough diagnosis. Some of the most common problems are leaking or worn power steering pumps, low power steering fluid levels, power steering leaks, worn steering belts, and worn or damaged steering rack mounts or tie rods.

Noisy Ball Joints

Another very urgent repair is damaged or worn ball joints. Ball joints allow your vehicle’s suspension to move at different angles for steering and control on rough or uneven roads. Because of ball joints, steering knuckles are able to move freely to turn and articulate with the movement of the control arms, allowing the wheels to move as needed across any terrain. If a ball joint is damaged or excessively worn, you may notice clunking or squeaking noises coming from your suspension system. Sometimes this repair may be as simple as greasing the ball joint, or it may need to be replaced entirely. If a ball joint fails completely, it can separate and cause the suspension system to collapse. Inspecting the cause of these sounds and completing needed repairs as soon as possible is crucial to your safety, and can prevent more costly repairs from becoming necessary. If you inspect your ball joints and they need to be replaced, check out our helpful guide and video to learn how to replace ball joints.

There are some automotive parts and systems in your vehicle designed to keep you safe behind the wheel. A few of these systems send warning lights to your dash to alert you when problems arise.

Anti-Lock Braking System and Airbag Warnings

Your vehicle’s Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and traction control system are both designed to help regain traction in slick or rough terrain and to help you safely steer your vehicle. ABS lowers the risk of your wheels locking up, and decreases the chance of you skidding in slick or wet road conditions. If your ABS warning light comes on, you could have a problem with your braking system. Your vehicle's airbag system can also send a warning light to your dash if there is a problem with one of your airbags, or if the entire airbag system isn’t working properly. Both ABS and airbag warning lights need to be inspected and addressed immediately before you can safely drive your car. Because these warning symbols can look different in each vehicle, it is important that you know what your vehicle’s warning light icons look like. This information can be found in your owners manual, or in our article that covers common dashboard warning lights.

Windshield Wiper Blades

Some automotive parts, such as your windshield wipers, will not send warning lights to your dash when they need to be replaced or repaired. Because of this, it is important to regularly inspect your wiper blades for any signs of wear or damage. Your vehicle’s windshield wipers are responsible for keeping your windshield clean and your visibility clear when the weather turns bad. If you notice your wiper blades are damaged or worn, we recommend replacing them as soon as possible. If you’re not sure when to replace your wiper blades, or how to install new wiper blades, visit our How-To Hub for more information. You can also find information about changing and inspecting your wiper blades in your owners manual. If it’s time to replace your wiper blades, O’Reilly Auto Parts offers free wiper blade installation with any wiper blade purchase.

Exterior Lighting

Your vehicle’s exterior lighting is another important group of safety components that you will likely need to inspect to know when it’s time to make needed repairs or replacements. Your exterior lighting increases your visibility in low-light conditions, and also makes it easier for other drivers to be aware of your presence on the road. Bulbs in your headlight and tail light assemblies, like your turn signals, brake lights, reverse lights, and emergency flashers, allow you to communicate with other drivers on the road. While it isn’t unusual to see vehicles driving around with burnt out headlights or tail lights, it isn’t considered safe to do so. One burnt out bulb isn't something you absolutely have to fix before you drive, but you do run the risk of getting a warning or a ticket, and it can put your vehicle in danger. Bulbs that have been used for the same amount of time also have a tendency to burn out at around the same age, so delaying this repair also means you could lose both headlights, tail lights, or brake lights, and this is a much more urgent issue. When it’s time to replace your headlight bulbs or replace your tail light bulbs, visit O’Reilly Auto Parts to find the parts you need to get the job done. We also offer free headlight bulb installation on most vehicles. For more information on restoring headlights, selecting exterior lighting bulbs for your vehicle, or replacing a headlight assembly, visit our How-To-Hub for a variety of helpful exterior lighting repair resources.

Check Engine Light

Your Check Engine light may also indicate a problem with one of your vehicle’s parts or systems. If your Check Engine light comes on, it’s important to diagnose the cause of the light as soon as possible. If you don’t have a diagnostic tool handy, you can visit your nearest O’Reilly Auto Parts, where our parts professionals will test your Check Engine light for free. For information on what to do when your Check engine light comes on, take a look at our How-To-Hub article.