The first thing we’d like to say is a big thank you to all the motorists who chose Fixter to rectify the issues they were having with their cars in 2021. We’ve had a good look through our vast records from last year to pinpoint the most problematic parts of our vehicles.
While you may not be surprised at our results, we noticed that almost all of the issues should be spotted during a service. Whether that was the case with the repairs on our list or not, we can’t say for sure. What we can say is, look how essential your yearly service is! If you haven’t booked your car in for one for a while, isn’t it time you did?
Fixter’s 2021 top 10 repairs and replacements
- Brakes – pads, discs, and caliper replacements
- Fluids – wiper washer fluid, engine coolant, and brake fluid
- Belts – timing belt and fan belt
- Heating & AC – aircon regas/repair, compressor replacement, condenser replacement
- Oil and oil filter changes
- Clutch kit repairs and replacement
- Battery replacement
- Spark plugs
- Coil spring replacement
- Wheel alignment
1. Brakes
It’s pretty dangerous to ignore any noise or grinding coming from your brakes or if they feel soft and spongy and aren’t stopping you as quickly as they should.
Book them in for an inspection immediately. It’s just not worth the risk.
2. Fluid top-ups
Although you might not think running out of wiper fluid is a big deal, try telling yourself that when you’ve just hit the back of another car on the M4 because you couldn’t see clearly through the dirt that’s accumulated on your windscreen.
Coolant, brake fluid, and steering fluid relate to more obvious safety issues for you and your vehicle. Again, a service should sort these, but if you spot something out of the ordinary during your routine checks, there could be a bigger issue afoot.
3. Timing and fan belt
For drivers who have replaced their timing or fan belt this year—we salute you. A worn or damaged timing or fan belt can ultimately result in a seized engine—a repair or replacement far costlier than just updating those belts.
4. Heating and air condition
This repair is less to do with safety and more to do with comfort. Number four on our list shows how important staying warm (or cool!) is while carrying out our commutes or heading out on an adventure.
5. Oil and oil filter changes
An oil and filter change is all part of good housekeeping for motorists, but if you’ve noticed problems with oil consumption or rough engine performance, then it could be a sign of bigger problems. Oil condition is detrimental to engine life, so finding this at number five on our list is reassuring for the health of your cars.
6. Clutch kit repairs and replacement
A slipping clutch will impact your car’s performance and fuel economy, so the moment you notice something’s not quite right, that’s the time to investigate. It’s far better to replace a clutch sooner rather than later; after all, being left stranded with no transmission or not being able to change gears isn’t anyone’s idea of a fun day out.
7. Battery replacement
There are almost endless possibilities of electrical issues in modern cars. With the battery considered a consumable component, most of us will likely have to replace at least one during our vehicle’s lifetime.
8. Spark plugs
For such a small part, they carry a lot of responsibility for vehicle performance and power. Depending on the plug type, they’ll need changing anywhere between 20k and 100k miles. The longer you put off changing them, the harder your engine will have to work in the meantime.
9. Coil spring replacement
I’m not sure if this is a direct statement about the condition of roads today, but both items 9 and 10 on our list could consider it a factor. Coil springs are major players in the suspension, and wheel alignment is often the first thing to go after a collision or driving over potholes and other road debris.
10. Wheel alignment
It’s not only collisions with potholes, kerbs, and junk in the road that throws off wheel alignment; it can also be down to issues with associated suspension parts such as the shock absorbers. If your ride suddenly got bumpy, it could be down to any of those issues.
Vehicle health and road safety
It goes without saying that if there’s something wrong with your car, you’re not only putting yourself in danger but your passengers too. So often, the people we carry in our vehicles are our closest family and our best friends; aren’t they the people you want to take the best care of?
Okay, most of the time, we’re not aware of an issue until something breaks. Any accidents and injuries to occur without warning are incredibly unfortunate. But for those who ignore dashboard warning lights, deciding that those funny noises from the engine or growling from the brakes are nothing serious and can wait, well, then it’s on you.
Not only that, but if your car lets you down, you’re also risking the well-being of other road users and pedestrians. You could be lining yourself up for some hefty fines or, in the worst-case scenarios, perhaps even a prison sentence.
Typical signs of a problem, and that you need to get your car booked in ASAP
- Your dashboard shows a warning light
- Unusual engine behaviour or sounds
- Movement in the steering wheel
- Poor brake performance or unusual sounds (grinding, squeaking or screeching) and brake dust coming from the wheels
- Flat tyres or slowly deflating tyres
- Uneven tyre wear
- Excessive oil consumption/oil leaking from the engine
- Losing charge from the battery
- Fluid leaking from the radiator
- Issues starting the car
- Excessive smoke pouring from the exhaust
- Changing gears is clunky, with problems selecting gears
- Fuel economy is far lower than usual
- The engine is overheating
- Movement in your wheels or noises from your wheel bearings while driving at high speed
- The car stalls regularly
Book in with Fixter today
If any of what you just read sounds familiar or sets off alarm bells in your mind, isn’t it time you checked that everything’s okay? Our expert mechanics and garages are ready and waiting to sort out any problem, from the tiniest niggle to a monumental rattle.
Check out our car repairs page to see just how much you can save—you never know; it could be the cost of a new car!
About Fixter
Fixter is revolutionising the car maintenance industry, one repair at a time. Fixter was founded to make car maintenance as easy as booking a taxi. Digital, transparent and stress-free, with world-class customer service. Since launching in Manchester in 2017, Fixter has expanded to more than 100 towns and cities across the UK and provided thousands of car owners with honest, convenient and affordable car repair services.