Your driving habits play a huge role in how long your Volvo will last. Even though Volvos are known for their durability, there are certain driving styles that will affect the longevity of your car, regardless of implementing proper and regular maintenance. Therefore, it is critical that you become aware of and avoid these bad practices. In this article, we’ll list a few patterns of driving that may cause an early demise of your vehicle.

Aggressive Driving

Driving smoothly is the secret to a long and healthy life for your Volvo. Jackrabbiting or gunning and revving your engine are surefire ways to kill your engine.

• Jackrabbiting: This is when you start fast and stop aggressively. This puts undue pressure on your engine, the brakes, and the tires.
• Gunning and Revving: Similar stresses occur when you’re gunning or revving your engine. Shoving the accelerator pedal down hard and fast pushes the engine’s RPMs to reach its limit, only to destroy your car in time.

Riding the Brakes

It is best to let off the brakes and coast, especially when you’re going down a hill. Same thing applies in stop-and-go traffic. Lift your foot off the brake and drive at an even speed and anticipate stops so that you don’t have to continually hit the brake. Constant use of the brakes  wears off the brake components much faster.

Overloading Your Vehicle

Whether you’re stuffing your Volvo’s trunk with your earthly possessions or pulling a trailer or your RV, be very conscious of the recommended weight limit. Overloading creates excessive stress and fatigue on various components, such as the brake, suspension, and the engine itself.

Ignoring MILs (Malfunction Indicator Lamp)

There is a reason why modern cars are fitted with so many different kinds of warning lights. When any one of them comes on, your Volvo is trying to tell you something. Each light indicates a unique problem. Do not ignore these lights, as they may be a sign of something critical. When you catch a problem early, it could be fixed with less effort. We can hook up an OBD-II scanner (On-Board Diagnostic scanner) to your Volvo to read the error codes and diagnose any issues, then prescribe a remedy.

For Manual Transmission Cars

Even though Volvo has stopped manufacturing manual transmission cars for the American market since around 2013, many people still have their old Volvos. All of the above points are also true for stick shifts. Additionally, you should be mindful of these:

• Riding the Clutch: if you don’t completely disengage the clutch and continue driving, that’ll destroy your clutch fast.
• Grinding the Gears: When you shift gears too fast or don’t engage the clutch fully, you will hear grinding noises, or you’ll feel the gear slipping. This is very bad for your car as it will ruin your transmission.
• Resting your Hand on the Gear Shift: It seems harmless, but the slight pressure of your hand can cause premature wear on your transmission.

Distracted Driving

When behind the wheel, you must pay full attention to your driving. The road is no place to multitask or be inattentive. Looking at your phone, texting, watching your infotainment center, reading, and other distractions are definitely a dangerous way to drive. This type of driving habit is indeed a vehicle killer because if you are involved in an accident, not only will it destroy your vehicle, but you may cause bodily harm or worse to yourself or others.

No Regular Maintenance

This may not be a driving habit per se, but it is indeed a driver’s habit! If you want your Volvo to last a very long time, you need to have scheduled inspections and maintenance done on it. If you enjoy working on your car, do it yourself. But if you don’t, here’s where we can help you. However, keep in mind modern Volvos often need specialized equipment to service them. We can certainly help you with this.

Choose Tanner Motors for Your Volvo’s Care

At Tanner Motors, we are factory-trained, ASE-certified (Automotive Service Excellence) technicians, who have specialized in working on European cars. We are equipped with dealer-level state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The difference is that when you come to us, we will treat you like family and we will listen to you. Our friendly staff will answer your questions and help you with your car. Please call us or make an appointment to bring your car in. Stop by our shop in Phoenix, Arizona.

* Man Driving Volvo Car image credit goes to: huettenhoelscher.