The Car Problems You Can’t See – But Shouldn’t Ignore
Most of us have a reasonable idea of when something isn’t quite right with our car. A tyre looks low. The brakes start making a noise. The dreaded warning light appears on the dashboard…
But what about problems developing in parts of your car you can’t see – and may not even know are there?
Two that we’re increasingly talking to motorists about at Soul Garages are DPFs and wet timing belts. If your immediate reaction is “What’s a DPF?” or “How do I know if my car has a wet belt?”, you’re certainly not alone.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at both, explaining what they do, why problems can develop, the warning signs to look out for and, importantly, what you can do to help prevent a manageable issue becoming an expensive one.
What’s a DPF – and why should diesel drivers know about it?
DPF stands for Diesel Particulate Filter. If you drive a diesel car, it’s part of the exhaust system and its job is to capture soot that would otherwise be released from the exhaust.
Your car is designed to periodically burn off much of this accumulated soot through a process called regeneration. Most of the time, this happens without you even knowing about it. Problems can arise when the conditions needed for regeneration aren’t achieved. Regular short, low-speed journeys can be a contributing factor because the process may not have time to complete – particularly relevant if your diesel spends much of its life doing the school run, popping into town or travelling a few miles to work.
A DPF warning light is one obvious indication that something needs attention, while reduced performance can be another. But importantly, a DPF problem doesn’t automatically mean you need a new DPF. There can be different reasons for a problem, which is why understanding what’s causing it – rather than simply treating the symptom – matters.
And what on earth is a wet belt?
Wet timing belts have been making headlines recently because of the potentially expensive engine damage that can occur if deterioration isn’t identified. Yet many motorists still don’t know what a wet belt is – or whether their car has one.
In simple terms, a timing belt helps keep important moving parts of your engine working together at exactly the right time. A wet timing belt, as its name suggests, operates inside the engine in engine oil.
If the belt starts to deteriorate, material can break away and enter the oil system. This debris can potentially cause blockages and interfere with the circulation of oil around the engine, potentially leading to much more serious problems.
And that’s what makes wet belts particularly interesting from a driver’s perspective: you may not know your car has one, and deterioration isn’t necessarily something you’re going to spot from behind the wheel!
Over the coming weeks, we’ll explain which vehicles can be affected, what motorists should look out for and why using the correct engine oil and following the appropriate maintenance schedule matters. We’ll also share photographs from our own workshop showing what wet-belt deterioration can actually look like inside an engine.
Not sure about something on your own car? Ask us. That’s what we’re here for.
