Your vehicle's oil filter is one of the components that you may never have to deal with for the duration of owning your car. The reason for this is the oil filter tends to be one of the auto parts that will function properly as long as you ensure that your vehicle gets proper servicing. Nevertheless, there are some instances when the oil filter may start to fail, and it would be prudent to know the symptoms so that its malfunctioning does not affect the other components of your vehicle. Here are a few of the warning signs that you should be on the lookout for that would be indicative of a compromised oil filter.
Your vehicle's performance is declining
There is a host of reasons why your car's performance can begin to decline. If you start to notice that your car has lost its ability to pick up speed at the pace it used to before, it could mean that the underlying problem is with the oil filter. This lack of speed can also be accompanied by the accelerator feeling as if it is off kilter. Thus, you will hear your engine running but will not be getting the right feedback from your vehicle. It is best to have a mechanic look at your car because driving it in this condition will lead to other engine components becoming damaged over time.
Your vehicle has started sputtering
One of the reasons why your car may start to sputter is if you are driving with a clogged oil filter. If there is debris inside your oil filter, it loses its ability to release sufficient amounts of engine oil. Without adequate oil, the engine loses the capacity to retain the speeds that you desire when you are accelerating. As such, the vehicle starts to make sputtering noises as you drive. Immediate car servicing should eliminate this sputter as the mechanic will clean and repair the filter. However, if you overlook the sputtering, you pose the risk of your oil filter acquiring permanent damage that would necessitate replacement.
Your vehicle has started emitting grinding noises
The primary function of the oil is to ensure that all components in your engine are well lubricated for optimal functionality. If your oil filter is compromised, chances are there will be friction between the different metallic parts of your engine. This friction will cause grinding noises whenever you are driving your vehicle. The onset of grinding noises should be addressed immediately as this poses the risk of your engine suffering irrevocable damage.
Share25 April 2017
I rely a lot of my car as I am a paraplegic. I can only drive a car that has specially modified with wheel controls, so it's very important that I get my car serviced by a company that knows what it is doing. I also need my car to be serviced quickly as I am very limited in how much I can get around without it. This blog has some tips on how to find a car servicing company that will suit you if driving a disability-modified car. I hope it will be useful to other people with disabilities who rely on their cars as much as me.
