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Ruben Fidalgo
April 05, 2023
The traffic jams that occur at Easter, the period where the greatest number of road trips are concentrated throughout the year, can cause car breakdowns and ruin our holidays. We give you the keys to take care of your car and, as far as possible, avoid breakdowns.
For us it is a vacation, but for the car a good ordeal is upon us, with trips, traffic jams… and on top of that with sky-high fuel prices. So that our trip this Holy Week does not become a procession to the workshop, it is convenient to take these tips into account and arm ourselves with patience. It is also good that we review the changes to the traffic regulations introduced in 2022, if we do not want to start the holidays with a fine.
One of the things that makes trips on these dates special is that, while in summer we tend to make more long-distance trips, at Easter short trips abound.
How to avoid breakdowns at Easter
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If you do not want to suffer your own “via crucis” with your car this Easter, you should take these tips into account:
Faults with the anti-particle filter
Short trips (especially at Easter, when it is usually still cold) do not allow the engine to reach its optimum operating temperature. This causes two negative effects for the anti-particle filter (don’t miss our report on anti-particle filter breakdowns). On the one hand, the cold engine emits more fumes and burns worse, which produces more ash that clogs the filter, and on the other, since it does not reach the necessary temperature for its regeneration, it cannot do its “self-cleaning”. This causes the probability of having a failure in the FAP system to increase. To avoid this, it is best not to take short trips with the car. If there is no other choice, as soon as you can make a short getaway through an area clear of traffic, take the car with the engine somewhat happy revsthe lights on, the heated rear window connected and the heating and air conditioning to the maximum so that the system raises its temperature and helps it to do its regenerations.
Turbo breaks and engine wear
The oil takes time to reach all corners of the engine, especially when it is cold, because its viscosity is higher and it is more difficult for it to flow. It is vital to avoid sudden acceleration or heavy load on the engine during the first fifteen minutes after starting the car. If you have Start & Stop, disconnect it so that the engine temperature rises faster and the oil lubricates better. This is especially important on turbocharged cars (don’t miss our report on how to avoid turbo failure).
Oil breaks down quickly
If you are close to having to change the oil in your car, bring it forward to these dates. Frequent cold starts are made with excess fuel in the cylinders. This causes the internal walls of the engine to be “washed” and run out of lubrication and, above all, contaminates the oil and shortens its useful life. If you do not want to end up with a serious mechanical breakdown, it is better that you have changed the oil beforehand to face these short journeys typical of these dates. Remember that you should never save on the quality of the oil.
car battery problems
The frequent starts (and the low temperatures of this time) make the battery suffer a lot. As we also do not keep the engine running for long enough for the alternator to recover its charge, it is quite likely that we have problems with the battery. If lately you have noticed that it is difficult to start or that the intensity of the interior light sometimes goes down on its own, it is best that you change the battery before it leaves you stranded. If you have start & stop, it is also better that you deactivate it so as not to make this element suffer too much (here is our report on battery failures).
Tricks to save fuel at Easter
It also doesn’t hurt to take a look at these fuel saving tipsremember that your money is better in your pocket than at the gas station.
