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One of the best ways that our vehicles can communicate with us when they need some attention is through the noises they make. They cannot tell you exactly when they need repair, but if you know what to listen for, you can stay on top of your car's needs. Knowing what's wrong with your vehicle before taking it in for repairs can help you prepare for the cost and interaction with the mechanic. Here are five vehicle noises that you should listen for. more Grinding in the Wheels If you're applying pressure to the brake pedal and you hear grinding, there's a good chance that your brake pads are worn down and your brakes are applying metal to metal in order to bring the car to a halt. This will quickly damage your brakes and your rotors. Sometimes your brake pads will be fine, but your calipers might be grinding against the rotors. Either way, continuing to drive without giving your brake situation some attention will certainly damage your car. Squealing When You Stop or Slow Down Brakes squealing is a classic sign that you need new pads. Try to get your pads replaced soon after the squealing begins in order to protect the rest of your braking system. Brake pads are fairly cheap to replace, but the other parts, like the rotors and calipers, will cost you more. If you keep up with regular brake pad replacement, the rest of the parts should last you a while. Rattling or Sputtering From the Exhaust Another important car noise to be aware of is rattling or sputtering that sounds like it's coming from under the car or back in the exhaust. When your exhaust system sounds louder than it should, this is a sign that you may need to patch up a corroded part of the system, reattach a disconnected pipe, or replace your muffler. Sometimes the entire system might need to be replaced, but usually, it's a smaller fix. Squealing Under the Hood If you hear a squealing noise that seems like it's coming from the engine, you might need a new serpentine belt. This is the belt that takes power from the engine to your car's multiple systems like the alternator, air-conditioning, or power steering. Ignoring this noise can lead to some serious damage, so it's best to get the belt checked and replaced if needed. Without a properly working serpentine belt, the car's engine can quickly overheat causing serious danger. Hissing Engine A hissing engine is a sign of overheating or leaking engine coolant. You might hear this sound while driving or soon after turning the car off. Either way, you'll want to check this out immediately to prevent any damage. If you open the hood of the car and see any leaking fluids or smell something sweet, there's a good chance your car is leaking antifreeze. Head into Bob Ruwart Motors next time you're looking for a new car at Bob Ruwart Motors. Our service department is well-equipped to handle any issues or questions you may have with your old car, and our sales staff will be happy to get you behind the wheel of a new model. Image via Pixabay

For people who use their cars to get around, the time spent behind the wheel adds up to hundreds and maybe thousands of hours each year. In all that time, it's natural that drivers experience all kinds of feelings, caused by the fact that they're in a hurry, other drivers' actions, or different things going on in their lives at that particular time. For that reason, it's crucial to recognize the bad habits of aggressive drivers so we can avoid them on the road and, most importantly, not become one of them ourselves. Speeding To say that speeding is one the worst things you can do on a road sounds obvious, but the huge number of accidents caused by it makes it an issue well worth mentioning. Most drivers press the gas pedal a little too hard from time to time while in a hurry, but constantly driving over the speed limit means you're just one unforeseen incident away from a crash. All it takes is a moment when you're distracted or another car making an unpredictable move and all of a sudden, your high speed makes you unable to react in time, with potentially devastating consequences. The time you save is never worth it, and if you're driving within a city, it's often an illusion, as you're only speeding to get to the next red light. more Not Using the Turn Signal Often when a driver is in aggressive mode, everyone else on the road becomes unimportant. Failing to properly signal before a turn or a lane change is a symptom of that, and the more aggressive a driver is, the less likely he or she is to signal their moves. You must always remember that the more unpredictable you are in traffic, the more chances you have of something bad happening to you. A good method to get yourself to always use the signal is remembering how you feel when other drivers around you fail to use theirs. Pushing Your Car to Its Limits Aggressive drivers tend to have a very brutal style of driving. Pressing the gas pedal hard when the green light comes on, suddenly changing lanes in search of more space, taking corners at high speeds, and braking at the last minute; not only are all of these dangerous for you and everyone around, they also wear out your car. As opposed to race cars that are built to give maximum performance over a limited period of time, most street cars are built with durability in mind. Even if the car is capable of all those hard accelerations and brakes, it doesn't mean they won't make its life shorter. Driving in an aggressive manner is bad for the driver, the vehicle, and everyone around, from pedestrians to other drivers. Next time you see these signs in another driver, make sure to be alert. If you see them in yourself, remember how you felt when other drivers did to you what you do to them and realize that the risk is infinitely bigger than the reward.