Increased breakdown risk through winter aftereffects: It's spring check time for your car
Frost, salt, moisture: Once winter is over a professional inspection of the ignition system, electrical system and electronics is an absolute must.
(Ludwigsburg, 26 February 2008) Cutting corners in car servicing is one thing in particular: dangerous. Anyone adhering to the mistaken belief that missing on a service helps to save money, will only endanger themselves and other road users. For example, more than 20 percent of those surveyed in a recent poll by the market research company Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) explained that they tried to postpone any servicing and repair work for as long as possible. In fact, almost 30 percent of the interviewees practice their "thriftiness" to such an extent that they do not intend to have any servicing done at all on their vehicle during the year.
The result: A multitude of breakdowns and traffic accidents, which, according to official statistics, are down to technical faults or lack of maintenance. The breakdown reports issued by national automobile clubs confirm the catastrophic condition of many of the vehicles in an impressive manner. In 2006 and 2007 in Germany, the ADAC (largest German automobile club) had to provide roadside assistance to almost 2.5 million car drivers in each case. The number of technically-related breakdowns lay at around 1.95 million. More than 50 percent of the annual damage events were found to be the result of major faults in the ignition system and general vehicle electric system.
Vehicle components are particularly afflicted during the cold winter months. Car drivers are usually unable to detect any damage caused as a consequence of aggressive environmental influences such as frost, moisture and salty splash water. BERU, the expert in Ignition Technology, Diesel Cold-Start Technology, Electronics and Sensors, therefore advises drivers to have their vehicles undergo a professional Spring Check in the workshop. Someone's misguided efforts to save money, not only risk a driver's own safety and that of other road users, under certain circumstances their car could also suffer extensive damage.
Misfiring can irreparably damage a catalytic converter: If unburnt fuel enters the hot inside of the catalytic converter - it has temperatures of up to 850 degrees Celsius - it can ignite. Spark plugs that have exceeded their wear limits can lead to malfunctions in the control unit, valves or pistons. Ignition modules are also highly sensitive to moisture and highway salt. Oxidation on the module can also result in the ignition system misfiring. The same also applies to a vehicle's diesel cold-start technology. If, for example, water and salt enter the control unit, this can alter the timing and therefore also lead to massive starting problems.
Regular professional servicing of the diesel cold-start and ignition components made by BERU ensure that a driver will remain on the road without damaging the environment or spending too much money. BERU recommends: During the course of a detailed spring service in the workshop, professional automotive mechanics should also inspect the following potential breakdowns causes:
- wear, carbonization or previously burned spark plug electrodes,
- cracks, transition resistances or faulty sealing lips on spark plugs, distributor and coil plugs,
- dirt-related insulator sparkovers,
- cracks or oxidized contact points on ignition coils,
- oxidized, fissured or scorched positions on ignition cables.
If ignition cables are faulty, one can replace them in the workshop with new BERU ignition cables, either individually or as a complete set. When the spark plugs are worn they should always be replaced as a set. Once the first replacement is lined up, the next damage event usually is not far behind. Replacing the entire set at once saves another journey to the workshop, repair time and any additional costs. A reasonable course of action indeed.
