Is remapping safe?

Remapping a car will add more stress to your engine. Though many are pretty safe, you’ll need to pay extra care to keep your car well-maintained.

As a rule of thumb, the more power you get from a remap, the more it’ll affect your car’s reliability.

Can you remap any car?

Most modern cars can be remapped, but some older models with dated software cannot.

To what extent a remap will impact your car can vary wildly depending on your model and where you have it remapped.

Does remapping affect insurance?

Remapping your car will almost always increase your insurance premium. You must declare it to your insurer too — failure to do so could see your policy cancelled.

Where can I remap my car?

Norwich Car Clinic of course!

Never attempt to alter the software of a car’s engine yourself. Unless you’re a trained technician that knows exactly what you’re doing.

Signs that your battery may need replacement

Corrosion on the Connectors

This is the most obvious method on how to tell if the car battery is bad: Check under the hood and look where the battery is connected to the terminals (the positive and negative caps). If you see a blue-green powder or crystal-like substance caked on those terminals, it’s time to replace your car battery. Dead batteries can be cleaned or wiped off, but this leaking battery acid is a sign of issues. It needs to be replaced immediately or very soon.

Warped Battery Case

You don’t want to see a bulge or swell in your tiny cell phone battery, so you definitely don’t want to see it in the battery of the thing that transports you every day! You might see a swelling, cracking or bulbous side of the case; cases are typically rectangles, and oddly shaped cases may be a sign something is badly wrong.

A Rotten-Egg Smell When You Open the Bonnet

The stink of sulfur is a sign that your battery acid is leaking. Leaking battery acid is one of the top signs a car battery is dying. A dying lead battery will produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which smells like something between rotten eggs, a sewer or well water.

Dim Headlights

Your car will experience sudden electrical issues when you have a bad battery. Symptoms might include your headlights becoming less bright suddenly. They may even flicker.

Electrical Issues

General electrical problems are a major sign of your battery dying and could affect pretty much your whole dashboard or electrical system.

These are some tertiary signs of a bad car battery:

• Your heated seats aren’t coming on.
• Your dashboard or radio is working sporadically or not working at all.
• Your dashboard lights are blinking, flickering or not coming on.
• Your electronic windows aren’t working. Your sunroof may also be affected.
• Your cell phone isn’t charging when you plug it in.

Of course, each of these alone might not be a guarantee of a bad battery; it’s best to check under the bonnet.

Clicking When You Turn the Key (Or a Slow-Starting Engine)

Ignition clicks are usually an indication of one of three things: a bad starter, a bad alternator or, more typically, a bad battery. Your battery creates a charge for the starter, which uses its energy to crank the engine. When not enough energy is available, there will either be a clicking sound when you turn the key, or the engine will be very slow to crank (or “turn over”).

Signs of a Bad Starter or Alternator vs. a Car Battery

A bad alternator will exhibit many of the same signs of a dead car battery: dim headlights, electrical issues, difficulty starting and a frequently drained battery. An alternator, however, will often have its own alternator light on the dashboard. Also, your car may experience unusual rattles and sounds. If you’ve replaced your battery or are thinking about it, it may be a good idea to check your alternator at the same time.

A bad starter, however, has a whole other set of symptoms. When you try to turn the key, for example, you’ll often hear a single click rather than a few rapid clicks. You won’t be able to crank the motor. You might hear a grinding noise or even see smoke when attempting to start it.

Of course, sometimes a battery is replaced and these other problems continue; you’ll want to ask your mechanic and continued issues.

Frequent Jumps

If you find your car needs more and more frequent jump-starts to get going, this is a fairly obvious sign that it might be time to get the battery replaced soon, especially if it’s more than three years old.

On Check-Engine Light

While the check engine light can indicate a host of things, one thing that it might indicate is a dead or dying battery. This is most helpful when combined with other factors, but, if you’re not sure, it’s best to bring the car in for a checkup anyway.

We recommend changing your cambelt at the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines on mileage and age.

The cambelt keeps all the valves and pistons in your car working together, it also keeps them apart in a very carefully timed manner. If the cambelt breaks, that timing would fail and all those valves could collide and cause a lot of very expensive damage.

On modern vehicles the water pump is driven by the cambelt and if it seizes it may well snap the cambelt so we recommend changing the water pump at the same intervals as the cambelt.

Unlike timing belts, timing chains are designed to last the life of the vehicle. Of course, that doesn’t always happen. Timing chains can break for a number of reasons

Unless the timing chain is broken, stretched, or otherwise compromised, there’s no reason to change it but if you hear rattling on start up contact us and let us check your timing chain.

As you know, steering and suspension parts are safety-critical, so it’s important that you routinely check steering and suspension components and replace any that show signs of wear. If a part is worn or failing, the issues below could result.

Vehicle continually pulls to one side while driving

Double wishbone on the front suspension.

• Ball joints
• Bushings
• Tie rod ends
• Uneven tyre wear/inflation
• Steering rack
• May need alignment

Continued bouncing after hitting a bump or pothole

• Shocks or struts
• Leaf spring

A steering pull or drift to one side after turning

• Bushings
• Ball joints
• Tie rod end
• Rack and pinion
• Uneven tyre wear

Steering slips while turning the wheel

• Bushings
• Ball joint
• Tie rod end
• Rack and pinion
• Uneven tyre wear
• Strut bearings
• Rack mount

Loose or sloppy steering: excessive play or wandering from side to side

• Tie rod end
• Ball joint
• Bushings
• Rack and pinion
• Strut bearings
• Rack mount

Excessive steering wheel vibration

• Ball joint
• Bushings

Steering veers to one side when driving over a bump or during hard acceleration

Independent rear axle with a coil spring/shock configuration.

• Ball joint
• Control arm
• Tie rod ends

Steering wheel bounces up and down at speed or when braking

• Wheels out of balance
• Uneven tyre wear/inflation
• Loose wheel bolts
• Brake rotors

Difficulty in turning the wheel

• Steering belt
• Power steering fluid level low (possibly leaking)
• Steering rack
• Power steering pump

A knocking or clunking sound

• Control arm
• Bushings
• Ball joint
• Tie rod end

If noises occur while turning, check:

• Ball joint
• Tie rod end
• Steering pump belt
• Steering pump

Visible Wear-and-Tear

A visual inspection is one way to check the condition of your car’s brake pads. You can see them between the wheels’ spokes, pressed against the metal rotors. If you see that the pads are less than a quarter-inch thick, then it may be time to have them inspected or replaced.

High-Pitched Screeching

If you notice a high-pitched screeching sound when you press the brake pedal, there’s nothing to worry about. It doesn’t indicate that your brakes will give out any minute. Instead, the squealing noise comes from a piece of metal purposefully built into the brake pads. It’s intended to warn you that the brake pads are getting thin and will need to be replaced soon. So, if you do hear that high-pitched grating or whining noise coming from your wheels, make an appointment with the service center soon.

Screeching Despite New Pads

However, loud noises coming from your car’s brakes don’t always mean you need to replace them with new ones. Another cause of strange sounds from your vehicle’s brakes may indicate that the rotors are glazed. This is caused by excessive braking that causes the metal to heat up and burn. Take a closer look; if you see blue marks or a dark ring on your rotors, they may need to be replaced.

Slow Stopping Response

Sometimes when you need to stop quickly, you may feel that your braking system isn’t stopping the car fast enough or it’s not as responsive as it should be. These might be signs of a leak in your car’s braking system. It may also result from applying the brakes over a long distance without bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. As a result, the brake pads and rotors are forced to make contact for long periods, and heat builds up. Eventually, their ability to generate the friction needed to stop the vehicle reduces over time.

Brake Pedal Vibration

When your brakes are in good working order, your car will smoothly roll to a stop. But when your brake pads are worn or the rotors become damaged, they can send vibrations throughout your car. If the car shakes or the steering wheel vibrates when you brake but stops when you release the brake pedal, it’s time to have your brakes serviced.

Extremely Sensitive or Insensitive Brakes

You may have been startled by your braking system suddenly jerking your vehicle to a stop at the gentlest touch. It may indicate that your rotors have worn down unevenly or that you need to replace your brake fluid. Either way, it’s a sign that you need to have your car serviced.
On the other hand, if you have to push the pedal nearly to the car’s floor to get your brakes to engage, that’s also a problem. It might signal that there’s air in your brake fluid, your vehicle has low brake fluid, or the brake pads are too thin. It may also be a sign that there’s an issue in your car’s hydraulic system. Take your vehicle to the mechanic immediately so they can diagnose the problem correctly.

Driveway Puddle

Another way to determine if your brake system leaks fluid is to check under your car. You may notice a small puddle of fluid after your car has been parked for a while. It might be the brake fluid if it looks similar to fresh motor oil but isn’t as slimy.

Heavy Grinding Sound

If you missed the screeching reminder that your car’s brake pads are thin, you might soon notice an even worse sound. A heavy metallic growling or grinding noise signifies that your pads have completely worn down. Unfortunately, replacement is out of the question at this late stage, as the grinding sound comes from the metal plate that rubs against the rotor. In a short amount of time, this can scratch your rotors or even melt the metal together and cause the brakes to stick. It has become a safety hazard that needs to be addressed immediately.

Pulling To One Side

Do you feel like there’s some invisible force pulling your vehicle to one side while you press your brake pedal? It might signify that the car’s brake lining is wearing unevenly and needs an adjustment. It could also indicate some foreign matter in your brake fluid, which means you should get the fluid drained and replaced.

Soft/Sinking Clutch Pedal

While not directly related to the clutch disc, a spongy feeling clutch pedal is a sign your transmission needs to be serviced. This can be caused by a leak of clutch fluid or air in the system. Both will lead to a soft or spongy feel in the clutch pedal. Sometimes the pedal will even sink to the floor, unable to return to its normal position.

Burning Smell

A burning smell may indicate that your clutch disc needs to be replaced. The clutch disc is a friction plate that allows the transmission to work with the engine, so you can change gears. Through wear and tear, the friction coating of the clutch disc wears off and once bare, it is metal against metal as you change gears. This produces not only damage but also a burning smell. If you detect a burning scent while driving, it could be your transmission grinding.

Grinding Noise When Changing Gears

While driving you may hear a grinding sound when trying to change gears. This grinding noise could be related to one of two things: the clutch disc or the transmission’s synchronizers. The synchronizers work to make changing smoother when shifting between RPM ranges. Whichever the cause, hearing a grinding sound of any sort while driving or changing is a sure sign that your vehicle needs to be examined by a professional.

Needing Higher RPMs

Typically, those who drive a manual vehicle know their vehicle well. They have a general idea of how many RPMs are needed to hit speeds in certain gears. When your clutch disc is starting to wear, it may start slipping. When this happens, you will notice it takes more RPMs than expected to reach the speed you want. This also goes hand in hand with a grinding sound and burning smell as discussed above.

Changing Gears Is Difficult

A healthy clutch allows the driver to change between gears without hassle. When the clutch starts to wear, changing between gears becomes difficult. The smooth change between gears is replaced with a rougher transition. You may find the clutch pedal is not functioning like you are accustomed to, and you may not be able to slip into the gears as easily as you once did.

There are many advantages to having your car regularly serviced from peace of mind that everything is in order to saving money in the long term.

Improved road safety

Neglecting your car means that any potential defects will go undetected and could develop into a more serious issue further down the line. Having your car regularly serviced means that any issues can be identified and fixed, improving your overall safety levels when out on the road.

Reduced running costs

Regularly servicing your vehicle and having frequent fluid and filter changes will help your car run as smoothly as possible and is less likely to experience engine issues. As a result, there are unlikely to be unexpected costly repairs. A well-maintained vehicle also increases fuel efficiency, meaning fewer pounds spent at the pump.

Increased car value

Buyers are now expecting more from second-hand cars. Evidence of your vehicle’s service history shows future buyers that your vehicle has been well-maintained and is likely to increase the resale value. If your car has no service history at all, potential buyers have no documented evidence that your vehicle has been looked after which is likely to significantly reduce what they are willing to pay.

Reduced likelihood of breakdowns

If you fail to get your car serviced regularly, there could be a range of underlying problems that will go unnoticed and could result in a potential breakdown. Booking your regular car service will provide peace of mind that everything is in working order and the chances of your car breaking down suddenly are significantly reduced.

Extended car lifetime

It may seem obvious but looking after your car means that it’s likely to last longer. Regularly changing fluids and filters and checking key components improves the overall safety and smoothness of your vehicle. These inspections will help extend the lifetime of your car and keep it running for longer.

Protect your warranty

For new cars, it’s standard that your vehicle will require an annual service to protect the warranty as per manufacturer specifications.

Improved fuel efficiency

Ensuring your fluids are topped up and that the key car components are in full working order will help improve the fuel efficiency of your car. A vehicle that runs efficiently, teamed with smooth braking and acceleration will result in less fuel consumption.

The MOT test includes a range of checks on various parts of your car to make sure they meet the minimum standards laid out by the Driving and Vehicle Standards Authority.

These include checking the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is present and legible and a check that your registration plate (number plate) is secure, legible, and in the correct format.

The MOT test also includes checks on:

• Lights
• Steering and suspension
• Wipers and Washer Bottle
• Windscreen
• Horn
• Seatbelts
• Seats
• Fuel System
• Emissions
• Bodywork
• Doors
• Mirrors
• Wheels and tyres
• Brakes

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The legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. By law, the tread depth must meet this minimum requirement across its complete circumference.

Bald tyres are one of the most common reasons for MOT fails, which is why it’s essential that you get into the habit of checking your car’s tyres regularly.

If you are not confident checking your car’s tyres yourself, you can arrange for it to be checked by a mobile mechanic or local garage.

Tyre and safety experts believe the 1.6mm legal minimum is insufficient to guarantee safety – most recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm for tyre replacement.

Tests by UK technical organisation MIRA found that, once tyres are below 3mm, stopping distances increase dramatically.

The difference in wet braking distance between a tyre worn to 3mm and one worn to 1.6mm can be as much as 44%.

Worn tyres are particularly dangerous in the wet because a tyre’s tread helps disperse water away from the contact patch between tyre and road.

If there’s less tread depth, less water can be shifted, increasing the risk of aquaplaning and losing grip.

In heavy rain, each tyre can shift one gallon of water every second, illustrating just how hard tyres work.

Simply put, deeper tread means they can work better, improving grip.