5 Car Repairs You Should Never Do at Home
If you’re a DIYer, you probably like to try fixing things at least once before giving in and taking it to a professional or replacing the item. However, attempting certain repairs yourself without the proper knowledge can have serious consequences, like these five car repairs you should never do at home unless you know what you are doing. These repairs are labor-intensive or part of a crucial component of your vehicle and should, therefore, not be tampered with unless you feel like calling a tow truck!
1. Timing Belt
Your car’s timing belt is essential to the vehicle’s operation. This is one repair we seriously advise against trying at home. Most timing belts require a large portion of the engine’s front cover to be disassembled to get to it! This can take up a lot of time, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, it causes serious damage to the engine itself.
If you somehow damage the timing belt or any other engine components, the cost of your DIY repair can likely become twice as much as the original repair would have cost if a professional performed it. Sometimes, it’s just better not to do things on your own.
2. Radiator
The radiator is one of the most important parts of your vehicle. It helps keep the engine cool, preventing overheating and permanent damage that can result from excess heat. The costs of a malfunctioning radiator can add up quickly, but the cost of an unsuccessful DIY radiator repair can be even higher.
If you’re having radiator trouble, do yourself (and the car) a favor and take the vehicle to a professional shop. They’ll have the right tools and knowledge to successfully identify and repair the issue without causing permanent damage to your vehicle.
3. Fuel Pump
This is yet another crucial component to the operation of your vehicle. The fuel pump aims to provide fuel to the engine at the correct pressure, ensuring the engine’s proper operation. This requires care and precision when repairing and should be done by professionals with the knowledge and tools to do so. Not to mention that fuel pumps are also often hard to reach, and the fuel tank and rear axle can sometimes need to be disassembled altogether.
This repair may cost somewhere in the $800-$2,000 range, depending on your vehicle’s make, model, and year, but doing it yourself incorrectly can easily double or triple that cost.
Using quality fuel in your vehicle can help prevent faulty fuel pumps and the cost of their repairs. Quality fuel helps keep components clean and in working order so they degrade slower and won’t run up your repair bills.
4. Head Gasket
An intensive, time-consuming, and expensive process, even when performed by a professional, replacing a faulty head gasket is definitely not something you want to attempt yourself. Your vehicle cannot run while a head gasket is blown, but it could become scrap if you don’t know what you’re doing.
It’s best not to take chances with crucial components like your head gaskets. Take your car to a professional shop and have it looked at to get a good idea of the extent of the damage and the cost to repair it. Head gasket repairs are expensive, and you may even find the car isn’t worth the repair cost to get it running again.
The Bottom Line
Your vehicle is nothing short of an investment, and no matter how many how-to videos you’ve watched or DIY articles you’ve read, you can’t replace the expertise of a seasoned mechanic. They’ll know things about your car’s internal parts you wouldn’t consider. If a faulty repair causes a vehicle accident, you’ll need to find a lawyer to get back your money, and the process can be quite expensive, too. When in doubt, take your car to a professional mechanic to ensure your investment is properly handled.
