Living in the age of "fake news" and misinformation is such fun, isn't it? But baseless myths are nothing new: we just used to call them other things, such as "old wives' tales". I was never quite sure how that saying came about. Are old wives more likely to give flawed advice than members of other demographics? Where's the evidence?
But we digress. Myths, misapprehensions, whatever you want to call them, can actually cause us to waste a fair bit of time and money. In some cases, they can even get us into trouble with the law. We've checked out half a dozen bits of car maintenance advice that we have heard offered at one time or another, to determine whether they are wisdom worth acting on, or just nonsense.
Myth 1: Tyre pressures can get dangerously high in hot weather, so you should let some air out of hot tyres to bring the pressure down to normal
This is incorrect. Tyres are manufactured to tolerate a range of pressures. The benchmark pressure that we should use to assess our tyre pressure is known as the cold pressure or cold inflation pressure. That should be our starting point. Tyre pressures should be measured before driving, when the tyres are cold. That is also the time to do any top-up inflation if pressures have dropped.
Letting air out of hot tyres creates a risk of driving on underinflated tyres if conditions change and the tyres cool down. This can happen unexpectedly, when one drives through water, for example. Incorrect tyre pressures shorten tyre lifetimes and increase the risk of accidents.
Instead of deflating tyres in extremely hot weather, it is better to avoid leaving cars parked in direct sunlight, and to take a break from driving to give your tyres some time to cool a little, if you suspect that they may be getting too hot.
Myth 2: It's a good idea to slightly overinflate tyres so they go longer before needing to be pumped up again
More nonsense. Different cars require different tyre inflation pressures to ensure safe and economical running. Overinflated tyres can cause reduced traction, raising the risk of skidding. Overinflation can also reduce the lifespan of your tyres.
Both overinflation and underinflation can both damage tyres and increase the likelihood of accidents.
Myth 3: After requiring a jump-start, a car should be fine after a drive around the block. If that's not enough to get it back to normal, then the battery is worn out and needs replacing
If a battery has drained so far that it doesn't have enough charge to start the car, then you should try to identify the likely cause. If you left some electrical system running - leaving a light on, for example - then the problem should be easy to spot. However, if there is no obvious cause, then the issue could be with the battery or with a component such as the car's alternator. If you don't know why your battery went flat, get the car checked over by a mechanic.
If, for example, you left the lights on overnight and needed a jump-start from your neighbour, then you should drive the car for at least 20 minutes to give the battery a chance to recharge to some extent. A longer drive is preferable. Alternatively, use a car battery charger to give your battery a proper recharge.
Myth 4: Modern cars don't need "running in" like cars from the last century. It's fine to drive a new car fast from the outset
Modern cars don't need running in to the same extent as older cars, but many manufacturers do still recommend limiting revs and speed for an initial break-in period.
BMW's website says:
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