Mechanics Share the Most Common Car Maintenance Mistakes People Make

Taking car of your car is essential to ensuring it lasts many years and hundreds of thousands of miles after you first drive it off the lot. This includes taking it in for maintenance when issues come up rather than hitting the road with your check engine light on and hoping for the best.

The mechanics at Accurate Automotive in Northglenn, Colorado chimed in on what they believe to be the most common car maintenance mistakes that people make in a recent TikTok. Unsurprisingly, many customers ignore warning signs that their car is in trouble before it turns into a bigger, more serious issue.

"People go way too long on oil changes," one person said. "They go way above 5,000 miles or they don't think a check engine light is as serious as what it is."

A different mechanic seconded the problem of "waiting too long on your oil changes," adding that "letting your brakes go metal-on-metal because you weren't paying attention" can also be a major problem.

Another issue, one said, is "just not keeping up with your maintenance or skipping maintenance thinking that you can get by. It's definitely going to cost you in the long run," he warned.

Others echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing the importance of not "skipping regular maintenance" and not "going too long on your oil changes."

When you have a problem, unless you have experience with car engines and other parts, it's probably best to leave it to the professionals. One mechanic stated plainly that "not knowing what you're doing" can be a problem.

Another added to that chorus calling for drivers to have the pros figure out and fix the issues. "Just take it to a mechanic that knows what they're doing. They'll tell you what it is," one mechanic said.

If you have a check engine light on now, you might want to take your car in to avoid an even bigger headache—and payment—down the line.