4 ways to prevent a car breakdown

You are cruising down the road in your car, enjoying your favourite tunes when your car suddenly screeches to a halt. A car breakdown is one of the most dreaded and frustrating mishaps a car owner can experience. While it cannot always be avoided, there are some ways you can prevent your car from breaking down.

1. Send your car for regular servicing and inspection

Sending your car for regular servicing and compulsory vehicle inspections ensure that it is in proper working condition. A good garage to service your car may cost you now, but will later save you from more serious, expensive damages in the future. As for car inspections, they are mandatory for all vehicle owners in Singapore to ensure that their vehicles are well-maintained and safe to drive. For private cars, the first inspection is required when the car reaches three years. From then on, it should be inspected once every two years until the tenth year, after which it will be inspected annually. During inspections, key components of the car such as the brakes, lighting and wheel alignment will be evaluated for safety.

2. Top up the fluids in your car

As cars age, they tend to consume fluids like engine oil, coolant and battery fluid more quickly. Hence, you should check the levels of these fluids in your car every month. Engine oil is especially important as it prevents heat and friction from building up within your engine and enables the moving parts of your car to function properly. If you notice the engine oil light come on while driving, stop and check under your car for any dripping oil. This indicates that your car is likely on the verge of breaking down. Best if you can check underneath your car while it’s parked too. If there are no signs of leakage, the light is probably a sign that your car is running out of engine oil. You should purchase some and top it up as soon as you can to avoid a car breakdown.

3. Reduce weight from your car

Your car may be a convenient place to load clothes, books, gym equipment and other items that you do not have time to organise just yet. However, the more you pile into your car, the more it will be weighed down. Consequently, it will have to work harder and will hence use up more fuel. Additionally, the extra weight will place more pressure on your suspension and brakes, especially when you turn, brake or accelerate. This will wear your car’s parts down and increase the likelihood of a breakdown. To avoid this, try to reduce the clutter in your car and keep only items that are absolutely necessary.

4. Get covered for breakdowns

The next best thing to do is to be prepared. That means getting car insurance that covers you for breakdowns. FWD is the only insurer to provide car insurance that comes with 24-hour roadside assistance for both accidental and non-accidental breakdowns for all comprehensive plans.

Why do customers trust FWD with their car insurance needs?

• 741* of our customers were provided with roadside assistance during a breakdown.
• 9%* of FWD customer claims approved.
• 74%* of customers renewed their car insurance with FWD.

You can feel confident that you will get the help you need. Explore FWD Car insurance plans today.