Three common new-car problems

Top tips to fend off trouble before it happens

Let's take a look at some of the most common problems with new and newer vehicles, as reported by various owner's communities and experts alike. Follow these top tips to avoid or deal with the issues you're most likely to face in the first few years with a new vehicle.

VALVE GUNK AND OIL CONSUMPTION

Oil consumption and Directinjection valve gunk accumulation are two more commonly-discussed issues across a multitude of newer vehicles. Some owners have experienced trouble or concerns, many have not.

Thankfully, if you're the sort of driver who tends to stay on top of regular maintenance and servicing, you're already well set up to avoid these potential issues. Paying close attention to regular maintenance, using only factory-specified parts and fluids, and refueling only with quality gasoline from a reputable retailer at all times seem like great ways to keep possible valve gunk to a minimum in many applications. In general, modern engines with direct injection are designed to provide a long and gunk-free life, provided they're cared for properly. If that's not the case, trouble is more likely.

Changing your oil at or before recommended intervals and sticking to the factory recommendation for engine oil and filter use is a great idea too – as is remembering to check your engine oil regularly and report any concerns to a dealer right away. Oh, and don't forget the spark plugs; if not changed at or before their recommended intervals, they can contribute to dirty combustion, which can increase the likelihood of both oil consumption and valve gunk buildup in some situations.

ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS

J.D. Power and Associates say that a high percentage of problems reported by early owners of vehicles these days are electronic in nature, including infotainment, driver assistance and other features. Sometimes, these stem from difficulty using the new feature by way of its design, and plenty of owners report problems in these areas as their vehicles get to be a few years old, too.

And whether it's your infotainment system, lighting, door locks, you name it, a weak or dying battery is a big cause of trouble in a lot of cases. In fact, I'd bet if you have just one problem with your vehicle in the first four or five years of owning it, it's probably going to look like a series of electronic malfunctions somewhere, and likely caused by the battery getting weak.

Many newer car owners say that batteries just don't last like they used to, with some lasting as little as two years. Protect yourself by having your battery tested at any sign of trouble and replacing it, if necessary, this can prevent numerous issues.

If your car's sitting for extended periods (many are), using a battery trickle charger can help condition and recharge the battery while the car is parked, extending its life and reliability.

Remember that unplugging USB storage and connected devices like your phone can help keep your battery from draining while you're away, and that storing the key fobs far from the vehicle can help make sure their batteries — and the one in your car — last as long as possible, too.

Finally, using a high-quality data cable to connect all of your devices to the car's interface is a great way to fend off connectivity trouble.

System acting up? Head to your favourite search engine for specific instructions on how to hard reset or reboot the system, which often clears annoying bugs and errors. If it doesn't, the problem may be more serious.

RUNNING ROUGH

We know from J.D. Power and associates that tire flat spotting, brake rotor rust and other issues can result when cars sit for extended periods, whether on a dealer lot or in your driveway.

Elsewhere, a lot of owners of a lot of different types of vehicles report one concern very often: hard shifting or unwanted vibrations from the transmission.

Usually, this is described as a lack of power or smoothness, a sense of clumsiness, or a strange wobble, or throbbing vibration in certain driving conditions. Though sensations like these can have many causes, transmission trouble is a likely culprit when it comes to modern cars and trucks. If your automatic gearbox exhibits the occasional hard shift, or if something feels funny, it's a really good place to look.

Dealers can quickly assess problems like these, which tend to be fixed by installing a simple software update to the transmission's computer brain, which is fairly quick and painless.

Still, report issues like this to your dealer as soon as possible, which can help speed up warranty claims, if applicable.

BONUS TIP

If your car or truck is doing something funny, you might be tempted to disconnect its battery for some time, and return later to reconnect it, thereby resetting the vehicle and solving the trouble.

Trouble is, this can cause a multitude of problems in new vehicles, some of which require special equipment and procedures to properly disconnect and reconnect the battery to prevent significant (and potentially pricey) trouble and inconvenience.

The nutshell? Avoid the temptation to try and reset trouble in a newer vehicle by disconnecting its battery, unless you're 200 percent sure it's safe to do so. If in doubt, let a professional check it out.