Owing a car is exciting for many people. Young people especially look forward to the day when they will be able to have a car to call their own and enjoy the freedom that comes with having a vehicle that they can use at their will. However, what most people don't realize is that knowing how to drive the car is just one piece of the equation. To safely operate a vehicle, the individual must know what to look for in the car to determine if it is safe to drive. Here are some warning signs that your car needs maintenance.

1. The Car Is Pulling To One Side

There a couple reasons that a car will pull to the side, and none of them are good. If your car is pulling to one side you should take it into a mechanic. One of the common reasons for this is an alignment problem. If the steering wheel isn't aligned with the tires, it will pull to one side. Although you can correct it by just holding tight to the steering wheel while you drive it will actually ruin the tread on the tires and the tires will wear differently. This means that over time your tires will become worn more than usual, and it will cost you more money to replace.

Another reason the car might pull to the side is if the brakes are having a hard time. If one side of brakes is giving out it will cause the car to pull when you are braking. This is a major concern because it could mean that you are driving with only one good working brake.

2. The Car Is Leaking Fluid

Another concern is if the car is leaking fluids. Generally speaking, it is never a good sign if there is a fluid leaking. If the fluid is a black motor oil then it could be a problem with your engine. Another common problem is a red thin fluid. This is transmission fluid and it is very dangerous if you drive the car with low transmission fluid. In this case you would need to continually replenish the transmission fluid until you can get the problem repaired for good. If is a blue fluid it could be coolant from the AC system. In any of these situations you should get the car checked out.

These are just a couple reasons to get the car checked out by a mechanic shop like Jim Stephen's Foreign Car Repair.