Is Driving Fast Bad For Your Car?


Is Driving Fast Bad For Your Car?

A bad driving habit has several different definitions. First, it’s any driving technique that is unlawful or not in compliance with international best practices. Apart from that, a bad driving habit can be defined as any regular activity that’s capable of harming one’s safety or the car.

In case you don’t know, one of the most common driving habits that can damage your car over time is when you continuously hit potholes and speed bumps. Another one is when you rest your hand frequently on the gearstick.

That’s not all; revving your engine, especially when the car is cold is another common habit that could damage your vehicle. But, here’s a burning question; is it possible to damage your vehicle when you drive fast?

Driving fast can increase your chances of hitting other vehicles. So, doing that is bad for your safety and that of the car. Besides, driving too fast could also damage your car engine and a few other components of the car, such as the brakes.

Does driving fast wear out the engine? What will happen if you push your car too hard? Is it good to drive your car hard sometimes? These and more are the frequently asked questions that you’ll find answers to in the rest of this post.

Does Driving Fast Wear Out the Engine?

Is Driving Fast Bad For Your Car?

To answer this question, I’ll say it depends on how fast you’re driving. There are times when you’ll always need to drive your car fast. If you go at a higher speed but in line with the law, you’ll most likely end up not hurting your engine. However, the wearing out of the engine can arise if you end up driving your vehicle at a higher speed than you need to.

So, the answer to the question is yes; driving your car too aggressively and at a higher speed than what’s recommended by the law can cause wear and tear to some of the components inside the engine.

Furthermore, you need to understand that most modern vehicles are engineered to be driven at higher speeds. So, cruising your car at high speeds, let say at a speed of 85 mph, will certainly do little or no harm to your engine in the long run. 

However, once you start going at a speed that’s not in line with the law of your state and you do that not once or twice but often, you can harm the engine.

According to the government of California, driving over 100 miles per hour on a freeway is prohibited. Going above this speed won’t only attract a fine but also cause wear and tear to your engine in the long run.

What Happens if You Push a Car Too hard?

Here’s another question; what will happen if you end up pushing your car too hard?

Pushing a car too hard is one of the things that is common to everybody. We’ve all done it at one point in our lives but the truth is making it a driving habit is very bad. Nobody likes to be pushed too hard and the same thing goes for the car.

Several things can happen to your car if you end up pushing it too hard and too often. Let’s have a look at some of the common signs that you’ll get when you become too aggressive with your car.

One of the symptoms of pushing your car too hard is that you’ll end up burning a lot of fuel than expected. In case you don’t know, aggressive driving that involves accelerating too hard and braking late will most likely cause you to pump too much fuel into the engine. Of course, if this happens, it means you’ll end up burning more fuel than you’re supposed to.

Another thing that will most likely happen when you push your car too hard and too often is that you’ll get a burning smell. The foul smell that comes up every time you drive your car aggressively often arises when the clutch starts burning up.

There’s no denying that some parts of your car will wear out over time. However, pushing your car too hard can cause these components to wear out easily and quickly.

Above all, pushing your car too hard may lead to a car crash or even trigger the police to come after you.

Is It Good to Drive Your Car Hard Sometimes?

Is Driving Fast Bad For Your Car?

As previously stated, pushing your car too hard and too often can cause several different issues to the vehicle. But here is a quick question; is it good to drive your car hard sometimes?

Yes, driving your car hard once in a while can help you clean up your engine. Apart from that, it can also help you keep all the moving parts running smoothly. Furthermore, driving your car hard (sometimes) can also enable the oil to get to all the components that need it.

Does Driving Fast Clean Your Engine?

Yes, driving your car too hard, once in a while, can help you clean your engine. In case you don’t know, one of the issues of the internal combustion engine is the deposit of carbon.

Several different factors can cause your car to produce carbon deposits. One of the common causes is the presence of aromatic hydrocarbons within the fuel. Additives used in most fuels can also cause carbon to deposit inside your engine. Metals from fuels can also cause carbon to deposit inside your engine.

Here’s where driving your car hard sometimes comes in handy. It can help you clean out carbon deposits in your engine. But keep in mind that you don’t need to break the speed limit law in your state to push your car hard.

Gui Hadlich

Hey there! I'm Gui. To be honest, I'm not really that interested in cars. But what I'm really, really not interest in is spending lots of money fixing my car up. Thankfully, I have a father-in-law who's obsessed with cars and a brother getting a PhD in internal combustion engines, so I get to learn about fixing cars. And with Fixing Engines, I hope to help you save a lot of money and take good care of your cars.

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