Although to keep the car in good condition it is essential to have up-to-date inspections and go to the workshop when a warning light appears on the dashboard screen, the truth is that driving habits can considerably shorten or lengthen the useful life of our vehicle.
Nothing guarantees us that we will be safe from unexpected breakdowns, although there are certain precautions that we can take to ensure good maintenance. This also appeals to the way we drive and drive the car.
Aggressive driving is likely to damage our vehicle without us being aware of it. Without going any further, there is a habit that is as quick as it is simple when we start and stop the car that can save us a turbo breakdown worth 3,000 euros.
Before delving into the trick itself, it is first useful to know what the turbo is, what its purpose is and how it works. In general terms, the turbo is a supercharging system that helps the engine perform more and consume less. This is an essential element in order to maintain the power of the engine, despite the size and displacement being reduced with the aim of reducing consumption and emissions. For this reason, all diesel and some gasoline vehicles have this technology.
Its job is to compress the air that circulates to the engine, sending more oxygen to mix with a greater amount of fuel. It has two turbines that collect gases from the exhaust pipe and redirect them to introduce more air into the cylinder. To do so, it contains oil that acts as a lubricant, since the gases circulate at a very high temperature.
In short, the turbo increases the amount of combustion and more power is obtained without increasing the level of emissions. That is, it takes advantage of the energy generated by the combustion engine to increase the power of the vehicle, without consuming more fuel or violating emissions control regulations.
Breakdowns in the car’s turbo are some of the most expensive that we can face, with an amount that is around 3,000 euros, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE). Therefore, it is more than convenient to know how to treat it with care to avoid taking us to the workshop and emptying our pockets.
Just one minute is enough when you start the car and another minute when you are going to turn off the engine to prevent deterioration of the turbo. When you start the car, let the engine warm up at idle for a minute before driving away. Leaving the vehicle at idle means keeping the engine at minimum rpm, in neutral and without stepping on the accelerator. This way, we give the engine time to warm up before starting to force it.
Then, when you reach your destination, let it idle again for another 60 seconds before turning off the engine. With this, you prevent the oil that remains between the engine parts from burning and forming carbon that increases the risk of breakdown.