Did you know that, in 2019, there were 284.5 million cars in the U.S.? It makes sense, considering that the U.S. is a country where many people use their cars to commute to work, drive their children to school, and go on road trips.

Given this statistic, many drivers often find themselves in a situation where they need to worry about car repairs.

It can be an incredibly frustrating position to be in when you need a car repair because it feels like the rest of your life is on hold until you’re able to move around normally again.

It’s also frustrating to have to think about the costs of car repair and maintenance. For that reason, you might be thinking about car fixes you can do on your own to save money.

While that’s fine, there are definitely some car repairs you shouldn’t do yourself. For both safety and technical reasons, you should know what these are.

Once you do, you can figure out if your repair is one you can do on your own or if you’ll need to take your car in. Read on to learn more.

1. Installing A New Radio or DVD Player

Back when car radios were a little less complicated, it was easy to install new ones. For that reason, many people seem to think that this type of car maintenance is easy to do. But don’t make that mistake!

Because your car radio and DVD player are connected to your car with electric wiring, there’s a lot that can potentially go wrong during the repair. These potential issues are starting a fire in your car or short-circuiting the electric system.

A fire could endanger your life or force you to have to buy a new car entirely.

Even if these potential problems don’t occur, you could wire everything incorrectly, which would be a waste of your time. And you don’t want to break the radio or DVD player, either.

2. Repairing the AC System

Repairing an AC system can be dangerous for you physically. This is because it has chemicals in it that can be harmful to you. The AC system is also much more complicated to fix than you might imagine because of the many parts.

So even if you don’t end up covered in the AC-related chemicals, you might end up accidentally breaking part of the system, such as the fan. When it comes to complex repairs such as this one, it’s best left to the professionals.

The last thing you want is a car that’s too hot or too cold, and this might happen if you attempt to repair the AC system yourself.

3. Painting the Body

Painting the body of your car with another layer of paint is yet another repair that seems easier than it actually is. Even though the only health danger is the fumes (which you can protect yourself from with a mask), there are other risks you’re taking.

For one thing, if you mess up panting the body even slightly, you may end up with bubbles on the surface, which can look unsightly. There also might not be enough clear coats, and you might also end up with “orange peel,” which doesn’t look great either.

It’s a more complex process than it seems, so professional is the best choice here.

4. Repairing the Ignition System

The ignition repair system, just like the radio, DVD player, and AC system, is attached to the electrical system in your car. This means that you could end up short-circuiting the system or shocking yourself with 50,000 volts of electricity.

Ignition systems are far more complicated than they used to be, so instead of doing it yourself, have someone who’ll do more than simply pulling out a spark plug wire. It isn’t that simple anymore.

5. Windshield Repair

While it’s easy to find a windshield for sale at a reasonable price, you might have issues once you fit it in. If it’s installed incorrectly, you might end up with another broken windshield or with leaks anytime it rains.

Additionally, it’s not just the glass you’re dealing with, but also clips, the adhesive, and window trims. This means it’s a much more complicated installation that you might think from simply fitting the glass where it seems to fit correctly.

Think you don’t need to replace your windshield, but fix that tiny crack instead? This repair requires professional equipment, and if done wrong, you’ll have to get the entire windshield replaced after it cracks everywhere.

6. Shock Absorber Replacement

There are dangerous risks associated with replacing shock absorbers yourself. For one thing, if you install them incorrectly, you could end up in a serious accident. And when installing them, you could end up crushing your hand.

As with any repair that involves jacking your car, you could end up crushing more than just your hand: your entire body. When it comes to this kind of repair, it’s best to hire someone to do it.

7. Electric System Repairs

Electrical repairs are complicated. This is because the electric systems in cars are incredibly complex now, with many different wires connected to the computer in your vehicle.

So it can be difficult to figure out what’s actually causing the problem and then identifying how to fix it. The fix itself will be complicated, too, with many steps you can go wrong with.

8. ECU Repair

Just like with electric system repairs, ECU repairs are complicated. Would you fix your laptop’s motherboard on your own? (Well, if you do, you shouldn’t be doing that either.)

Car computer repairs should be done by professionals who are certified as ASE master technicians.

Someone who isn’t might end up messing with the car in such a way that shift points and air/fuel ratios aren’t reflected correctly, which will only give you more problems down the line.

9. Fuel Pump

When it’s working well, the fuel pump in your car ensures that fuel is supplied at the right pressure into the engine’s injector. It’s a delicate part of the car, and one that’s highly technological, so it can be quite expensive to replace.

For that reason, many people choose to replace the fuel pump on their own. However, even though this seems like it will save money, it most likely won’t. Because it’s such a delicate part, it’s easy to do the installation incorrectly.

If you do? You may have to end up with a new car entirely. Here’s a pro tip for you, by the way: if you fill up your car with high-quality fuel, then it’s better for this part, which means you’ll end up spending way less entirely with this preventative measure.

10.  Engine Repair

The engine is another incredibly complicated part of your car. These days, many cars have engines that are highly technological and run by a computer, so it isn’t as simple as opening the hood up and having a look anymore.

This means it will be difficult for you actually to identify what’s going on in your engine. If you make the wrong repair, then you’ll have to pay for yet another repair to fix that mistake.

Repairs You Can Do On Your Own

Fortunately, there are some repairs you can do on your own. Just because there are some pretty complicated parts of your car, there are others that you can fix in one quick afternoon.

Some of these repairs include:

• Putting in new wiper blades, following the instructions that come with them when you buy  them
• Repairing a dim headlight
• Replacing a broken wheel stud

As a rule of thumb, if a repair seems complicated, then it probably is. In this case, you’ll want to have a professional take a look.

Need to Know More About Car Repair?

If you have more questions about car repairs, we’re here to answer them. Here at Viking Motors, we’re experts at anything having to do with cars. We even sell new and used vehicles if you’re on the lookout for an automobile purchase.

To learn more about everything we have to offer, or to ask us any additional questions, visit our contact page.