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Life and Expiry of Car Spare Parts

​​When it comes to cars, most of us simply buy the car and forget that it needs maintenance. Some people are a little more responsible and take their cars for regular servicing, however you can’t do that too often and it can get expensive.

Furthermore, one thing most people don’t know is that most car parts and accessories have different life spans. After that period, your car parts may not work at all or they may hinder the smooth functioning of your car in general.

As such, in this article, we’ve listed out the life expectancy of various car parts so that you can get them regularly replaced or serviced.

 

Air Conditioning
The air conditioner generally has a life cycle of a year. That doesn’t mean you need to replace the AC annually, however it does need annual servicing as dust and debris may clog it up. You can generally tell that your AC needs servicing if the air coming out of it isn’t cold enough. It should be very cold. Sometimes, all it needs is a little cleaning, and sometimes it may require a gas recharge.

Airbags and Seatbelts
Airbags and seatbelts are essential car parts for safety. These are the first line of defense if you get into an accident. Luckily enough, they have a very long life cycle of 10 to 15 years. Most people don’t keep cars around that long, so you don’t need to worry about them too much. However, if you notice that the belts are torn at all, you should immediately get them replaced.

Air Filter
You can check the expiry date of the air filter in your car’s owner manual. It’s extremely important to look into it because a clogged up air-filter can also damage other parts of the car. You should generally change it annually or after every 20,000 kms driven.

Battery
The car battery should be regularly changed every four years, regardless of how much you’ve driven the car. If you’re living in an extremely hot tropical climate, you should change it every three years.

Brake Pads
You should get the brake pads replaced every 3 years, or after you’ve run the car for 50,000 kms, whichever comes first. However, the frequency of replacement can also vary depending on the size of the vehicle. Heavier vehicles wear out the brake pads faster than smaller vehicles. Furthermore, the expiry date is also determined by the type of brake linings used, be it semi-metallic and ceramic or nonasbestos organic linings.

Tires
The life and expiry of tires can vary vastly depending on a number of factors. Generally speaking, they may need replacement every 5 to 7 years. However, they might wear out a lot sooner if you drive harshly.

Clutch
This should generally last for over 100,000 kms driven. However, if you drive aggressively it might wear out a lot sooner.

This should give you a good idea of how long different car parts can last. However, you should make sure that you have a good car insurance​ because accidents can occur even if all your car parts are in ideal condition.​