Every time I get out of the car, I get an electric shock when I touch the driver's door. Is there anything I can do to stop this?
David Ng

This is usually caused by a build-up of static electricity generated by your clothes rubbing against your car seat fabric. Certain types of fabric cause more static electricity than others. As this electricity current wants to travel to the ground, when your hands come into contact with the metal frame of the car door, you may experience an electric shock.

To avoid this, hold a metal key between your fingers before you get out of the car. Make sure you’re touching the metal part of the key and not the plastic casing. Once out of the car, gently touch the metal of the key against the car door or any metal part to discharge the static electricity.

I recently bought a second-hand Audi and found that recently in the morning whenever I turn the air-conditioning, there’s a screech coming from the car undercarriage and the sound lasts for around 20 seconds. What could be causing the problem?
Lim Teck Siong

This could be a sign that your car’s drive belt has slipped. When starting the car engine, the starter motor requires a lot of electricity from the battery. For the first half-minute or so after the engine is started, the alternator is running at full output to re-charge the battery. In this instance, the load required to turn the alternator increases.

In your car engine, as the belt also drives the air-conditioning compressor, it works even harder when you turn on the air-conditioning. Thus when the belt is slightly loose, it slips and causes the screeching sounds you experience.

We advise you to send your car to a workshop to tighten the belt. If the screeching sounds have been happening for some time, we advise you to replace the belt with a new one.

The function of oxygen sensors is to read the fuel mixture in the exhaust and send the information to the car’s computer. The computer then adjusts the fuel mixture for optimum engine performance. By not replacing the faulty oxygen sensors, your car engine will experience erratic idling, which in turn, affects its performance. A rough idling could mean an incomplete combustion, which can damage the catalytic converter in the long run. We advise you to replace the faulty oxygen sensor as soon as possible.

New tyres are required to be in balance with the rims to eliminate vibrations and create a smoother drive at highway speeds. Unbalanced tyres can be very annoying to drivers and passengers because of the vibrations in the car and on the steering wheel. This increases in intensity when travelling at highway speeds. Unbalanced tyres can damage the suspension, wheel bearings, as well as increase your tyres’ tread wear. To maximise your tyres’ lifespan and enjoy a more comfortable ride, ensure that all your new tyre(s) are properly balanced.