Common Car Breakdowns That are Likely to Run Your Self Drive Trip in Uganda

As you are making plans for a safari in Uganda, there are high chances that you wish to undertake a self-drive trip. Whether you are heading for a wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo or Kidepo Valley National Parks, wish to relish a gorilla trekking tour in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a chimpanzee trekking adventure in Kibale Forest National Park or simply planning City excursions in Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe or Fort Portal, on fact is for sure; experiencing a Car Breakdown is not really an option.

Cars are the fundamental part of Uganda safaris, although there is sometimes a possibility that when you turn the key, the engine disappointedly doesn’t start. It even gets more discouraging when the Rental Car suddenly fails in the middle of the road. However, having knowledge of the different causes of Car breakdowns will be crucial in finding a way of avoiding it. Therefore, the following are the car breakdowns that are likely to ruin your self-drive trip in Uganda and definitely how to prevent them;

A faulty or flat battery

Faulty or flat batteries are so far the commonest car breakdowns during self-drive trips in Uganda, especially during the extreme cold weather. If you notice issues with your battery, it might be impossible to start the Rental Car because it’s the one that powers the starter motor, after which turn the alternator, followed by re-charging of the battery. This problem normally happens when you leave lights on as the engine is off, poor electrical connection, old age, issues with the charging system and a faulty component.

The best way to reduce cases of faulty or flat batteries is by switching off everything as you leave the Rental Car. The mistake most drivers make is thinking removing ignition key automatically switches off the lights but the advantage is that most modern vehicles have the “lights on” warning sound as the vehicle door is being opened.

Lost Car keys

The Car keys getting lost or being locked inside the Car is another issue that is likely to run your self-drive trip in Uganda. If this happens, you are most likely going to call someone to help you get back in hence the best thing to do is always have a spare key somewhere (home or with the Rental Company). Most Rental Companies have digitalized technologies in that keys have microchips that prevent Cars from getting stolen thus also difficult or almost impossible to be replaced when lost. Therefore, losing or trapping them is also one of the popular causes of car breakdowns during self-drive trips in Uganda.

The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)

This is a crucial part of the exhaust system on Diesel Engine Cars, playing an important role in trapping fine particles of soot as well as burning them off into less-dangerous gas. Under normal circumstances, the Diesel Particulate Filter looks after itself, although sometimes gets blocked up when you undertake numerous short journeys. Clogging of DPF can be prevented by undertaking weekly runs up the motorway.

Damaged Car tyres and wheels

Just like faulty batteries, Car punctures are normally received with groans and are usually created by sharp objects, failure or damage in tyre valves, when the tyre hits a deep pothole or kerb as well as old age among others. For this reason, if you notice that you hit a pothole strongly, it is advisable to first check the rims and wheels as well as talk to a tyre specialist as soon as possible when damage is discovered. This problem can be prevented by adjusting tyre pressure when carrying a heavy load, checking the tyre tread depth and pressure from time to time in addition to avoiding potholes while driving.

Fuel issues

There are different fuel issues that are likely to cause car breakdowns and ruin your self-drive trips in Uganda and they include using the wrong fuel (most common mistake among self-drivers) but once you notice this, don’t start the engine. To avoid this, make sure that you check the pump nozzle where it is black for diesel and green for petrol. Additionally, diesel nozzles are normally bigger. Another issue is running out of fuel or the engine getting flooded with fuel.

Alternator faults

Usually, persistent battery issues and dim headlights are experienced when the Car engine is idling and possibly there is a problem with the alternator.

Running out of AdBlue

Another Car breakdown cause is running out of AdBlue, thus reducing the performance and power of the Car engine to “limp home” mode so as reduce its emission. When the engine has suddenly stopped, it becomes impossible to re-start until the AdBlue tank is re-filled. It should be noticed that most current diesel cars utilize “Selective Catalyst Reduction” hence lowering any dangerous Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from the exhaust. Issues of AdBlue can be prevented by always topping it up to the recommended levels, keeping an eye on the mileage countdown to ensure that it doesn’t run out as well as taking good care when mixing AdBlue tank and fuel tank refilling.

Problems with engine oil

Driving with the wrong engine oil levels is detrimental to the Car engine-whether low or high oil levels. Diesel Cars with Diesel Particulate Filters are likely to be diluted if DPF regeneration doesn’t take place. This is a very bad thing for the engine thus an oil change at the garage will be required. However, this problem can be avoided by regularly checking the engine oil with the dipstick, making use of the vehicle handbook for details on the right oil specification and so much more.

Starter Motor

While the starter motor is normally durable and robust, it can also fail at some point. However, with prompt servicing of the Rental Car, any issues will be noticed and solved there and then.

Overheating

Overheating is another common cause of car breakdowns that most likely ruin self-drive trips in Uganda. Check the temperature warning lights which when on mean there is a serious issue with the engine or the cooling system. If you notice steam getting emitted from the Car engine or the temperatures are high, it is advisable to drive to a safe place before calling a mechanic. However, prevention is better than cure thus always make sure that the coolant is topped up or better still that the cooling fan is functional.