Limp Mode – When to Call a Tow
How Limp Mode Can Help Your Vehicle
Limp Mode: the new feature to prevent vehicle damage
When the performance of your vehicle starts to decline, you will feel it very gradually. Your vehicle undergoes normal wear and tear while it’s on the road and preventative maintenance services help keep it in good shape. If you start to feel your acceleration become sluggish, you should consider an oil change. If your brakes are less responsive, maybe have a look at the brake pressure. Sometimes an issue arises in your vehicle that needs immediate attention otherwise it could cause further damage to your engine. These issues are unavoidable and can be very unexpected. If this happens, some newer vehicles have a security feature called Limp Mode that will activate when a problem has been detected.
Once your car is in Limp Mode, the use of unnecessary functions in your vehicle, like the air conditioning and radio, will turn off so more important features like your steering will work. In Limp Mode, your vehicle will have less acceleration and power because it is preventing additional strain on the engine or transmission while there is an ongoing problem. The engine will shift just enough power to the necessary vehicle functions to limp home or your nearest auto shop.
The worst thing a driver can do is to continue driving when there is something wrong with their vehicle. If the problem is something like an oil leak, Limp Mode will prevent you from driving too aggressively, which would cause the leak to increase, overheat, or even catch your engine on fire. Limp Mode acts as a safety feature as much as it alerts you of a potential engine problem. And the more you pay attention to your vehicle and its subtle changes in performance, the better you will be at anticipating what services are needed and when.
Whether your vehicle is currently in Limp Mode or you are just detecting a general decline in performance, the best course of action is to bring your vehicle to factory-trained technicians like those at J.D. Collision Express in San Antonio, Texas!
