The Most Commonly Replaced Car Parts

What are the most commonly replaced car parts? With the huge forces created in your combustion engine and by travelling at speed, it is no wonder that the components of today’s cars wear out. Certain parts wear out faster than others and there can be extenuating factors such as environmental considerations that can lead to a reduced lifespan. Our list takes a look at which parts are most prone to wear and likely to need swapping out.

Air Filter 

This part generally needs replacing around every 40,000 miles or possibly sooner if your vehicle is driven on dirty or gritty roads where large amounts of particles can be kicked up.

air filter being inspected

Brake Components

All of the parts that are associated with the brake fluid system will succumb to internal corrosion over their lifetime. You will need to replace the callipers, wheel cylinders and master cylinder once every 100,000 miles. 

brake components on a car

Clutch

The friction involved in changing gear will eventually wear down your clutch, and will therefore require you change this part once every 100,000 miles. This could be sooner if you are an aggressive driver or if you ride the clutch.

clutch disc being replaced

Shocks and Struts

In some vehicles it may be the case that you never have to replace the shocks, however a slight unbalance in the car can cause the shocks to wear prematurely, as can travel on poor and degraded road surfaces. It is recommended that you change all your shocks at once to keep the ride quality consistently good.

shock absorbers

Alternator

This part can suffer fatigue if it is used to run too many high power applications in the car. However it is always recommended to test the wiring and connections before replacing the entire unit. 

Alternator

Brake Pads

The process of braking will eventually wear down your brake pads to the point where they will need replacing once every 60,000 miles. Driving in urban areas considerably shortens the lifespan of these parts, due to the stopping and starting of urban driving.

brake pads being replaced

Oil and Oil Filter

One of the most commonly changed car parts, your oil needs checking and replacing around every 4,000 miles to ensure the good, smooth running of your vehicle.

oil filter being replaced

Tyres

Constant pressure from the road quickly wears out your tyres. The better quality your tyre, the longer it will last, but the lifespan is usually around 70,000 miles before you will need to replace all tyres.

tyre on a vehicle

Fuel Pump

Due to continuous usage the fuel pump is one of the car parts that is under the most pressure from wear and tear. It usually requires replacement every five to six years. However often fuel problems are wrongly attributed to the pump when problems are more likely to be caused by blockages in the system.

Fuel pump

When one of your parts fails in your vehicle, it need not be a major disaster. With a little ingenuity, the right manuals and tools, you can change out many of these parts yourself with very little effort. Bigger jobs like mechanical overhauls of the engine are best left to the experts, but there is no reason why you can’t save yourself a little money by finding a good spare on the second hand market and replacing it yourself.

This entry was posted in Maintenance on by Justin Smith.

About Justin Smith

As the man at the helm of BreakerLink, it is no surprise that its Director, Justin Smith, has always had a keen interest in cars, bikes and most things wheeled. Having spent over two decades in the car parts industry, Justin combines his passion that since 2002, has successfully united those looking for new and used car parts with the breaker that supplies them. Follow Justin on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: These articles are for guidance purposes only. If you have any questions regarding any matter relating to your vehicle we would recommend that you seek the advice of an appropriate professional. We accept no responsibility or liability should you suffer financial or personal damages in relation to the advice stated on this website.