Are you experiencing any of the following car problems? If so, don't worry—you're not alone. Many drivers face these issues every day. However, what you may not know is that these problems tend to get worse with time. So, ignoring them won't make them go away.

This post discusses two obvious car problems that often get worse as time passes.

Poor Fuel Economy

If you find that you have to fill up your tank more often than you used to, there's a good chance your fuel economy has slowly deteriorated.

There are a few reasons why this might happen, including:

• A dirty air filter. When the air filter is clogged, it restricts the airflow to the engine. This makes the engine work harder, which ultimately uses more fuel.
• Old spark plugs. Aging spark plugs can cause misfires, which ultimately waste fuel.
• A failing oxygen sensor. This issue can cause the engine to run too rich or too lean. This also wastes fuel.
• Fuel injector issues. Here, fuel isn't being sprayed into the engine as efficiently as it should be, so more fuel is needed to produce the same power.

If you're concerned about your fuel economy, the best thing to do is to take your car to an auto repair technician and have it checked out. Most of these problems can be difficult to diagnose by yourself if you have little experience with cars.

Vibrations

If your car is vibrating, it could be a sign of several different problems. For example, the issue could be with:

• Worn motor mounts. These mounts keep the engine in place, so if they're worn out, the engine will move around more than it should. This can cause vibrations.
• A broken or damaged drive shaft. The drive shaft transfers power from the transmission to the wheels. If it's damaged, it can cause a vibration that gets worse when you accelerate.
• Tire issues. If a tire is unbalanced or misaligned, it can cause vibrations. The tire is essentially bouncing down the road as it rotates.

Of course, there are other potential causes of vibrations as well, like a problem with the brakes. So if your car is vibrating, take it to an auto repair shop and have them take a look. They'll quickly diagnose the problem and let you know what needs to be done to fix it.

A simple DIY mistake can easily make the problem worse. For example, if you mistakenly over-tighten a motor mount, you could damage the mount or the engine itself, which ultimately costs you more money to fix.  

For more information, contact a local auto repair shop.