3 Surprising Issues That Can Send Your Car To The Junkyard

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3 Surprising Issues That Can Send Your Car To The Junkyard

9 June 2022
 Categories: , Blog


While modern vehicles can last for many years, no car can run forever without substantial amounts of dedication, effort, and money. Most daily drivers eventually reach their expiration points when something fails that's simply too expensive to bother repairing. This category typically includes engine and transmission failures, but other problems can be just as severe.

If you drive an old beater barely limping through your daily commute, it can pay to understand when it's no longer worth keeping it on the road. Once the cost to repair your cost begins to exceed its value, it may be more worthwhile to contact a junk car removal service and scrap your old heap.

1. Wiring Harness Issues

How much can a few wires cost? As it turns out, the answer is "a lot." Your car's wiring harness is a special bundle of cables running throughout your vehicle. These wires provide power and data transmission to many systems, from dash controls to brake lights. If a part of your car requires electricity, there's a good chance it's connected to the wiring harness.

Wiring harnesses don't typically fail, but physical damage (such as an animal chewing on the wires) can lead to extremely high repair bills. These costs arise because accessing the wiring harness is typically challenging, and the wires themselves can be pricy. Scrapping the car may make more sense if you drive an older vehicle than paying for a pricey harness replacement.

2. Damaged Steering Racks

You've probably heard the term "rack and pinion" steering before. The rack is the large portion of the steering system that spans between your wheels and connects to them via tie rods. Tie rods tend to wear out over time and don't cost much to replace, but the steering rack is an entirely different ball game. These parts are often expensive and rarely easy to replace.

The good news is that steering racks don't often fail on their own. The bad news is that physical impacts, including hitting deep potholes, can cause damage to the rack. If your steering rack fails, you should ask whether the cost to replace it exceeds the car's value. If it does, it's time to call up a cash car buyer and move on.

3. Faulty Air Conditioning Compressors

If you can live without air conditioning, this failure may not matter much to you. On the other hand, living through hot, humid summers without cool air can challenge many people. The compressor is the most critical and expensive part of your air conditioning system, and you won't get anything except warm air without one.

Replacing a compressor can cost over $1000 on some cars, making this a questionable repair for cars with one foot already in the grave. If your beater's AC compressor goes out, you may need to choose between living with the heat or scrapping your car in favor of one with a cool, comfortable cabin.