Posted on 11/28/2025
Holiday traffic looks like a parking lot with turn signals. Engines idle longer, brakes work harder, and drivers make faster decisions with less space. A little preparation and a few smart habits keep the car calm and give you a wider safety margin when the lanes fill up. The Hidden Load of Stop-and-Go Every crawl from zero to 10 mph puts heat into the engine, transmission, and brakes. Short bursts of throttle followed by quick braking also magnify small issues like weak coils, uneven tires, or a sticky caliper. We often see minor drivability quirks become obvious only when traffic is dense and speeds never stabilize. Heat, Idling, and Fuel Economy Idling with the heater, defroster, and lights on raises electrical and cooling demands. If a cooling fan is weak or the condenser and radiator face are clogged, coolant temperature can creep up in traffic even on a cool day. Automatic transmissions also run warmer during repeated launches. Fresh oil, cor ... read more