Promptly replace these parts on your car and you find yourself stranded at the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck to save you!

What's the worst thing that can happen to a driver? I would imagine that to be getting stranded at the side of road in the middle of the night, or maybe rushing to the carpark in the morning for an important meeting just to find out that your car wouldn't start. While a car is comprised of countless components, each part plays an important role for the car to work, and these parts do not last forever. Here are 5 crucial parts and how you can find out if they are due for a replacement.

As its name suggests, the fuel pump's job is to feed fuel to the engine. In the past, mechanical fuel pumps are used in cars that utilised carburettors. Recent cars which are fuel injected usually have an in-tank mounted electric fuel pump, while direct injected cars have another high-pressure fuel pump located at the engine. Engines combust fuel in order to produce power, and if the fuel pump fails, the supply of fuel will be disrupted, causing you to be stranded at the side of the road.

Failing symptoms: Difficulty starting car, loud whirring noise from fuel tank, engine sputtering or hesitation, abnormally poor fuel economy.

The alternator perpetually charges your car's battery, as well as provides electricity for the car's operation. Without electricity, a car will not be able to run as the electrical system and components, the spark plugs and fuel pump, all require electricity to work.

Hence, when the alternator fails, the battery won't be charged and will eventually go flat. Without electricity, there will not be any spark to ignite the fuel in the engine and your car will not be able to run. The alternator is one of the prime suspects when a car stalls in the middle of the journey and can't be restarted.

Failing symptoms: Dim or flickering lights, electrical issues, dead battery, whining noise from alternator, warning light (battery symbol).

Most, if not, all cars these days are equipped with an electric starter. The starter cranks the engine, and is the reason you can start your car simply by turning a key, or pressing a button. Hence, a spoilt starter means you won't be able to start your car. For cars with manual transmission, you can still get the car to start by push-starting it. But if you drive an automatic car, like most people these days, you are out of luck, there's no other way to start your car. The silver lining is that such a failure is unlikely to cause you to be stranded as it doesn't have any effect once the car has been started and not turned off.

Failing symptoms: Engine won't crank or it makes a clicking and/or grinding noise when you turn the key or push the start button.

Ignition coils produce a high-voltage electric pulse to the spark plug, so as to generate a spark to ignite the gasoline mixture in the engine's combustion chamber. This means that if the ignition coil is not working properly, the engine will not be able to combust fuel. This can result in engine misfiring, or totally fail to work in severe cases where all the ignition coils in an engine are faulty.

Failing symptoms: Difficulty starting car, engine misfiring, rough idle, engine hesitation, exhaust back-fire, poor fuel economy, poor engine power.

Most modern cars are water-cooled, this means that there will be a radiator. The radiator is a water to air heat exchanger. Its job is to cool down the water that courses through the engine and in turn, keep the engine in its cool, operating temperature. If the radiator fails, you will face an overheating issue, which can cause expensive damage to your engine. When you notice a leak in the cooling system of your car that caused it to overheat, it is not advisable to continue your journey, as it might aggravate the damage done to the engine.

Failing symptoms: Engine overheating, visible coolant leak, low coolant in radiator and/or expansion tank.

If you looked under the bonnet of most cars, you might notice many parts inscribed with DENSO's logo. DENSO manufactures a wide variety of automotive parts, ranging from engine parts, car electronic systems, car climate control (air-conditioning) systems, car safety systems such as airbag sensors to small motors for wipers, power windows and others for major car brands.

DENSO is an OEM manufacturer of all the important components that are mentioned above. Its quality ensures that the cars are able to start at the turn of a key or the press of a button and work flawlessly without any issue. DENSO is committed to creating a safer world, by developing safe and secure products. At US$4.4 billion of research and development investment (as of 2021), DENSO had invested nearly 10% of its global consolidated sales to accelerate technological development. DENSO strives to develop greater products for the automotive industry, to keep your cars running safely and reliably.

Engine oil is undoubtedly the most vital fluid in your car, not only does it lubricates the engine components, it also carries away heat as well as contaminants, to keep your engine healthy. Using its vast experience in the design and manufacturing of automotive parts as one of the world's leading OEM suppliers, DENSO engine oil is formulated with the latest engine oil technologies. It delivers superior lubrication, protection and fuel economy for a wide range of cars. DENSO engine oil keeps your engine clean by preventing harmful deposits and sludge from building up, its exceptional lubricating properties also extend your engine's lifespan by slowing down wear and tear while improving fuel economy.

DENSO Flagship Store - Purchase authentic automotive parts on LazMall

DENSO has recently launched its official flagship store on LazMall, offering aftermarket replacement parts, and engine oil for your car. You can visit its store to purchase authentic quality parts for your car or learn more about them. Do remember to follow the DENSO Flagship Store for updates on new products, promotions and vouchers to offset your purchase!