If you’re anything like my wife, you look at something that’s broken and think, “well, I can fix that myself – it’ll save money!” However, we’ve found out through some amount of trial and error that when it comes to your vehicle, there are some things you should really be leaving to the professionals. Here’s what we’ve found to be the things you shouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole unless you’re a certified pro like the folks at King Volkswagen (thanks for being awesome)!

The Transmission. Just don’t even try anything with this, because when it’s broken it’s really actually broken and it’s an expensive replacement. Even changing the fluid is something for the pros. Trust me on this.

I know that there are kits you can get that say they’ll fix your windshield, but this is also something you should take to your dealer’s service center. If you’ve got a big crack or chip, it’ll more than likely grow, and you’ve got to replace your windshield anyway if the injury is big enough to see. The glass can even crack invisibly, so even if the glass looks okay there could be a bunch of tiny cracks through it that damage the structural integrity of the glass.

Anything with wires, like your sound system, is a thing you shouldn’t mess with. Not only because you run the risk of shorting out your car, but because you could cause a fire, or at the least spend money and time trying to do something and just not have it work. When it’s a pro job, you know it’ll work and be good and your car won’t catch on fire in your driveway.

The fuel pump is another thing you should take to get looked at by professionals. It’s a very precise part that requires precise repair and installation, and if you mess this up you’ll total your car from the inside out. It’s not pretty, trust me.

The last thing, and my wife actually agrees with me on this, is that you shouldn’t use one of those engine diagnostic tools. Sure, they’ll turn off your check engine light, but you should really be, you know, seeing what’s wrong and then getting it repaired. Turning off a light doesn’t fix the problem! So, if that light comes on, check your gas cap and if it’s fine then bring your vehicle in to get evaluated and repaired by professionals.