If you are one of the thousands of drivers that rely on a vehicle each day, it's essential that you keep your car or truck in good condition.

Engine problems could render your vehicle inoperable. Fortunately, many major engine problems can be avoided if you are able to spot the early warning signs of engine failure and take your vehicle to a repair shop immediately.

Here are three tell-tale signs that you should never ignore when it comes to caring for your vehicle's engine.

1. Check Engine Light

Too many drivers ignore the check engine light when it turns on. This is likely due to the fact that an illuminated check engine light could be caused by a wide range of malfunctions.

Not all of these malfunctions have the potential to cause engine failure. A check engine light could mean anything from a loose gas cap to a total engine failure.

It's always best to take your car to a repair shop and have them scan for the repair code when you notice your check engine light on. Most mechanics will scan your vehicle for free, and you will be able to find out exactly why the light came on so that you can take the appropriate course of action.

2. Smoking Exhaust

Modern vehicles are designed with environmental safety in mind. The emissions emitted by your vehicle should be minimal, and you shouldn't ever see visible smoke coming from the vehicle's exhaust.

The color of the smoke can tell you a lot about the potential problem in your car's engine. Black smoke usually indicates that too much fuel is being burnt by your engine. Blue smoke is caused by burning oil within the engine. White smoke is most often associated with a coolant leak.

An experienced repair shop will be able to help you address exhaust smoke and restore the integrity of your vehicle before the engine fails.

3. Oil Stains

You should always take the time to check underneath your vehicle when it has been parked for a long period of time.

Staining on the ground beneath the engine bay could mean that your car's engine is leaking oil.

Oil plays an important role in keeping the moving parts of an engine lubricated and dispelling heat. An oil stain means that your car isn't maintaining the right amount of oil, which puts the engine at risk of overheating.

Take your car to a repair shop to have the oil leak fixed before high temperatures damage the engine.

For more information about visiting an engine repair shop, contact a local business.