It takes about two to three months for a car to go from production to delivery, but a typical family car can easily last more than ten years.

After 10 years of use, it has tackled muddy, pothole-ridden, and water‑logged roads, while withstanding the onslaught of wind, snow, and heavy rain, ensuring the safety of its drivers.

Looking back, given the long service life of a vehicle, users often overlook one crucial component—fasteners—aside from essential safety features like airbags.

Today, let’s talk about the importance of automotive fasteners.

Simply put, a car is essentially an assembly of numerous components. While screws may seem inexpensive, they form the very foundation of a vehicle’s safety. Most car owners tend to focus on systems like control arms, shock absorbers, and brakes, overlooking fasteners—yet many accidents are actually caused by issues with these seemingly minor parts.

1. Screws directly determine whether an accident will occur.

1. Frame bolts are integral to the vehicle’s entire system; if low‑quality bolts or those that have not undergone proper heat treatment are used, prolonged vibrations can easily lead to metal fatigue, causing the bolts to fracture and resulting in accidents.

This is why automakers typically insist on using bolts rated at 10.9 or higher, and even 12.9 or above. High-strength bolts can withstand the stresses imposed under full‑load conditions, abrupt braking, and sharp cornering, whereas 8.8‑grade bolts simply cannot.

2. The suspension bolts, wheel alignment angles, suspension control arms, and steering knuckles are all held in place by locking pins. During driving, as the tires repeatedly contact the road surface, the resulting vibrations are transmitted directly through the suspension to the entire vehicle.

If low-quality bolts are used, prolonged vehicle operation can lead to bolt loosening and breakage, increasing the risk of loss of control and resulting in accidents.

3. Brake bolts: As the braking system is often referred to as a life-saving system, the bolts on the brake calipers deserve even greater attention—especially the non‑standard bolts used to secure the calipers and brake lines.

If substandard bolts are used, leading to caliper detachment or brake hose leaks, brake failure can easily occur. Such fasteners are critical safety components and must not be taken lightly.

II. The quality of the screws determines the driving experience.

According to the survey, 80% of the most frustrating issues for car owners are abnormal noises, and the root cause of these noises is most often related to fastener problems.

Improper use of bolts can easily lead to the following problems:

1. Bolts are not fully tightened, anti-loosening measures have failed, and there is a loud clanging noise when driving over speed bumps.

2. Poor corrosion protection caused the bolts to rust, leading to chassis looseness and abnormal noises.

3. Mixing bolt sizes and specifications is also a major cause of abnormal noises.

III. Don’t skimp on automotive screws—cutting corners can lead to far greater losses.

Fastener bolts typically account for less than 1% of the total vehicle cost, and from any perspective, reducing their strength to cut costs is simply not justified.

1. From the perspective of a manufacturing plant, vehicle assembly involves tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of bolts—seemingly a large quantity—but their unit cost is very low. If substandard bolts are used, this can lead to large-scale recalls and claims down the line.

The losses will far outweigh the price difference in fastener procurement.

2. From the repair shop’s perspective, cutting costs by using low‑quality bolts or mixing bolts of different specifications can lead to the failure of critical fasteners, resulting in costly rework, insurance claims, and even safety incidents—ultimately turning a supposed savings into a net loss.

IV. Summary

As one of the most critical fasteners, automotive bolts demand meticulous attention during both procurement and application.

It acts like a “safety tether,” firmly holding tens of thousands of disparate components together to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

Under no circumstances should you compromise on safety and user trust in pursuit of a few cents in cost savings.