If your car needs several ignition turns to start, get your battery checked. That is usually one of the first warning signs of a problem.
Your best friend when it comes to car maintenance is the owner's manual for your car. It will tell you everything you need to know about oil changes and milestone maintenance. Trust it. The engineers who built your car know best.
Does you car have an odd or musty smell when you turn the air-conditioning on, or does the airflow through the vents seem restricted? The problem may be that the cabin filter needs to be replaced.
While manufacturing processes and materials have created belts and hoses that last longer, they still need to be checked. Every time you change the oil, look for cracks, loosened tension or worn or frayed edges.
When you hear the words auto maintenance, chances are you think of an oil change. However, while this is certainly correct, auto maintenance can also pertain to a number of things such as plug changes, air cleaner replacement and yes, even a good wash and wax.
When buying tires, make sure they are all the same type and don't mix radial tires with bias ply tires as it creates a serious safety hazard.
While your vehicle will produce more power when unrestricted by an air filter, running it without one isn't a smart thing to do. Without this component, your engine will suck in soot, dust and other debris resulting in premature engine wear and ultimately, damage that will be too expensive to fix.
True words from Dudley Moore, award winning actor and musician. "The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it."
Keeping accurate records of performed maintenance can help you make sure you are performing all maintenance on schedule. It can also help identify problems.
Besides controlling coolant acidity, a diesel engine's coolant filter is also an anti-foaming agent, designed to reduce and eliminate bubble formation in order to preserve the surface tension of the coolant.
In a modern, computer-controlled car, the throttle body is where the air transits into the combustion chamber after passing through the air filter. As such, you can expect this part to need cleaning every so often because it can get gummed up with soot and petroleum residue.
Tread wear is not the only way to tell if tires need to be replaced. They also have a time limit. If your tires are five years old or older, it's time for a new set.
If your car throws a check engine warning, don't take this to mean that something catastrophic has happened. More often than not such warnings are from faulty sensors that only need to be replaced or cleaned.
To get the longest life from your tires make sure they are inflated to the proper temperature and rotate them on a regular basis (when you have the oil changed is a good time to do this) and have them aligned for even wear.
To keep on using your car without worry, you have to make sure that it stays roadworthy. This means changing balding tires immediately, making sure that all lights and electrical systems are working and of course, staying on top of all mechanical maintenance requirements.
Non-working electrical parts are often the result of a defective fuse, an inexpensive part to say the least. Check your owner’s manual for the location of the fuse box and the proper fuse. Removing and replacing it is just a snap-out, snap-in process.
Gas charged shocks improve ride performance by increasing the ability of the fluid in the shocks to do its job, improving the ride on rough roads, and increasing stability when cornering.
Use gas with the correct octane rating to prevent pinging. If it is pinging, and it persists after you make the switch, the ignition timing may be off and need to be reset.
Here are a few words of wisdom from racing great Dale Earnhardt: "It's a never ending battle of making your cars better and also trying to be better yourself."
It's easy to forget about your windshield wipers when you're not using them. Get in the habit of wiping down the blades when you fill up with gas to keep them free of dirt and grit and to check for wear.
If you notice that one of your turn signals is blinking faster than usual, it typically means its fuse is about to burn out. This is an easy repair and your owner's manual has the information you need for replacing it.