FIVE TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR VEHICLE’S BATTERYYou never want to be stuck by the side of the road with a stranded vehicle. But every year, dead vehicle batteries leave millions of Americans doing just that, stuck in their driveways or looking for help from passing motorists.share tips and advice on identifying issues and extending the life of your vehicle’s batteryDiagnose the IssueTell...

Most cars have two control arms in the front suspension. Often they are called lower control arms. Some cars (e.g. Honda Accord) and many trucks have four control arms, two upper and two lower arms. What does a control arm do? It connects the frame or body of a car to the assembly that holds a front wheel. This assembly is called a steering knuckle. Control arms are connected to the frame or body ...

Q: When spring compressors are not available to perform vehicle repairs, what tip, trick, or tool is recommended to hold the tension of a coil spring?A1:Nothing but a real spring compressor is recommended. There is a lot of stored energy in a compressed suspension spring. If your kludge lets go, there will be pieces flying about with high velocity. Very dangerous. Buy or rent one. Failing that tak...

Begin with the vehicle on flat ground, in park with the emergency brake on, engine "OFF". (No smoking or open flame.)Step 1 - Locate the vacuum line which is attached to the fuel pressure regulator and remove it, this line should be free of fuel, if fuel is observed the regulator has failed. (Note: Not all vehicles are designed with a pressure regulator.)Step 2 - Once the inspection for the fuel p...

There is a whole lot of responsibility when it comes to owning a vehicle. Many owners would think that maintenance is a breeze. On the contrary however, it can be demanding and sometimes even pricey. With the right methods and practices, it should be challenging but doable. With mistakes, it can be unsightly.To help owners and even collectors out there, shared with us some dos and don’ts when it c...

There is a whole lot of responsibility when it comes to owning a vehicle. Many owners would think that maintenance is a breeze. On the contrary however, it can be demanding and sometimes even pricey. With the right methods and practices, it should be challenging but doable. With mistakes, it can be unsightly.To help owners and even collectors out there, shared with us some dos and don’ts when it c...

There are plenty of energy-robbing devices on your car that are supposed to go to sleep when it's parked, and sometimes, not all of them go to sleep. Here's how to give them a tranquilizer.FINDING LEAKS，STEP BY STEPStep 1Start with a fully charged battery. Be sure the radio and lights are shut off. Unplug your cellphone charger, GPS or laptop. Close the door or hold the dome light button down with...

What is a pitman arm steering system and what are its components? A Pittman arm is a method to reduce the problem of turning geometry. If you sit down with a straight edge and compass, and draw the tracks of wheels going around a corner, you will find that the inner and outer wheel's ideal angles are different. This is called "toe-in." The Pittman arm helps this, by causing a difference in how...

When your car's "Check Engine" light comes on, it's usually accompanied by a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. The light could mean a costly problem, like a bad catalytic converter, or it could be something minor, like a loose gas cap. But in many cases, it means at minimum that you'll be visiting the car dealer to locate the malfunction and get the light turned off.The Check Engine ligh...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1.With the engine off, open the hood and locate the power steering fluid reservoir. Most reservoirs are translucent and connected ...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1.With the engine off, open the hood and locate the power steering fluid reservoir. Most reservoirs are translucent and connected ...

A compression test reveals the condition of your engine's valves, its valve seats, and piston rings and whether these parts are wearing evenly. Healthy engines should have compression over 100 psi per cylinder, with no more than 10 percent variation between the highest and lowest readings. With a compressi...

Do you hear a ticking noise from your dash when the ignition key is on? Does your car heater blow cold or the air conditioner blow hot? These are signs that a blend door actuator has gone bad. With a little help from our team of ASE certified mechanics and about a half hour of your time you can replace this part to get your climate control back working again. Or you can see what you are paying for...

How to Prepare Your Car for a Road TripLast-minute road trips require a vehicle that is up to the task. Follow these tips before hitting the road.You're a conscientious car owner. You get the oil changed when you're supposed to and you take the vehicle in for its occasional required maintenance. But maybe you've been wondering what other quick things you could be doing to keep your trusty ride run...

How to Change a Tire Safely & QuicklyA flat tire never happens when it's convenient. Even if you already know how, here's a refresher with some helpful tips to make it less of an ordeal.A flat tire never happens when it's convenient. You'll be all dressed up and on the way to an important event when you run over that errant nail. Changing a tire by the side of the road was a regular event for moto...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1.Start the engine and allow it to warmup. Turn on the heater.2.Move the heater temperature switch from cooler to hotter and check for a change in air temperature.3.Turn off the engine. Open the hood and locate the heater co...

5 Tips For Tackling Your First Big Car RepairSo you want to graduate from oil changes to serious car repair. Welcome. But before you tear anything apart and find yourself in over your head, take these tips to heart.You're a capable weekend car mechanic. You'vegot basic tools and skills. You've mastered oil changes and tire rotations. Butwhen a big repair comes along, it's decision time. Take it on...

Wheel bearings are critical to the safe operation of any vehicle. These small components primarily "bear" the load of a mounted wheel/tire assembly, working to reduce friction during wheel rotation.Wheel bearing problemsAlthough bearings can last 100,000 miles or more, these mechanical elements can wear out over time. When this occurs, a driver will usually notice scraping noises as the vehicle is...

There are plenty of aftermarket head units—the boxes that radio hardware lives in—that have advanced features and can connect to smartphones, and many of these units are just a few hundred dollars. In many modern vehicles, the audio system is deeply integrated into a larger infotainment operating system. Even so, cars take three to four years to develop, so their technology often lags behind the b...

How to Repair Stripped Spark Plug Threads: Auto ClinicSpark plugs that haven't been changed for a long time can become one with the cylinder head. Fortunately, it's possible to repair damaged threads instead of scrapping the head.Q: Yesterday I was driving home and a spark plug blew right out of the cylinder head. The car was towed to the shop where I'd had a tuneup the day before -- which include...

16 Tools to Get You Started Working on Your Own CarWrenching on your own car can be satisfying and cost-saving, but you'll need these basic tools to get started.Whether you're restoring an old Jeep or you've got brand new Prius, you can eschew the dealer or auto shop for some tasks and start doing your own car maintenance. You'll find working on your own car saves time and money—and if something b...

When your car doesn't start, you most likely have a dead battery and the fastest way to get back on the road is a quick jumpstart. This simple trick takes less than five minutes and only requires a set of jumper cables and another vehicle. If you've never got around to learning the particulars or the ins-and-outs of doing it safely, we've got you covered.JUMPER CABLESAny pair of jumper cables is b...

Gasoline is expensive and you're looking for every way possible to save money at the pump. You already shy away from premium fuel, knowing that your car doesn't require it. You'd like to save a few pennies per gallon more by going to an off-brand gas station. But you can't get rid of the nagging fear: Is the cheap gas going to damage your car's engine?Edmunds.com put this question to experts in se...

For some vehicles, you're advised to change the coolant every 30,000 miles. For others, changing the coolant isn't even on the maintenance schedule.For example, Hyundai says the coolant (what many refer to as "antifreeze") in most of its models should be replaced after the first 60,000 miles, then every 30,000 miles after that. The interval is every 30,000 miles on some Mercedes-Benz models, but ...

A compression test reveals the condition of your engine's valves, its valve seats, and piston rings and whether these parts are wearing evenly. Healthy engines should have compression over 100 psi per cylinder, with no more than 10 percent variation between the highest and lowest readings. With a compression tester, a few hand tools, and 20 minutes, you can try this yourself.STEP 1 Remove the fuel...

Over the river and through the woods was more dangerous back when cars had crummy bias-ply tires, rear-wheel drive and ordinary brakes. So, tonight you feel confident driving home through several inches of freshly fallen snow after a sumptuous holiday dinner. Your front-drive car has excellent all-season tires and ABS (antilock braking system)—although the ABS light has been on since you banzai'd ...

The sunroof in my Pontiac Sunfire has beengetting fussy lately. Sometimes it initially won't close but finally does aftera few tries, and it's making some bizarre popping and scraping sounds. Withwinter coming up, I want to get it fixed. Can I do this myself? You'd think sunroofs would be just asreliable as power windows, but turning a sliding panel on its side makes themechanics far more difficul...

There are two ways to reduce your chances of breaking down.The first, and most important, is to stick to your manufacturer's advice on servicing. Your handbook will tell you when a service is due and exactly what's needed – just make sure you book your car into the garage promptly.The second is to do your own simple car maintenance checks. Here's our top 10:1. TyresEvery two weeks, check your tyre...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1.Open the hood and locate the power steering pump and reservoir. Note: the reservoir may be a separate container / independent of the hydraulic pump.2.Check power steering fluid level.3.Locate the power steering pressure an...

Diagnosing many car problems is easier with an automotive stethoscope, a tool that lets you hear inside the engine. Here's an introduction to using one to track down trouble.Sound amplifierStart with the sound amplifier attachment to locate the general area where the problem is.Metal probeTouch the scope's metal probe to the non-rotating part of the suspect component. If it's worn, you'll hear an ...

Avoid an expensive service or tow charge (and the worry of being stranded!) by keeping your car battery working at peak performance. This article will show you how to perform a simple step-by-step 10-minute seasonal battery check-up so you know whether your battery is performing well. This article will also explain how to replace your battery if it's failing, so you're not left stranded out in the...

Power steering works by way of hydraulic pressure. Fire up some hydraulic pressure in something like a backhoe, and moving giant rocks around becomes as easy as pulling a few levers. A forklift uses hydraulic pressure to lift pallets full of concrete blocks high onto this shelf or that. This miracle of hydraulic pressure also makes a great deal of the everyday driving experience easier. Turning th...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1.Secure your vehicle on a level surface, making sure your car will not roll or lean when jacked up.2.Break the lug nuts loose but do not remove. Lift up your vehicle using a floor jack.3.Secure the vehicle with jack stands ...

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.1 Park the vehicle on a solid, level surface and chock the front wheels.2 Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts a half turn. Using a floor jack, lift up the rear of the vehicle.3 Secure the vehicle with jack stands on both sides fo...

How to Replace Your Car's Halfshaft Most cars sold in the United States drive the front tires. It makes for inexpensive, easy-to-manufacture, roomy cars that get better gas mileage than the rear-wheel-drive alternative. Getting power from the transmission to the front wheels is a bit of a challenge though. That's what a halfshaft does. The two halfshafts have the simple job of transmitting torque...

In our travels into automotive repair services and time spent with wrenches, there is often mention of consulting the service or repair manual to help with your car maintenance task. When it comes to a removal and replacement of something fairly straightforward and simple like an air filter or an oil and filter, the procedure is more or less universal. A service or repair manual is probably a good...

Before you begin the process of replacing a fuel injector or fuel injection rail, you need to think about safety. Always keep fire safety in mind when you are working with fuel. You also need to be sure you are wearing eye protection. Even if you've released the pressure in the fuel injection system, there could be some fuel flying when you start disconnecting high pressure lines and removing inje...

Safety Tip: Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes. WARNING: The dust created by the brake system is harmful to your health. Never blow it out with compressed air and do not inhale any of it. Use an approved filtering mask when working on the brakes. Use brake system cleane...

When it snows, most drivers slow down and take extra precautions. But that's not necessarily the case when it rains. Yet driving in any wet weather is considerably more dangerous than driving when the weather is dry. Poor visibility, lower levels of grip and the chance of hitting deep puddles are just some of the problems a driver needs to deal with.The good news is that modern technology has help...

Believe it or not, a key feature of our grand human design has made it into the suspension of almost every automobile on the road today. Like the ball and socket joint that connects your leg bone to your hipbone, so goes the ball and socket joint (or joints) that holds the front suspension of your vehicle together. In the same way that your leg can move up and down, and side to side, the automotiv...