AUTO REPAIR GUIDE

The electrical system of a car is a closed circuit with an independent power source 'the battery' Apart from the main charging, starting and ignition circuits, there are other circuits that power lights, electric motors, the sensors and gauges of electrical instruments, heating elements, magnetically operated locks, the radio and so on All Circuits are opened and closed either by switches or by relays - remote switches operated by electromagnets Circuits have components connected to them,  and to operate these components they require voltage so, no voltage no function' which makes the first order of business when diagnosing electrical problems is to check the circuit's load point(bulb, wiper motor, any element the circuit is suppose to power) for the presence of voltage. If you find no voltage at the load point, you just uncovered the first clue about what a problem might be. Then you can check the fuse, fuse link, circuit breaker and also the relay supplying volt

Both headlights are not working--  This is usually caused by lack of voltage supply to the headlights due to wiring fault bad headlight relay/fuse/headlight switch/dimmer switch/module To know the exact cause of the headlight problem, retrieve your owners manual and locate the main fuse for the headlight circuit. If it'd blown, replace fuse with a new one but if it blows again like almost immediately, then there is problem in the headlight circuit that will have to be diagnosed and repaired before headlights will function again. But if the fuse does not blow and your headlights are still nor functioning, this is likely because there is no power at the fuse which would indicate a fault in the wiring either in the fuse block or between the fuse block and the battery If there is voltage in the fuse, then it's time to inspect the headlight relay. You do this by pulling the relay out and shaking it. If something rattles inside the relay it means it's faulty, time to ge

A bad car thermostat can ruin the car’s engine if you’re not if it not properly diagnose and fixed immediately. Ignoring a faulty thermostat will lead to a much  more expensive damage. Here are some of the ways you can recognize a defective thermostat  1. Overheating engine Once the thermostat becomes defective, it can cause over heating in your engine. This is usually the result of a stuck thermostat that won't allow antifreeze to flow from the radiator and so halts heat regulation in the engine as it begins to overheat. Before deciding on whether to replace your thermostat, check your hoses to make sure there is no leakage of coolant. 2. Under Heating engine This problem occurs when the thermostat allows continuous flow of coolant into the engine or has lost it's ability to regulate the flow of coolant into the engine. When this happen the engine will too cool and lose it's ability to function properly 3. Fluctuating temperature readings Once you start noticin

You get home, park your car, do some stuffs and go to bed only to wake up the next day and discover your battery is dead. Here are some of the likely culprit PARASITIC DRAIN This means there is something drawing power from your battery while it's parked. If you have your stereo presets, security alarms or clocks running after the engine is off, it can drain your battery. This type of drain is known as parasitic drain. Parasitic drains below 75 milliamps are considered normal, but any parasitic drain over 75 milliamps will drain the battery quickly. The most common causes of parasitic drain are under hood lights, trunk lights, headlights or glove box lights that do not turn off when the door is closed. Relay switches that are stuck in the “on” position can also cause a battery to drain FAULTY CHARGING SYSTEM A faulty or unreliable charging system can also drain the battery while the car is running. When an alternator is not pushing out enough voltage, which should be betwee

Brake failure is one of the scariest things that can happen while driving vehicle and they even though they are rare in regular vehicles, they can happen without warning. You stomp down on the brake pedal to apply the brakes but the pedal goes all the way to the floor and there are no brakes WHAT DO YOU DO? Every driver should know whether or not they have anti-lock brakes or regular brakes. If you have a logo that lights up whenever you start your car that says ABS(antilock braking system) then you have anti-lock brakes, if not, you have regular brakes. If your brakes go out, you want to do three things. First, downshift to a lower gear. Second, if you have regular brakes pump the brake pedal fast and hard to build up brake fluid pressure. If the brakes haven’t started working after three or four pumps go on the step three which is use the parking brake. Gradually apply the parking brake and be prepared for the car to skid. If none of the brakes work, put the car into a low gear

LOW BRAKE PEDAL-- This happens when shoe adjusters on rear drum brakes are rusted or sticking and can no longer make up for normal lining wear. Adjusting the rear drum brakes may restore a full pedal but a more lasting solution would be to clean or replace the adjusters. Fluid leakage and worn out brake linings could also lead to low brake pedals SPONGY OR SOFT BRAKE PEDAL-- When air gets inside your brake system a spongy or soft brake pedal is what results. This often happens due to improper bleeding, fluid loss or a very low fluid level. To fix this you have to bleed all your brake line using only a recommended sequence EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL-- If you experience excessive brake pedal travel, it could be that your brake linings are worn out or your drum brakes are misadjusted or your rear is getting worn out or there could be air inside the brake lines. It could also be any combination of both. This can be dangerous because the brake pedal may run out of travel before the

Many car owners believe that it’s crucial to warm up their cars before driving off. A number of people are following this practice from a very long time. They usually feel that by doing it will warm up their vehicle engine. Hence, it will help their car to run smoothly and efficiently. But, is this statement true? Well, let’s discover further what is the real truth behind it and also explore “ how long should you warm up car before driving? Lots of motorists chase the practice of warming up vehicles since ages. But, is that really essential? Well, with the earlier models of cars that have carburetors, it was important for motorists to warm their vehicles for a few minutes before driving off. It was because these cars used a manual choke cable that needed to be pulled before starting to ensure the smooth running of the vehicle But, nowadays it is not necessary for drivers to warm up their car before they actually start driving. With the advancements in the automobile technolo

Motorists around the world know  how to use foot brake and hand brake, even non-motorists are aware of their operation but how many are actually aware of the working mechanisms of braking using the pedal and the handbrake? very few, i guess. So without wasting much time let's break down the difference Foot Brake and Handbrake: The Real Difference If you have always been looking for the answer to- “when should I use handbrake and foot brake,” then delve deeper into their mechanisms and find the appropriate answer? 1. Overview Commencing with the foot brake system, it is a pedal connected to vacuum booster, which is used to stop or slow down the vehicle’s motor. This is also known as the system of hydraulic brakes that multiplies the foot-force applied in order to stop a car weighing several tons. Whereas, the handbrake, also known as the parking brake, or emergency brake; is a straight pull handle near the steering column. This can also be a hand-operated lever

Spare tires are a lifesaver when one of your regular tires pop in the middle of a highway or you may just find the car with a deflated tire. But, how long can you drive on a spare tire? The most common advice would be to check the owner’s manual that usually suggests not more than 70 miles at a maximum 50m/h (for a donut tire) as the rule of thumb There is no definite answer to this question because it depends on several factors. It happens mainly because the modern vehicles come with a donut tire, which is smaller than a full-size tire. The logic behind it is that people need it on rare occasions and don’t even use it for a long time. Also, a smaller tire saves space in the trunk 1. A Full-Size Spare If the spare is a full-size tire, given that it is the same size and type as the ones in your vehicle, you can drive it like a regular tire and use it until it wears out. You may think that the spare tire will be like a new one if you don’t use it. This is not true. If it is