AUTO REPAIR GUIDE

A defective fuel  gauge will give inaccurate readings and they can make driving frustrating. If the readings on the fuel gauge is always the same, always empty or full, gives wrong readings all the time then you are dealing with a faulty fuel gauge  The possible causes includes defective voltage regulator bad gauge bad wiring between gauge and sending unit faulty sending unit It is most likely a defective voltage regulator if the temperature and oil pressure gauges are also affected but if only the fuel gauge has issues then the problem is rooted in the gauge itself, the sending unit or the wiring

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

This usually occur when there is a leakage in the brake system. Another culprit for this is a worn disc brake pads. If vehicle's brake warning light comes on, it is more likely than not that you are dealing with leakage and this can lead to brake failure Inspect the brake calipers, brake lines, hoses, wheel cylinders and lines, once you discover the source of leakage the faulty component should be replaced

Sometimes, your car makes grinding noise when braking. It’s a warning sign telling you that there’s something wrong either with the brakes or the rotors. Lots of car owners prefer to ignore such sounds for fear of an expensive repair. Well, you shouldn’t make this mistake! Ignore your automobile’s moans and groans and it may cost a fortune to repair down the road Common brake noises and their causes includes -- i. Grinding noise- usually caused by lack or defective brake pad, NEVER DRIVE WITHOUT BRAKE PAD ii. Thumping from rear- usually arises in the rear drum iii. Squeaking-  mostly caused by inferior break pads or brake wear indicator hitting the rotor iv. Scraping-  if your vehicle makes a scraping noise(sounds like something being dragged across a tin plate) while driving, it could be that you have picked up a rock and it has gotten between the rotor and the backing plate. Have the rock removed and continue your journey v. Drum brake noise- brake squeal in drum brakes

When your brake warning light is on, it could mean a number of things, i. If the light is on all the time, it could mean you simply forgot to release the parking brake ii. If the brake warning light remains on when the parking brake is released, it could be that the switch on the parking brake pedal or lever is misadjusted, a simple adjustment should fix the problem iii. If the light is intermittent and seems to come on and off depending on whether the vehicle is turning, it may mean that the brake fluid level is getting low iv. If the brake warning light is on continuously, it means that hydraulic pressure has been lost in one side of the brake system or that the fluid level in the master cylinder is dangerously low most likely due to leakage. The fluid level in the master cylinder should be checked. Adding brake fluid to the master cylinder reservoir may temporarily solve the problem but if the culprit is as a result of leakage, the new fluid will soon be lost and the warni

When the ABS warning light comes on it means there could be a problem with your anti-lock braking system(ABS). ABS prevents your vehicle's wheel from locking up in a sudden stop which helps avoid skidding out of control especially on wet roads Though sometimes it could also be the result of a fluke in the ABS system, so when this light comes on and you are driving ' don't panic' find a safe place to pull over, turn off your engine, and then restart the car. If a fluke in the ABS system triggered the warning light, it should turn stay off when you restart the engine but if not, then it's time to get an ABS diagnosis The most likely reason is failure of wheel speed sensor(WSS) or an issue with sensor's wiring circuit as these will disables the ABS system and causes the ABS warning light to come on To check the wheel speed sensor you have to measure it's output voltage, you do this by plugging a breakout box into the ABS module's wiring harness and

The thing about vehicles is that no matter how much you pamper them, treat them like an only child but as time passes by, certain parts begin to fail. Preventive maintenance will go a long way to prolong your vehicle's life but no kind of maintenance can stop a machine from wearing out. These are some of the components that begin to fail as mileage increases i. Rubber components-- a lot of components in your vehicle are made of rubbers elastomers and synthetic rubbers. This includes coolant hoses, vacuum hoses, fuel hoses, emissions hoses, brake hoses, seals, weatherstripping around doors, windows, the hood, trunk and certain engine parts. What happens to rubber is that as they age they become hardened which makes them shrinks and begin to cracks ii. Tires-- Given the jobs tires perform, they are meant to wear with time.  Wheel misalignment also enhance wearing of tires which is why you should make sure your wheels are properly aligned. High performance tires or original fact

There are certain things every motorist should know otherwise they may end up spending money even when they don't have to i. If your car is still under warranty, always take it to your dealer for repairs. They are likely to do a much better job plus it's free ii. Take your car to an independent repair shop if it's out of warranty. Dealers do awesome jobs at car repairs but so does a very good mechanic plus an independent repairer is much cheaper iii. Fix your car yourself if you can. A lot of procedures for preventive maintenance are stuffs you can grasp easily. Learn how to handle minor issues iv. Don't fix it yourself if you can't- Trying to tackle a problem that is beyond your capability could lead to serious damages and end up causing you more than it would have  been if you had taken your vehicle to a repair shop v. Sell your vehicle before it starts costing you too much money to retain. Now this last piece of advice is the only reason we made this

Tire vibrations are usually the result of an imbalanced tires and this vibrations tend to increase as vehicle speeds up. Balanced tires provides smoother ride by minimizing tire bounce and also improves traction, steering control and prolongs the life of tires If your vehicle has this problem, take it to a tire store or repair facility that has a tire balancing machine. Have them check all four wheels and tires, and have any wheels that are out of balance re-balanced as needed Also note that mud or dirt packed in the back of the rim or debris embedded in the tread can lead to an imbalanced tire NOTE: Hard breaking and over acceleration can cause tires to rotate on the rim, this could also lead to imbalance

Having a flat tire can be a really terrible news if you need to get somewhere urgently. Causes of flat tires includes i. Leaky valve stem ii. Wheel air leaks iii. Punctures caused by driving over sharp object iv. Someone intentionally lets air out of your tire for certain reasons v. Bead leaks between tire and wheel If you are already driving before you encounter this problem, pull over once it's safe to do so and get your vehicle off the main road as far as possible to avoid collision HOW TO CHANGE FLAT TIRE TOOLS REQUIRED: Jack, Lug wrench, fully inflated spare tire 1. Find a Safe Location As soon as you realize you have a flat tire, do not abruptly brake or turn.  Slowly reduce speed and scan your surroundings for a level, straight stretch of road with a wide shoulder. An empty parking lot would be an ideal place. Level ground is good because it will prevent your vehicle from rolling. Also, straight stretches of road are better than curves because oncoming

On newer vehicles you are likely to find the cabin air filter, it's job is to clean the air that enters the passenger compartments and HVAC( heating, ventilation and air conditioning) unit In some cars you will find it located under a panel at the base of the windshield while in other cars you will find it behind the glovebox There are two kinds of designs or construction of cabin air filters and it's maintenance depends on the construction your vehicle is using i. Dust only-- should be replaced every 20,000 miles or two years ii. Dust and odor-- should be replaced every 12,000 miles Note that replacements often depends on operating condition

Maintaining a clean fuel supply is essential for proper and reliable engine operation which makes the the job of the fuel filter very important. The fuel filter is guides the the fuel system against dirt, rust, and all kinds of debris. Without the fuel filter components of the fuel system like the carburetor and valves become exposed to contaminants and this could lead to serious issues like preventing valves from seating or clog the injector inlet screens and starve the injector for fuel. Fuel filter also separates water from fuel and this helps protect the injectors and pump from corrosion There are two kinds of fuel filters i. In-line filters - located between the fuel tank and carburetor ii. Internal filters- these are fitted inside the carburetor fuel inlet on older vehicles A lot of late model vehicles with gasoline engines have a fuel filter designed to serve a lifetime and they are located inside the fuel tank with the pump. Factories do not give recommended serv

The function of the air filter is to keep dirt out of the engine, it's maintenance depends on where you live or how your vehicle is being used. Manufacturers often recommended air filters replacement after 30,000 to 50,000 miles but if you do a lot of driving on dusty areas, rural roads then you may have to replace yours every couple of months When doing an air filter replacement, always compare the old filter with the one you are about to replace it with and make sure they are the same height and size. Doing this will help prevent unfiltered air leaking through

Unless a hose fails or steering gear has to be replaced, power steering fluid is another motor fluid that is hardly ever changed. The general practice is to replace the fluid when pump or steering gear has failed or being replaced as the old fluid is likely to contain debris that can damage the new steering pump or gear Manufacturers rarely ever give a recommended car maintenance service for steering fluid but you should check the fluid level in the pump reservoir periodically. If you notice a low fluid level, the likely cause is a leakage on the hose or a seal somewhere in the steering system Whenever the need arise and you have to change the steering fluid, always refer to the owner's manual to see the recommended fluid for your vehicle

If your car does not steer straight, then you may have a wheel alignment problem. You may have your alignment checked and discover that it is within the acceptable range of specs for the application but still it does not steer straight. This is because some vehicles are more sensitive to slight variations in alignment that others and the same goes for motorists Most experts agree that wheels should be aligned to the preferred alignment settings rather than accepting anything that is between the minimum and maximum values because preferred settings are closer to the mark than the minimum or maximum values For a four wheeled vehicle to travel in a straight line, these conditions must be met i. The four wheel must point in the same direction ii. The amount of rolling resistance offered by all four wheels must be the same and this must include caster effect between the two front wheels iii. There must be no play in the steering or suspension linkage that positions the wheels If

Most people tend to forget that brake's fluid is hygroscopic i.e absorbs moisture over time and because of this it is often neglected until maybe when the brakes are relined. Brake fluids tend to be contaminated with moisture after two or more years which is why you must consider changing your brake fluid periodically When brake fluids gets contaminated it's boiling point reduces and this leads to internal rust, corrosion that can damage brake components like calipers, wheel cylinders, antilock etc and pedal fade when the brake overheat. Experts agree that changing your brake fluid every two to three year for preventive maintenance will prolong the life of the hydraulic components in your vehicle's brake system  When the time comes and you decide to change your brain fluid make sure you use the correct type suitable for your vehicle, to do this just refer to your owners manual for recommendation. A lot of Japanese passenger car and light truck applications  require

These are some of the most common maintenance problems encountered by motorists around the world WORN WIPER BLADES- worn, torn or cracked wiper blades will reduce your visibility when driving in especially during rain or snow fall. Wiper blades should be replaced once a year or sooner if a fault is noticed LOW TIRE PRESSURE-  To make sure your tires are not under or over inflated, tire pressure should be checked at least once a month. Do this by referring to your owner's manual and see the recommended level by your vehicle's manufacturer. Low tire pressure will increase fuel consumption and wear out your tires and having too much pressure could reduce traction, also keeping your tires properly aligned will increase it's service life OLD/OLD ENGINE OIL- having your vehicle running on low or old engine oil will expose your vehicle to threats like engine wear and overheating. If the oil drops too low, lubrication will be impossible and this could lead to critical eng

It is not uncommon to see motorists complaining about noise and odor oozing form their AC NOISE--If the noise is coming from your compressor, it's usually means your compressor is wearing out or serving it's final days. This noise could also be the result of contaminated refrigerant, using the wrong type compressor lubricant and air in the system Noise could also be caused by parts of the system like the hoses rattling against other components in the engine ODOR-- If your vehicle air conditioning blows out funny air, the most likely cause is fungus, molds and/or bacteria living in your vehicle's climate control system (typically they congregate in the evaporator core and/or near the condenser in your A/C unit). These critters move into these areas because it's a moist enclosed space, and while some cars have a bigger problem with this than others, it's very common To get rid of the unwanted organisms, various chemicals like lysol antiseptic spray can be spra

If you are having problem an AC cooling problem, it is likely that your vehicle is lacking refrigerant in the system mostly due to leakage. Check for leaks at the compressor, evaporator and around hoses. It must be identified and fixed before refilling refrigerant A lot of systems are designed to switch the compressor off when there is a low level of refrigerant, this protects the compressor from serious damage due to lack of lubrication NOTE ; Some seepage of refrigerant is normal for vehicles, the older your car the higher the seepage An easy and old school way to check for leaks is to spray soapy water on hose connections and watch for bubbles The chart below shows other possible diagnosis for your AC problem If your AC blows cold air for a while and then warm air, it means your AC may be freezing up as a result of moisture and air allowing ice to form in the system and blocking the orifice tube.To fix this the air and moisture needs to be purged out using a vacuum pump u

LOW TIRE WARNING LIGHT  This lights come on when there is an underinflated tire on your vehicle. Driving on low tire can cause uneven braking, uneven traction, tire blowout, increased fuel consumption and also leads to wearing out. Possible causes includes loss of air pressure due to puncture, a faulty valve stem, seepage(loosing 1 to 2 PSI per month due to seepage is normal for many tires), and inaccurate TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) WHAT  TO DO : Using an accurate gauge, check the inflation pressure in each of your tires. When you find the deflated tire, add air as needed. See your owners manual for the recommended pressure value, although recommended value for passenger cars typically falls between 32PSI to 34PSI. NOTE ; Always check your tire pressure before embarking on any long road trip BRAKE WARNING LIGHT If you see this light on, it could mean that the parking brake is not fully released, brake fluid level is low or there is a loss of hydraulic pressure i

i. EXHAUST ROAR If you hear exhaust noise coming from beneath your vehicle and the noise gets louder while you accelerate, the most likely cause is leakage in the exhaust manifold gasket, exhaust pipe connections, or cracks in the exhaust manifold. This means your exhaust needs repairs The danger here isn't the noise but the gases leaking from your vehicle. The gases contain carbon monoxide(CO) which is known to be a silent killer, if a little amount of this gas(CO) leaks into the passenger compartment it could affect your alertness and you could lose your ability to concentrate. Research shows that one percent of CO can kill a grown human in less than three minutes ii. SQUEALING SOUND FROM WHEEL This is an indication that your axle bearing or wheel bearing is failing. This noise will come and go at various speed as your vehicle accelerate or slows down. Never ignore this noise because if the bearing fails, your wheel could lock up or come loose from your vehicle But if the noi

We understand you want to master your vehicle and be able to fix at least some not-too-serious repairs and maintenance along the way. To work on your vehicle you are going to need some basic automotive tools which includes HAND WRENCHES - By buying wrenches in set, you get more value for your mone SOCKET WRENCHES SCREWDRIVERS PLIERS LUG WRENCH These socket wrench helps to loosen and tighten lug nuts TORQUE WRENCH To avoid screwing up it's settings, don't use a torque wrench to remove lug nuts. Use an impact wrench instead DEAD BLOW MALLET A few smacks from this hammer coupled with a little heat applied will loosen almost anything. They are designed to prevent marring metal surfaces LATEX GLOVES Regular reusable gloves get greasy and grimy and they are very difficult to clean. With latex gloves you get to work with clean gloves every single time ZIP TIES These handy tool helps you keep/bundle cables and wires together, away from hot and