AUTO REPAIR GUIDE

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 ...

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 ...

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...

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...

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 p...

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 ...

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, spending money on preventive measures is a necessary expense to keep your car in sound condition. Vehicle's often comes with owner's manual more often than not depends on how you bought your car and within this manual is a prescribed maintenance recommendations properly scheduled to meet you vehicle's periodic needs and these advises are universal i. Check your fluid levels regularly ii. Change your fluids periodically iii. Change your filters periodically Doing these will minimize your vehicle's risk of breakdown and prolong the life of your engine, brakes, transmission and cooling systems If you are not paying attention to the above listed basic maintenance need of you vehicle, you car may become "maintenance challenge"