Car Insurance

You’re driving down the road at a comfortable pace when your temperature gauge shows that your vehicle is getting hot. Suddenly steam starts drifting from the hood. But the weather is cold, and you only have a mile or two to go before reaching a gas station. Or perhaps it is very late and everything is closed, but your car light tells you your car is hot, and then you hear your vehicle start making a thumping noise. You want to keep going until you find somewhere safe to stop.

No matter where you are, when your car starts overheating, you need to pull off the road and turn the engine off as soon as possible. If you keep driving, you can damage your car so bad that you will end up needing a new engine. Find a safe roadside area or well-lit parking lot to pull into and turn off the engine.

Next, open your car’s hood. Be careful not to let it fall on your hands or your head, and avoid any steam that is coming from the engine area. You might have to wait until it cools down to do this. If you are in an isolated or unsafe neighborhood, get back in the car and lock the doors. Use your cell phone to call for help. You may want to attach an emergency flag or put out the brightly colored cone.

After the car has cooled down, take a rag that is kept in the car for such purposes, and begin to release the pressure from the radiator by slowly turning the cap. Again, be careful, as there is still going to be pressure in the radiator from the compressed heat.

While the radiator is cooling down, use a flashlight if it is night and check to see if a belt has broken; If not, look for anything that may be leaking from a hose. Make sure the belt is tight, because if it is loose, this could cause the car to overheat. Next, check the hose clamps to make sure that they are tight, also. Look at the oil reservoir to be sure there is an adequate supply. If needed, add water or antifreeze. But if you have called for help, you might not want to put anti-freeze in until you find out what is causing the leak. Don’t attempt to drive the vehicle, however, since if you don’t put anti-freeze in it or don’t have enough in the winter, you can crack your engine block.

Turn off everything in the car and start the engine. Slowly pour water or antifreeze into the radiator. Start looking for a leak. Check your water pump and make sure it isn’t leaking. Check every hose for droplets or trickles. Then make sure that your radiator is full before you put the cap on. If your car isn’t overheating anymore, drive it to the auto parts store to get antifreeze if your car seems to be running at normal temperature.

You might want to flush your radiator before putting new antifreeze in it, but you’ll need to do this at home. While you’re at it, check the belt and the hoses to make sure they are not badly worn. Better to check them now than wait for another breakdown on the road.

Just remember you cannot drive a car that is overheating very far without doing a lot of damage. Keep an eye on that temperature gauge whenever you drive your vehicle, and address any overheating problems promptly to avoid serious or permanent damage.

In the winter when the weather may be cold and icy, you want to take all precautions to make sure your car runs dependably. But many people will find themselves with a dead car battery. Here are some tips that can head off this potentially serious and expensive problem.

1. Get in the habit of carrying jumper cables with you, not just for your vehicle but to help others who might be in trouble. Make sure your battery terminals are clean, along with the battery cables. If they are dirty with grime or corrosion, you can get a tool for cleaning them. It doesn’t cost very much and is easy to use. You can buy this at any car part store or a department store’s automotive section, like the one at Walmart. If you prefer, you can manage this task with tools around the house, and you will need to use sandpaper or a file. Clean these areas gently but firmly.

2. After completing this job, check the fluid in your battery to see if is low. Fill it to the top with the right fluid that can be purchased at any car part store. Check to be sure you have the correct level so that the battery will operate efficiently.

3. Now prepare to jump your battery by connecting cables to another car battery. First, turn off everything in the car, such as the lights, the radio, or anything that runs off the battery. Remove any metal jewelry that you are wearing that might touch the battery. Make sure you park close enough so that the booster cable will reach the second vehicle. Set the parking brake of both cars and put the transaxle in park if the vehicle has an automatic drive function. A manual transmission vehicle should be placed in neutral. Make sure both vehicles are turned off. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive

terminal of the booster battery. Connect the other end of a jumper cable to the positive jump start terminal, located near the power distribution center of the vehicle with the discharged battery. These are usually red, and the negative is typically black. Connect the other cable, first to the negative terminal of the booster battery and then to the negative jump start terminal, located near the hood release latch of the vehicle with the discharge battery. Make sure you have good contact with both.

4. If the vehicle is equipped with a sentry key immobilizer, turn the ignition to the “on” position for three seconds before moving the ignition switch to the start position. Start

the engine in the vehicle that has the booster battery, let the engine idle a few minutes, then start the engine in the vehicle with the discharged battery. When removing the jumper cables, reverse the sequence exactly. Be careful of the moving belts and fan. Take extra precautions when working close to the battery because it has an acid solution, which can burn or blind you if it should leak or explode, so wear eye protection if you have it.

Do not cross the cables when you are hooking them up, as this can cause a fire or the battery to blow up. While jumping a battery may seem easy, it requires thoughtful attention to avoid accidents and injury to those attempting to start the dead battery. Learning a skill like this can save you time and money in case of emergency.

Changing your automobile’s engine oil is an important part of keeping the engine clean and problem-free. This task should be performed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, or about every three months. Failing to keep your car well maintained can lead to expensive problems like engine damage or rusty joints, since lubrication is usually included with an oil change at auto shops. However, if you choose to perform this service yourself, you can save time and money, as well as deciding whether to lubricate key locations on the car or save that chore for another time.

Before getting started with the oil change, read your vehicle’s owner’s manual to see what kind of oil your vehicle should use. Then look for the kind of oil filter you will have to buy. Some people add materials to their oil in hopes of getting better performance or a cleaner engine. Most manufacturers strongly recommends against the addition of any additives to the engine oil. This oil is an engineered product and its performance may

be impaired by supplemental additives.

Park your car in a secure area, perhaps your garage or driveway. You may want to block the tires to keep the vehicle from rolling. The tools you will need for this job are an oil filter wrench, a pan or bucket to catch the drained oil, cleaning cloths or rags, a half-inch

wrench to take your negative battery, and a jack. Remember, it is against the law to throw

away the used oil. Call your dealer and find out where to take it, as there are collection centers for used products like engine oil.

To begin this job, first take off your negative battery cable, which will keep you from getting hurt in case there are any bare or broken wires that you might bump. Then jack the car up high enough so you will have plenty of room to work. Block the back tires so the car can’t roll. Open the hood and prop it safely. Remove the oil cap to help the oil drain faster.

Next, slide your oil bucket or pan under the oil drain bolt. (Check the vehicle’s operating manual or call the dealer if you don’t know where this is located.) Remove the oil drain

bolt and turn it counter-clockwise to the left. This will release the used oil. Make sure you clean the oil drain bolt with a cloth or rag. When the oil stops dripping into the pan, it is

time to remove the old filter. With the oil filter wrench, slowly turn the filter, making sure you have a bucket or pan under it. Once you have loosened the filter, carefully drop it in the bucket or pan. Then use your rags to clean any oil that might have spilled. Now take the new oil filter and put on the rubber seal. Turn the oil filter with your hand until it is hand tight. Using your oil filter wrench, turn it three-fourths of another turn. Then replace the oil drain bolt and tighten it so there are no leaks. Let down the jack and start filling the engine opening with oil. Do not overfill; this can damage your motor. Put the oil cap back on, then reconnect the battery cable. Start the engine and check for leaks. If

you should spot a leak, stop the engine at once and tighten the bolt. Restart the engine and make sure it is not leaking anywhere else. If for some reason you cannot find an oil filter wrench, you can use an old belt. All you have to do is pull the belt tight around the oil filter, then with one hand on the filter to keep it from slipping, slowly turn it until it

is loose enough to manage by hand.

Always use high quality oil and filters to keep your car running smoothly. Watch for sales to get low prices on these products, and stock up then. A half-hour of effort a few times a year can save you thousands of dollars in engine repair or a car replacement.

Changing a tire can be made easy, and completed in a matter of minutes. While some folks get nervous and call a road hazard service for help, all that you need to do is follow a few steps like these.

First, when the car starts driving unevenly and you hear a bumpy sound from the tires, if it is possible, try to move the vehicle onto level ground. That will make the work of changing the tire much easier, when you don’t have to fight gravity.

Next, try to get as far off the main road as you can. Try not to drive on a flat tire; the further you drive, the more damage you will do to the tire and the rim, and it could damage the bottom of your car as well.

Every car should have a parking brake; make sure this is on. If you have automatic transmission, put the car in park, but if you have a manual transaxle, put it in first gear. Don’t forget to turn on your flashers. If you are on a road where the speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour or more, many people use emergency flags or safety cones. If it is night, you might want to use flares. If for some reason you are on a hill, you should do something to block the opposite tire that you are working on. For example, if you are changing one of the front tires, you would block the back ones.

Now start changing the tire. First remove the hubcap. Check the trunk for tools you will need. You can usually apply a lug wrench by using the end that is shaped like a flat tip screwdriver. Go around the outside of the hubcap and slowly pry it away from the tire. Some cars have just three screws to loosen. Next, work on the lug nuts. Engage your lug wrench and turn it counter clock-wise. Remember, you just want to ease them loose. To make this easier, spray them with WD 40 or another lubricant.

There are two front jacking locations on each side of the body, and rear jacking locations

located on the trailing arm bracket under the triangular cut-out symbol. Make sure that the jack is lined up with the car. Do not raise the vehicle until the jack is secure. Now raise the car until the tire is no longer touching the ground surface. Do not raise the vehicle any higher than needed.

Remove the lug nuts and pull off the wheel. Then take out the spare tire from the trunk and push it on to the axle. Apply pressure to the tire and start tightening the nuts with the wrench. After you have hand-tightened each one, use the jack to slowly lower the car. Now take your lug wrench and tighten the lugs nuts. Alternate nuts until each nut has been tightened twice. The torque on each nut should be around 100 pounds. Replace the hub cap. Secure the bad tire jack and blocks, if used, in your trunk. On some cars you might have to get down to find where to place the jack.

All together, it should only take about ten or fifteen minutes to change your tire. In addition to saving money, you will exercise key skills that can help you or another person in the future. Give it a try at home before attempting this on the road, and bon voyage!

Finding the right automotive technician for your cars can be a tricky and expensive prospect. If you have just moved to a new area, the process can be even harder.

If you have a new car, it might still have some type of warranty coverage such as extended, power train or bumper-to-bumper than you should take it to a dealership. The service department will enter the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN and will have access to all prior service work done to the car provided it was done by another dealership. Any required work that is covered by the warranty will be done and the service records updated. Newer cars are much computerized and sometimes only a technician at a dealership will have access to the repair codes stored in the computer. Sometimes even the software in the computer is updated with new information to help the car perform better.

Older or out-of-warranty cars can be taken anywhere, even a dealership. Automotive repair chains are a good first choice if you have no other information or recommendations. Selecting a large chain will give you some benefits. The repair chain will be protective of its reputation and would not want bad word-of-mouth. They also give conditional guarantees on their work so if something is still broken you can go back and demand it is fixed. Be sure to read and understand the fine print.

Any repair chain or dealership should be more than happy to give you a written estimate for repairs. No work should be done on your car without authorization. Most automotive repairs will have a combination of labor and parts charges. If you are uncertain, have them go over the items with you. Ask about certifications that the shop has and even the specific technicians that would be working on your car. A common certification to look for is from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence or ASE. They are an independent, non-profit group that tests and certifies automotive technicians.

Perhaps the strongest source for a good automotive technician is word-of-mouth. Ask neighbors and co-workers whom they use, especially if they have a similar car. There are enough differences between American and foreign cars that most technicians specialize. The Better Business Bureau is another source of information. They may not be able to tell who the best is but they can tell you if a certain shop has a number of bad reports. Knowing whom to avoid is just as important. Once you have found a good technician, take your car in regularly. This will build a good relationship that will come in handy.

Before taking your car in, read the owner’s service manual that comes with every car sold. A used car may or may not have an owner’s manual. This information will tell you how often your oil needs to be changed and other recommended services. A good technician will not try to add services to your bill that are not part of the regular maintenance schedule. There are always special circumstances though.