A Jumpstart On Car Care

Story by Noah Wright | Photos by Inderjit Singh Design by Katie Jo Stewart

Rascal Flatts sings “Life is a Highway.” With the ups and downs we face daily it is clear to see the analogy. Just like how life knocks us down, so do the roads. Every day, someone runs into a mechanical mishap either on the road or before they set out to drive. While many people simply phone a mechanic or tow truck, the most common issues are simple fixes that can be accomplished without needing outside assistance. Here is a guide to two of the most common vehicular issues and a guide to some preventative measures of motor mishaps.

JUMP STARTING YOUR CAR:

Everyone has forgotten to turn off their lights at least once. A result of this is most often a dead battery in the morning which simply needs a charge to get going again.

Here are the tools needed to shock your battery back into order:

• Jumper cables or a charging kit • Another vehicle

Jumping a car is fairly easy, but can also be somewhat nerve racking because there is a chance to cause injury. Before attempting to jump start your car, it is important to read the owner’s manual as some models have specific placements for the cables on the car.

When jump starting a car, you should position the two cars with the front ends facing each other. They should be close enough that you have space to move between but not too far that the cables will be tight.

Next, make sure that the cars are off and properly parked. Then, open the hoods and locate the battery on each respective car. The owner’s manual can help locate this if you are having trouble finding it.

Once located, identify the positive and negative terminals on each battery. They are usually designated with a red cover for the positive and a black cover for the negative.

Once located, it is time to begin jumping. Attach one of the red jumper cables to the positive terminal of the dead car’s battery. Then, attach the other red to the working car’s positive terminal.

After these are attached, connect the black jumper cable onto the negative terminal of the car’s battery.

This is where consulting an owner’s manual is important because some cars have specific instructions for placement of the final cable onto the dead car; for instance, certain models of BMW have a rod designed for jumper connection.

If there is no designated point, connect the final cable onto any nut or bolt on the engine.

With all the cables connected, start the working car and let it idle for a minute or two to allow the dead car to charge up. After some time, start the dead car.

With both cars running, disconnect the black cable from the previously dead car first. Then take off the red cable making sure that the clamps do not touch as they will still have electricity running through them.

Disconnect the other ends from the other car in the same order and close each hood. To ensure that the previously dead car’s battery is properly charged, take a small drive or let it idle for 5 to 10 minutes so that the car’s alternator can fully charge up.

If your car does not jump, or the battery dies again, it may be that your battery needs replacement or another mishap that is not as easy to fix has occurred. In this situation, a call to a mechanic is vital for the restoration of your car.

Screws, rocks, glass or even simply excessive wear and tear can cause any tire to become flat while driving. Rather than pulling off to the side of the road and calling a tow truck, try using this guide to get yourself back on the road.

Tools needed:

• Car jack that will allow your tire to be comfortably off the ground and your car to be secure. • A lug wrench or ratchet set that will allow you to get off the nuts that are holding the tire on. • Inflated spare tire

FIXING A FLAT TIRE:

Firstly, it is important that you are as safe as possible when doing this. When pulling off to the side of the road, turn on your hazard lights to signal other drivers to give you necessary space.

Once off to the side, shut off your vehicle and put it in park.

Then apply the parking brake to ensure that it will not roll while you are working.

If your car has hubcaps, remove that before jacking your car up. Once that is off, slightly loosen each lug no more than half a turn so that they are not tight when the wheel is lifted.

After breaking the tension on each lug nut, it is time to jack up the car. To do this, place the jack near the wheel that you are going to work on and raise it until the wheel is floating off the ground at a comfortable height. This can vary depending on your preference.

Once raised, remove each nut and pull the flat tire off the bolts. Once off, store the tire where you had your spare one.

After putting the flat tire away, mount the spare tire onto the lug bolts and slightly put on the lug nuts. You don’t want to fully put on the lug nuts though; tightening them by hand at this point is advised as you want them to be tight enough that you need to use a wrench to finish.

After securing the lug nuts, lower the car enough that there is a small amount of weight on the tire. Once this is done, fully tighten each lug nut using your wrench or ratchet. Make sure to tighten as much as possible, using your full weight to secure the nuts.

When each nut is tightened, lower the car completely and stow away your equipment. If you had to remove a hubcap, place that back on and you are good to go.

Spare tires are not meant to be driven on for extended amounts of time; however, this will allow you to continue on your way and make it to a dealership where you can purchase a new tire or repair your flat one.

There are many ways to prevent potential motor mishaps. These preventative methods are quick and can save you not only time solving problems, but also money that will be spent having to fix things when they go wrong. 1. The first preventative measure is checking your tire pressure regularly. Having properly inflated tires not only

allows your vehicle to perform at top level, which means the most fuel efficient level, but it also reduces the risk of blowing out one of your tires.

2. Regularly checking your oil and coolant/antifreeze levels is the second measure. Having proper oil levels means that the engine is optimally lubricated and there is no friction from the internal components grinding against each other.

This grinding can cause parts to break and can be destructive for your engine. You can check your oil levels by looking at your car’s dipstick. Your owner’s manual can help find where your dipstick is located. An optimal oil level will be between the two marks at the end of the dipstick. Proper coolant/antifreeze levels are also important because it regulates the heat of the engine. This means that it cools the engine when it is too hot during the summer, and it keeps the engine from getting too cold in the winter. Proper heat regulation reduces the risk of corrosion and cracking. Keeping the coolant/antifreeze reservoir properly filled is a good way to ensure optimal heat control.

3. The final preventative method is proper stocking of tools and resources. Besides the tools mentioned in the guides, extra oil and other fluids can be essential when traveling.

Regular maintenance is also important because taking proper care of your vehicle will allow it to run longer and more efficiently.

TIPS FOR PREVENTION: