There are plenty of things you don’t learn in driver’s education. Even more than the car salesman won’t tell you about your new car. This is why we have owers’ manuals and need to keep it in your car. However, there are a few easy do it yourself auto repairs you should do yourself. Even those people who have never turned a single wrench to maintain their car can do these 8 simple auto repairs and maintenance.
Change wiper blades
There is nothing worse than that first wet snow of the season. Unless that snow also includes you driving around with bad wiper blades. That’s when it gets even worse.
I’ll admit I’ve done it, turned my wipers on just to make a bigger mess. All automotive parts stores, Wal-Mart, truck stops, and a lot of department stores sell wiper blades. However, being able to buy wipers won’t help you much if you can’t change them. This means changing wiper blades is a pretty important do it yourself auto repair.
Changing wiper blades really isn’t hard. If you can’t figure it out yourself. Go to a parts store buy a set and have the guy behind the counter show you how. Most parts store guys are happy to help. Once you’ve figured it change your blades at least twice a year. If you travel a lot keep a spare set in your trunk. The money you save from not having your mechanic do these auto repairs is worth changing them a little more often.
Fill Washer Fluid
There is nothing worse than driving on slushy roads and not being able to clean your windshield off. If you had just spent a few minutes to fill your washer fluid, you wouldn’t be in that boat. Even though checking your washing fluid isn’t really an auto repair. It is something you can do yourself, and should definitely be able to do.
The best way to find out how to fill your washer fluid is to read your owner’s manual. If you’ve lost the manual or don’t have one ask your mechanic. Of course, most of the time all you need to do is look under the hood for the cap that says washer fluid.
Check Tire Pressure
All new cars have low tire warning lights. These lights are there for the forgetful. Oil change intervals can be over 10,000 miles nowadays. So, it’s likely your tire pressures will only be checked twice a year during an oil change at a shop. That is if you don’t check them yourself. This means checking tire air pressure is another do it yourself auto repair that needs doing regularly.
Tires can lose a few pounds of air pressure with temperature drop. If you live in a place where one day it’s 70 degrees and the next it’s 30 you’re bound to have low tires. Buy yourself a good tire gauge and use it, at least when the temperature changes if not once a month.
If you don’t know what your car’s tire pressure should be looking at the driver’s door. Either on the door jamb or door, there is a sticker that tells the suggested tire pressure for your car. Do not read the tire pressure on your tires. That is a maximum tire pressure your tires can handle. If you run maximum tire pressure in your tires, your vehicle ride rough, and it will wear tires quickly.
Change a Flat Tire
Flat tires happen more than we ever want them to. Even carrying a 12v air compressor (you do have one as I’ve suggested) you will eventually have to put on your spare tire. The owner’s manual will tell you how to change a tire. There are also pictures on your jack and tools in your trunk.
In case you don’t have any sort of instructions in your car. You need to start by loosening your lug nuts before you lift your car. Then use your jack to get the tire off the ground. For your safety block a tire and set your parking brake, before lifting your car. Once you have the wheel of the ground. Finish taking off the lug nuts putting them in a very safe place so as not to lose them. Remove the tire, sometimes force is required but be careful so as not to push the car off the jack. A few kicks to the outer edge of the tire will normally do it.
Then put the spare or new tire on and reverse the order. Be sure to tighten the lug nuts up in a star pattern. There is a torque spec for lug nuts. Unless you carry a torque wrench. Just try to get your lugs nuts as tight as they were when they came off. You can always torque them when you get torque wrench.
How to Jump-Start
How To Jump-Start your car is a do it yourself auto repair that anyone who drives should know how to do.. If you haven’t had a dead battery yet in your life, feel lucky you will eventually. When you do you will be happy you know-how.
Check And Add Oil
There are plenty of manufacturers that say using a quart of oil every oil change is acceptable. You add acceptable oil consumption by going over miles on an oil change and you have problems. You can cause major engine damage from to low an oil level. Checking your own oil a do it yourself job everyone needs to know.
Open the hood, find your oil dipstick, pull it out, wipe it off, put it back in, then pull it out and look at it. You should have oil on the dipstick between two marks. If the oil is between these two marks you are good. If you don’t have oil between the marks then you will have to add oil. I suggest you add the same brand and weight of oil to your car that was used when it was last changed. However, in the grand scheme of things as long as it’s the specified oil weight you’ll be OK.
The most important this is that your engine has oil in it. If you still have oil on the dipstick, but it’s under the low mark. Then you should add no more than 1 quart of oil. If it’s not showing up on the dipstick all. It will most likely take 2 or more quarts of oil. Always check the oil level after every quart of oil you put in. If it’s cold outside wait a few minutes from the time you added the oil till the time you check it. That way the oil gets all the way through your engine to the oil pan. With most things, your owner’s manual will tell you how to check and add oil if you don’t know.
Check and Add Coolant
If you have an older car you eventually need to add coolant. This can be for many reasons most of them requiring you have your car looked by a mechanic. If you are low on coolant you shouldn’t drive your car. Having it towed because you don’t know how to add coolant is costly.
Adding coolant is very simple. Make sure your engine coolant is cool and has not been run for a few hours. Never remove the radiator cap on a hot cooling system. Most cars have a coolant recovery tank. You can find this by looking at your owner’s manual. If your recovery tank level is below the add mark. Top off the coolant with the proper coolant for your car.
If your recovery tank is empty remove your radiator cap and fill the radiator first, then add to the recovery tank. When you only fill the recovery tank while your radiator is low, the coolant will not fill your radiator. Always double-check that your radiator is full.
If you have a bad radiator cap, it’s possible the recovery tank won’t keep the radiator full. Replacing the radiator cap is just one of the do it yourself auto repairs that anyone can. No need to have a mechanic do it.
Air Filter
Your car’s engine in its simplest form is a giant air pump. It can’t work without air coming into it. Thus when your air filter gets dirty and clogged you are keeping your engine from breathing. Changing your air filter is one of those simple auto repairs everyone should do.
Your owner’s manual will tell you where your air filter is. Most of the time you don’t even need it just look for a box that has a tub connected to your engine’s intake. Once you have found your air filter box it’s as simple as opening the box usually a few screws or latches remove a filter and replace the filter putting all back the way you found it.
Conclusion
I know I’ve suggested all through this post you should check your owner’s manual. Most used cars don’t have an owner’s manual with them. If you don’t have an owner’s manual search YouTube.com for videos on how to do any of these do it yourself auto repairs. I’m sure you will find at least one video that’s helpful on how to do anything dealing with your car. You can also use Google or just ask your mechanic. A good mechanic will take a few minutes to show you how to do the simple things on your car. Just remember you will never regret knowing these simple do it yourself auto repairs that everyone should be able to do.