Car Maintenance: 10 Things Every Car Owner Should Know - The Short List

coming your way next 10 basic things every driver should be able to do to his or her vehicle make way for another shortlist how much do you know about the inner workings of your car or truck i mean it's all right if you're not an automotive engineer of course if you are this video probably isn't for you because here are 10 basic things every motorist should be able to do unobstructed visibility is critical to safe driving helping ensure your vehicle's windshield is clear of precipitation and road grime is washer fluid unfortunately it couldn't be simpler to keep the reservoir filled with plenty of this refreshing looking but poisonous liquid just pop the hood and look for a cap like this they're usually blue for easy spotting then just pop it off and top her up but fluid is only half the equation occasionally you're gonna need a fresh set of windshield wipers which is of course point number nine on this list luckily it's also an easy task to swap them as they essentially clip into place to release a blade there's often a small button that you push other times they slide into a hook on the end of the arm in either case the blade shouldn't be overly difficult to swap out so give it a try next time there's smearing rather than wiping that sounds like a toilet joke moving on another mission-critical vehicle component is engine oil and it's super easy to check provided you don't own an electric car since they lack crankcases full of lubricant or a modern bmw which of course don't have dipsticks keeping an eye on the oil is a snap just make sure the vehicle's sitting on a relatively level surface and if you just parked it wait a few minutes as the oil may not have completely drained back into the pan which could result in a false reading with all that out of the way simply pull the dipstick out wipe it off with a rag or piece of paper towel and stick it back into the tube from whence it came then pull her out again and read the level if the oil shows between the low and full marks you're good to go now this is a case where more is not better having an overabundance of oil in an engine can be just as bad as not enough in fact it can lead to aeration and many other issues so basically keep it between the marks and you should be all set but if the engine is low on lube every driver should also be able to top off the crankcase just locate the filler cap which should look something like this then pour a bit of oil down in there make sure it's the correct viscosity no no no not that wait a minute or so and check the dipstick again to avoid overfilling add small amounts until the correct level is achieved car engines typically take between four and five quarts though this does vary a ram 3500 hd truck with the common straight six diesel requires three gallons of dinosaur juice just make sure to check the owner's manual for specific details but taking this a step further you could also change the oil and filter which usually isn't that difficult if you can do this sir or madam you have just earned major do-it-yourself bonus points next let's talk about the only part of your vehicle that should ever touch the road yes that would be the tires point number six all motorists should be able to check their tire pressure again this is a very simple task just remove the valve stem cap and stick a gauge firmly over the end make sure it seats well so no air leaks out around the edges something that could lead to an inaccurate measurement now unless there are special circumstances of course it's best to maintain the factory recommended pressure which is displayed on a placard usually near the driver's side door jamb inflate or deflate as required and while we're in this area every driver should be able to change a flat tire though unfortunately temporary spares have become less and less common replaced by space and weight saving emergency inflation kits still the ability to jack a vehicle up remove an offending flat and install a spare tire is an important skill to have especially if you get a flat where cell phone service is not available and remember that's lefty tighty right righty lucy just strip the threads and back off half a turn you'll be fine also add major bonus points if you're able to rotate those tires a process that's a bit more time consuming though the payoff of course is prolonged tire life if your ride is newer you'll probably also have to reprogram the tire pressure monitoring system so it accurately shows where each tire is located now point number four on this list of things every motorist should be able to do is jump start a vehicle that has a dead battery of course this requires a set of cables a car or truck that's fully charged and a little bit of know-how when attempting this the most important thing is making sure you do not mix up the leads a positive terminal must connect to a positive terminal negative to negative if you switch them around very bad things will happen a helpful hint to prevent this is that the color red is associated with positive and black with negative also in modern vehicles the negative cable doesn't necessarily have to connect directly to the battery as the negative side is grounded to the engine and body structure so an engine bracket or metal part of the body will work just as well as a terminal but if you're in doubt go for the battery ah fresh air is a wonderful thing it's as necessary to life as it is to your engine you see without a free-flowing supply of oxygen internal combustion simply cannot take place and that's why it's important to keep tabs on your vehicle's air filter if it's clogged with dirt and debris it won't flow as much as it should reducing your engine's output but the good news is they're usually cheap and relatively easy to replace now this will vary from one vehicle to another but in many modern cars and trucks the air filter is found underneath a large rectangular housing with the lid held in place by screws or clips in either case just pop it off to gain access to the filter itself the new element should drop right in but make sure to orient it in the same way as the old one the pleats need to face the incoming air to capture as much dirt as possible many vehicles are also equipped with cabin air filters and they clean the air before it enters the hvac system depending on make and model these can be easier or much harder to replace than an engine air filter but give yourself even more bonus points if you're capable of this maintenance item next up point number two every driver should be able to inspect their car or truck serpentine belt provided the part in question isn't concealed by layer after layer of plastic shrouds it should be a snap to give a quick once over if the belt shows heavy abrasion cracking across the grooves lengthwise tearing or other obvious signs of damage you'll want to replace it sooner than later and award yourself some super bonus points if you can tackle this job on your own in theory the process is simple but it often feels like you need two extra sets of hands to get the belt position exactly where it needs to be with the tension released and remember proper routing is critical for all accessories to function finally every driver out there should be able to give their engine's cooling system a good once over critically important yet often ignored like that exercise equipment you bought around the holidays in 2007 cooling systems have to cope with scorching summer heat and arctic cold keep an eye out for swelled chafed cracked or weeping hoses they are fixed into burst which will leave you stranded also make sure there's enough coolant in the overflow reservoir add more as required and of course if it looks like the antifreeze is discolored or rusty that means the cooling system is long overdue to be flushed out something you can do yourself if you fancy earning even more bonus points and there you have it 10 simple vehicle maintenance items every driver should be able to tackle how many of these things can you do and how many bonus points did you earn well write your responses here on the screen and we'll make sure to read every single one of them wow anyway thank you for watching this not so short list and as always make sure to follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance items for your particular vehicle oh and just a very quick housekeeping note if you're looking for a dependable vehicle do not buy any of the 10 highlighted in the last episode of the shortlist that we published it's actually all about the 10 least reliable vehicles according to our friends over at consumer report so if you don't want to spend all the rest of your free time in a dealership service department or on the side of the road steer clear of all those vehicles

Channel: AutoGuide.com

Views: 1,389,487

Keywords: car maintenance, maintenance, do it yourself, how to check oil, diy, changing oil, how to add oil, motor oil, how to change a tire, inflating a tire, air pressure, psi, air filter, flat tire, windshield wipers, jump start car, jump start, AutoGuide, Best, Most, Top, Car, Automotive, Automobile (industry), vehicle, car battery, tires, cars, engine, engine oil, windshield fluid, serpentine belt, mechanic, hose, radiator, cooling system, antifreeze, fluid, Craig Cole, Curbed, Short List

Id: BjX79GsALd8

Length: 9min 30sec (570 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 30 2019