How To Prevent Car Theft

Most of us don’t think about car theft prevention until it’s too late. But the fact is, learning how to prevent a car theft is knowledge you need. Here are a few tips to help you prevent your car from being stolen.

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Always lock your doors and windows and keep the keys with you. Even with today’s remote keyless entry systems, a surprising number of motorists still don’t bother to close their windows and lock up their vehicle. Never hide a second set of keys in your car. It might seem like a good idea, but thieves know all the hiding places.

Try to park your car in a secure attended car park if you are leaving it anywhere public. Park your car under a street lamp or in well lit open space if possible. If you do use a parking garage, try to park as close to the attendant or a security camera as possible.

Use the security features your car already has. Many modern cars have systems which enable them to lock automatically as you pull away. Enabling these systems will help protect you of having your car stolen.

Use a steering wheel lock. Steering wheel locks make it very difficult for thieves to drive away with your vehicle. They could be a good investment especially if you park your car on the road at night.

Park your vehicle with wheels turned toward the curb. Many car thieves use tow trucks to steal vehicles, so make your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots so the vehicle can only be towed from the front.

Have your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) etched on each of the windows. Car thieves want to get off cheap. They don’t want to go to the expense of replacing all the glass. This would deter a thief planning to disguise the identity of your car by changing its appearance.

Things to Do to Your Car Before a Road Trip

Planning on going on a road trip soon? Before you do so, you should have a look at your car to ensure that it is in good condition and running smooth. This will help you to drive safe and prevent any malfunctions or mechanical issues. Let's look at several of the auto maintenance related problems you could encounter on a road trip and what you might do to prevent them.

Check the brake system. Brakes are probably the most essential component regarding safety of your vehicle. Make sure your brake pads are thick enough, so you don't have malfunction down the road.

Check the tires. If the tires are exhibiting any tread wear, replace the tires. If the tires have uneven tread wear, check the alignment too. Make sure all four tires and the spare are inflated to proper tire pressure.

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Check the spare tire. Make sure your spare tire is in good condition. The inevitable flat tire never happens at a good time, and no one wants to be trapped in the middle of nowhere with a spare that's just as bad as your flat. While you're at it, make sure you have a working jack and tire iron.

Check the cooling system. The cooling system check up will reveal leaks and weakened hoses. Replacing worn parts, like the radiator cap or water pump may be indicated. Although cooling system failure is fairly common, it's easy and relatively inexpensive to prevent with proper maintenance.

Check car fluids. This consists of oil, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and brake fluid.

Check that the gas cap is not cracked or damaged. Make sure it is tight so no gas will vaporize.

Check to make sure all lights are working. This includes brakes, turn signals, headlights and taillights. If you are driving a truck with running lights or a motorhome, make sure all running lights are working.

Check air filters. Replacing dirty or clogged air filters on older vehicles can boost gas mileage. It will improve acceleration and performance on all vehicles.

Check the hoses and belts that can become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show symptoms of excessive wear. These are necessary to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.

Make sure your car's battery and cables are firmly attached and free of corrosion. Car batteries typically last three to five years.

Check the windshield wiper blades. You don't want to be stuck in a rain storm with wiper blades that are worn and tattered. Replace these before an upcoming road trip, just to be on the safe side.

Do a tune up. If it has been a while since your last maintenance update, do the recommended maintenance for your car. If you have a timing belt and you are within a few thousand miles of the replacement time, have the timing belt replaced.

How Do You Change a Car Battery

When jumper cables no longer work or your car headlights dimming, it may be time to replace your old battery with a new one. Changing a car battery is one thing that most people will be able to do themselves. Keep track of your battery's life and replace it before it leaves you stranded.

When working on your car battery, remember to keep all of your metal tools away from the posts and the battery so as to lower the odds of an electrical discharge. It's also recommended that you wear eye protection in the unlikely event that battery acid is released from the battery.

Steps on How to Change a Car Battery

Shut off your engine. Make sure that your vehicle is in Park, with the engine shut off and the parking brake on.

Remove the cigarette lighter and plug the memory keeper into the socket. If you don't have a memory keeper make sure you have all the PINs for your electronic equipment before you start. Consult your car manual to see which devices may be affected.

Open the hood and put a blanket or pad over the fender. This safeguards your car from corrosive battery acid.

Remove the cables from the battery terminals. Figure out which terminals on the battery are positive and negative. The terminal with a plus sign is positive and the terminal with a minus sign will be negative.

Remove the automotive battery hold-down clamp or retaining system. Place parts and fasteners aside, in a place where they won't get misplaced.

Remove the used battery and place in the fresh battery. Wear your gloves because the battery stuff is corrosive.

Reconnect the positive battery cable first and then the negative battery cable. Tighten the clamps one at a time using a wrench.

Shut the hood securely and start you engine.

Check to see that all the electronic devices are operating as they should.

Always properly discard the used battery.

How to Deal with the Fear of Driving

Fear of driving is a common problem, but it's a problem you can solve. Many people experience anxiety while driving, often in different ways. Being scared of driving can lead some people to quit driving altogether, here are a few tips to help you through it.

Cut down on sugar and caffeine before driving. Increased anxiety levels due to excess caffeine can put you more at risk of having a panic attack while driving. Eating healthy will help keep your emotions in check.

Consider car pooling. Try taking short trips with someone else in the vehicle with you, someone to help keep you relaxed. Avoid driving with someone who makes you nervous.

Don’t add to your anxiety. Drive within the speed limit, check your blind spots and signal before you turn etc. There are many people who feel anxiety because they are driving in a dangerous manner. Make sure you do not do so.

Practice behind the wheel. Feeling comfortable in the car you'll be driving is so important in terms of keeping you calm, relaxed, and at your ease.

Keep driving. Never let more than a week go by without driving, even if it's just a tiny drive round the block. Once you've started, it's important to keep the momentum going. The key is taking small, easy steps. Only stretch yourself a little bit each time you go out.

Use quiet music to keep you calm. This can be soothing sounds, classical music or anything else that may be relaxing for you. If you are listening to relaxing music at a low volume, it will help to keep you relaxed while you are driving.

Drive in slow traffic and safe areas. Avoid busy roads and highways. It would be an ideal state when you are driving in an area where the traffic will not cause problems for your practice.

How To Replace Your Car Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are a necessary safety feature to any car. The problem is that they don't last forever - but rather need replacing every few years. Wiper blades are made of rubber, so they naturally wear out after several months of wiping snow, rain and dust from your windshield. Changing your wiper blades is a quick job that yields immediate benefits. Here's how to do it.

Before buying new wipers, know what part of the blade to change. Windshield wipers are made with three basic parts: the lower wiper arm that extends from the base of the windshield, the metal blade attached to the lower arm, and the rubber blade that actually wipes the windshield. When your windshield wiper blades, you're really only changing the rubber blades that get worn down by water and inclement weather.

Pick the right wipers for your car. The first thing to changing your wipers is to make sure that you have the correct size for your vehicle. Windshield wiper blades come in many sizes, even on the same car. Look in your car's owner's manual, measure the blade, or ask at an auto-parts store for the proper fit.

Remove old windshield wipers. Set wiper blades in an upright position on the windshield.Lift the wiper arm away from the windshield and depress the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the wiper arm. It's often easier to remove the blades with the arms up unless the hood or some other obstruction keeps you from pulling the arm away from the windshield. Lift arm away from the windshield and pivot the blade. When the tab is depressed, slide the wiper blade off the arm by pulling the center toward the bottom of the arm.

Replace windshield wipers.Line up the new wiper blade with the arm. Move the hook on the arm over the plastic clip on the new wiper blade. Now pull the wiper and you will hear a click sound. Now lower the wiper arm slowly. Do it for other arm as well. Finally, test the wiper. Make sure it is working properly and not scratching the surface. If everything works fine you have successfully replaced the old wiper.

Car Care: Inspecting the Timing Belt

Your timing belt is the main maintenance item in your engine. It's the one that keeps the engine running. If the timing belt breaks down or jumps a tooth, your automobile's engine won't run properly. In some engines, a timing belt can also drive additional components such as a water pump, balance shaft, intermediate shaft, injection pump and an oil pump. Understanding how to check the timing belt could save you a costly repair.

If you have reached the recommended maintenance interval for the timing belt, it needs to be replaced, no matter what its condition. If you bought a used vehicle, click here to check the VinAudit car history to be sure that the timing belt was changed according to the proper schedule, and if doubtful, have it changed.

The timing belt is commonly located on the end of the engine under a small plastic or metal cover, which is held on by a couple of bolts or a few clips. To look at the belt, start looking at the outside of the belt to see if any tiny cracks are forming. One or two small cracks in the outer shiny coating of the belt are ok, but if you see a great deal of cracking on the surface this may signify extreme wear.

Next turn the belt over slightly to examine the teeth. A single broken tooth can be catastrophic. Also check the belt's play by twisting it. If you can turn it much more than halfway around, it might have too much free play. Check your manual to see what your car's specs indicate.

When you have finished checking the condition of the timing belt, be sure to replace any covers that you may have taken off. These covers secure the timing belt and help shield it from liquids that could make it slip. If your timing belt fails any of these tests, it's best to have it changed to prevent you from being stranded on the side of the road and a potentially expensive engine repair.

Car Interior Cleaning Tips

Most people spend a great deal of time in their vehicles. If you're one those that basically live in your vehicle and, in particular those with small children, you probably know how dirty your car could possibly get. A clean car interior not only looks great, it is also better for your health and health of your passengers.

It takes approximately an hour or so to clean the entire interior thoroughly. Take extra care with water inside the car; if water gets into electrical components, it may cause problems. Similarly, don't soak the seats too much and don't let water to get under the carpet; it could cause corrosion, stains and damp mouldy smell. Make certain to dry the interior well after you're finished.

Dump things which shouldn’t be in the car into a small bin. Throw trash into a garbage bag. Spritz the cup holders with glass cleaner and let sit.

Making use of the wipes, clean the dashboard, center console, inside door pockets, steering wheel, and gearshift. Spray air-conditioner treatment into the air vents beneath the windshield and let sit.

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Clean leather seats with a few wipes. (Seats that are upholstered will get vacuumed later.)

Put a wipe around the end of a flat-head screwdriver, and run it over the buttons and switches on the dashboard. Wipe out the cup holders with paper towels.

Spray glass cleaner on paper towels and wipe all the windows, including the windshield, sunroof, and rear window.

Take away the floor mats and whack them against each other to dislodge any dirt.

On the driveway, vacuum the floor mats using the bare hose of a hand vac for maximum power (do not attach a tool). Vacuum the seat upholstery and foot wells, moving the front seats fully forward, then back, to hit every spot.

Replace the mats and return the seats to their original placements. Open all the doors and allow clean air to blow through.

Steering Wheel Removal and Installation

Installing a new car steering wheel is a challenging process, but one that can be completed with a bit of patience and time. When attempting to replace your steering wheel, it is important that you follow the manufacturers instructions. You should also have a copy of your vehicle's service manual handy should you need it. Here's how you go about installing a new steering wheel.

Removing the Old Wheel

1. Orientate your vehicle so the wheels are pointing straight ahead.
2. Before working on the car you should disconnect the battery. Do this in order to prevent the horn from sounding while you work on the steering wheel. Alternatively, you can remove the horn fuse from the fuse box.
3. Next, remove the horn mechanism. Press down on the center of your steering wheel to depress the horn cap. Then twist the cap or ring and remove the horn emblem cap. To do this, you will need to pull it off or pry it loose. Your horn cap may be attached by the use of screws. If this is the case you will need to unscrew them prior to removing the cap.
4. Disconnect the horn wire or the connecting mechanism. When disconnecting the horn, you may be forced to clip the wire below the plastic sleeve. Save this sleeve for later.
5. Detach the steering wheel by removing the nut-shaft.
6. Place a mark on the shaft. This should be placed at the 12 o?clock position. This is done so you can make sure the steering column is properly lined up when you replace the nut-shaft.
7. Pull off the hub of the previous steering wheel, using a pliers or a puller. Next you can remove the old steering wheel.

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Installing the New Wheel

1. Place the metal sleeve over the steering column.
2. Place the hub over the shaft, lining up the shaft with the previously applied mark. You may be required to rotate the plastic horn tube in order to properly align the hub in the necessary position.
3. Take the plastic sleeve and spring, and re-insert them into the horn housing.
4. Insert the new wire lead into the plastic sleeve. The larger end should come into contact with the horn housing. Next, insert this assembly into the housing and lock it into the proper position.
5. Place the new wheel on the column, feeding the new wire through the center holes. Properly align the new wheel. Fasten the hub to the steering column once the wheel is in the correct position.
6. Re-attach the shaft nut. Once finished, re-install the shaft nut retaining clip next. Tighten the nut and shoulder bolts.
7. Re-connect the lead wire to the connector. Position the spring in its proper spot on the center nut. Re-align the horn cap and push it back into place. Turn the cap until it properly tightened.
8. Re-connect the battery, or re-install the horn fuse.