What You Don’t Know
About Your Car
Could Hurt You
 by Bob Cerullo

(Reprinted with permission from PARADE MAGAZINE.)

An auto expert shares secrets that can save you money, help avoid a breakdown- even prevent serious injury.

EVEN NEW CARS BREAK down at times, which is why we need roadside assistance, town trucks and the army of both dealership and independent mechanics. Like it or not, any car owner is wise to know as much as possible about his or her car. What you don’t know could lead to a breakdown, a costly repair or even serious injury. Here are 15 things every driver should be aware of:

 


When your’re adding oil to your car you may know
to check The SAE rating but there’s another rating
that’s equally important to keep your engine
running smoothly.
  1. Making antilock brakes work. Antilock-braking systems (ABS automatically pulse the brakes in a skid situation on a slippery road. ABS is terrific, provided the driver doesn’t try to pump the brake or take his or her foot off the brake. When the ABS is taking over, you generally will feel a slight drop in the brake pedal and hear a strange grinding noise. Keep your foot on the pedal. If you release the brake or pump the pedal, you defeat the benefit of ABS, which is far safer than regular brakes.
  2. Minimizing air-bag injury. Air bags can save your life in a crash if you take certain precautions. Don’t put infants, children, elderly people or lightly built adults in the front passenger seat. Air bags can deploy at speeds of up to 200 mph and may cause injury, even death, as they already have in a reported 55 cases. If you are the driver, avoid hunching over the steering wheel. If you can’t reach the pedals, get a pedal extension.
  3. Running a well-oiled machine. You may know the SAE rating of the oil recommended for your car. It may be 5w30 or 10w30. What you may not know is that there is another rating for oil: the API rating, which is a measure of quality. Never use oil with an API rating lower than your carmaker recommends. If your car calls for an APISJ-rated oil, you must have two cases left over from a previous car. Also, be sure to change your oil at regular intervals. Check you owner’s manual to determine how often.
  4. Tire pressure is more than hot air. If you can’t remember the last time you checked the pressure in your tires, you probably need air. Air pressure needs to be checked at least once a month. Even without a leak, the air pressure in your tires will drop as the temperature drops. Tires with low pressure will overheat more easily, wear faster and waste fuel. Look in your owner’s manual for the proper air pressure for your car. It may also be found on the door-jamb decals.
  5. Garage doors can kill. Automatic garage doors are convenient, but they can also be dangerous if they close with a child or adult in their path. Older doors especially may not be working properly or may not have safeguards to prevent coming down on someone. Test your door’s safety device by putting a plastic garbage pail in its path and seeing if it reverses direction. Note that even a door with such a safety device may not be sensitive enough to avoid injury.
  6. Car batteries can explode. Most car batteries have a label warning of the risk of explosion if a spark occurs near the battery. To keep a battery from blowing up in your face when jump-starting, here’s what to do: First connect the red positive jumper cable to the positive battery terminal of the dead car. Then connect the other end to the positive battery terminal of the live car. Next connect the black negative cable to the negative battery terminal of the live car. Make the final negative cable connection to a solid metal part of the engine on the dead car, well away from the battery. Never make the final connection to the battery. Reverse the procedure when disconnecting.
  7. Jump-starting could kill your computer. Electrical surges are the enemy of any onboard computer. If the battery voltage drops below 9.5, as it might if the headlights were left on all night, the battery should be disconnected and recharged to above 9.5 volts before the car is started. High-voltage starting units used by roadside service trucks may, if not properly used, allow starting voltage to rise above 17 volts, causing damage to the radio, alarm, computers and more.
  8. Changing the timing belt. Many cars have a rubber timing belt similar to a modern fan belt. Most of them also have what is known as an interference engine. What that means is that when the timing belt breaks—more than just getting stuck—you are stuck with major engine repairs. Avoid this by changing the belt at the recommended interval. It’s expensive, but do it anyway.
  9. Polish, don’t scratch. Before you attempt to clean and polish your car, you need to know what kind of finish you have. Many new cars have a clear coat over the color paint. If you attempt to polish the clear coat using an abrasive polish, perhaps like the one you used on your previous car, you may scratch and dull the clear coat. Check your owner’s manual to determine which type of polish you my safely use. When you wash your car, use an appropriate car soap. Never use dishwashing soap. Use on sponge for the upper area, and wash it first. Use another sponge for the lower portions and the bumpers. This will keep the road dirt that becomes embedded in the sponge from scratching the upper portions of the body.
  10. Unnecessary repairs. The introduction of longer-lasting platinum spark plugs on many newer cars has increased the replacement interval from 30,000 miles to as much as 100,000 miles. Newer transmission fluids also make it possible to go 100,000 miles without the traditional transmission fluid change. (Some carmakers advise that it never needs changing.) The life of engine coolant also has been increased. Before you routinely order a tune-up or other service you are accustomed to getting at 30,000 miles, check your owner’s manual for the recommended maintenance schedule to be sure the service is really needed.
  11. Exhaust fumes kill. Whenever your engine runs it emits a killer gas from the tailpipe. A worn-out muffler or tailpipe could allow those deadly carbon monoxide fumes to leak into your car. Check for leaks at every oil change. Never run the car with the garage doors closed. Take precautions to prevent accidentally leaving the engine running when the car is in the garage. And buy a carbon monoxide leak detector for your home.
  12. Costly transmission leaks. Checking the fluid level of your automatic transmission at least once a month can prevent costly repairs. There is no gauge or warning light to let you know when you have a transmission fluid leak. There may be no indication of a problem until the transmission begins to overheat and slip. If you notice the slip early enough, you may be able to save your transmission—a small leak may be repaired for less than $50. If you wait until the symptoms are obvious, it may be too late and could cost more than $2000.
  13. The right tires. Choosing the right tires for your car involves more than knowing the right size. Often, the tires that come on the car may not be ideal for your type of driving. For example, sporty ZR-rated high-speed tires may not have the traction you need and are designed for speeds far in excess of any you would even consider. Tires are rated for wear numerically—higher numbers for longer wear. A tire rated 100 will last twice as long as one rated 50. Temperature and traction capability are rated A, B and C, A being the best. Ask your tire dealer to explain the advantages of different types of treads. For more free details, call the Auto Safety Hotline: 1-800-424-9393.
  14. Keeping cool. A major cause of highway breakdowns—after running out of gas and flat tires—is cooling system failure. Attention to your cooling system can head off trouble. Have your cooling-system pressure tested for leaks twice a year. Change hoses and belts at the first sign of wear or when they have aged beyond five years or 50,000 miles. Check the coolant level frequently. If you need to add coolant, find out why.
  15. Shocking truth. The shock absorbers or MacPherson struts on your car stabilize it as it rolls over bumps and ruts or when braking. If the shocks or struts are worn, the car will sway on turns and rock like a boat in a rolling sea. Unfortunately, shocks or struts often are changed unnecessarily. Before you replace them, especially if you don’t notice a problem, make sure they really need changing by getting a second opinion from someone you trust.