On most vehicles, driving with the windows up and the air conditioner on is best. The drag from having the windows open is usually more of a load on the engine than a modern automotive air-conditioning system.
True: Your gas could evaporate right out of the tank if the cap is not on securely.
At 75 miles per hour, you’ll get about 25% less fuel mileage than at 65.
Even if it starts and runs, a poorly tuned engine could cost you 10 to 20% less miles per gallon.
Your Car’s Emergency Kit
Yes, you need one. Even if you live in a part of the country where you’re not likely to get trapped in a snowdrift for days, there are any number of other emergencies, big and small, that you will definitely want to be prepared for.
A good emergency kit should include the following:
Jumper cables
First-aid kit
Tire gauge
Road flares or warning triangles
Nonperishable snacks (Condiment packets don’t count.)
Multi-use pocketknife
Flashlight (Check the batteries twice a year, too.)
Cell phone with car charger. Note: Any working cell phone can always be used to call 911 anywhere there’s cell service in the United States, at no charge. You don’t need an active account, and you don’t need to be in your home area. So even if you don’t normally own a cell phone, stash a cheap one in the glove compartment.
Can of flat-fixing tire inflator
Fire extinguisher
Bottled water (Not just for you, but if your car overheats.)
Tool kit
Spare radiator cap
Disposable camera (For recording details at accidents.)
Blanket
Okay, we know what you’re thinking: This stuff is not all going to fit in my trunk. And you’re probably wondering, what is the minimum I can get away with? We don’t recommend skipping on anything in this list, but if you’re a mileage freak or have other reasons to keep your portage down, here are the absolute essentials:
Spare radiator cap, bottle of water, can of flat-fixing tire inflator, cell phone, jumper cables, tire gauge, multi-use pocketknife. And, obviously, a spare, a jack, and a lug wrench.
SEASONAL TRAVEL TIPS
There are things you should inspect and change about your car at the start of summer and again before winter—as well as some things you should do about your driving habits.
Winter
The first thing you should do when winter approaches is to update your emergency car kit with:
Window scraper
Blanket and/or extra clothes (The metallic Mylar ones fold down very compactly.)
Spray lubricant (for door locks), the kind with the long “nose” or small plastic pipe you put over the nozzle so you can spray in tight places.
Extra windshield washer fluid
Shovel (You can buy folding ones.)
Extra gloves
Road salt
De-icer spray
You know the whole thing about driving at least ten miles per hour slower in inclement weather, right? Here are a few other things that will make winter driving easier:
When driving on snow or ice, it takes a lot longer to stop. Apply the brakes smoothly and begin braking sooner to avoid skids.
Reduce your speed. Allow greater distance between you and the car in front of you. Remember: Even if you’re the best ice driver in the world, the person in that car and in the one behind you probably isn’t.
Accelerate slowly to avoid skids when starting from a stop.
Know whether you have antilock brake system brakes or not. If you do, you should brake firmly and keep firm pressure on the pedal—the ABS does the “pumping” for you. If you don’t have them, you have to pump the brakes yourself to stop smoothly and safely on slick roads.
If you drive in heavy snow, true winter tires offer much better traction than even the best “all-weather tire.”
Summer
Summer means long trips to the beach or lake—as well as hot weather, lots of stop-and-go traffic, and heavy loads. The most important thing at this time of year is to keep the car from overheating.
Don’t overload. If all your passengers, luggage, pets, snorkel equipment, and random gear make your car’s rear end sag, consider upgrading your shocks to maintain safe handling and braking under heavier loads.
Towing. Many drivers who tow a trailer for the first time in hot weather don’t realize the strain this puts on the engine and transmission. Tell your service technician what you’ll be towing and where you’re going, and ask if an additional oil cooler and transmission cooler are recommended. If your transmission fluid hasn’t been changed and the car has over 60,000 miles, have this service done to ensure proper lubrication and cooling.
Always test your trailer and brakes before the day of your big trip.
Take care of the cooling system. Make sure your coolant is at the proper level, and if your engine has overheated recently, have the cooling system checked. Remember: Stop-and-go driving is actually harder on the cooling system than highway driving. Always keep an eye on the temperature gauge when you’re on the road.
Check your air conditioner. Don’t wait until you’re on the road in the middle of August to see if the air conditioner is working at full strength. Test it before you go. Besides keeping you comfortable, air conditioning can be essential to keeping the windshield fog free.
Never, ever leave children or pets in a vehicle unattended, even for a minute. A locked car sitting in the sun quickly turns into an oven, with temperatures climbing from 78 degrees to 125 in as little as eight minutes.
Emergency Procedures
“Into each life some rain must fall.” The trick is to understand what to do before any of the following things happen to you. Knowing how to handle when you have a dead battery or flat tire, when the engine overheats, or when your brakes fail might not only save your life, it can keep your towing expenses and time spent on the side of the road to a minimum.
So please, read the next section now. You’ll thank us later.
HOW TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE
If you’ve been keeping an eye on your tires’ wear and treads and have kept them inflated to the proper pressure, the chances of getting a flat or a blowout decrease dramatically. But sometimes you just can’t avoid that screw or nail that someone thoughtfully left in the middle of the highway. Here’s what to do when that happens.
First steps:
Drive to a safe spot well off the road so you have enough room to work while staying clear of passing traffic. Try to park on a firm, level surface, avoiding dirt or grass if you can—your jack may sink and become unstable.
Turn off your engine. If you have an automatic put it in park; if your car is manual, put it in reverse. Engage the emergency or parking brakes. Get everyone out of the car.
Set up any emergency warning devices you might have, such as flares, flags, lights, or triangles, so drivers see them before they see you.
To fix a flat you need:
A jack
A jack handle or crank
A lug wrench (On some cars, the jack handle and the wrench are combined. Lugs are the nuts that hold the wheel on—no giggling, please.)
But you already have these things in your car, because of your twice-a-year check, right?
Other things that can make the job easier:
Screwdriver
Rubber mallet
Wood block
Tire pressure gauge
Flashlight or spotlight
12″ by 12″ piece of plywood to put under the jack on soft surfaces
Work gloves
Penetrating oil
A large trash bag to keep the flat tire away from clean parts and tools
Okay, ready?
1. Check your spare tire. Make sure your spare tire is inflated properly. If it’s flat (but it won’t be, ’cause you check it when you check your other tires’ pressure, right?), do not try to change
the tire. Have your car towed. Of course, if you happen to have a portable air compressor in your trunk, you can inflate it.
A battery-operated air compressor would also let you pump enough air into a tire with a slow leak so you can get to a service station.
2. Loosen the lug nuts slightly—before you jack up the car. This step is important, and it’s omitted by a lot of people. Don’t let anyone watching tell you different. If your car has a wheel cover or hubcap, remove it first by using a screwdriver, the flat end of the jack handle, or a lug wrench. NOTE: On some cars, the wheel cover is held in place by the lug nuts. Leave this kind in place.
Use the lug wrench to slightly loosen the lug nuts by turning the wrench counterclockwise. Hold the wrench firmly down. Never pull up on it. If the nuts are too tight, use penetrating oil to loosen them, or use your foot to push down on the lug wrench. Loosen the lug nuts only one turn. Do not remove the lug nuts at this time.
3. Set up your jack. Assemble and place your jack, following the instructions provided in your owner’s manual.
Caution!
Follow these directions carefully! Placing a jack at the wrong spot can both be dangerous and damage your car. Never place the jack under an axle or suspension member.
Most cars sold in the United States are equipped with a scissors jack; it’s made up of a handle and jack assembly and fits into or under special spots on the car’s body. The jack is raised by turning the handle clockwise and lowered by turning the handle counterclockwise.
4. Secure the car and jack. Place a block of wood or a chock block under the tire diagonally opposite from the flat to prevent the car from rolling off the jack.
5. Raise the car. Jack up the car until the tire clears the ground. Be sure the jack stays in the correct position as you work. Remove the jack handle when you’re done. Remember, never work under a car held up by just a jack (or even two)!
6. Remove the lug nuts and wheel. Use the lug wrench to remove the nuts. Place lug nuts where you won’t lose them. Repeat: Place the lug nuts where you won’t lose them. Pull the wheel off and set it aside.
Note: Some wheels also use one “security nut” per wheel. These nuts have a special shape and require a special adapter to remove. It’s usually clipped to the lug wrench or found in the glove compartment.
7. Put on the spare. Roll the spare into position. If necessary, jack up the car a little more to fit the spare. Make sure you have the correct side of the spare facing out (usually the label faces you). Align the wheel holes with the studs and slide the spare onto the studs. Hold the wheel in place and screw on each lug nut hand tight with the tapered end facing toward the wheel.
8. Tighten the lug nuts. Use the wrench to tighten the nuts following the sequence directed by your owner’s manual. Otherwise, do it as shown:
Note: There are different tightening sequences for four- and five-lug wheels. Tightening the nuts in the proper sequence ensures that the wheel mounts properly and that the stress is evenly distributed over the wheel.
9. Lower the car. Lower the jack until it’s free from the weight of the car. Remove the jack and block. Tighten all nuts once more, in the proper sequence.
Caution!
Many spares are not normal, full-size tires. These smaller spares can’t be driven at normal speeds and should only be driven for short distances—i.e., immediately to a service station. Consult your owner’s manual for instructions and warnings for driving with a compact spare.
10. Take the damaged tire to a service station. Have it inspected by a professional to see if it can be repaired.
11. Replace spare with repaired or new tire ASAP. Check your spare’s inflation and return it along with your jack and tools to their proper location.
Canned tire inflators and sealers can also provide a temporary repair for many flats without having to remove the wheel. Just remember to get to a service station immediately—and give them the can of stuff that you used. Sometimes they have to clean the gunk out of the tire afterward.
HOW TO JUMP-START YOUR ENGINE
Few things—outside of an accident or a flat tire—can make you feel more helpless and angry than putting your key in the ignition and realizing that the battery is dead, leaving you unable to get to work—or worse, stranded somewhere you don’t really want to be. If you’re scared of voltage and of those strange cables with the clamps thrown into the trunk of your car, relax; when done properly, starting your car from someone else’s can be fast, safe, and relatively easy.
With that said …
Caution!
Jump-starting a dead battery is potentially dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing; it must be done carefully and correctly. Failure to follow proper procedure can result in injury or death! If you think your car isn’t starting because of a dead battery, first check the battery cables. Cables that are loose or covered with corrosion may be the problem. Never touch the battery with bare hands! Battery acid and its byproducts burn. Serious injury or death can also result from the sparks and explosion that a “presumed dead” battery can generate if shorted.
1. If possible, bring the two cars together nose to nose, about eighteen inches apart. (Not touching!) Make sure you’re parked well away from traffic, and that both cars have their parking brakes on.
2. Make sure both cars are turned off. Put automatic transmission cars in park; put manual transmission cars in neutral. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Turn off all electrical devices in the car with the dead battery: lights, AC, radio, etc. Unplug all accessories such as cell phones or dashboard LEDs.
4. Determine which terminals are positive and negative on both batteries Look for a “+” sign or red indicator for positive, a “–” sign or black indicator for negative. But do not assume red is positive! Look for the + sign or the – sign on the battery. The positive terminal is also usually wider than the negative.
Again with the Caution!
Once you begin the next steps, do not touch the metal portion of either jumper cable clamps to those on the other one or on to any part of the car except the proper battery terminal.
5. The jumper cables are marked with the same red and black signs (positive and negative) to help you keep track of the two separate wires. Attach one end of the positive cable clamp (probably red—not black) to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
6. Attach the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.
7. Attach one end of the negative cable to the negative terminal of the good battery.
Caution, Take Three!
YOUR CABLES ARE NOW LIVE! DO NOT TOUCH THE REMAINING CABLE CLAMP’S METAL PORTION TO YOURSELF.
8. Attach the other end of the negative cable to a metal section (bracket, block, etc.) of the engine away from any moving parts (belts and pulleys can be dangerous once your engine is up and running). Connecting this cable last and away from the battery will avoid sparks and other potential hazards. You may see a small spark when you attach this end—this is normal. If it is a large spark, disconnect immediately and check to make certain the black cable is on the negative (–) terminal.
9. Make sure everyone is clear of the engine compartment in each car—don’t allow hands or clothing to be caught by moving engine parts.
10. Start the engine of the good car. Allow it to run for one to two minutes. Rev the engine a bit by lightly tapping the gas pedal.
11. Start the engine of the dead car. If it does not crank check the connections and let it charge again. It may take more than one try, but don’t do it more than three or four times.
Once Again: Caution!
Some cars’ electrical and computer systems may be damaged by running the engine with a dead battery. Check your owner’s manual or service provider for guidance.
If the Car Still Won’t Start
If the dead car still doesn’t make a click when you turn the key, the jumper cables may not have a good connection at the battery terminals. Turn
off both engines and try rocking the cable clamps back and forth to get them to really dig in (watch your hands). Also try another ground point to attach the negative cables. Retry from step 9.
That Didn’t Do It?
If the car still won’t start, allow the good car to run for five to ten minutes while hooked up to the dead car. Rev the engine slightly. This may build a charge in the dead battery and allow you to restart.
Okay. Time to Give Up.
If these steps don’t work after three or four more tries, stop trying. The battery may be shorted internally, or the dead car may have other electrical issues besides the battery. Continuing at this point could cause damage to the electrical system—have your car towed.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BRAKES FAIL
Modern brake systems are extremely reliable, and a sudden loss of all braking power is very rare, especially if you’ve kept your car tuned up and followed your manual’s service schedule. But it doesn’t hurt to know what to do ahead of time so you don’t panic if the unlikely does occur.
Very quickly, try the following three things:
Pump the brakes. Sometimes pumping the brake pedal rapidly several times will generate enough braking power to stop.
Apply the parking brake. Do it gradually. Be aware that applying it suddenly can cause the car to skid.
Try downshifting. With an automatic transmission, carefully shift from D into 3, then 2, then 1. With a manual transmission, downshift from the higher to lower gears one at a time. Remember our early discussion about how you can have either power or speed in a car? Downshifting uses the resistance of the engine to slow the car.
E.J. Braswell Page 5
