Do It Yourself Car Maintenance

Ever driven in front of someone who has their headlights aimed incorrectly? It's annoying for sure, and can be blinding. Worse yet, it can cause an accident. Fixing the problem takes no longer...

If you have ever been in a slight fender bender or come back to the parking lot to see a dent in one of your car doors, you've probably noticed that there is some paint scratched into your car...

Need to jump start your car battery? Believe it or not, there is some skill and memorization involved. Here are a few tips on how to jump start your battery safely and correctly.

Being prepared for an emergency may seem like hard work, but trust me it is worth it. My family and I survived an ice storm this last January. We were not as prepared as we should have been and...

A dwell meter is used to check the dwell angle on vehicles with a points-type ignition. Dwell angle is the length of time (measured by the degree of rotation of the distributor cam) the contact...

Alloy wheels look great when they're brand new, but after a few decades or even years of constant use, they can begin to look terrible, detracting from the appearance of the whole car. Unless they...

The Pontiac Aztek was a sort of SUV/car hybrid sold between 2001 and 2005. Since the Aztek was never redesigned, the process of replacing the headlights is the same in all models. Make sure you...

The Chevy Cobalt uses an electronically-assisted power steering system instead of the typical system for most cars, which require power steering fluid. This relatively new system has created...

Nearly all new Toyota vehicles come with a keyless entry remote. This small remote attaches to your key chain and can be used to unlock and lock your car, in addition to activating the panic...

Trailer decals are a challenge to remove from any surface. You don't want to just pull them off and leave part of the decal or adhesive residue. To properly remove the decal and adhesive...

The Ford F150 is a reliable truck that doesn't require a lot of maintenance. However, the truck uses standard halogen bulbs for its headlights, and they require occasional replacement. Replacing...

If you have noticed the air quality in your Mazda becoming poor or the windows fogging up, the cabin filter inside your vehicle may need to be replaced. You should install a new cabin filter about...

With the terrible gas prices these days, you want to get the best possible MPG or miles per gallon out of your car, truck, or suv. In this article, I will share with you the best ways to greatly...

Even the cleanest of cars can sometimes emanate a musty smell that no air freshener can cover up! Learn how to prevent musty smells in your car.

You need to have your car's fuel injectors cleaned periodically. Newer, lower mileage cars warrant less frequent injector cleaning than older, higher mileage ones. Cleaning the fuel injectors will...

The wiper blades on a GMC vehicle should be checked every six months to make sure they are functioning properly. Wiper blades typically fail where the rubber compound meets the glass. When the...

Automobile headlights are one of the most often used and least considered parts of a vehicle. When issues arise with this part of the vehicle, the most common remedy is to simply replace the bulb....

Exhaust manifolds usually become the most unattractive parts in your engine bay, especially after years of use. It's very easy for an exhaust manifold to become covered with rust, soot and grease....

Driving a car with a faulty or burnt out headlamp can not only get you a ticket, but it can be dangerous as well. If you have a Dodge Stratus, changing the headlight is an easy process. You're not...

Wheels are some of the most vulnerable parts on a car. Not only can they get bent from hitting potholes and bumps, but over time alloy wheels can get dull and scratched. Restoring an alloy wheel...

Generally speaking, unless one is doing a complete restoration, replacing a two piece rear main seal with a one-piece is the preferable option. Many companies make single-piece conversion kits,...

One of the easiest ways to increase engine horsepower and torque on a 4-cylinder 2.0L Volkswagen Jetta MKIII is to install a performance chip. Not only does a performance chip yield substantial...

If you've ever worked on an old motorcycle, you probably found after a few times that it was fairly easy to do. Depending on the manufacturer, you basically needed to have a metric or standard set...

A Ford engine can be rebuilt in several ways. Be it a 4, 6, 8, or 10 cylinder, many companies makes kits in a variety of flavors, from stock to racing. Known as one of the more reliable...

Replacing the springs and shocks on an older BMW 3 Series like the E30 is one of the best ways to make it feel like new again. Old, worn-out shocks ruin the ride and handling of a car. When...

The Subaru Outback was originally a special trim level package of the Subaru Legacy, offered from 1995 to 1999. For the 2000 model year, Subaru took the Outback name and used it on an entirely new...

Most modern vehicles are equipped with cabin air filters, although each manufacturer may refer to them by a different name. The Chrysler cabin filter is officially known as the A/C filter. Unlike...

3M manufactures a line of window films for residential, commercial and automotive use. The films adhere to glass in order to provide UV protection as well as shield direct sunlight. The films come...

A vehicle's crankshaft sensor sends a signal to the computer to tell it where the engine is in its revolution cycle. The sensor works by picking up the pulses in the magnetic field caused by the...

Your 2008 Honda Civic has several maintenance items that need to be installed on a regular basis. Most of the items require a service technician or experienced professionals. The two primary items...

While preventative maintenance can keep a vehicle's engine running smoothly for years, there's only so much you can do to maintain the vehicle's paint job, especially on the hood. When wear and...

During the winter your truck goes through a lot. Most people drive there cars in the summer, and the trucks in the winter. Before you rely on your truck, check it over and make sure everything is...

Your car battery goes out with your window down. The tow truck tows you home and it’s about to pour down rain with no front window up! Here’s a quick way to tape plastic over your car window in an...

Unexpected breakdowns will occur with your vehicle; however, some maintenance tasks can be done with relative ease and, in turn, save you some money along the way. Replacing a radiator hose on...

The Nissan Xterra is equipped with two cab microfilters. The microfilters help clean the air inside your vehicle. Nissan recommends changing both filters at least once every 25,000 miles. The...

Windshield wiper blades come in many different configurations for various makes and models of vehicles. Some wipers can be replaced as a complete wiper arm and blade unit only. Other models offer...

Your Ford truck requires that you change the coolant in the radiator regularly to maintain performance and engine life. The radiator coolant is designed to maintain the temperature of the engine...

Alloy wheels look great when they are in perfect condition, but after years of use, they often become scratched, dull and dingy looking. Short of buying a new set of aluminum alloys, the next best...

Weak coil springs are generally the result of hard usage, bad engineering from the factory or the use of inferior replacement springs. It is a misconception that a car's age alone contributes to...

The Chevrolet HHR has a unique air filter setup that can be quite confusing. Because of the tight space in the engine bay, the HHR air filter is housed in a setup mounted above the engine. Rather...

An automotive relay takes a small signal from some sort of actuator switch such as a brake pedal sensor, ignition key or reverse safety switch and uses it to activate the required circuit.

The Jeep Liberty is small SUV with off-road styling. At first glance, it appears the Jeep Liberty uses the older style of headlights where the entire assembly must be replaced. Actually, this is a...

Refinishing a faded carbon fiber hood is much like restoring any other painted surface. Much of the white glaze found on older carbon fiber parts is actually oxidation in the clear coat, the same...

When fitting custom exhaust pipes, the most important thing to remember is that clearance is king and flow is secondary. Some compromises will undoubtedly need to be made to clear floorpans,...

The 2000 model of the Pontiac Grand Am was the second year model after a major redesign in 1999. This body style would go on to be the last for the Pontiac Grand Am, as it was discontinued after...

On the 1999-2005 BMW 3 series (E46 body styles: 323i, 325i, 328i, & 330i) you can change/set the clock located in the odometer instrument panel. The clock on the radio and the clock on the...

Motorcycle saddlebags are a necessary accessory for carrying items, be they groceries, books, or clothing for a trip. Saddlebags are made in a variety of materials such as leather, hard plastic,...

The heated oxygen sensors (HO2S) on your 2003 Nissan Altima should be inspected or replaced at the manufacturer's recommended intervals, since they become coated with exhaust byproducts over time,...

A car owner who has a car that does not start or has difficulty starting often immediately points to the battery as the problem. This may or may not do be the root cause, as there are other parts...

Trailers are simple pieces of equipment. They almost always have a metal frame, wheels, a spring undercarriage and lights. Most parts of the trailer can last for years. Unfortunately, the lighting...