Car Maintenance

If you've had to drive through construction, your vehicle may have the battle scars to prove it. Overspray or road paint in bright yellow or white may be decorating the rocker panels of your...

If you have spilled paint on your bed liner, you probably understand why you have a bed liner in the first place. A bed liner will protect the bed of your truck from scratches, dents and spills....

One of the few faults of the Toyota MR2 is that it was built with sealed-beam headlights (as most cars were in 1991), and this type of headlight is bulky and tends to burn out more often than the...

When painting a house, spills and stains can happen. However, when they happen to your truck, it's no laughing matter. Many paint solvents and thinners are good at removing paint, but they may...

Recreational vehicles are constantly exposed to harsh elements, leaving the roofs susceptible to weather damage and leaks. EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber is often installed on RV...

Pressure checking the coolant system in any automobile can be quick and easy. The coolant pressure test offered by Snap-on is easy to operate and will allow you to find any leaks in your coolant...

Window tint is aesthetically pleasing and has its benefits, but it also has its disadvantages. It's nice because it limits the amount of harmful UV radiation that penetrates into the vehicle....

Fiberglass auto body panels are a godsend when manufacturing vehicles with a low gross weight. Painted fiberglass poses a challenge if you want to strip paint completely to repaint your vehicle....

The Dodge Dakota is more than just a work truck with a big payload and a long cargo bed. It also has a roomy interior and many features commonly found in family sedans and SUVs, including remote...

Cleaning the headlights on an Acura Integra usually involves buffing them so that any haze on the lens is removed. The most popular model of Integra has four small, round, headlights that can be...

Washing a car is an essential first step before beginning to add another layer of color. If any sort of dirt is left on the vehicle before the painting commences, it can leave behind fuzzies and...

The BBK air filter is a high-performance air filter made to last the life of the vehicle. However, over time, the filter may get dirty. This is OK, since the filter is made to be cleaned and...

When traveling by land vehicle, it's easy to notice the bumps and dips in the road. The suspension system's use of struts and shocks allow it to travel safely without causing major damage.

During the cold months, a lot of locks on cars freeze with ice. There are a variety of quick and easy methods that anyone can use to get car locks de-iced.

Waxing your car helps protect the paint job, and waxing at home instead of paying for a professional wax job can save you a lot of money. Choose a day when the outside temperature is between 55...

The idle control valve in your vehicle is mounted on the throttle body and controls the air flow into the engine from around the throttle body. The valve, as the name suggests, controls the idle....

A Chevy's IAC valve, known as the idle air control valve, monitors and controls the air flow coming through the throttle. When the IAC valve is dirty, your Chevy will not idle properly. It may...

Pro's and cons of rebuilding, problems with buying used, and the awful cost of buying new.

With the uncertainty of the cost of fuel many Duramax diesel owners want to look for ways to improve mileage on their vehicle. Improving mileage can be accomplished depending on how you use your...

An auto air purifier can make your travel time more pleasant and reduce the harmful effects of pollution, pollen and dust. The wide variety of purifiers and refresheners available may seem...

Dead bugs can ruin a car's paint job if you don't clean them off right away. It can take several runs through a car wash to get the stubborn ones, especially if you wait. Try this method for...

Trying to quiet a loud muffler or exhaust? Unless you have a muscle car or some sort of high performance car, a loud exhaust system can be embarrassing. Here are a few tips to quiet that loud exhaust.

Automotive paint finishes are resilient to all types of assaults, including splattered paint. However, car finishes aren't completely impervious to harsh cleaning chemicals and you must take great...

The Accord is one of the most popular sedans produced by Honda, a leading Japanese automobile manufacturer. This car has gained notable recognition since its inception in 1982, mainly because of...

Operating your BMW's electrical system while the motor is not running is a direct drain on the battery. If your battery is dead, starting the car is impossible without a boost from another...

Not only is rust on your car's frame an eyesore, but it also can cause excessive damage. Rust will weaken the frame; if it's not contained, it will continue to spread. It is critical to remove...

Hydraulic floor jacks make lifting vehicles a solo task. Whether changing a tire or lifting the vehicle to change the oil, a floor jack is part of the do-it-yourselfer's tool repertoire. The...

Carbon builds up on the inside of some of the exhaust components in a 2 stroke scooter. The actual exhaust (the muffler and tailpipe) may get especially dirty. This can usually be cleaned with...

American automaker Ford has produced the Escape sport utility vehicle since 2001, with the hybrid version arriving for the 2004 model year. While offering increased fuel economy and a long list of...

Fuses regulate the power running through a vehicle's electrical and computer systems. Engine malfunction or excessive strain on the computer's electrical systems can overload a fuse, causing it...

Changing the fluid of a Honda Civic continuously variable transaxle (CVT) transmission is important in the overall maintenance plan for your car. You should change the fluid every 30,000 miles or...

Many cars and especially boats have bodies that include fiberglass. Because these vehicles are generally exposed to the elements, they are susceptible to vandalism, such as graffiti. Seeing spray...

The tail lights on a Volkswagen Cabrio may need to be replaced if the bulbs are blown. You may also need to replace the tail light assembly if it is scuffed or damaged. While there is no service...

Air fresheners help enclosed areas like cars to smell better on the inside. They can be any shape but the cardboard cutouts are popular. Originally shaped like pine trees, fresheners now come in...

Knowing your truck's axle ratio is important information if you are reprogramming you speedometer computer or want to replace the gears to retain your truck's stock acceleration after installing...

Oil coolers are essentially small radiators that are situated in front of an engine's cooling system in an automobile. Its purpose is to cool the oil as it passes through the coils and it only...

Nothing stops you from getting where you need to go as quickly as a flat tire. Whether it's a slow leak that you need to maintain, or you go outside to find your tire completely flat, it can be...

Choosing foam for your seat upholstery may seem difficult, but can be easy to decide if you consider the goals of your foam project. Whether you are building a new seat, repairing an old seat or...

Your vehicle is more than a form of transportation; it's like a living room on wheels for many families. Therefore, it's expected you'll have common spills and mishaps on your car seats from time...

Engine hoists are a valuable tool in any automotive shop. The ability to move heavy objects with ease makes a good hoist a necessity for a serious mechanic. However, like all machines that are...

Whether a trailer is pulling horses or a boat, the safety of the cargo inside depends on proper maintenance of the trailer's wheel bearings. Greasing the bearings must be done at regular intervals...

You just removed your heater core per my instructions in the resources section and are ready to install the new one. These are the steps to follow in order to install your new heater core.

You’re driving around in your GMC Jimmy and you notice a puddle of antifreeze on the floor in front of the passenger’s seat. You turn on your defroster and instead of the windows getting...

This eHow will teach you step by step how to remove and replace the struts on a Neon. Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler.

You noticed that your headlights are a little dim on your Pontiac Montana. You get out and check your headlights and see that one is burnt out. These are the steps to replace it.

People talk about your gas mileage all the time, but how do you figure out what the average gas mileage you get is? Over time, gas mileage can fluctuate depending on how well the vehicle is taken...

The cabin air filter's purpose is to keep all the particles in the air from getting in the cabin, which makes a difference whether you're in a crowded urban area or a more rural one. The...

Changing the air filter is a sub 5 minute maintenance procedure that your dealer will do for you for more than $100. It cost me around $25 and that included the torx screw driver heads I bought...

Whenever you open the hydraulic system of the brakes on any vehicle, it becomes necessary to bleed the brakes in order to get your system back in proper working order. This process removes any...

Maintaining the tail lights of your Lexus ES300 is important for more than one reason. Besides being a critical part of safe motoring, it is illegal to operate a vehicle without properly working...