Consult eHow’s collection of auto repair How Tos before visiting the mechanic. Diagnose car problems from the muffler to the headlights and save a bundle in the process. Charging a dead battery or fixing a flat tire? eHow’s got the basics covered. Bumper crunched following a fender bender? eHow’s even got helpful suggestions about repairing minor dents and dings. Whether fixing it yourself or arming yourself with knowledge so you don’t get taken to the cleaners at the body shop, eHow can help.
Showing 201-250 of 11,904 results
A bad ignition switch will make it difficult for electrical power to reach the starter solenoid on your 1993 Toyota T100, or it will cut power once the engine has started. You can easily fix the...
Breaking a taillight isn't a whole lot of fun. Replacing the lens is not a big deal and takes about five minutes. In this case, the vehicle is a 1986 Toyota pickup, but the process is the same for...
A bad starter relay on your Ford vehicle will prevent the necessary electrical power from reaching the starter motor; fail to cut off power; or keep the motor from starting at all. Fortunately,...
American automaker General Motors began producing and marketing cars through its Saturn division in 1991. For nearly 20 years, Saturn offered cars and SUVs that ranged from entry-level economy...
Korean automaker Kia has produced the Sedona minivan since 1999 and has offered it for sale in the U.S. since 2003. Redesigned for the 2006 model year, the Sedona continues to be among the...
Buick automobiles are manufactured with electric power windows, which use a motorized window regulator to raise or lower the glass inside its doors. This motor can wear out, and require...
Water spots --- or paint scale --- can ruin the appearance of your car's finish and can sometimes be so stubborn they require more than just a wax and polish to get rid of. Some scale spots can...
The in-dash CD player has been standard issue on most vehicles for more than 10 years now. But if you own an older vehicle, or if your vehicle only has a radio, you may want to change or install a...
You can learn to paint your auto at your local community college or you can check out some self-study videos online. Some websites give you a blow-by-blow description of what you need to do to...
Accidents happen--maybe you were backing out of a space and whacked a mirror against a light pole, or possibly you were hit by a passing motorcycle--but if your door mirrors are damaged, you need...
A small amount of moisture in a headlight is usually harmless. However, the problem could get worse over time, eventually leading to a small pool of water standing in your headlight assembly....
Many of us have done it---we've gotten too close to another vehicle or that yellow parking lot post, and marked up our car. It is disappointing, since most of us try hard to keep our cars looking...
Bolts that break off in a cylinder head are extremely difficult to remove. About the only thing you can do is drill them out. Since there is a significant risk of damaging the threads on the...
The Toyota Sienna went unchanged between 1998 and 2003. The process of removing the inside door panel is the same for all six models. The Sienna was redesigned in 2004 with a slightly different...
Rounded head bolts are extremely challenging to remove. You'll need special tools and a few hours to work on the bolts. Rounded head bolts are usually caused by over-torquing the bolt or improper...
Inside the "bottle" jack is an inner working machine that is comprised of a reservoir, a main cylinder, a main piston, a pump piston, pump cylinder, check valves, a release valve, oil, oil ports...
The headlight covers on a 1994 Crown Victoria are aftermarket covers typically made of plastic. Some covers are thin and pliable, while others are a hard plastic that snap over the headlight...
Removing paint from the body of a car is a time-consuming process. While the basic principle is simple, it involves a lot of hard, physical labor and normally involves the use of powerful...
The line of Mercedes 190 cars built between 1984 and 1994 are safe, classic luxury vehicles, but they often suffer from automatic transmission problems. Gear changes may not shift smoothly due to...
Recreational vehicles have rooftop air conditioning units that are lightweight and durable enough to withstand rigorous road travel. If a problem occurs with the RV air conditioning unit, you can...
The fuel tank on your Ford Ranger may develop problems that make it necessary to remove or replace it. Some tank leaks, holes or contamination issues can only be fixed with the tank off the...
Removing solder can be tricky, unless you have a heating agent that is able to melt the solder--like a hot air gun. The process is very simple and straightforward. Essentially, by heating the...
The idle air control on an Isuzu Trooper is a valve that opens and closes to meter the air flowing into the throttle at idle. When the Trooper is not idling properly, this is a major cause. There...
The air vents in a Ford Mustang can be taken out if you need to replace them. Over time, the air vents might chip or crack. This was a problem on Mustangs made in the late 1980s and early 1990s....
Deciding between a mortgage company and a credit union can be tricky. Knowing the differences between them will help you make the best decision to fit your financial needs.
The idle control valve on an Isuzu Trooper 3.5 is located on the side of the throttle body. The throttle body sits on the back of the engine near the firewall. The valve controls the amount of air...
Produced from 1998 to early 2003, the Ford 7.3 turbo diesel has a well-known reputation for being a workhorse. The large diesel engine's abilities range from hauling luxury fifth-wheel travel...
One of the most common SUVs today is the Nissan Pathfinder. It offers spacious, shock absorbent interiors, which allow owners to enjoy comfortable driving throughout various terrains....
Be prepared for a tire emergency by following these steps for changing a flat.
If your brakes have been squealing and grinding for weeks now, it is time to do a brake job. Not only is it embarrassing but also unsafe to drive a vehicle that needs brakes.
How to Get Your Automobile Ready For Winter
Fall is a good time to get your vehicle ready for the colder weather ahead. Here's some tips you can do yourself, or have an ASE certified technician perform, to get your car ready for winter:
It is easy to buff and polish the exterior of a car, but how do you clean the engine compartment? There is will always be grime, oil, and leaves in there that needs cleaning. A beautiful engine...
I was looking for instruction on how to change the front brake pads and the rotors on my 12 year old 97 Nissan Sentra GXE. I found some generic instructions and videos. Some of them were not very...
This is a very simple process and will save you time and money having to avoid the costly process of elimination routine. follow my simple steps, anyone can do this.
Brake shoes play an important role in the brake system of a vehicle. The brake shoes are necessary to manipulate the brake and cause a vehicle to gradually slow down or stop abruptly for an...
If you need a set of tires for your car but don't know if you can afford them right now, you'll be happy to know that, fortunately, most tire distributors offer financing options that will allow...
While using jack stands on trucks or any other vehicle seems like simple common sense, misuse or not paying attention to detail can lead to hazardous or fatal conditions. All jacks and jack stands...
Replacing the ignition switch in the Chevy Blazer is not a task for the mechanically challenged. A quality repair manual specific for your specific year and series Blazer will help illustrate the...
The idle on a Lexus LS400 is controlled primarily by the throttle. The throttle cable, specifically, controls the idle speed. If the cable is too loose, the idle will drop. If the cable is too...
A fuel injector on an Infiniti Q45 can cause a misfire as easily as a spark plug or other problem in the ignition system can. In the past, the cylinders depended on the collective shared fuel...
Rusted bolts can be easy or difficult to remove, depending mostly on accessibility. There must be enough room to work. The head of the bolt or the threaded end must protrude far enough to grab...
Tie rods are an important part of your steering system that transfer steering movement to the wheels. If you have a lot of play in your steering wheel, chances are that your outer tie rods are...
A transmission oil cooler is a small, finned radiator that circulates warm oil to stabilize the temperature of the transmission. It is normally placed in front of the primary engine coolant...
Accidents happen all of the time, and whether it be from a collision or brush with someone's wet paint, it is quite easy to soil your car with an unintentional dab of paint. Luckily, this can be...
The idle air control (IAC) valve in a Honda Accord controls the idle speed through the throttle body. When the IAC is dirty, the idle speed will suffer. If it's bad enough, the Accord simply won't...
Ford uses a spring lock mechanism for its fuel lines. These fuel lines require a special tool designed to slide under the spring that lifts it up and allows the fuel line to separate. The male end...
Hinges on car doors are subject to weathering, vibration and normal wear and tear as the doors are opened and closed hundreds of times over the lifespan of a vehicle. In addition, gravitational...
The EGR, or exhaust gas recirculation, valve is a small metal disc bolted to the intake manifold near the carburetor on GMC trucks and vans. The EGR valve draws exhaust gases from the exhaust...
The Honda CRX was a popular car in its time, and there are still tons of them on the road today. This car, however, is plagued with electrical issues, particularly fuel pump related. If the fuel...
When a car gets rear-ended, sometimes the damage is so extensive that it's cost-prohibitive to fix. If a truck gets rear-ended, though, it's often enough to just buy a new bed. Finding a bed is...