How to change a tire
Trust us on this one. The best way is to practice on your own vehicle (when you don’t have a flat tire) on a nice day on level ground. Make sure you know where to place the jack for each tire that could go flat (there should be a groove or mark on the frame of the vehicle) AND loosen (don’t remove) those lug nuts BEFORE you jack up the car.
How to check, change and know when to change the oil
The oil in your car is its blood. Nothing is more frustrating than realising that your car has been running with too little oil or contaminated oil. The health of your car relies very heavily on the cleanliness (and volume) of your oil. And it’s simple to check.
How to jump start your car
When parked in a lot or while waiting for someone, it is not the smartest thing to switch off the car to save fuel and run the radio and some air off the battery. You will simply be left with a dead battery. But what do you do when it happens? Try and jump start the car. Seek a Good Samaritan who is willing to let you drain off from his battery. Now open the hood. Start with the working car, connect red to red, black to black (don’t touch the clamps while you do this) start the working car for a little bit (so we don’t drain that battery), then start your car. Unclamp. Close hood. Vroom! Always have jumper cables with you.
How to refill the radiator
Always carry a little water in your vehicle to cool the radiator. The temperature gauge can sometimes move up to the danger zone, which is an indicator that the radiator is hot and needs a refill. Such occasions are not uncommon and it is always handy to know how to fix it.
What to do if you are involved in an accident or a breakdown
Call a trusted family member to let them know what happened and if they’re close enough, have them come to the scene. Look out for a policeman if there are any injuries or if the flow of traffic is hindered. Take pictures. Get contact details of the offender. VERIFY if the contact information is true by calling the cell phone number given to you while you’re standing there. Take pictures of everything. You will need them for insurance purposes too. Know about your insurance claims.
If your car is disabled, know whom to call – keep numbers on your phone of your mechanic, tow trucks in the area and your service provider. Most important thing to keep in mind if involved an accident is to just stay calm and not panic.
How to stay safe in your car
If a passenger is being a jerk to you and possibly endangering both of your lives by distracting you, kick them out. They’re mean and don’t deserve the kindness of your service. Your car is your safe zone. There is plenty of danger outside of it in the form of other drivers; there is absolutely no need to keep danger inside of it. Don’t pick up strangers on the side of the road OR pull over if you are alone in your car and someone is waving you down for help.
