10 Things Everyone Should Know About Their Vehicle

Not everyone is passionate about cars. In fact, most people who drive on the road just use their vehicles for transport. Ask the average person what is the difference between a diesel turbocharger and diesel injectors and see what happens. Even so, there are still a few things that everyone behind the wheel should know about their car to make sure they stay safe and don’t endanger those around them. Here is a list of 10 things that every driver should know about their own car.

1 What side the fuel door is on – This is to prevent your frustration and everyone else at the gas station. There is usually an indicator on your dash that tells you which side your fuel door is located. Make a point to memorize it to prevent unnecessary hang ups at the pump.

2 When to replace wiper blades – if your wiper blades leave big streaks on your windshield when in use, making it difficult to see, replace the blades immediately. It is easy and you can switch them out yourself. If you’re unsure of how to do this, we covered it a few posts back.

3 What the car’s driven wheels are – this is especially important if you live in an area with seasonally icy roads. If you have a two wheel drive car, you need to know whether it is front wheel or rear wheel drive so you know what tires to put your chains on. Always put the chains on the driven wheels.

4 Where the spare tire and jack are located – you never know when you’ll get a flat tire, so it’s important to be prepared. Take a minute to locate the spare tire and jack on your car, and learn how to use them. Go through a practice run of using the jack and taking off the tire if you need to. This will greatly reduce stress if you ever need to use them.

5 What the lights and gauges mean on the dash – the indicator lights on your dash are to help you maintain your vehicle properly. If you don’t know what the check engine light is, or what the indicator lights mean on your vehicle, you can potentially cause serious and irreparable damage which is always expensive. Take a minute to look at your owner’s manual and read what the indicator lights mean, so when they come on you can address them properly and promptly.

6 How to use jumper cables – If your car won’t start, there is a good chance it is because your battery is dead. This is usually caused by leaving your interior or headlights on overnight, or something similar. In order to start your car you’ll need jumper cables, and a willing partner with a good battery. Always keep a set of jumper cables in your car if your car doesn’t come with them, and read up on how to properly use them so you’re not stuck in a parking lot somewhere.

7 When the tires are worn out – We also covered this a few posts ago, but it’s so important it’s worth mentioning again. Driving around on bald tires is extremely dangerous – you have very little traction on the road with less stopping power, and having bald tires increases your chances of an accident. If you put a penny Lincoln’s head down between the tread and it doesn’t cover his head, you need to get new tires.

8 What the tire pressure should be – driving around with deflated tires affects your fuel economy and, in extreme situations, can cause your tires to blow out on the highway. Look in your owner’s manual for the correct tire pressure, and make sure your tires are properly inflated. You can fill up your tires at the gas station – they usually have a tire pressure gauge there for you to use. If they don’t, you can pick one up at any auto parts store for a dollar and keep it in your vehicle.

9 Where the oil is and how much should be in the car - you should also check the oil level in your car once in awhile, and if it’s low, put a quart of oil in. You can find the oil dipstick and the oil reservoir using your owner’s manual.

10 When the car should be serviced – Again, check your owner’s manual for recommended servicing intervals for your vehicle and stick to them. When you get your vehicle serviced, keep track of what date you had it serviced and how many miles you car had when you did. You can put this information in a small pocket calendar and keep it in your glovebox for reference. Check on it once in awhile to keep the servicing schedule of your car and keep it running great.

Arming yourself with this information will make you much safer on the road, and keep your vehicle running at peak condition. Make sure every driver in your family also knows this info so everyone is prepared and safe while driving.

Sentence Handed Down Over Illegal Cars from Canada

Correction: I was informed that Pride Performance is and has not been associated with LM24 for several years. Originally Pride worked out of LM24. Another email from the person named in the incident said that he did not have to snitch on anyone, and was a little concerned by this post. And, the picture of the GT-R's in New York, the photographer told me that I was not allowed to use it, and to cease and desist using it. Ok no problem.

I didn't even know that people actually lived in Vermont. However, it appears they do, and they will catch you illegally importing in cars from Canada. I know the guy they are talking about, and I know some of the cars he illegally imported. Its a shame because he also owned a MotoRex imported R33 GT-R.

He got sentenced for failing to pay taxes on the imported cars. Not for the actual importation, not for not meeting EPA or DOT standards as part of his plea agreement. Like the Kaizo incident, its hardly ever on the import, its some other requirement that someone fails to meet. I have told people for years, that even if you think you are correct, you need to be fully aware of all the laws. This is actually the reason that the Nissan Skyline GT-R is illegal in the US. The best bet is to wait until cars are over 25 years old, and I will help you import them to the US legally with a minimum amount of hassles.

I wonder if any of the cars above were wrapped up in this? The customers may have had no idea the cars were illegally imported. Most guys say "I have a title", but sooner or later this kind of thing catches up to them. Cars have a VIN or chassis number, they have titles, they have license plates.

If you have a state titled car, I would suggest that you keep looking over your shoulder. There are more ramifications coming from this conviction. Someone was calling me the snitch.... so anyone that had any dealings withLM24 should be a bit concerned right about now.

Basic Oil Change

Changing your own motor oil is the most basic DIY maintenance of your vehicle. It has to be done often enough that it really helps to know how to change your own oil. It's not complicated like a steering rack or AC Compressor install, but it is handy. Below is a short guide on what you need and how to perform a simple oil change in your vehicle.

You’ll need the following tools and items: A box end or socket wrench to remove the drain plug, an oil filter wrench (if it’s on really tight or doesn’t have grips on the end), an oil drain pan, a funnel, a jack and jack stands, and a long piece of cardboard or canvas to avoid any sudden spills.

Of course, you’ll also need fresh oil and a new oil filter.

Before going out and buying the needed supplies, make sure to check your owner’s manual for the right kind of oil for your vehicle and the amount you’ll need. Oil is typically sold in quarts, so if your car needs 5.7 quarts buy 6 quarts of oil at the store. Then you need to make sure you buy the right viscosity – if your car lists 5W-30, buy 5W-30 even if another viscosity is cheaper or on sale. Always put in the viscosity your owner’s manual suggests.

As far as whether to buy conventional or synthetic, it’s largely up to you – unless your owner’s manual specifies synthetic or you have a turbocharged or supercharged engine, in which case you should also buy synthetic.

Once you’ve gathered everything, park your car on a level surface and jack it up, placing jack stands on either side of the frame. Some newer cars have undercovers, so you may need to remove this to access the drain plug and oil filter. It’s best to change the oil when the engine is slightly warm, but never when it’s hot – all the oil hasn’t had a chance to drain into the oil pan and you could get burned.

Locate the drain plug and oil filer. Most cars have bottom-mount, screw on filters. Locate the drain plug, and place your open oil pan underneath where the drain plug will drain. Some people say removing your oil reservoir cap in your engine bay will help the oil drain out faster and smoother. While this may not necessarily be the case, it will help you remember to put fresh oil in your car before driving off.

The drain plug is often at an angle – try to position the oil pan where the oil will come out. Take your socket wrench and loosen the drain plug slowly. Once it seems pretty loose, carefully unscrew and remove it by hand, allowing the oil to spill out onto the oil pan.

Wait for all of the oil to drain out of the vehicle, and then replace the oil drain plug. Make sure it is clean and free of debris, and that the washer is clean and intact, before putting it back on. Make sure to screw it back on tightly with a hand wrench so you can’t tighten it anymore, but don’t use a socket wrench or anything that would strip it out.

Then move your oil pan underneath your oil filer. Get out your oil filter wrench and twist off the oil filter. Turn the filter upside down towards the side of your oil pan and let it drain as your car drains the oil out of the oil filter socket. Once it’s finished draining, use rags to clean as much of the oil away as possible, paying special attention to the filter sealing surface. Then open a quart of fresh oil and put a dab of it on the gasket of your new oil filter, then screw the new oil filter in the proper socket. Tighten the oil filter as much as you possibly can by hand – you shouldn’t need a filter wrench unless your hands are too greasy to tighten it properly.

After you confirm that the oil drain bolt and oil filter are properly in place and tightened, it’s time to add fresh oil. Place the funnel into your oil reservoir and start adding oil. Ad about a half of a quart to a full quart less than is recommended by your engine.

Replace the oil reservoir cap and run the engine for 30 seconds or so to circulate the new oil. Look underneath your car and make sure there are no leaks. Then check the oil level in your car and make sure it falls within the right parameters – if it doesn’t, add a bit more oil to top it off.

Once you’ve made sure everything looks good, remove the jack stands and lower your car. The only thing left to do now is properly dispose of your old oil. Most auto parts stores that sell oil have a waste oil bin you can dump your old oil in for no charge.

Then you’re done! Once you’ve done this a few times, it becomes a breeze. Now you don’t have to pay someone else to do a simple job, and you can make sure it’s done right every time.