Programming My Car

Imagine stalling while you're on the road and not being able to restart your vehicle due to poor battery charge.  The last resort will be of course to ask for assistance from other motorists to jump start your car.  But in jump starting your car, you should bear these tips in mind according to this site.

• Do not smoke. You should also wear eye protection.
• Make sure the vehicles are not touching (contact could provide an unwanted electrical path).
• Turn your engine off.
• Connect the red jumper cable from the positive (+) post or terminal on your "good" battery to the positive post or terminal on the low or dead battery in the other vehicle.
• Connect the black jumper cable from the negative (-) post or terminal on your good battery to a solid ground on the other vehicle.  CAUTION: DO NOT make the final jumper connection directly to the low or dead battery itself.
• The reason for not doing this is because the final jumper connection usually produces a spark. Making the final connection away from the battery will minimize any danger of an explosion by keeping the spark well away from the battery.
• Make sure the ground connection on the vehicle with the low or dead battery provides a good electrical contact. Use an unpainted metal surface like an engine bracket or a frame member.
• Make sure the cables do not touch each other and that the cables are clear of the fan and pulleys on both vehicles.
• Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery. Run the engine at fast idle for several minutes before attempting to start the vehicle with the low or dead battery. This will allow the charging system to pump some life into the other battery lessening the drain on the good battery and charging system.
• As soon as the vehicle with the dead battery starts, disconnect the battery cables. The vehicle should then be run or driven at least thirty minutes to recharge the low or dead battery.
  

Before performing any car repairs or maintenance, be aware of the dangers that may happen. One of the situations where you should watch yourself carefully is when getting under the hood.

Now check out the very important steps in getting under the hood of your car courtesy of WikiHow.com, the number one online how-to-manual. Listen very carefully…

• Be sure that the vehicle is turned off, and if possible, cooled down.
• Verify if your car has a handle near the left side of the driver's seat, under the steering wheel. It may have a picture indicating it is the hood latch. Pull this latch. This will release the hood to some extent.
• Situate the latch. The hood should be partially open while standing facing the hood. You may now have to feel about for a latch beneath the hood to trigger the hood to pop. Locate this latch and pull up on the latch using one hand, while at the same time lifting the hood with the other one.
• SUPPORT THE HOOD STURDILY. There could be a rod or lever at the very face or right side of your hood that you can raise up and place in the tip into the bottom of the hood to seize the hood up firmly. Make sure the hood is firmly opened to avoid accidents.
• Make sure that all is cool to the senses and that there are no sharp objects that might harm you.

 

Most of us find it really hard to fix some of the malfunctioning parts of our cars. But if you know how to work it, you will know how easy it is. Just like fixing a car’s antenna. It is as easy as one, two and three. There are many sites online which could help you with your concern. Ehow.com is one among the reputable sources of car information or car tips that you just might need.

Here is one sample of the tips you can find at Ehow.com.  These are the steps on wow to fix your car’s antenna  

Step One: Use your owner's manual to gain access to the backside of your antenna, inside the car.

Step Two: Loosen and remove the two nuts holding the antenna in place using an adjustable wrench and your fingers. One nut should be outside your car, and the other on the inside where the antenna meets the inner side of the car body.

Step Three: Disconnect the signal and power wires from your old antenna, and remove the antenna from the car.  

Step Four: Place the new antenna where the old one was, and reconnect the power and signal wires.

 

Step Five: 

Replace the two nuts that hold the antenna in place.

Step Six:Close up any inner body paneling you removed to access the antenna.  

Tips And  Warnings

• If the mast is the only part that is broken, it will usually unscrew from the base and can be replaced by screwing on a new one.
• If you have to reroute wires, avoid placing the signal wire near any power wires or you will get interference in your radio's reception.

Most of us are caught up in a hustle and bustle of life cramming through every morning because of waking up too late. The verdict? We end up speeding in our car and eventually, get the unavoidable car ticket. Now how are you going to avoid it? Let ehow.com educate you with their tips I found on their official website.  

Ever snooze too many times and make yourself late for work or an appointment? Maybe you took a quick shower and rushed out the door, but that was not enough. I really need to hurry, or I will be late. Is speeding the answer? 

Step One: Unfortunately, speeding is not the answer. It is not a pleasant start to your day hearing your boss rant for your tardiness, or getting a speeding ticket, which can be a costly endeavor, but both of these options beat other possible alternatives. 

Step Two: Avoiding a ticket can be as easy as using a simple four function calculator and one single equation. First, you will need to know the distance your commute is from home to work, for example. For this example, lets pretend your commute is 30 miles. How much time do you actually save by going 15 MPH over the speed limit? 

Step Three: The equation we will use to calculate the time saved is the following: distance / average velocity = time We know that our distance is 30 miles. If you average 45 MPH without speeding, it will take you roughly 30 miles / 45 MPH = 0.75 Hours, or 45 minutes. If you decide to go 15MPH over the speed limit during your entire commute to work, your average speed is the 60MPH. Using the same equation, 30 miles / 60MPH = 0.5 Hours, or 30 minutes. Thus, we have concluded that driving at 15MPH over the speed limit, on average saved us 15 minutes on a normal 45 minute commute. 

Final Step: These extra 15 minutes may seem like a lifesaver, but the alternatives could be worse. If you were to get pulled over and received a speeding ticket, now you owe over $100 and are even later than anticipated. One thing is for sure, public safety officials are not shy about giving tickets to speedsters. According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol website, they issued 434,300 speeding tickets in the year

 

Houston Defensive Driving online is now opening an online course for teens who are willing to know how to drive properly without going to school. Now, it is easier for our teens to learn how to drive because of this existing course online.

Houston drivers in TX state will be enjoying the remaining time of their lives because of this new program from Houston Defensive Driving online. On the course:  The teens will be able to know more about driving without spending much of their time on schools. They will be exposed to driving lesson right at their very own home.

Now, Houston Defensive Driving online can reduce the record and possibly lower your insurance rates. This course also provides discounts on insurance rates.  The court was able to approve the convenience of this new program. They will be teaching these young teens to discipline themselves in terms of covering the varied disciplines like Speeding, Braking, Backing, Emergency maneuvering, Evasive steering, Defensive Parking, Alcohol consumption and its effect on driving.  

In brief , Houston Defensive Driving online provides the following benefits as released on the pages of The Auto Channel.  

1. 24 hours and 365 days availability of course.
2. State approved curriculum.
3. Multiple sittings completions.
4. Higher end course with low price.
5. Live 24/7 customer support facility.
6. Unlimited Texas state specific test preparation materials.
7. Comedy and interactive online course.

 

You find it hard to reduce brake fade? Well, it’s an important thing to do to ensure a safe ride. You wouldn’t want to compromise lives, right?

The decrease of stopping power commonly refereed to as "brake fade" happens after repeated application of the brakes, especially when carrying heavy loads or in high-speed situations. While there is no way to eliminate brake fade all together, there are several things you can do to reduce it.

Steps

Step 1: When traversing a downhill road, select a lower gear rather than applying the brakes to slow down the vehicle. In a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you should apply the brakes first before switching to a lower gear.

Step 2: When braking, "tapping" the brakes, as opposed to constant application, give the brakes an opportunity to cool between applications, therefore reducing brake fade.

Step 3: After replacing your brakes, try not to over-brake or put too much strain on them within the first 100-150 miles. If you can afford them, high performance brakes and rotors provide better stopping power with less brake fade due to higher-quality materials used that increases friction while decreasing the amount of concentrated heat applied to the brakes.

Overall Tips & Warnings

The best thing you can do to reduce brake fade (and many, many other car problems) is to "drive it like you're still paying on it". Take it easy on your car, and you car will take it easy on you. If you can't control your need for speed and high-performance driving, buy a car that was made for it.

There you have it. Reducing brake fade is not that hard after all.

[credit: eHow.com]

Do you find it hard to restore the tension on your car's seatbelt?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seatbelts are the single most important protective mechanism available to adult vehicle occupants. It is estimated that the correct use of a lap/shoulder belt system reduces the likelihood of death in a motor vehicle crash by 50%. Knowing said info, we are obligated to restore tension on our seatbelts.

How do you do it? Wikihow tells us exactly what to do…

Steps
   1. Due to the importance of seatbelts it is not recommended that these devices be tampered with in any way. To provide the best protection, wear the lap belt snug and low over the pelvic bones (hips). The shoulder belt must be worn over the shoulder and across the chest and never under the arm or behind the back.

   2. Air bags are not a replacement for seatbelts. They are designed to be used in conjunction with seatbelts. To ensure full protection, drivers should always wear seatbelts. Air bags do not provide a soft landing in an accident. They are a pyrotechnic explosive that rapidly expands the bag. In an accident they feel much like getting punched in the face with a boxing glove.

   3. If your restraint system is worn or not returning to the snug position, please have it replaced by a professional. This is especially important if your car has been in an accident. Seat belts are designed to ride down the impact of an accident by allowing an internal anchor to be forced through a series of tabs. Once this has happened there is no longer a cussion effect left.

Tips
    * Replacement of seat belts is not expensive in comparison to the damage caused if they are not effective.

Warnings
    * Due to the importance of seatbelts it is not recommended that these devices be tampered with in any way.

 

 

Does your car keep blowing fuses? If so, are you tempted to use larger fuses? If you are, then hold it right there are read on as you might have your car torched if you do just that.

You see, fuses are designed to limit the amp load going into a circuit. Each fuse is marked with the limit that they would allow for amp to enter a circuit. Different circuits require different power output. For high-drain devices you need fuses with high amp ratings like 20 or 30 amps. For minimum consumption circuits, it is usually recommended to use 5 to 15 amps fuse depending on the specifications set by the manufacturer.

If the current going into the circuit is higher than the required amp, the fuse will blow making sure that the system will be safe. If the fuse does not stop the flow of excess amp, then things will become a bit hotter by the second until wires melt and things catch fire. So if you are going to replace a blown fuse, make sure that you use the right one. All information regarding the fuse that you have to use can be found in your owner's manual.

If you replace a 10 amp fuse with a 20 amp fuse saying that 10 amps may not be that much of a difference, you better think again. Even that difference is enough to fry a sensitive component and start a fire even.

And here's another thing that you should ever do: never bypass or eliminate a fuse. If you have experience a blown fuse, bypassing the fuse means you are putting your car and most importantly, yourself in grave danger.

If your car keeps blowing fuses, it only means that there is something wrong in its electrical system and it would be better if you have it checked by a competent technician immediately.

We are very much aware that holiday shopping is now coming closer and Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (H.E.A.T.) is here to bring you once more a set of tips you can live by in order to keep safety in mind and be one among the safe shoppers this season.

"Thieves look forward to the holidays when people are distracted and made careless by hectic schedules, countless tasks and mile-long shopping lists," said the director of H.E.A.T. Terri Miller. "Shoppers often take unnecessary risks such as leaving their vehicles unlocked or stowing gifts and shopping bags in open view instead of in the trunk."

The Auto Channel also released the tips from the official website of H.E.A.T. A special thanks to both for sharing us these very useful tips. Here guys read on:

Auto Theft Prevention Tips

• Park in well-lit areas, near sidewalks or walkways.  Avoid parking near dumpsters or large vans or trucks.  These obstacles decrease your ability to see the space surrounding your vehicle clearly, where thieves or carjackers could be hiding.
• Consider using the valet service if you are out at a shopping center alone at night.  The small fee is worth your safety.  Remember to leave the valet only the ignition key with no I.D.  Always keep your registration and proof of insurance in your wallet.
• Place gifts in the trunk and out of view.  If need be, use a trash bag, blanket or cardboard box to camouflage packages in the back of a car, van or SUV.
• Try to keep one hand free with the other hand holding your car keys as you approach or leave your vehicle so you can maneuver if you encounter a thief or carjacker.
• If threatened by a carjacker with a gun or other weapon, GIVE UP THE CAR.  DON'T ARGUE.  A life is more important than any vehicle.
• If you witness an auto theft or carjacking, call the police immediately.  If you have any information regarding auto theft, insurance fraud or carjacking, call the 24/7 H.E.A.T. tip reward line at 1-800-242-H.E.A.T.

 

Even with the winter season coming, it does not mean that you have to forsake your car's air-conditioning system.  Because come summer, you will surely want it working in good condition. But how would you know if your air conditioner needs refrigerant without going to a mechanic?

Here are some pointers from this site to help you determine if you have to top up your car's refrigerant:

• If your A/C system has a "sight glass" (a small round glass window usually located on or near the receiver/drier or accumulator), you can "see" inside the system. Refrigerant is clear so it’s hard to tell if the system is full or empty.
• If the glass looks clear and there is no cold air output, the system has lost its charge of refrigerant through a leak somewhere in the system. If you see bubbles or foam in the sight glass, it means the system is low on refrigerant and needs to be recharged.
• If you see oily streaks radiating outward around the compressor shaft seal, or wet oily areas around hose connections, it means refrigerant is leaking from your system. This too, may indicate a need for additional refrigerant to replace that which has been lost.
• Most A/C systems leak a little refrigerant over time. Newer systems are tighter and leak less than older ones, which may lose up to several ounces of refrigerant a year. After five or six years of service, therefore, it’s not unusual for the system to need some additional refrigerant.
  

With those pointers, you can now determine if your cars air-conditioning system will need more refrigerant.  Be careful though when it's time to top up the refrigerant.  You should only use those approved for use since there are refrigerants which are known to be harmful to the environment.