Avoid Expensive Car Repair Costs Over Winter
Car Repair Costs Can Be Avoided Over The Winter Months By Following These Helpful Instructions provided by Car Doc.
Car Repair costs can be avoided if you keep your car in tip top condition during the colder months of the year when temperatures will drop to -10/-15 plus degrees. Here are some hints and tips. when trying to avoid the dreaded non start faults and car breakdowns.
First check the exterior of the vehicle check the front and rear lamps and front sidelamps for operation. You will need to check this with the ignition off. Inspect both lamps for operation and security. Walk to the rear of the vehicle and inspect rear sidelamps and number plate lamps for illumination.
Switch the ignition on and the front dim dip lamps will be illuminated. These are the dip beamed lamps operating on a low current. Switch on the dip lamps on the lighting stalk and check both front lamps (this would be better at night or in a garage with the lights off). When checking the beam pattern, you should see a horizontal flat beam of light. Depending on the age of the vehicle the beam pattern will kick up on the left hand side at approx. 35 to 45 degrees on a right hand drive car. This is to illuminate the verge and road markings. This is also why we have to fit beam deflectors to our vehicles when driving abroad as it dazzles oncoming traffic when driving on the right side!.You will need to check the beam pattern when replacing either of the front dip beam lamps along with the height adjusters which is operated from within the cabin, normally a small round switch with the numbers zero to four written on it. Operate this and you should see both lamps rise and fall equally. Check when operating from dip beam to main beam on the switch that the dip beam extinguishes when main beam is operated and vice versa.
Now check that the front fog lamps (if fitted). These should normally illuminate by a green telltale lamp on the dash board again checking illumination and security. Operate the rear fog lamp switch which is illuminated by an orange telltale switch. Walk to the rear of the vehicle and check this is working correctly; not all vehicles will have two rear fog lamps this depends on make and model but it must have at least one rear fog lamp fitted in the lower center to the offside (right hand) if registered after 1980.
This just leaves indicators reverse and stop lamps to check. I personally like to check hazards stop and reverse lamps all at the same time (you may require assistance with this operation) because I like to check the rear lamps cluster earth path is working correctly if this was not the case then stop and sidelamps would all flash!
Staying with the vehicle exterior you will need to check the front wiper blades for wear and splits in the rubber. If you find that the wiper is smearing the windscreen and not wiping cleanly try to revive the blades by cleaning them with a soft cloth and vinegar. Nine times out of ten this will work. Also you can clean the glass with good quality automotive glass cleaner. Also check the rear blade, if fitted, and front and rear washer jets as these sometimes block up with dust, grime and polish. You can normally clean these with a pin from a sowing kit and you may need to check that the washer fluid is directed onto the middle of the screen!
Moving to the under bonnet area you will need to check fluid levels. First check the screenwash level. I like to put a lot of screenwash concentrate in the bottle before I top it up with water as this acts as an antifreeze. So when it’s a cold frosty morning the fluid will not freeze as soon as it hits the windscreen. You will need to check the antifreeze level and strength. You may need to purchase an antifreeze tester from your local motorist center for a few pounds and the general level is minus twenty degrees or below that will be satisfactory for the winter climate. If the tester reads minus ten or above it would be advisable to let some fluid out via the drain plug or hose and top up with the manufactures recommended antifreeze. Not all antifreeze is suitable to mix with each other so please check in you vehicle handbook.
Staying with the cooling system you can visibly check all coolant hoses for splits, swelling and contamination. For example, if you have an engine oil leak and its regularly dripping onto a hose it will eventually soften and weaken the hose in that area thus increasing the risk of a split hose.
You must also check visually the condition of the radiator; especially the core and the seams. If the vehicle is fitted with air conditioning the condenser would normally be fitted directly in front (bumper side of the radiator).The obvious sign of a coolant leak is the coolant level would be low and a pale almost white dry deposit from around the affected area. Also the base of the radiator can rot along the cooling fins depending on the type of material used during manufacturing.
http://www.car-docuk.com
Visually check the battery for security and condition, making sure that the terminals are secure and are not corroded in any way. If they are corroded, you can normally neutralize the battery acid with warm water (not boiling) from a kettle. Please do not get the white powder on you skin or clothing as the acid is highly corrosive and will possibly cause burns. Now with most modern batteries they are sealed for life and do not require topping up. The general rule is if the battery has screw caps fitted then you can top up with de-ionised water up to the maximum level if required. Do not overfill to the top the battery could get warm during initial start up on a frosty morning.
You will need to check power steering levels (if fitted) if they are accessible again checking power steering hoses. It is common to have a slight leak from the reservoir to the pump as the fluid is very thin so check the hose clip fitting. Brake fluid level should be checked. If the fluid level is down to the minimum then the brakes will require further inspection/ investigation.
You will also need to check the alternator drive belt (fan belt) for splits and general wear and tear along with the alternator unit again. If you can check the alternator output with a multi-meter set to volts and it should read 12.2 to 14.4 volts with the engine running at the battery terminals, Check again the output with all the electric consumables on such as the interior heater blower, headlamps on main beam and the heated rear screen and heated front seats (if fitted) and the output should still be similar voltage. Anything below 12.2 volts and the vehicle may have a problem.
Finally check the tyres including the spare for splits and tread depth and pressure. The tyre law as it stands at the moment is 1.6 mm(millimeters) three quarters of the width of the tyre which means that the tyres can be completely bald on one edge and still be legal. My argument is that that part of the tyre which is bald has more contact with the road than the rest of the tyre when on the front of the vehicle and in wet conditions you are going to increase the risk of aquaplaning. This occurs when the tyre comes into contact usually with standing water and the tyre cannot dispel the water fast enough and lifts the tyre away from contact with the road; losing control. If your tyres are getting low on tread, I would advise to replace them; especially in the winter.
Do you need to find a local professional firm you can trust? Check online at for car repair Stevenage, car repair Peterborough, car repair Northampton, car repair Cambridge, Car Repair London and car repair Oxford.
|
|