Keeping Your Car Safe

There are many simple things that anyone who drives a car can do to make sure that everyone inside your car will remain safe when they are traveling with you.  By performing simple basic inspections you can often times identify a potential problem before it threatens to strand you or worse yet cause an accident.

Complete Fluid Check

This is an easy process; the hardest part for some is popping the hood and opening it up. Once the hood of your vehicle is in a safe position, start by investigating your overflow container for the level of coolant that is in there.  Usually they come with a line that will tell you if your level is high low or right on.  Just fill the overflow to this level with coolant and you should be safe from overheating.  The next fluid you should check is your windshield washer fluid.  This may not seem important but if your windshield gets covered with any substance like dirt when you are driving or slush in the winter, this fluid can save your life. It is easy to fill and the fluid itself is very inexpensive.  Check your oil next by pulling out the dipstick and wiping off on a rag and then reinsert it, and pull it out again. If the level isn’t where it should be, you can add some oil to your motor.

Lighting System should be Running Well

Another system that you don’t often check but can cause a real problem when you are traveling if it should not be functioning properly is your lighting system.  It all begins with your headlights, because if they are not functioning properly you field of vision will be reduced and you will not have enough reaction time to avoid things in the roadway or other vehicles that may be beside the road.  Always keep your headlights clear from dirt and other road grime so that they will illuminate as much as possible. If a headlight is out you need to replace it right away, this is a reason for a police officer to stop you, because you are in danger if you lose the other one what will you do.  Your rear lights should also be checked, these are your running lights which show people where you are in the dark.  Without these lights you are in significant danger from vehicles behind you.  The brake lights are also included in this system; they let someone driving behind you to be aware that you may be stopping soon. Without these lights functioning you are going to be subject to a rear ending accident.  Finally the backing lights need to be kept functioning so that someone walking or driving behind your car will be aware of your intention to back up and they won’t be hit by your vehicle.

Safety is Your Responsibility

Simple safety inspections like this are vital to the safe operation of your vehicle whether you are running a big pickup truck or you drive one of the new highbred vehicles.   As a driver of a vehicle you are responsible for all of the people in and around your vehicle and taking that responsibility seriously will allow everyone to remain safe.

Common Causes of Overheating

Having a car is great. The ability to get from point A to point B in a quarter of the time it would take to walk is convenience at its best. And the freedom driving offers is unmatched by most anything. Whether getting to work or going to see friends or family, your vehicle is your main extension to the world. That is, until it stops working, or breaks down due to overheating. How does this happen? Well, there are a number of ways.

Leaking Coolants

 Your vehicle is filled with fluids of all kinds. Some fluids make it run; some fluids cool it down. The most common fluids in a motor vehicle are engine oil and gasoline. Although they fuel the car, these two fluids aren’t what can cause overheating. Coolant is often the culprit in cases of vehicles overheating. Coolant can leak out through a crack in the cylinder, or a weak gasket head. It can also leak from radiators, the water pump, a heater hose and a number of other places. When the coolant leaks, it evaporates, causing areas of the vehicle which are of high heat already to overheat. There is usually no external way for an untrained eye to tell where the coolant is leaking to. Even if it leaves behind residue, there is no exact way to place a stain to discern where the fluid is coming from. Another less common fluid leak is a faulty water pump. This is probably the most dangerous type of leak, as it can cause the engine to overheat. If you see any leakage stains in your garage, or wherever you park your car, and your vehicle is overheating, it is highly suggested that you bring your car to an auto shop immediately. 

Bad Fan Causing Overheating

Many of the cars on today’s market have rear wheel drive. With these types of vehicles in particular, a cooling fan has something known as a “clutch.” A defective clutch can cause overheating, as it causes slippage, not allowing the fan to cool as much as it is designed to. There are also cases where the fan simply does not work. This can be caused by a number of factors, including a broken fan belt. It isn’t uncommon for a fan to have a missing shroud as well, which can decrease the effectiveness of the fan’s cooling ability by up to half. Fan problems are one of the most common causes of vehicle overheating, and it is for this reason they are often overlooked. Just as with fluids, there is no way for an untrained person to diagnose a defunct fan. However, if your vehicle is making unusual sounds, or is running louder than normal, you may be able to safely guess that a fan is the culprit. 

Bringing Your Overheating Car to a Mechanic

Whether damaged radiators are the culprit, or leaking fluid, overheating problems are dangerous, and should be addressed as soon as possible. Bring your vehicle in to a local, reputable mechanic and have them look it over. They should be able to identify the problem and give you an estimate on costs and repair time.