Hot Maintenance How-Tos

How To: Winterize a car battery

Have your battery tested. If your battery is at least 3 years old, take it to a certified automotive repair facility. You do not want your battery, whose power is reduced by 50 percent during the cold weather, to go dead while you're in the middle of a snowstorm. If they are younger than that, make sure that the battery's posts and connections are free of corrosion. Also, make sure that your battery has all the water it needs.

How To: Winterize car tires

Use snow tires in the winter. Special patterns in the tread encourage the tires to grip the road better than regular tires. Snow tires are especially helpful if your car has rear wheel drive to discourage fish tailing.

How To: Winterize your car engine & fuel system

In this video, Ed Kriston from AAA-Midatlantic explains how to winterize your car. He first talks about the fuel systems. The fuel pump and fuel filter are inside the tank, and lines and hoses run from the tank to the engine. He points out the fuel lines and injectors in the engine, and recommends that you make sure there are no leaks in the lines and hoses. He demonstrates how to remove and examine the air filter and shows one that is dirty that should be replaced. A dirty air filter will co...

How To: Increase car safety, reliability, and longevity

This video gives helpful information to increase your car safety, reliability and longevity and how you can do most of the checking yourself. Checking the tires is a safe way to start with safety maintenance. Check pressure while the tires are cold and the pressure correctly by using you owners manual or by the identification sticker inside of the door jam and not by just what's written on the side of the tire. Next is the tire condition such as the tread depth for regular ware and for the we...

How To: Align your vehicle's tires

This video tutorial stresses keeping on top of your car's tire alignment. If there is a problem with your tire alignment, it can cause your tires to wear out excessively and uneven. One of the few tips on detecting if your alignment is off is when taking turns. If your car feels like one tire is pulling in a different direction then others, then you might have a problem. They insist on getting your tires alignment checked before it can cause any long term damage to your tires and/or suspensio...

How To: Replace a flat tire

Learn how to replace a flat tire with a spare in this video. First, make sure your car is parked on a safe flat road. Remove the hub cap covering the lug nuts screwed on to the tire. While the tire is still on the ground, loosen the lug nuts attached to the tire with a lug wrench. Locate the jacking point on the metal frame near the flat tire. Crank the jack just enough to lift the flat tire off the ground. Unscrew the lug nuts with your fingers. You can now easily slide out the flat with you...

How To: Know the difference between maintenance & repair

This video explains the important difference between maintenance work and repair work when it comes to your car or automobile. The speaker in this video is the director of AAA's auto repair service; this offers a degree of authority to the video. This video is part of a series on taking care of your automobile. Maintenance is described to be a regular and scheduled event designed to keep your automobile running properly. Maintenance includes things such as changing your oil. There are two typ...

How To: Change cabin and air filters in a Honda Element

Changing your car's cabin filter and air filter is a really important part of its regular maintenance. Doing this simple maintenance task does not require a professional mechanic, so save your money and watch this video to start saving money today and changing your own cabin and air filters. This video specifically covers changing the cabin and air filter in a Honda Element. You can pick up the parts from your local Honda dealer. Typically, you should change your filters every two years.

How To: Repair a dash pad

In repairing the dash pad, once you remove the dash pad it rips the metal clip off, where it is connected to the car. You can do this by using a j-b weld solution. After you mix the j-b weld, apply it to the broken stub and place the metal clip, with the ripped plastic, correctly on top of the j-b weld. Then wait until it dries.

How To: Help your RV water heater run more efficiently

RV water heaters can be easily made more efficient by loosening one or two screws that hold the U-tube tight. Sometimes the orifice that connects the gas valve and the U-tube is not aligned properly with the U-tube, and the loosening of one screw or the other will allow the straight alignment of the orifice and U-tube. After loosening the screws and realigning the U-tube, simply tighten the screw and the water heater will be more efficient because the perfect gas and air mixture will be present.

How To: Keep RV batteries in good condition

The RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer, tells us tips on how to keep RV batteries in good condition. •If you stay in camp grounds a lot or leave the couch plugged in during periods of non-use, one of the things you need to know is the boiling out the electrolyte on the auxiliary battery.

How To: Clean and detail an engine

Learn how to clean your auto engine with these great tips. • Apply spray wax to fenders to prevent spotting on the paint, from engine degreaser. • An alternator is a crucial electrical device which must be protected from water and other chemicals. as a precaution, cover it with a plastic bag and the distributor cap if it is visible. • Spray WD40 on any exposed wires to prevent water or chemicals from penetrating. • Wet underneath the hood; wet the engine; use low pressure water on the engine ...

How To: Replace a car reverse light

Reverse lights are not something to let slide. Having a reverse light out can cause a serious accident. Before you kick your car into reverse, make sure your reverse lights are working properly. Replacing them is easy and takes only a few minutes.

How To: Lengthen the life of your car

Too many people just drive their cars for a few years and then replace them. When treated right, cars can keep on running for decades. You may not be able to keep your car running forever, but you can definitely extend its life.

How To: Change a flat tire with a stud

Being stranded with a flat tire in the middle of the freeway is no fun. That's why it's useful to keep a stud around, like DailyCandy does, to do all the heavy auto maintenance work. However, just in case you don't have one around, they show you in their Easy Does It series, the best way to remove and change a flat tire. Next time you get a flat on your way to a party, you can fix it and get back on the road in no time flat.

How To: Max out your MPG to get great mileage

Systm is the Do It Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. We will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. Search Systm on WonderHowTo for more DIY episodes from this Revision3 show.

How To: Vacuum your car

Just like your living room rug, your car’s carpeting needs a thorough vacuuming now and then. Watch this how to video to learn how to vacuum your car. Don't pay those car wash prices!

How To: Wash and detail your car

Anyone can take their vehicle to the car wash, but if you want to save a few bucks, and give your ride need a little TLC, try these tips. You Will Need: a hose, a spray bottle of tire cleaner, a brush with soft bristles, a wash mitt, or a rag, a bucket, a bottle of liquid car-wash soap, a sponge, a chamois, glass cleaner, paper towels, a stepladder & wax.