DIY Guides
One guide a day for car owners, with the point where you should stop and call a mechanic.
- Check Transmission Fluid, If Your Car Lets You
Late shifts, a slip or a red spot on the driveway. First find out if your car even has a dipstick.
- Clean Cloudy Headlights Back to 70 Percent of New Light
Yellow or foggy lenses and dim low beams at night. A kit can help, but it has a limit worth knowing before you sand.
- Jump Start a Car Without Frying the Electronics
One click and a dim dome light. The fix takes four clamps in the right order and a 12 volt source.
- Read the Numbers on Your Tire, From Size to Birth Date
A wall of numbers on the side of your tire. Six reads tell you what it is, how old it is and if it belongs on your car.
- Replace Your Wiper Blades Without Snapping the Arm
Streaks, smears or a chatter across the glass. The swap needs no tools. A bare arm dropped on the glass can crack it.
- Reset the Check Engine Light, and When Not To
An amber engine symbol on your dash. A reset can turn it off in seconds. It can also make you fail a smog test the next day.