How To’s

A Check Engine Light(CEL) is a yellow warning engine symbol or the words "CHECK ENGINE" that appears on the dash board, during driving or even while starting the car. First thing is do not panic.The major events - like low oil, temperature or battery have their own separate warning lights, so do not panic.

    First thing you need would be a jumper cable. If you don't have one, ask a nearby car , a lot of folks carry that cable.  Jump basically is supplying electric power from a good battery to a battery that is discharged or weak.

Battery Charging How To :

It is important to maintain your antifreeze/coolant at the proper concentration to provide good corrosion protection as well as prevent freeze-ups and boil overs. That is when the car is parked out in the cold , the coolant can freeze up and expand and crack the engine block causing permanent damage.

Engine Air Filter is usually at the input of the air-intake system.  Air intake system in turn provides the necessary air (some times below atmospheric pressure) to the Fuel System's intake manifold. To put it simply , the engine needs air for burning and this is the filter it uses to make sure the air is free from dry leaves , dead insects and other debris. A good vs bad filter is shown below :

AC or Cabin Filter is the filter for your AC system.  The air outside the car enters the AC system through this filter.  So obviously from a health point of view , it makes sense to make sure it is replaced periodically.  For normal usage i would recommend changing it  once every 6 months.  See examples of Cabin filters below :

You will know when it is time to replace the wiper  blades when you see, smudge lines and dirt still left in your wind shield , even after running the wiper a few times.  Bad wipers are not something you want to run into with during a storm. Also the dirt and smudge might create a glare for night time driving. So it is better to change the wiper every year per season, like spring time.

Light Bulbs are one of those things if they are out ,  will get you pulled over ..'Sir your Tail light is OUT'

The most critical aspect of topping these important fluids is NEVER to get it done by the franchise auto repair shops. They may not use the recommended fluid for your car. Do not jump out and buy the fluid from the discount stores with out consulting the owners manual.

Most cars usually have a long stick of metal that goes all the way into the engine to the bottom. This stick is usually called the Oil Dip stick. Most car manuals explicitly suggest the location of this oil level indicator. Here is what a dip stick looks like :