Sunday, September 30, 2018

Car Parts Basics: the Alternator | Allstate Insurance


Your car's alternator is an important part of its mechanical operation, but do you know what it does? The Humble Mechanic explains the role your alternator plays and how it might fail.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Keeping Children Safe in Crashes: Rear Facing


For parents of infants and young children

More than 1,000 children 12 and younger die in passenger vehicles crashes every year, and more than 100,000 are injured. Parents can reduce the risk to their kids by properly securing them in the back seats.

The "Keeping Children Safe In Crashes" series of videos help parents choose the right type of restraint for their child's age and size and provide general information on installation and use.

All children should ride rear-facing in back seats until they are 2 years of age or until they reach the height and weight limit of their child restraints.

Infant seats are small seats with a handle for easy carrying. Many snap into a base that is attached to the vehicle. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants and young toddlers and then forward-facing when children are ready. Three-in-1 seats are designed to be used rear-facing, forward-facing, and as boosters as children grow.

When children reach the height and weight limits of their infant seats, they should be moved to convertible seats, but should continue to ride rear-facing for as long as possible. Some convertible seats have rear-facing weight limits of 40 pounds or higher.

Monday, September 24, 2018

Mistakes You Could Be Making With Your Car's A/C


The season for sticky summer driving is upon us. Your first instinct upon getting in a hot car may be to crank the A/C to max and point the vents straight at your face— but you’d be mistaken. If you want to get the most mileage out of your vehicle's air conditioning, Matt Schmitz has mistakes to avoid to keep your cool in this week’s segment of Driving Smart.

Friday, September 21, 2018

Why Do We Balance Wheels? – Understanding Road Force


We balance wheels to cancel out the uncomfortable vibration that can be felt when an unbalanced wheel is traveling at speed. However, imbalance is not the only cause of wheel and tire induced vibration. A vehicle may have four perfectly balanced wheels and still experience vibration due to Road Force, or the change in force acting on a wheel assembly as it rolls.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

What to Do If You Are in a Fender Bender


Man tells what happened to him after his vehicle was hit and the other driver took off.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Interior Detailing: Tools, Techniques, and Materials


This episode of DRIVE CLEAN is going to provide tips for cleaning your car's interior. As a fellow enthusiast, you likely spend countless hours behind the wheel. It should come as no surprise, that the largest benefactor of a clean interior is you! We will show you how to treat soiled areas, across a variety of surfaces. We shed light on basic and advanced tools that can effectively clean leather, plastic, and carpet. Keep in mind that there are different techniques for different messes, and we also aim to clarify this here.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

How To Make Your Car Last A Long Time - Simple Checks


The best way to keep your car in great shape is to regularly check the vehicle and keep up with preventative maintenance. This video will outline simple checks you can make on your car. The more frequent you check things like tire pressure and engine oil the better, but it's good to check all of the items in the video at the very least twice a year.

We'll look at three main sections in this video. First we'll discuss tires, brakes, and suspension. Next we'll look under the hood and look at fluids and filters. Finally we'll look at exterior checks such as lights and wipers. Catching any issues early can help you make sure your vehicle lasts as long as possible.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

What Are the Most Common Causes of Auto Accidents?


What are the most common causes of auto accidents? Safety experts agree that the number-one cause of accidents is human error.

Almost all crashes can be prevented by more careful behavior and responsible conduct and driving habits. In more recent years, this is commonly known as "Distracted Driving" and it takes on many different forms.

The most common mistakes drivers make include drinking and driving; speeding; drag racing other vehicles; driving while fatigued; and distractions involving applying make-up, talking, singing, passenger misconduct or immaturity, eating or drinking, texting, browsing social media sites or other activities involving smart phones. But in many cases, simply not paying attention and being mentally distracted by personal matters can cause drivers to drift out of the lane, run red lights and stop signs or break other basic traffic rules.

These "Distractions" and many others have caused many, many terrible, needless and life-changing accidents that were otherwise avoidable or preventable.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

What Is Auto Liability Coverage? | Allstate Insurance


Auto liability coverage helps pay for another person's expenses if you cause a car accident. There are two types of liability coverage: bodily injury liability and property damage liability. Bodily injury helps cover the other driver's medical bills after an accident you cause. Property damage liability helps cover repairs to another person's property if you damage it with your vehicle.

Monday, September 3, 2018