FactPlace

What You Need To Know About...

...Your Car

1. General
2. Safety
3. Maintenance
4. Fuel
8. Myths & Truths
9. Books & Gear
10. Useful Links

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General

1.1 How far behind a semi-truck do I need to be, at highway speeds, to get the benefit of its draft?

Safety

2.1 Do seatbelts really save lives?

Yes.  Next question.

2.2 I sometimes like to drum or bang on my steering column.  What are the chances I might set off my airbag accidentally?

Almost none.  The triggers for the front airbags are located in the bumpers so the only way you'd trigger them by drumming is if you're so busy drumming that you run into something with your car.

2.3 How should I adjust my mirrors?

With the car stopped assume your regular driving position.  Look at your driver's side view mirror.  If you can see any of your own car your mirror is set too tight.  Adjust it to the left until you can't see your own car from your normal driving position.  If you lean your head to the left a bit you should then just get a glimpse of your own car.

Next, from your normal driving position, look at your rear view mirror.  Can you see any of yourself?  If so, adjust your mirror to the right until just after you can't see yourself anymore.

Finally, from your normal driving position, look at your passenger side view mirror.  Same direction as the driver's side mirror, except you're going to adjust it to the right until you can't see your car in the mirror from the normal driving position unless you lean your head to the right.

2.3.1 How can I test my mirrors to see if they're well adjusted?

Well, you could try a Rorschach test but diagnosis is so difficult in these modern cars.  Seriously, though, pull up alongside a parked car.  Then drive very slowly forward watching the car out your side window.  As soon as you can't see the car out your side window stop.  Now check your mirror on that side and you should see the car there.  Repeat on the opposite side. 

TIP: Try this in a parking lot with low traffic; rather than the street where you might have to deal with oncoming cars.

2.3.2 I heard you should adjust the mirrors while resting your head against the glass of the side window.

Unless you drive that way it doesn't make sense to me to do it that way.  Assume your normal driving position and position the mirrors so that you have to lean very slightly to one side or the other to see your car.  Do the test described in 2.3.1 to make sure you don't have any blindspots.

2.4 I bought a child seat for my car at a garage sale, is that o.k.?

Unfortunately not.  It's important that you know the history of your child's car seat especially whether or not it's ever been in a crash.  Plus if you aren't the original owner how are you going to register the seat with the manufacturer?  Registration is important so the manufacturer can notify you if the car seat gets recalled for any reason.  Spend the money and buy a new seat, it's important.

Maintenance

3.1 How often do I have to change my oil?

Check your owner's manual.  Some cars will say every 3,000 miles, some say every 5,000.  Some of the new hybrids even say every 10,000 miles.  My Jeep Grand Cherokee runs a mileage counter that tells me how many miles to the next oil change (every 5,000 miles) so that I never forget one and I can always tell how much further I can go before I need one.

3.1.1 How low does my oil have to get to trigger the "Check Oil" light on my dashboard?

That light doesn't actually monitor oil level; it measures oil pressure.  Not having enough oil can certainly trigger it, but only because not having enough oil can cause low oil pressure.  Check the dipstick in your engine for your actual oil level.

3.1.2 How far can I drive after the "Check Oil" (or Check Engine) light comes on?

That depends.  On how much you like your car.  Unless you've always wanted a new engine when those lights come on you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.  Don't drive home.  Don't drive to your dealer.  If there is a mechanic close at hand, pull in there, otherwise pull over to a safe place and call for a tow truck.

Fuel

4.1 What kind of fuel should I use?

Check your owner's manual.  It will specify exactly which octane fuel (87, 89, 91 or other) that you should use in your car.  Or maybe your car runs on Diesel, but you'd better know that already.

4.11 Does it help if I periodically use a higher octane fuel?

Help who?  It helps the gas station owner who gets more profit for the more expensive fuel but it doesn't help your car at all.  Your engine is designed for a specific kind of fuel (see 4.1) and running on a higher octane won't only help it run better but may cause more pollution as it doesn't burn off as efficiently.

4.12 What is "biodiesel?"

It's a diesel fuel created from natural materials - typically vegetable or cooking oil.

Here's an article at CarTalk about it.

4.2 What about Hydrogen fuel cells?

Neat idea, long way from ready to drive (in quantity).  Essentially a hydrogen powered car is an electric car.  The fuel cell generates electricity by passing hydrogen molecules through a membrane that strips off its electrons and make them go around a circuit to be reunited with their hydrogen molecules.  The hydrogen is induced through the membrane by oxygen, waiting on the other side of the membrane.  Since the byproduct of this is hydrogen and oxygen it means that a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle exhausts oxygen and hydrogen...otherwise known as water.

4.3 How can I improve my gas mileage?

Buy a more fuel efficient car.  In the alternative there are a few other things you can do:

1. Keep your tires properly inflated.  Low tire pressure increases the rolling resistance and can force your car to work harder (and burn more fuel).  Check your tire pressure at least once a month.  Your owner's manual should specify the proper tire inflation

2. Drive sanely.  Go easy on the gas pedal when you accelerate.  If you tromp on the gas pedal at every green light you burn a lot of gas.  Accelerate gently, your car and your gas mileage will thank you.  Also don't race to the next red light just to stop.  Take your foot off the gas well in advance and coast towards the light, if the light goes green and you can just continue driving without stopping that will help your mileage.

3. Keep the weight down.  Take the golf clubs out of your trunk if you're not on your way to play.  A lighter vehicle is a more fuel efficient vehicle.

4.4 What about Ethanol?

Myths & Truths

8.1 Does running your air conditioner burn more fuel?

Yes, of course.  Your engine has to work a little harder to power the air conditioning condenser and that uses some fuel.  Is it burning more fuel than just rolling down the windows?  Depends.  If your car is at a stop at the time, yes.  If you're moving at highway speeds probably not - the aerodynamics of having the windows down may hurt your fuel economy more than the A/C does.

8.2 Does jump-starting somebody else's car damage your battery?

No.  If you do it right it's no different than starting your own car one more time.

Books & Gear

9.1 CarTalk - The Book from the Tappit Brothers.  Very entertaining stuff and good car info.
9.2 Auto Repair for Dummies
9.5 Lowrance GPS Navigation System with MP3 Player

Useful Links

10.1 CarTalk - the official website of Click and Clack - the Tappit Brothers.
10.2 Cars.Com - Car information; buy & sell cars.
10.3 Kelly Blue Book - find out what a car is worth.

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