Making Emergency Stops

In an emergency situation, there is no time to think, ask questions or RTFM. You will need to immediately
know what to do. Hopefully you may gain that knowledge by reading these emergency methods that are
listed below.


You're driving down the road when one of your front tires blows out. Do NOT slam on the brakes.
Apply gentle even pressure, as if you were coming to a stop sign, to the brakes. Then slowly pull
off the road on a hard, level surface if at all possible.

As Harry Chapin said in one of his songs "The pedal floored easily, without a sound..." You lost your brakes. If there is time, try to pump the brake pedal to get, at the very least, some brakes back.
If there is no time, apply the parking brake firmly but slowly. You do not want the wheels to lock up.


Another way to slow down is to down shift from DRIVE to SECOND to FIRST. You can also shift it into
reverse. A transmission is a small price to pay to save your life and the lives of your kids in the back seat.
Do not try to shift into PARK; it just won't go unless the vehicle is stopped.

If all else fails, try sideswiping signposts, guard rails or trees and bushes to slow down. Be careful to
not make a direct hit, which will probably cause injury or death.

It's night and you are on one of the many unlit roads that are common in this country. Suddenly the
lights go out and it is pitch dark. Do NOT slam on the brakes. Turn the hazard lights or turn signals on.
Even those small lights will help you see where you're going. At the same time step on the brakes slowly
and pull off the road. Don't panic, there will be plenty of time for that later.
You have lots of time and space in which to come to a safe and complete stop, unless you are on a
hairpin curve on the side of a mountain. Then you should place your head between your knees as far
as it will go and kiss your *** goodbye.

You are driving down Broadway in Manhattan and your steering locks up or goes out. Now, what is it we
don't do? That's right. Do NOT slam on the brakes because the vehicle will probably swerve out of
control. Apply the brakes slowly. Flip on the hazard flashers, blow your horn and wave your left arm
frantically out of the window to warn other drivers. Get off the road as soon as possible.

You need to come to a stop and your accelerator sticks. This is an easy one. Shut off the engine and
shift into NEUTRAL. You'll lose power steering and power brakes, so turning and stopping will be more
difficult. Once you have stopped and are safely on the side of the road, you can try to fix the problem
if you can.Try lifting the gas pedal with your hand or foot. Sometimes a stuck pedal is as simple as a
floor mat that slid forward and is jamming the gas pedal. A lot of times a stuck pedal is caused by
broken springs or binding linkages. If you can't find and repair the problem, no not drive the car.
Call a tow truck and have your vehicle taken to the repair shop.

You're driving down an L.A. freeway and suddenly the hood flies up. Again, what is it we don't do?
We do NOT slam on the brakes. Are you detecting a pattern here? Look down and through the space
between the hood the cowl of stick your head out the window to see where you are going. Apply the
brakes slowly, use your signals and get to the side of the road as far as possible.
Take a look at the hood latch. It's probably broken. If you can't tie it down with a necktie, belt or brassiere, call a tow truck and have it taken to the repair shop.

You're driving down a road in Chappaquiddick and as you cross over a bridge, you've had a little too
much to drink and run over the side of the bridge into the deep water below. What do you do? If your
vehicle is equipped with power windows, open them immediately and hold on to the steering wheel or
whatever is handy as tightly as you can.Once the vehicle is filled with water you can swim out the window.
I have power windows in my cars and I keep a special hammer/seat belt cutter in both of them just in case I can't get the power window to work. When you hit the door glass it will shatter the glass. If you can't get the seat belt to unfasten you can use the cutter to cut the belt.
Don't try to use the hammer on the windshield because the windshield consists of laninated layers of glass and will not shatter.You can purchase this tool at your local auto parts store.
If you have manually operated windows wait until the vehicle is almost filled with water then open the
window and swim out. Don't panic, there is enough air in the vehicle for you to breathe. Don't waste
time trying to open the door; the water pressure will hold them shut tightly. The window is the best
way to escape.

You are driving down the road and you realize your vehicle is on fire. Don't panic, just pull over to the
side of the road immediately and get out of the vehicle. If it is a small fire you might be able to put it
out with dirt, a coat or blanket. Never use water to put out a vehicle fire. If it is an oil or gasoiline fire all
that would do is spread it. If it is a fuel system fire, get as far away as possible, at least 500 or 600 feet
since there is a distinct possibility the vehicle will explode. Then call your insurance agent because he
has said that you are in good hands with him.

You see a car jump the median and headed straight for you. You realize he is going to hit you head on.
If you don't have your seat belts on, lay down across the front seats or on the floor. The idea is to get
as far below the windshield and windows as possible. If you have your seat belts on and have an airbag,
you have to do the hardest thing in the world at that point. RELAX!!
Tensing and tightening up will greatly increase the chance of serious injury. Ever wonder why so many
drunk drivers hurt others and never themselves? It's because the alcohol has relaxed them so much
they are practically limp. Don't worry, the seat belts and air bag will do their job and protect you.

This is something that has happened to most of us at one time or another, a bee flies into the car.
Just slow down and pull off to the side of the road. Don't panic and slam on the brakes. That could cause
the car in back of you to run into you. With a bee in the car the worse thing that could happen is you get
stung. That's a lot better than wrecking a car.

Your windows suddenly fog up. If they are fogged up on the outside, turn on your windshield wipers.
If it's inside, wipe the window with a napkin or your hand. Brake gently and pull off the road. Turn on
the defroster and A/C and wait until the windshield clears and you can safely continue driving. If it
doesn't clear, you probably have a leaking heater core and it's time to call a tow truck.

You are driving home from visiting your parents and all of a sudden you are going sideways. You are
skidding on black ice. Do NOT slam on the brakes! In fact, do not use the brakes at all!! Just take your
foot off the gas pedal and steer into the direction you want the vehicle to go. That, and praying, is just
about all you can do until you regain control of the vehicle.

You are distracted for a moment and your wheels fall into a low or soft shoulder. Don't fight the road,
brake gently and let the vehicle slow down and then turn the car back onto the road. Jerking the
steering wheel can cause the vehicle to skid out of control.

Your engine dies while you are driving. Shift into neutral. Brake gently and coast to the side of the road.
You'll lose power steering and power brakes, so turning and stopping will be more difficult.

And no matter where you are or where you are going, wear your seat belts! That's the best thing to have
on in an emergency.

Green Diamond Tires- Traction from diamond-hard silicon carbide granules

In 1995 New Industries Ltd developed a highly sophisticated technique for mixing hard silicon carbide granules into the material compound of a tire tread.



The high standards of performance of Green Diamond Tires are based on the thousands of small sharp-edged granules making firm contact with the icy road surfaces, giving them superior traction without the hammering and damaging effect of studded tires. The granules are distributed evenly throughout the rubber. This infusion of the granules throughout the tire’s wear surface ensures that as the tire wears down and granules are worn away, new ones are uncovered. For more information see..

http://www.greendiamondtire.com


Comments: Not a terrible expensive tire for what it does. Perhaps better suited for the real cold snowy and icy climates.

Warranties -

There are two types of warranties that come with a new car -- the standard (and so-called "bumper-to-bumper") warranty and the powertrain warranty.
The standard warranty is like a comprehensive insurance policy and covers the entire vehicle and its systems -- everything from the paint to the lug nuts -- with the exception of normal wear and tear items such as brake pads, filters and fluids and so on. (There are also exceptions in most cases for damage or problems attributable to "abuse" -- which can be defined as failing to have the vehicle serviced and maintained per the factory recommendations.)
The powertrain warranty typically lasts longer -- but its coverage extends only to the engine, transmission and drive axle. A major engine failure would be covered -- but peeling paint would be your problem.
Surprisingly, the vehicles with the best standard warranties aren't necessarily Japanese imports. While the mainline Japanese brands (Honda and Toyota) enjoy a reputation for better-than-average quality, the standard warranties on their 2007 model year vehicles are only good for three years and 36,000 miles. General Motors now offers a standard four year/50,000 mile warranty on all Buick, Cadillac, Saab and Hummer models -- matching BMW, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz. GM has also introduced a 5-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, surpassing the coverage offered by BMW, Mercedes and Volvo -- all of which offer four year/50,000 mile powertrain warranties in addition to their standard warranties.
Honda's powertrain coverage extends to five years/60,000 miles -- while Toyota's is slightly less generous at five years and 50,000 miles. (Hybrid vehicles like the Civic hybrid typically have additional/separate warranty coverage on their hybrid-specific components; in the case of the hybrid Civic, this extra coverage is good for eight years and 80,000 miles.)
The Korean automakers -- Hyundai and Kia -- continue to offer some of the best standard and powertrain warranties in the industry. New 2007 model year Kias, for example, come with five-year/60,000 mile standard warranties -- and 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain coverage. Hyundai cars come with the same 5/50k and 10/100k coverage as well.
Ford and Chrysler remain near the bottom in terms of the generosity of their warranty coverage. Their standard warranties are good for just three years and 36,000 miles -- although Ford's recently upgraded five-year/60,000 mile powertrain coverage (six years and 60,000 miles for Lincoln models) is better than Chrysler's minimalist three-year/36,000 mile powertrain coverage -- scaled back from the previous seven-year/70,000 mile deal that had been offered until last year as inducement to attract buyers.
Several manufacturers also offer free roadside assistance, in addition to their standard and powertrain warranties. In the case of makes/models with skimpy warranty coverage -- and all that implies about the manufacturer's confidence in the long-term durability of its vehicles -- having access to a tow service might be some comfort.
For vehicles not backed-up with long-lived warranties, you might want to give thought to purchasing an extended warranty, if available. You may even be able to negotiate for the inclusion of its cost in the final purchase price of the vehicle.
An extended warranty can pay for itself very quickly -- and sometimes, many times over -- if you happen to buy a car that ends up needing a new transmission, rebuilt engine or other big ticket repair.
And the peace of mind is priceless.

New Poll Suggests 85 Percent of Motorists Do Not Know How to Check Tire Pressure

National Tire Check Day this year is on Oct. 20, 2006. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show one in every three cars has a significantly under inflated tire. Did you know..

Only 15 percent of drivers properly check their tire pressure including checking the pressure at least once a month when the tires are cold, and inflating them to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure.

26 percent of drivers mistakenly believe the best time to check their tires is when they are warm after being driven several miles.

Only 36 percent of drivers know where to find the recommended tire pressure for their vehicle. It is in the owner's manual, and also usually printed on a tire information decal attached to the driver's door jamb.

55 percent of drivers mistakenly believe the inflation pressure
molded into the tire sidewall is the recommendation for their vehicle.

Only 34 percent of drivers know how to tell if their tires are bald.
Four out of five drivers do not know that the rear axle is the proper mounting position when replacing only two tires.

Read the full story at http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/061020/20061020005157.html?.v=1

Then if your in the market for a Tire Pressure Gauge, check out the The ValveLock Tire Pressure Gauge pictured below.



It's only available on the web at
http://www.valvelock.net/ It's one of the best tire gauges around!

Tools for the do it yourselfers (DIY)

Whether on the road or at home, you need to be equipped with some basic survival items and tools that can make driving and living with your car easier, safer and more convenient. Here are some suggestions as a starting place, divided into two categories: Emergency Road Kit and Basic Maintenance Tools. You can customize the list according to your needs and your ambitions.

Emergency Road Kit
• Jumper cables
• Cellular phone, charger power cord, along with a list of emergency numbers
• Ice scraper and snow brush (winter months)
• Flashlight or spotlight with extra set of batteries
• Rain suit or poncho (brightly-colored)
• Safety goggles or glasses
• Pair of disposable work “coveralls”
• Emergency flares, warning triangle or cones
• Fire extinguisher
• First-aid kit
• Hose-patch kit for emergency mending of coolant hoses. These kits are usually available at auto parts and discount stores.
• Pressurized can of tire inflator and sealer for emergency filling of a flat tire.
• Battery-powered air compressor
• Bottled water and snacks, such as crackers or energy bars (in sub-freezing temperatures, remember that bottles may burst if they freeze).
• Blankets
• Roll of duct tape
• Wheel chocks (placed under the wheels to prevent the car from rolling)
• Basic tool set including an adjustable wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, and wrenches. Many auto parts and retail establishments sell compact “tool kits”, perfect for storage in the trunk of your car.
• Mini shovel (winter months)
• Bag or container of sand for traction (winter months)
• An extra pair of gloves, a scarf and hat
• Extra windshield washer fluid that can be used in cold weather driving.
• Funnel for pouring liquids
• Extra fuses (refer to your owner’s manual to determine amperage sizes needed)
• Mechanical or elastic tie-down straps
• Roll of heavy-duty paper towels or rags
• Pair of work gloves

Basic Maintenance Tools:
• Oil filter wrench (there are different types, including cap wrenches and strap wrenches). You will have to decide which provides best grip of the filter, based on accessibility.
• Catch pan (for capturing used oil and coolant)
• 3/8” basic socket wrench set, including sockets (SAE and metric sizes) ratchets, extensions, adapters, and 5/8” and 13/16” spark-plug sockets
• Torx? sockets or bits
• Combination wrench set (SAE and metric sizes)
• Hex-key wrench set (commonly referred to as Allen? wrenches)
• Flare-nut fitting wrenches (most commonly used to help prevent the rounding-off of brake line fittings and bleeder fittings)
• Fender cover (to protect the finish of your car while working under the hood)
• Basic screwdriver set
• Test light (for checking the availability of voltage and ground in circuits)
• Multimeter (a more advanced electrical checking tool that provides readings of voltage, ohms, amps and sometimes more)
• Slip-joint, groove-joint, needle-nose, and locking pliers
• Torque wrench (a wrench that indicates the “tightness” of nuts and bolts)
• Air pressure gauge
• Radiator hydrometer
• Penetrating oil (used to help free and lubricate seized or frozen fasteners)
• Soldering gun & solder
• Electrical pliers
• Jack stands
• Ramps
• Hydraulic Jack
• Battery charger

Getting better traction in the snow

When it snows many drivers let air out of their tires assuming they’ll get better traction. Don’t do it because with modern tires this will usually lead to less, not more traction. You may also feel that adding weight over the rear wheels will increase traction. This one is true however never use solid items such as concrete blocks, bricks, or heavy pieces of metal. Even a minor fender bender or bumping a curb could cause heavy, solid items to come crashing through the rear seat leading to severe injuries. If you’re going to add weight it should be sand in soft bags placed low in the trunk. The bags that contain the sand must be light enough that during a crash they break open rather than permit the weight of the sand to propel them into the passenger compartment.

Windshield Repair Will Save You Big Money Over Replacement

Most people have no idea that cracks, chips and scratches in windshield glass can be repaired and restored to new again at a huge savings over replacement. It is a proven fact that windshield scratches, nicks and chips can cause added glare and increase or add blind spots while driving. A windshield must be free of any imperfections caused by road debris as it will greatly impede vision and driver safety. Many windshield problems like cracks, scratches and nicks can easily be fixed or repaired without replacement.
Windshield repair was started as a sideline business and has grown into a nationwide aftermarket and additional service. It can be found at almost every used car dealership. There are outside crews that provide services like windshield repair, scratch and paint, headlight repair and restoration and paintless dent removal. All you have to do is ask a used car salesperson or the used car manager about it. If they don't have someone there ask whom they would recommend. All used car dealers use windshield repair instead of replacement, especially since the average windshield replacement is now over $400 and the average windshield repair is only around $25.
Windshield repair may even be free as your insurance company may wave the deductible if you go with a repair instead of a replacement. It saves them lots of money and it improves your driving safety. A windshield repair when professionally done is just as safe as a new or replaced windshield. It also looks a million times better.
Basically a windshield repair squeezes acrylic resin into the blemish by a vacuum that seals out air and moisture. It is then exposed to UV light which hardens the resin and it dries to a crystal clear. When properly done most repairs cannot even be seen by a trained eye and it will stop the spreading or worsening that usually occurs with most cracks. Most small blemishes like nicks, scratches, and cracks can be repaired. Long or spidered cracks that can cover the whole windshield cannot be economically fixed and the integrity of the windshield glass is gone so repair would be futile. A trained windshield repair technician could easily tell you if your windshield is repairable or not.
Scratches are a little different. They will use a glass polishing kit which is made only for glass. This will grind the glass level to the bottom of the scratch and then through different grades of glass polish optical clarity will be brought back. As a final step the best detailers will wax the glass for you. This, when properly done, will have a better effect at removing water and rain then advertised window treatments and it lasts ten times longer (waxing the glass also stops squeaky windshield wipers).
Windshield repair should be professionally done and is beyond the scope of most weekend home repair jobs. Due to its effect on your vision and driving safety and being that the price is only around $25 it is best to see a technician trained in windshield repair.

Video of a fuel saving product that just might work!

Here is a video of a fuel saving product that just might work. Your mileage will vary, but there is some of truth that a cleaner engine just might give you that extra MPG that you have been looking for!

http://www.bgprod.com/fuelstory/fuelstory.swf

Solving Some Electrical Problems

Electric problems in cars can be among the most frustrating and expensive to diagnose and repair. But if you have access to a multimeter/voltmeter and rudimentary underhood knowledge, you might be able to diagnose-or even fix-these five common problems before you bring the car to a mechanic:

Blown fuse(s). If one particular accessory, set of lights, or convenience in your vehicle stops functioning altogether, a fuse has probably been triggered. Fuses are simple to diagnose, find, and replace yourself. Just look in your owner's manual for the location of the fuse panel (your car might have more than one), and the location of the particular fuse for the failed accessory. Using a fuse puller (it looks like small plastic tweezers), slowly and evenly pull the fuse out of the board and hold it up to the light. If the strand of metal that passes through the middle is broken, then the fuse needs to be replaced. Make sure you replace the fuse with one of an identical amp rating (usually color-coded and listed on the outside with an amp rating). If the fuse blows again, then you know there is another problem. Fuses are inexpensive. Auto parts shops sell 'variety packs' of various popular fuse sizes-a good idea to keep in your emergency roadside kit.

Dead battery, or bad battery terminals. Auto batteries can fail without warning, if they've been in service for two years or more or if they're defective. If you have no juice, make sure your battery terminals are tightened and clean of corrosion. If they're not, then that might be the cause. If they are snug and clean, use your voltmeter to check the battery by touching the meter's probes to the battery's plus and minus posts, scratching slightly to ensure a good connection. With the engine and ignition off, if the voltmeter reads between 10 and 12 volts, then the battery is good (9-9.5 is barely acceptable). Now that you know the battery is good, go back and measure the voltage at the terminal clamps, and then again with the positive probe touching the positive terminal clamp and the negative probe touching the bare metal or frame member that the ground wire (narrower black wire) leads to. If all of these tests measure near the same voltage, then you can rule out the terminals, too.

Alternator. A newer battery that won't keep a charge, the dimming of headlights, or stalling at stoplights are all signs of an alternator that is about to fail completely. If you suspect that your charging system is giving out, test it for certain by touching the probes of your voltmeter to the plus and minus terminal clamps when the engine is running. If it registers between 12.8 and 14.7 volts, this is usually considered within the normal range and your charging system is fine. If the voltage is too low, try the voltage at the alternator output terminals, and if it measures as low, then your alternator likely needs replacement.

Fusible link. A fusible link is a higher-capacity connector that protects accessories wired directly from the battery, including the starter. Fusible links can either fail gradually or suddenly, depending on the cause. Sluggish electrical accessories, an unusual pause before the starter turns, and odd behavior of accessories plugged into the power socket are all symptoms of a failing fusible link. If the electrical system is completely dead, the battery cables are tight, and jump-starting does absolutely nothing, then the fusible link has likely failed or been triggered. For replacement, get a proper repair manual for your car or take it to your mechanic. Fusible links can be significantly more expensive than fuses, so check all major electrical connections to see if there's an obvious problem before installing another one. People sometimes cause fusible links to fail by jump-starting a car with the clamps reversed.

Faulty switch. Test the switch that has failed in all possible positions, to see if the accessory works at all, or to test for loose connections or shorts. Particular switches, such as those for headlights, sometimes have built-in circuit breakers. Consult with your owner's manual or shop manual on how to reset the breaker.