Unfortunately, cars are similar to people in at least one regard: they are not flawless. Everyone is busy these days, which means that a trip to the mechanic is not just a waste of money but also of your precious time. If you try to diagnose a car by yourself, you might be baffled when p0410 code on Chevy appears. Luckily, you don’t need years of experience to fix some of the issues you are likely to encounter. In a short minute, you’ll learn what are the things that you could try fixing yourself, saving yourself some time. Let’s go!
Dead battery
Absent-mindedness is the frequent cause of the death of car batteries worldwide. You might have left the headlights on, and upon your return, discover that your battery is dead. After a short period dedicated to utter despair, you should try doing something. Ideally, this something would include a car battery jump starter, assuming that you have one. Just connect the positive lead to the terminal on the battery, and then connect the negative lead to the chassis, or the engine ground. After you’ve done that, turn on the jump starter and start the car. Voila! To ensure that you can repeat this process another time, remember to charge your jump starter with the charger that should be included.
Flat tire
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict when you’ll get a flat tire. It may be caused by a broken bottle that someone may have thrown out of their vehicle, or any sharp object, that for some reason ended up on the road. If you’ve had this misfortune, there are 3 options. You can use your donut tire, but remember that you shouldn’t use it for an extended amount of time. Its job is to get you to a place where you’ll be able to tackle the issue at hand. On the side of a donut there should be information on how fast you can drive with it; usually, it’s around 50 mph.
There is a chance that instead of a donut, you have a regular spare tire, although their larger size makes them more difficult to store inside a car. Their additional weight isn’t good for the fuel economy, although when you happen to find yourself with a flat tire, you’ll definitely appreciate your foresight.
Another option is to carry a tire sealant. If you cannot afford space even for a donut, it will allow you to get to the mechanic without any issues.
Replacing your Headlights
Replacing your headlights isn’t as complicated as it may sound. This procedure will differ, depending on the type of your car, so it’s best to consult the manual first. Open the hood and remove the rubber boot from the lamp assembly. Then, unplug the cables, and release the bulb holder. After you’ve done that, replace the bulb, and follow the same steps, just in the opposite order. Voila!
Cleaning your Headlights
Given the fact that we are speeding in metal boxes mere metres away from each other, we must take every precautionary measure that will increase our safety on the road. If we are to react in a timely manner, we must see other vehicles clearly. Unfortunately, as time passes, the UV rays will cause the plastic on your headlights to degrade.
You could clean your headlights with vinegar, or toothpaste. The best solution, though, is to use a headlight lens restoration kit. Before you purchase anything, use warm water with soap to clean your headlights – there’s a slight chance that it will be enough. If it didn’t do much, then follow these steps:
- In a second you’ll be using sandpaper, which means that there’s a chance that you’ll damage the paint. To prevent that, cover the paint of your car right next to a headlight with painter’s tape.
- Wet the headlight and start using sandpaper. The kit should contain different types of sandpaper – begin your work with the most abrasive one, and then continue with less abrasive ones. Every time you change sandpaper, change the direction of sanding.
- When the headlight is dry again, start applying polish with a towel, just remember to be careful!
- Then, administer a protective coating.
After you are done with all those steps, before you start using your car again, wait 24 hours for the headlights to dry off. Otherwise, some bugs and dirt could glue to your headlights which wouldn’t look nice.
You can do it!
It’s understandable that when it comes to the more complex car problems, you’d prefer to let someone more experienced take care of it. It doesn’t mean, though, that every issue warrants a trip to the mechanic. You should be able to tackle the problems mentioned in this article if you follow the steps carefully!
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