Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What to Do When Your Car Radio Has No Power


One of the worst things that can happen if you're on a long drive is your car radio not turning on. Believe it or not this happens to a lot of people for a number of reasons. There are a few easy things you can do in order to check what the problem is and fix it. Some of these steps will require additional tools or special knowledge.

Check your car radio connections

Almost all car radios come with faces that detach for security. However, this security measure can over time cause a number of problems. The most important is that the connections on the face will wear and not longer connect properly. This should be the first thing to look at if your car radio does not turn on when you want it too.

Cleaning your car audio connections

If you find that the connections on your radio's face are still fine the problem may be that they are dirty. While you might think a bit of dirt can harm the connection it does cause major problems. Dirt build up can create a film thin film on the connection which disrupts the flow of the current needed to power the radio.

When in doubt reset

If you find that the connections for you radio are working perfectly then try resetting the unit. The position of the reset button will vary depending on the unit. It is best to check your manual best you start looking for the reset button. While you are looking at the manual you may find that there are other operational instructions which could also be leading to this problem. It is best to note that not all car radios come with a reset button so this may not be an option you can follow.

Look at how much power the radio is getting

If your car radio is not turning on at all then it may not be receiving any power from your car's electrics. For this method you will need to have either a power probe or a test light. These tools will tell you if there is any current getting to the radio. It is important that you check the radio fuse before you do any other testing. The radio fuse is in the car's fuse box but you need to check you manual to find out which one it is. The problem may just be a blown fuse which simply needs to be replaced.

When all else fails

If you have done all you can but cannot find the problem then you do have a final option. When all else fails it's time to take your car to a radio specialist. These people will be able to find out what is wrong and fix it. With this solution you will be able to find out if there is a fault with your radio unit that cannot be fixed.

If you find that your car radio is not longer working then you can do something about it. By checking certain aspects you will be able to determine what the problem is. If you are not able to then you should consider going to a professional.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Are Run Flat Tyres a Good or Bad Choice?


Some leading manufacturers are developing the adaption of using run flat tyres in the line up of their vehicles. This allows some advantages for the owner of the vehicle but like anything it comes with certain disadvantages. The main purpose for this added feature is the ability to drive a short amount of distance after suffering a puncture in the tyre to make it to a service station.

Doesn't this sound great? You could be driving down the road, following a vehicle, when something falls off the vehicle in front of you and with no time to react. PPUUUUFFF! You don't have time to change a tire or really don't want to be out on this busy commute road attempting to fix your problem with motorist wheezing by.

So sure there are advantages to running these tyres. Like being able to continue along for a short amount to time until you can get to a safe service station to make repairs before a blow out happens. It is much easier to keep clean and have someone else do the work while you wait the short amount of time to get back on the road and on schedule. Even better, maybe you're a person that needs the cargo room in the trunk of your car where usually the spare tyre is stored. With these special tyres there shouldn't be any need to carry a spare along with you. This would allow you to use that most precious cargo room to your personal use.

As stated before, with everything there are certain disadvantages. To start with, what if you are on a trip or commute where the nearest service station is not as near as you would wish? These tyres will keep you running for a short amount of time, but like any tyre they will eventually breakdown causing you the need to replace the entire tyre. This could become costly if you have too many flats. Worst yet if you run too long on a flat tyre you could easily damage the rim and have the need to replace this costly feature that wouldn't need to be done otherwise. This could all be prevented as long as you keep the spare tyre in the vehicle and change it out if you have a long distance to go after an incident. Wouldn't that defeat the whole purpose of using these tyres? If you kept the spare and used it to prevent damage you would lose that extra cargo space, still have to change the tyre, and be right where you were before purchasing these tyres.

So as long as you have many service stations along your route or at least get a punctured tyre close to one, run flat tyres would be a good purchase for you. Otherwise, the wait for better technology with these tyres may be worthwhile.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

How Can I Find Cheap Car Tyres?


In today's economic climate, consumers are trying to find ways to save money. Along with the increased cost of gasoline, proper vehicle maintenance is becoming more expensive every day. Consumers can save a substantial amount of money by finding ways to buy cheap tyres. Below are some of them.

Salvage yards

There are many cars, trucks and SUV's that have been wrecked and sent to the salvage yards. Most still have very good parts on them and are sold as used. This includes selling their used tyres. With such a big selection of vehicles, the chances of finding used cheap ones that will fit a specific automobile is high. The best thing about buying used tyres at salvage yards is that they are usually very cheap.

The treads can be checked to see if they pass inspection by sticking a penny or a nickel in the indenture between them. If the head is not showing, the tyres should pass. Also, to help make sure that the tyres have not dry-rotted, check the inspection on the front windshield. If it is not very old, the tyres should be okay.

Service stations

Many service stations repair and change vehicle tyres. At times, customers ask for their tyres to be changed off even if they still have plenty of tread on them and they could still pass the state inspection. Some of these stations keep the used tyres. Asking them if they have any for sale may provide a cheap alternative to buying new ones. Service stations have to pay to dispose of any tyres that they do not want to keep so they very well might sell them.

Department discount stores

Some of the large department discount stores carry automobile supplies. Many of them sell these supplies considerably less than regular auto shops. Tyres can be bought usually at 20 to 30 percent discount.

Tyre discount stores

Tyre discount stores usually offer wider selections when trying to find inexpensive tyres. They buy in bulk and can sell them cheaper than department discount stores. These stores can also be found online. They may offer extra incentives for buying them online, such as free shipping.

Auto tyre shops

Every so often, these specialty stores will offer sales that are really good buys. Tyres can be bought rather cheaply. Some have even advertised that if a customer buys one tyre, the second tyre will be free. Other sales can include cheap prices for tyres that are going to be discontinued and not sold in the future by them.

There are many places that consumers can look to buy really cheap tyres. After only a few minutes of searching, real bargains can be found.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Amazing Methods For Dealing With An Engine Oil Spill


Should you be scratching your head stressing and wondering where the stain below your car is coming from you may question exactly how you're going to handle an engine oil spill similar to this. You realize that you have to do something about it, since if you do not the situation can get even worse, the surface of your garage will probably become extremely messy or you may come across mechanical issues with your automobile. Nobody likes to cope with an engine oil spill but you initially have to get to the bottom of the problem before you do anything else.

Keep in mind that any engine oil spill isn't normal and it shouldn't be merely "one of those things." Inside the engine there are generally two different states to the transmission and circulation of engine oil - non-pressurized and pressurized. If the engine is working the pressurized oil is much more likely to leak from a weak area.

Be sure that your engine is as clean as you possibly can and use a great degreaser to completely clean it off prior to starting. You cannot hope to find the real source of your engine oil spill unless you do.

Some of the first areas you should examine include the area where you put oil into the motor itself. Sometimes it can be as simple as a loosely fitted cap, or even a seal that is not functioning.

A different place to look at could be the oil filter. It's near the pump and so an area of intense pressure. Occasionally the filter wasn't swapped out correctly and in some cases the old gasket could have been left in position when a new one was put on. This isn't going to function in the long-term and must be solved.

On the bottom of the motor will be the plug. This is where you drain oil when it needs to be changed and it's entirely possible that it was not refitted effectively.

A bigger potential problem is a failure of the cylinder head gasket. This is located where the cylinder head encounters the valve cover. At times bolts may become a little loose and you need to ratchet these to see if they're tight. Nevertheless, the gasket on its own can get older and become brittle as well.

Working with an engine oil spill may also indicate lots of cleaning work. Concrete is quite porous and can draw in any oil that drops from above. That's why people often have a tendency to purchase special absorbent oil mats to place under their cars, if they are parked overnight in the garage. This way leaks - whether new or old - aren't a problem for the condition of the floor.