How to Jump Start Your Car

Imagine this, you walk out the door towards your vehicle, get in, and it won’t start. Oh no, maybe the battery’s dead! This can be because the headlights were left on, a door was not completely closed, or maybe just the battery is old. In any case you’ve got somewhere to go, and you’re not going to let this stand in your way. Well as long as you’ve got a friend with a charged car battery and some jumper cables, you can still get where you’re heading after a quick jump.

Put on the safety glasses and open the hoods of both cars. Make sure the battery position on each car is compatible to the length of the cables.
Attach the red clamp of the jumper cables to the working battery in the assisting car first, then attach the black clamp to the negative terminal of the working battery in the assisting car. Be sure once both of those clamps are attached to the working battery that the idle clamps on the other end of the jumper cables do not come into contact with one another, or sparks will fly.
Hold the remaining clamps of the jumper cables apart and attach the red clamp to the positive battery terminal on the dead battery. Attach the black clamp of the jumper cable to a non-moving metallic ground away from the dead battery. Use a large bolt head or metal engine bracket within reach. Make sure that there is no slack in the cable or clamp connections that can come into contact with moving engine parts when the dead car battery starts the engine.
Start the car with the dead battery. If it doesn't start, you may need to start the engine of the assisting car and allow it to run for a while, or have the engine revved to accommodate the cold cranking amps of the dead battery. It will depend on how many cold cranking amps the dead battery calls for and how dead the battery is. A rule of thumb is to find a compatible vehicle to jump start from. A small compact car with a low cold cranking amp battery may have a difficult time jump starting a 3/4-ton truck with a high cold cranking amp battery.
Remove the black clamp from the ground position on the vehicle that needed to be jump started first, then remove the red clamp from the same vehicle (once the battery starts the engine). Again, be sure not to allow the clamps of the jumper cables to contact one another. Finally, remove the black clamp from the assisting car's negative battery terminal and then the last clamp from the positive battery terminal. Close the hoods and remove the safety glasses.

For two other ways to jump your car, check out this article. http://www.ehow.com/how_4899364_jump-start-car-safely.html

How Your Car Gets Tuned Up

Every 30,000 miles or two years (whichever comes first), your car should receive a tune up. This is a good way to keep your vehicle out of the shop, by having a few parts checked and replaced that are worn down. Here’s a list of things your mechanic does to tune up your car!

• -Replace the fuel filter
• -Change the spark plugs
• -Replace the distributor cap and rotor
• -Change the points and condenser
• -Check and adjust the ignition timing
• -Adjust the valves

To get see the rest of these steps, check out the full article at:
http://www.ehow.com/how_1874_tune-car.html

What You Need to Know About Vehicle Theft

For many people, their car is their life. Imagine the setbacks you would face if your car was stolen – it gets you to work, school and pretty much anywhere else you’d want to go. This infographic from the NHTSA explains more about vehicle theft and gives you the facts.

To learn more about how to prevent your car from getting stolen, check out the NHTSA website.

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can be dangerous for more than just your car. When you allow distractions to take you away from the process of driving, you can put yourself and your family at risk. Unfortunately, there are many things today that can cause distractions in the car, from cell phones and mp3 players to children and food. The next time you’re driving, make sure you avoid distracted driving by following these tips from eHow:

1. Avoid talking on your cell phone. Some states require you to pull over when using your cell phone while driving.
2. Never multi-task while driving. Do not do things like adjusting your radio, compact disc player or GPS unit.
3. Do not read while driving. When you need to read or use a map, pull off the road.
4. Avoid taking your coat off or changing clothes while driving.
5. Put makeup on, comb your hair and shave before leaving your house or office. These things should never be done while driving.
6. Avoid eating or drinking while driving.
7. Keep music at a reasonable level. Listening to music that is too loud or using headphones or earplugs while driving can be distracting and can prevent you from hearing emergency vehicles sharing the road with you.
8. Avoid lighting up or putting out cigarettes, or dealing with falling ashes while driving.

Read the entire article here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2043250_avoid-distractions-driving.html#ixzz2IGgJ0A1Tqx4M