Driving and maintenance tips

Good lights on a car are essential. Light globes can 'blow' at any time, so regular checks are important. The car lights are a roadworthy item and faulty operation is not only dangerous but could incur a hefty fine.

• The easiest way to check lights is with two people - one to work the lights, one to check them.
• If you can't find a helper, you can do it on your own by switching each light on and walking around the car. To check the stoplights, position the car so you can see the lights' reflection on a wall, the garage door or shop window.
• There are a number of different types of globes and fittings used in a car. The most common is the bayonet type, which is changed in a similar manner to the common household globe - push-in slightly, and twist. Your handbook should tell you how to replace blown globes and what type to use.

• When you're checking your coolant level, it only takes a few seconds more to check your washer reservoir.
• Top it up with clean water and add some windscreen cleaning solvent as well to cut down the greasy road film on the glass.
• Ordinary washing detergent is not suitable. Detergent plays havoc with your wiper blades and paintwork. Ordinary household detergents can leave streaks and cause rust.
• The jet of water from the washers should hit the screen in the centre of each wiper's sweep.
• If the flow is not as good as it used to be, the washer jets can be cleared using a fine needle or pin. Don't use force or the jets may be damaged.
• Most washer jets can also be re-aimed using the same needle.
• Oil from exhaust fumes and road grime builds up on the windscreen, so a regular wipe with a good quality glass cleaner will help improve visibility and extend wipe rubber life.

The car's cooling system can be very dangerous and should be treated with respect.

• Whenever you check the coolant levels, be sure that the system has cooled right down before touching anything.
• Before you check the system, look in the handbook and read any warning labels. Check the handbook and undo only the caps that are indicated in the book.
• Most cars have a clear plastic reservoir so you don't need to open the cap to read the level. The level should be between the two marks on the side.

If the level is low check with your mechanic for possible causes.

• The car should be parked on a level surface and the engine stopped for at least a minute.
• Check your owner's handbook for the location of the dipstick.
• Remove the dipstick and use a clean rag to wipe off the oil.
• Take a look at the end and you will find marks, which show the lowest and highest recommended levels.
• Put the dipstick back in, then draw it out again. Look to see where the oil level comes to, it should be around the full mark. It's a good idea to check the level twice.
• If the level is low, you need to top it up. As a rule of thumb if the oil is down to the low mark it will require about half a litre.
• The handbook will tell you what grade of oil you need and where to find the oil filler cap.
• A simple trick when topping up with oil is to put a rag around the filler neck, then if you spill any it will be caught by the rag. To make the job easier it is worth investing in a plastic funnel.
• Before you finish, give the oil time to drain into the sump then check the dipstick level again. Do not overfill.
• Now this might sound a bit obvious but you would be surprised how many people forget: put the dipstick back.

The Dirty Truth

The 'dirty truth' aims to educate people about the consequences of letting anything except rainwater go into the stormwater drains.

The stormwater network is separate from the sewerage system. Everything that goes down the stormwater drains from our streets, driveways and footpaths goes straight into the nearest creek, river or sea without any filtering or treatment.

RACV supports the following tips to help you avoid polluting our waterways:

• Do wash your car on your lawn and not in your driveway or in the street where possible
• Don’t hose down left over concrete mix or any toxic substance into the drains
• Don’t wash your paint brushes under the outside tap
• Don’t spread fertilizers and pesticides on a windy day

Think twice before you let any contamination go into the stormwater system.

Automatic transmissions are fairly reliable and shouldn't need much attention but they do appreciate a monthly fluid level check, and you can do that yourself.

• Automatic transmissions vary from car to car but you should be able to check the transmission fluid level easily enough.
• It's a matter of checking a dipstick, much like the one on the engine.
• Your owner's handbook will tell you how to find the dipstick, the sequence for that particular car and the grade of oil required.
• Most manufacturers specify the fluid level is checked with the automatic transmission at operating temperature. This can sometimes require a drive of up to 20 kilometres.
• Make sure the car is parked on level ground and the handbrake is applied.
• Usually the level is checked with the engine idling and the transmission in park. If the level is down excessively, requires frequent topping up or if it is a dark colour and has a burnt or sugary smell, take the car to a dealer or transmission specialist.

It's a straightforward operation to check the level and top up if necessary.

It is important to check the handbook first.

• On some cars you check the level with the engine running and on others with it stopped.
• Before topping up stop the engine to prevent the danger of coming into contact with moving parts.

Cars with manual transmissions usually have an hydraulic clutch which uses a similar set-up to the brakes. You can kill two birds with the one stone by checking brake and clutch fluid levels at the same time.

When your foot pushes on the brake or clutch pedal the master cylinder acts like a small pump pushing fluid down the line, transferring the force to operate the clutch or brakes. When the pedal is released the fluid returns and the level in the reservoir should not change dramatically. Over a long period of time there will be a slight drop in the fluid level as the brake pads wear.

• The clutch and brake master cylinders are usually located on the rear of the engine bay. The same type of fluid is used in both. Refer owner's manual for specification.
• Most cars, have see-through plastic reservoirs with level marks to guide you, so it is simply a matter of checking to see the fluid is up to the correct level. 
• Before removing the reservoir cap clean around the area. Dirt and other materials will contaminate the fluid, which in turn will affect the clutch and brake systems. In addition brake fluid absorbs water from the atmosphere. This moisture will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes.
• Don't remove the caps unless you have to. Keep the cylinders and caps clean and replace them firmly as soon as you have finished. It is also advisable to only use freshly opened brake fluid.
• Brake fluid is very damaging to paint work. When topping up reservoirs be extremely careful to avoid splashing it and keep a rag handy to immediately mop up any spills and wash off the paintwork with water.
• As always, if the level drops suddenly don't take chances, have it checked by a specialist immediately.

In normal operation, unburnt fuel, combustion by-products and condensation contaminates the engine oil. It is recommended to change the oil and filter in accordance with the schedule in the handbook. This will also tell you quantity and grade of oil.

• Changing the engine oil is a simple enough task but you will need to get underneath the car so you will need ramps or jack stands, and don't forget to chock the rear wheels.
• With the engine stopped, remove the oil filler cap so as not to create a vacuum lock as the oil drains out.
• Locate the sump plug under the car at the bottom of the engine.
• Place a container under the engine to catch the oil. Make sure the container has sufficient capacity to hold all the oil being drained - usually around four to five litres for the average car.
• With the correct size spanner start to loosen the sump plug. Remember the engine has been warmed up and the oil will be hot. It could cause a nasty burn if you don't take care.
• Before removing it completely, it's a good idea to tie a piece of string around the plug so it's not dropped and lost in the oil.
• Undo the sump plug and let the oil run out. It will take a few minutes to drain properly.

Once the oil has drained out, replace the plug. If it takes a washer, fit a new one then start it by hand before finally tightening it but don't overdo it. Now move to the oil filter. It is usual mounted on the side of the engine block. Once again refer to owner's manual. To loosen this, you will need a special tool, an oil filter wrench available at any automotive store.

• The wrench wraps around the filter canister allowing you to turn the filter and screw if off. In some cars there is not a lot of room around the filter, making the job a little awkward. Care is needed sometimes to avoid catching and damaging wires or other parts near the filter with the wrench.
• Throw out the old filter, making sure the rubber sealing gasket isn't left behind on the engine.
• With a clean rag wipe around the engine block where the filter mounts. 
• Write the date on the filter to remind you when it's due for a change.
• Smear a little oil around the sealing ring of the new filter before screwing it into place.
• Directions for tightening a filter on are often on the container or the filter itself.
• You will need only to firmly tighten it by hand - don't use the wrench. Once the filter touches the engine, it needs only another half turn.
• The owner's handbook will tell you how much and what grade of oil to use. Now it's a simple matter to refill the engine with the specified amount of fresh oil. Pour the oil in slowly as air locks can cause the oil to spurt back and create a nasty mess. 
• Check the level on the dipstick is showing full and replace the filler cap.
• Start the engine and allow it to idle for about a minute, running the oil into the new filter. Make sure the oil light goes out.
• Stop the engine and recheck the oil level. Filling the filter, the level may have dropped a little and should be top up as required.

When you're finished, drive your car around the block then check the filter and sump plug for any signs of oil leak.

The rubber blades wear when the wipers are used and perish in sunlight. These should be checked every month but in particular it's wise to fit new blades at the start of winter- the blades that have sat there all through summer have probably deteriorated so much they're next to useless anyway. In some cases it is also not a bad idea to replace them again just before summer.

The correct wiper inserts should be available at your local dealer or auto store. 

• It is a simple matter to unclip the old ones and slide them out. refer owner's manual.
• The most common way is to lift the wiper blade clear of the windscreen.
• Push the end of the wiper rubber inwards (back along the blade) until the end can be lifted clear of the metal backing strip.
• The rubber can then be pulled out of the backing strip.
• Using this old insert as a pattern, the replacement rubber refill is cut to the right length.
• To refit the process is reversed with the rubber insert fed into the metal backing strip and slid along.
• Once it reaches the end the rubber is pulled back and refitted under the retaining clip.
• The blade is then lowered onto the windscreen and the process is repeated for the other wiper.
• Note wiper rubbers should always be replaced in pairs.
• Once again refer to your handbook for specific vehicle instruction.

Most batteries get pretty grubby sitting in the engine bay. In particular, you will probably find a white ashy looking deposit around one or both terminals. If you want your battery to work well it's best to keep the terminals clean and tight. But be careful: the battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulphuric acid, and produces highly inflammable/explosive hydrogen gas. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. When working around a battery always wear protective clothing and glasses, do not smoke or light a match and take care not to cause a spark. 

• If there is corrosion (the white deposit) around the battery, wash it off with a solution of warm water and baking soda.
• To clean the terminals, it's necessary to disconnect the battery.
• A word of warning: on late model cars with computer management systems and electronic radios, the memory may be lost when you disconnect the battery so make sure you have the radio security code before you disconnect.
• On all cars, care should be taken not to cause a short circuit with the tools.
• Disconnect the earth (or negative) lead first and reconnect it last. The earth is usually a short lead that is bolted directly on the engine block or the body. The battery is normally marked with + or red for positive and - or black for negative. The negative is also the smaller of the two.
• Once both leads are disconnected you can use a wire brush terminal cleaner to spruce up the terminal connections (inside) and battery posts. Then re-fit and tighten carefully.
• After connecting the leads up again, smear some petroleum jelly on the terminals, this will help prevent build up of scale in the future.
• The battery should also be securely clamped down. Be careful, however, as over-tightening may damage the battery casing.

• Spark plugs are a wearing part and as their condition deteriorates the engine does not run as smoothly, performance falls away and fuel consumption increases. With the introduction of more efficient electronic engine management systems and platinum-tipped spark plugs the service and replacement intervals on some cars has increased dramatically. Refer to you owner's handbook for the correct type of spark plugs and recommended replacement intervals.
• You should make a careful check of the plug leads and plug connections in case they're cracked or damaged.
• Be careful to pull on the cap, never the lead.
• If you think you will forget which lead goes where, label each one now.
• Using the right size plug spanner, undo and carefully remove all the plugs.
• If the electrodes have burnt away throw them out and install new ones.
• When re-installing the plugs, start them by hand and screw them in as far as they will go before using the plug spanner to finally tighten them. If they do not screw in smoothly, remove and check thread engagement is correct so as to avoid stripping cylinder head thread. Finally, don't over tighten them.
• Replace all the plug leads, making sure they're routed clear of other components, start the engine and make sure it runs smoothly.
• Do not handle or remove plug leads while the engine is running. It could not only give you a nasty shock but also may open circuit the system and cause expensive damage to the car's electronics.

• Radiator and heater hose can leak at and occasionally burst.
• Every six months, with the engine cold, go over all the car's hoses and squeeze them to check for any soft spots or any signs of cracking or splitting. If you are in any doubt have them replaced.

Car engines burn a mixture of fuel and air. Like humans, the air our engine breathes needs to be clean.

• Every six months you should unscrew/unclip the air cleaner container lid and carefully lift out the old filter.
• Don't let any dirt or other rubbish fall in the hole here or you may cause severe damage to the engine. 
• Wipe out the inside of the filter container before putting everything back together.
• It can be hard to see whether an air filter element really needs replacing but they are not expensive and it's probably wiser to simply replace the thing anyway.
• Ensure the new filter is correctly located, and the lid is properly fitted and secured.