Our general FAQ section provides clear answers to the most common automotive questions that apply to all vehicles, regardless of make or model. From understanding routine maintenance schedules and oil change intervals to learning about warning lights, smog checks, brakes, tires, and general car care tips, this category is designed to help every driver. Whether you’re new to car ownership or just want reliable advice, our general FAQs give you the knowledge to keep your vehicle safe, reliable, and road-ready.
Which battery terminal to take off first Remove the negative (–, black) terminal first; when reconnecting, attach the positive (+, red) terminal first. This order minimizes the risk of short circuits and sparks because most vehicles use the chassis as ground, making the negative lead safer to disconnect before working near the positive post. Why …
How to Make Safety Glass You make safety glass primarily in two ways: by tempering annealed glass with heat and rapid quenching to lock in surface compression, or by laminating two or more glass sheets with a polymer interlayer under heat and pressure. For most non‑industrial settings, only lamination (often using EVA film with vacuum …
The Limitations of Biodiesel Biodiesel’s main limitations include reduced cold-weather performance, lower energy content (and thus slightly lower fuel economy), storage and oxidation stability issues, potential material compatibility problems and filter clogging at high blends, possible increases in NOx in certain engines without modern aftertreatment, constrained and variable feedstock supply, higher and more volatile costs, …
Are there warning signs before a timing belt breaks? Sometimes there are warning signs—such as unusual engine noises, misfires, leaks near the timing cover, or trouble codes—but many timing belts fail with little or no advance notice. Because a snapped belt can instantly stop the engine and, in many engines, bend valves or damage pistons, …
How the Internal Combustion Engine Was Used During the Industrial Revolution The internal combustion engine was chiefly used to power road vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles), small stationary machinery, agricultural equipment, boats, and the first generation of aircraft—primarily during the late phase of the Industrial Revolution (often called the Second Industrial Revolution, c. 1870–1914). While …
How a Two-Wire Fuel Gauge Works A two-wire fuel gauge measures tank level by sending ignition power to a gauge and returning through a single sender wire to a variable resistor in the tank that is grounded; as the float moves, the sender’s resistance changes, altering current and moving the needle. In practice, one wire …
How much money do NASCAR drivers make? NASCAR driver pay ranges widely: a few top NASCAR Cup Series stars can make roughly $10–20 million in strong years including endorsements, most full-time Cup drivers fall around $1–6 million, and many Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series drivers earn about $50,000–$500,000—some even bring sponsorship or pay to race. …
What Happens If the Brake Vacuum Booster Fails? If a vacuum brake booster fails, the brakes still work but require dramatically more pedal force, making stopping distances longer and emergency braking harder; drivers typically feel a very hard pedal and may notice engine idle problems from a vacuum leak. This issue is unsafe to ignore, …
What Is a Type of Brake Fluid? DOT 4 is a widely used type of brake fluid found in many modern cars and motorcycles; it’s a glycol-ether–based fluid designed for higher boiling points and compatibility with ABS/ESC systems. More broadly, brake fluids are categorized under U.S. FMVSS No. 116 and ISO 4925 standards into several …
How much does tire sidewall repair cost There is no safe, permanent repair for a punctured, cut, or bulged tire sidewall; reputable shops will refuse to fix it. In practice, you’ll be buying a replacement tire. In the U.S., expect roughly $120–$300 out the door for a typical passenger car tire, $180–$400+ for SUVs and …
What the “7–7 Rule” Means for Winter Tires The 7–7 rule is a simple guideline: switch to winter tires when average temperatures stay at or below 7°C (about 45°F) for roughly 7 consecutive days, and switch back when temperatures consistently rise above that mark. The idea helps drivers time their seasonal tire changeover to match …
What Is a Toe Hook For? A toe hook is a rock-climbing technique where you use the top of your foot (the toe and forefoot rubber) to hook a hold or feature, pulling with your leg to create counter-tension that stabilizes your body, prevents swinging on steep terrain, and frees your hands to move. It’s …
How to Merge Lanes Correctly Signal early, check mirrors and blind spots, match the speed of the lane you’re entering, and merge into a safe gap without forcing others to brake hard; in heavy, slow traffic at a lane drop, use a zipper merge—fill both lanes to the merge point and then take turns, one-by-one. …
How Long to Let Your Car Cool Before Adding Coolant Wait at least 30–60 minutes, and only open the radiator or pressurized reservoir cap when the temperature gauge reads cold and the upper radiator hose feels cool and pliable; opening any pressurized cap while hot risks serious burns and engine damage. In many cars you …
The Four Main Components of an Alternator The four main components of an alternator are the rotor, stator, rectifier (diode bridge), and voltage regulator. Together, they convert mechanical energy into controlled DC electrical power for charging a battery and running electrical systems, most commonly in vehicles but also in stationary generators. The Core Components at …
Where Do You Pour Water in a Car? You should only pour plain water into a car’s windshield washer reservoir. For the engine’s cooling system, use premixed coolant (antifreeze plus deionized water); adding plain water is a last-resort, temporary measure only when the engine is cold. Do not pour water into oil, brake, power steering, …
Has a car ever hit 1,000 mph? No—no land vehicle has reached 1,000 mph. The fastest officially recorded speed by a car is 763.035 mph (1,227.985 km/h), set by ThrustSSC in 1997, which made it the first and only car to go supersonic. Efforts to reach 1,000 mph continue, but as of today no team …
Fixing a Stiff Power Steering Wheel: Quick Wins, Deeper Diagnostics, and What It’ll Cost If your steering wheel suddenly feels heavy or hard to turn, start by checking tire pressure, power steering fluid (if equipped), and the drive belt; for electric systems, verify battery/alternator health and perform a steering angle sensor recalibration. If the wheel …
What Happens When the Air Control Valve Goes Bad When the idle air control (IAC) valve goes bad, your engine typically idles erratically, stalls at stops, idles unusually high or low, becomes hard to start (especially cold), and may trigger a Check Engine Light with codes such as P0505, P0506, or P0507. In newer vehicles …
Is it okay to pour water on a radiator? Generally, no—you should not pour water on a hot radiator. For vehicles, dousing a hot engine or radiator can cause dangerous steam burns and thermal shock to metal and plastic components; only add fluid to the coolant reservoir once the engine is cool, and preferably use …
What Is the Electronic Differential in Electric Cars? An electronic differential is a software- and power-electronics-based control function that distributes torque and rotational speed between drive wheels (and sometimes axles) so each wheel turns at the correct speed in a corner while maximizing traction, stability, and efficiency. In modern EVs it can supplement a traditional …
What Kind of Car Is a Lowrider? A lowrider isn’t a single make or model—it’s any car or truck modified to ride very low, often with adjustable suspension, distinctive wheels, and elaborate paint as part of a cultural art form. Typically associated with classic American cruisers—especially Chevrolets like the Impala—lowriders emphasize “low and slow” cruising, …
Does Regenerative Braking Wear Down Brake Pads? In most hybrids and electric vehicles, regenerative braking dramatically reduces brake pad wear because the electric motor does much of the slowing; however, pads still wear in certain situations—such as hard stops, very low speeds, cold or full batteries, or slippery conditions—so maintenance isn’t eliminated, just extended. How …
Why Are There So Many Car Fires Now? There isn’t a sudden nationwide explosion in car fires; most remain tied to familiar causes such as mechanical or electrical failures in gasoline and diesel vehicles. What has changed is a mix of factors—an aging vehicle fleet, clusters of high-profile recalls, extreme heat, denser parking, and viral …
Windows Down or Air Conditioning? What MythBusters Found—and How to Decide Today It depends on speed and conditions: at highway speeds, using AC with the windows up is usually more efficient; at low speeds, windows down can be equal or better. The MythBusters tested this more than once and, along with engineering studies and agency …
What Are Rear Drum Brakes? Rear drum brakes are braking systems mounted on a vehicle’s rear axle that slow the car by pressing curved brake shoes outward against the inside of a rotating metal drum. They remain common on budget-friendly cars and some electric vehicles due to lower cost, simple parking-brake integration, and adequate performance …
What Is the Gas Meter in a Car Called? The “gas meter” in a car is called the fuel gauge (often informally the gas gauge). It displays the approximate amount of fuel remaining in the tank, while a companion device in the tank—the fuel level sender or sending unit—measures the level and feeds the gauge. …
The Most Iconic Classic Motorcycles Experts consistently cite the following motorcycles as the most iconic classics: Brough Superior SS100, Vincent Black Shadow, Indian Scout and Chief, BMW R32 and R90S, Triumph Bonneville T120, Norton Commando, BSA Gold Star, Harley-Davidson Knucklehead (EL) and Sportster XL, Ducati 750/900 Super Sport, Moto Guzzi Le Mans, MV Agusta 750S, …
How to Tell If a Camshaft Is Bad You can usually tell a camshaft is bad by a combination of symptoms—persistent misfires, rough idle, loss of power especially at higher RPM, top-end ticking/knocking that follows engine speed, metal in the oil, and check-engine lights for cam/crank correlation or variable valve timing issues—then confirm with inspection …
How to Properly Fill Engine Coolant Fill coolant only when the engine is completely cold. Use the exact coolant type specified in your owner’s manual, add it to the pressurized expansion tank or radiator up to the “COLD”/“MIN” mark, bleed trapped air, run the engine with the heater set to HOT until the thermostat opens …