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Things To Check Under The Hood To Prevent Automotive Problems

The long-term health of your vehicle depends largely on factors you control. While automotive problems occasionally stem from parts that fail prematurely, most issues can be traced to everyday items drivers neglect to address. With the exception of your tires, these items can be found under your vehicle’s hood.

Cars, trucks, and SUVs are designed today with incredibly advanced systems and components. Multiple sensors compile data on a variety of factors (e.g. temperature, air pressure, throttle position, etc.) and send it to your vehicle’s computer. The computer uses the data to make modifications to improve your engine’s performance.

Despite the complexity of automotive design, your car still relies on things you can easily check and maintain. Below, we’ll describe the most important items and explain how to check them.

Transmission Fluid Level

If you allow the fluid level in your transmission to drop below a certain point, you’ll risk damaging the assembly. The problem is, even small leaks in the seals or gaskets can slowly drain the fluid. For this reason, plan to check the level every two or three weeks.

The fluid needs to be warm to get an accurate reading, so start your car and let the engine idle for a few minutes. Then, pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and reinsert it into its slot. Pull it out again and note the level. If it’s low, add more fluid.

This is also a good time to check the color and consistency of the fluid. It should have a reddish tone and be relatively thick (similar to strawberry syrup).

Engine Oil Level

Your oil level must be checked when your car is cold. The dipstick will be located near the dipstick for the transmission fluid. Pull it out and wipe it clean. Then, stick it back into its slot and pull it out again. There are usually two markers on the dipstick: one reads “Full” and the other reads “Low.” If the oil level is near or below the “Low” marker, add more.

As with the transmission fluid, get into the habit of checking your oil every two or three weeks. If you notice the level declining, have a mechanic identify the reason.

Brake And Power Steering Fluids

While checking the transmission fluid and engine oil should take priority, now is an ideal time to check the fluid levels for your brakes and power steering. For the former, you’ll find a see-through reservoir located near the front of the steering column. There’s no dipstick. Instead, you should be able to peer through the reservoir’s plastic casing to check the level.

The power steering fluid reservoir is located near the brake fluid reservoir. It, too, is typically see-through, but the fluid level may be difficult to identify. The cap that seals the reservoir has a dipstick attached to it. Remove the cap to check the level.

Hoses, Belts, And Battery Connections

The hoses under your car’s hood are made of rubber, and thus will deteriorate over time. Check them for cracks or splits that might allow leaks. If you see any, install new hoses. You should also check the ends to make sure the connections are secure.

Most vehicles designed today are equipped with a serpentine belt, which is made primarily of rubber. This belt is responsible for powering your car’s alternator, cooling system, water pump, A/C, and other components. It is ribbed with teeth on one side, which wear down and break with time. Visually check this belt, paying particular attention to the teeth. Most experts recommend changing the serpentine belt between 30,000 and 60,000 miles.

Lastly, check the battery posts and terminals. Corrosion can accumulate and prevent the battery’s charge from traveling through the connections. If you notice corrosion, clean it off.

Over time, you’ll need to replace certain components as they fail due to normal wear and tear. But if you check the above items every two or three weeks, you’ll prolong the life of your car and its major systems.

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Correcting Your Car’s Steady Pull

Under normal circumstances, you should be able to let go of your steering wheel while moving forward without your vehicle drifting to one side. In reality, millions of drivers own cars that have a steady pull. They’re not built that way. If your vehicle is pulling to one side, there’s a problem somewhere. You can compensate for the drift by applying constant pressure to the steering wheel, but that can become tiring. Ideally, you should identify the issue and have it resolved.

Below, we’ll take a look at a few factors that may be causing your car to drift. Most of these problems are relatively easy for any mechanic to fix.

Camber Misalignment

This is a measurement of how far your tires slant vertically when you’re looking at them from the front or back. A negative camber means the top is tilting inward (or toward the engine). A positive camber means the top is slanting outward. If any of your tires have a positive camber (even by a half-degree), it can cause a pulling problem toward that side.

There are a lot of things that might contribute to a positive camber, including bent struts and spindles, damaged springs, and a misaligned engine cradle.

Caster Misalignment

Caster measures how far the steering axis tilts forward or backward. If it tilts forward, the caster is said to be negative. If backward, positive. Your car will pull toward the side that has a negative caster. If both sides do, it will pull toward the side that has the lowest – or, most negative – caster.

Caster misalignment can be caused by the same factors that can lead to a positive camber (bad struts, bad spindles, etc.).

Problems With The Rear Axle

If the tires in the front are aligned properly, it is still possible that the tires in the rear are misaligned. This is often due to excessive toe in the rear axle. Toe measures the amount that the wheels are turned inward or outward. When they point inward, they are said to have a positive toe (or, toe-in). If they point outward, the toe is negative (or, there is toe-out). Other problems might include a bent or curved axle, or an issue with the chassis.

Dragging In The Brakes

Occasionally, the pulling may be caused by a drag in the brake system. This can include the parking brake, a sticky caliper, or even too much fluid in the master cylinder. You can usually tell whether the brakes are causing the issue by propping your vehicle up and spinning the tires with your hands.

Each of the problems described above is simple to fix once it has been diagnosed. If you’re noticing a pull to one side while driving, take your car into a repair shop. The mechanic can easily check the camber, caster, rear axle alignment, and the brakes to find and fix the problem.

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The Steering Wheel: Your Car’s Most Overlooked Part

Today, we’re going to spend time discussing one of the most overlooked car parts that is taken for granted by nearly all drivers. Ironically, this particular part of your vehicle is in constant view, as opposed to the transmission, engine, and alternator. What’s more, your hands are always upon it, actively engaged in using it. Below, we’re going to explore your car’s steering wheel.

Looking Beneath The Surface

For a component that we use every day, the majority of drivers know very little about their car’s steering wheel and how it works. A lot of motorists believe they’re familiar with the part, but their understanding is actually limited to the portion they can see. When pressed, most people don’t have a true grasp regarding how the part contributes to their ability to control their vehicle.

Admittedly, there aren’t many practical benefits to learning about how this components works other than being able to understand your mechanic when he’s talking about it. In my experience, it rarely fails. When there is a problem, it is usually related to a lack of fluid rather than a failure of the part itself.

Counterintuitive Design

The steering wheel points the front tires of your vehicle in the opposite direction in which you’re turning. Initially, the design seems counterintuitive. But, upon close inspection, the system has an elegant logic. Since rack and pinion systems are quickly becoming the most prevalent type installed in late model vehicles, we’ll explore how they work.

The basic design of the rack and pinion gear set are enclosed within a metal tube. Each end of the rack protrudes from this tube along with a rod (which is commonly called the tie rod) that connects to each end of the rack.

The pinion gear is attached to a steering shaft and when you turn the wheel, the gear spins and moves the rack. The tie rod at each end of the rack then connects up to the steering arm on the spindle. Once this occurs, the rack and pinion gear set does two important things. First, it converts the rotation motion of the steering wheel into the linear motion that is needed to turn the wheels. Ultimately, that allows you to steer your vehicle in the direction you need to go. Second, the gear set provides a gear reduction which makes it easy for you to turn your tires.

A Small Portion Of A Larger Education

As I suggested above, this explanation is mostly academic. Steering wheels do not typically fail. Plus, as technology continues to expand, the parts that contribute to the steering function of your vehicle are becoming more and more reliable. The key is to have a basic understanding regarding how the part works. In the event that you purchase a replacement, you’ll have the confidence of knowing the fundamentals behind the function.

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