Even those who aren’t very car-savvy will still find that they will be able to do quite a few basic car maintenance tasks with the following simple instructions.
Installing an Air Filter
If you need a new air filter in your car (you should put a new one in every 12,000 mile), you can easily install it yourself. You do not need any tools for this job, and it only takes about 10 minutes. The first thing you need to do is find the filter under the hood of your vehicle. It will look like a black rectangular box with metal clips on the side. Open up the casing to see how the filter fits inside. Simply remove the old filter and put the new one in exactly how the old one was. Make sure that you close the metal clips when you are finished.
Installing Windshield Wipers
When you need to put new windshield wipers on your vehicle, you will be able to do it yourself in about 15 minutes. The first thing you’ll have to do is lift the blades up as if you were going to wash the windshield, and remove them. Make sure that you pay attention to how the old blades connect to the metal arms. You should see a tab on the underside of the wiper, which you will need to push in order to remove the old blade. Go ahead and attach the new blades, but be careful not to bend the wiper arms at all.
Putting in new Spark Plugs
If you are going to put new spark plugs in your vehicle, you will need a ratchet or socket wrench, 12” socket extension and spark plug socket. This job should take around 20-30 minutes. You will most likely be able to find your spark plugs without any problem, as they are attached to thick rubbery wires. There will be four, six or eight plugs depending on the vehicle you have. Remove the wire to the first spark plug only, and use the spark plug socket to remove the first one. Install new spark plug by screwing it in by hand and then tightening with a wrench. Go ahead and re-attach the spark plug wire.
Battery Maintenance
It is important to check the condition of the battery in your car once in awhile just to make sure it’s still functioning properly. When you need to replace the battery terminals, you will first need to remove them. Clean the posts with some coca-cola, rinse the cleaning fluid with some water, dry the posts with rags and replace the battery terminals. While you can certainly use Coke to clean the posts, you will most likely want a more professional cleaning product for the job. Take the time to look at your local store to find a cleaning product that is meant for this explicit purpose so you can get the job done properly.
