Everyone knows how an electric window switch works. You simply press the button and the window is either lowered or raised depending on which side you pressed. It’s therefore pretty easy to tell when this part is broken, as the mechanism will no longer function, locking the window in one position.
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Learn These 16 Ways You Can Avoid Getting Ripped Off by a Car Mechanic
Believe it or not garages are now overcharging men, blondes and older people according to a recent survey. With cars getting increasingly technical thanks to computer control systems and non-serviceable parts, it can be tough to understand what’s going on under the bonnet, giving your mechanic a knowledge advantage if they are looking to overcharge on parts or labour.
So what can be done about it? Obviously changing your gender, hair colour or dress style is out of the question, but there are certain ways of approaching a car mechanic that greatly reduces the chance of you paying over the odds. In this article we explore some of the easiest action points you can employ to avoid unscrupulous mechanics. Continue reading
Replacing a Seat Belt
Over time seat belts can become frayed or even ruined completely. They rely on an inertial system that locks the belt in place when your vehicle experiences a sudden or violent movement. Sometimes this mechanism can degrade over time and stop working. If this is the case, you need to replace the belt immediately as your vehicle will be unsafe without adequate seat belts. It is illegal to drive a car without the proper driver and passenger protection.
Continue readingReplacing External Car Door Handles
There is nothing more frustrating than when a car door handle breaks. It is an obvious problem to diagnose, as you will not be able to get in your vehicle. Even though you can probably find a temporary work around that involves a little acrobatics, you’ll want to change the handle pretty quickly.
Continue readingFitting a Car Spoiler
Your car’s spoiler is designed to create drag and push the rear wheels of the car into the road. This improves traction and helps your vehicle hug the tarmac as you move up to higher speeds on the dual carriageway or motorway.
If you’re a fan of taking a car round a test track to see how fast you can go – then a spoiler is an essential piece of kit. However, at the limited speeds on UK roads this part is more about decoration than function.
Continue readingReplacing a Car Boot Lid
It is all too easy for your boot lid to become dented. From an accidental shunt or prang on the road through to an overzealous piece of reversing near a wall, there are plenty of opportunities for it to become damaged both on the road and when parked. Over time rust will eat away at the edges, the seals will go and wires and locks can become damaged. Often a simple visual inspect will confirm whether or not it needs changing.
Purchasing a good replacement boot lid should be no problem. However lids vary across models and makes and some have lights and wiring built into their construction, whilst others are simple covers for the rear of your car. Most have hydraulic systems that can be dealt with by even a novice mechanic, however due to the weight of the part it is always good to have an assistant.
How to Replace Roof Rails on your Car
Everyone knows there’s only limited space in your car’s boot. You can only fit so much on the back seat. So when the car is completely stacked and there’s not an inch of room for packing, or alternatively for those large items like surfboards you’ll need a roof rack. In order to fit a roof rack you’ll need roof rails – but what to do if these are cracked or broken?
Continue readingFitting a Tow Bar to Your Car
It’s a great idea to fit a towbar to your car. You know whether you need one or not with a simple question. Are you looking to tow a trailer or a caravan? The tow bar gives the back of your vehicle the strength and support to handle towing an object behind it, and the electrics to support essential systems including the brake lights and indicators.
So how do you go about fitting a tow bar to your car? Is this an easy job? Well in our experience you will need to set aside roughly 4 hours of your time to complete this task and it’s a little too difficult for the amateur mechanic. So we would only recommend going ahead with this job if you have a considerable level of mechanical skill and you know your way around your toolbox.
Continue readingReplacing Your ABS Pump
The ABS pump is responsible for pressurising the ABS system, ensuring that your vehicle is able to decrease and increase speed as needed. It is a vital part of the whole ABS system, which works to remove the possibility of your brakes locking and taking your car into a skid, particularly under emergency braking conditions.
What are the signs that your ABS pump could be faulty? The first and most obvious is when the dashboard light shows a failure in your car’s ABS system. Following this it may be necessary to examine the engine’s error codes, which should indicate which part of the ABS system is causing you problems and needs changing.
Continue readingReplacing Your Car’s Heater Matrix
The heater matrix is a component within the heater unit and a smaller version of your car’s radiator, which has the engine’s coolant running through it. It uses the coolant to transfer heat into air, blown through it from the heater motor, which then comes out of the vents in the car.
Fluctuations in the temperature in your car is often one of the first signs your heater matrix may be experiencing problems. This could be coupled with another indicator of trouble such as your car fogging up suddenly for no reason.More definite signs of failure are the sickly sweet smell of coolant cooking emanating throughout your car and liquid in your car’s foot well, both of which could mean that this part has stopped functioning correctly.
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