What Do Car Tyre Markings Mean?

Mechanic looking at tyre markings

Look down the side of any tyre in the UK, and you’ll see a number of markings. Have you ever wondered what these actually mean? They’re put there by manufacturers to display different properties of the tyre – helping you ensure that the right one is on your vehicle.

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What to Do If You Hit a Parked Car

parked car been damaged

Most of us have done it. With the tight constraints of some modern car parks, coupled with some serious bad parking, it’s all too easy to give a little nudge or ding to another parked car and damage its wing, bumper or door mirror. You don’t want to be one of those people who simply runs off. It’s illegal for a start. So what can you do to start righting this roadside wrong?

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The Importance of your Seating Position When Driving

back pain from seating position

There is increasing evidence that sitting is not great for your health. Long periods behind the driver’s wheel can result in back pain. Getting in a car shouldn’t damage your health, and we’re not talking about avoiding accidents either. You’ll want to avoid damage to your body, which can play havoc with every aspect of your life. Ask any serious chronic back pain sufferer.

What can you do to ensure that you’re sitting comfortably, and you’re not suffering from those telling little back twinges behind the wheel, that could add up to some serious pain?

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How to Tow a Broken Down Car

how to tow a car

At some point in your life you might need a tow. Whether that’s because of a breakdown now, or your electrical car runs out of juice in the future, there’s no better way to get a downed vehicle off the road. Especially if you don’t have breakdown cover.

And there are times when your safety might be compromised, if you leave a broken down car on the road. You could need a quick tow to a safe place. Other times you may still need to be towed by the breakdown company. How do you get towed safely?

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9 Signs Your Car’s Air Filter Needs Changing

air filter in a car

Your car needs to combust petrol. And as every GCSE science student will tell you, this needs three things. Fuel, an ignition source and air.

In engines, this is supplied by the petrol, diesel or other fuel source, the spark plugs, and the air is drawn through the air filter, ensuring that dirt and muck doesn’t enter into the piston chambers. Of course – all that filth ends up caught in the air filter, reducing its effectiveness.

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Driving Tired – When Drowsy Equals Danger

tired driver

Driving drunk is a big no-no. Many people won’t drive when ill. But you may be shocked to find out that driving when you’re tired can be almost as dangerous.

With one in six crashes now being linked to driver fatigue, this is too significant a problem not to notice. As police can’t check for tiredness with a simple breath test – as with alcohol – it’s up to us all to ensure that we don’t get behind the wheel when we should be hitting the hay.

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What to Do if You Have a Car Accident?

reporting a car accident

No one wants to have a crash. But as the saying goes accidents do happen. And the more you’re out on the road, the more likely it is that you’ll either make an error of judgement, or perhaps be on the receiving end of someone else’s.

If you are involved in a crash the number one rule is to stay calm and cool. It’s a high pressure situation where people are likely to be shocked, scared and even a little angry. However, with some  preparation and fore-knowledge it’s possible to make this bad situation more than bearable. Consider the following information:

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13 Signs Your Car’s Cam Belt could be Failing

cam belt on a car

Replacing your cam belt is a vital part of your car’s maintenance schedule. Leave it to break, and you could cause untold damage to the rest of the car. If it fails, then the knock on effects can cause the engine’s pistons and valves to collide. Your car will break down, and it’s likely that the repair bill will be very hefty.

Yes, replacing the cam belt comes in at a significant cost. Which is why people might choose to ignore the warning signs. Remember however, that a written off engine is far more problematic.

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Dealing with Skids – Staying in Control

car in a skid on a sign

Skids are more likely to occur when there is a loss of friction and therefore traction on the roads. Snow, ice and water can cause a lack of proper grip on the tarmac causing your car to slip and slide.

Throw understeer, oversteer, acceleration and braking into the mix and you could have difficulty controlling your vehicle. When this happens it’s vital you remain calm. Even if you can’t avoid an accident, you can reduce the danger to yourself and others – by taking remedial action.

How can you avoid getting into a skid – and more importantly, what can you do if you should find yourself in one of the two different types of skid, oversteer or understeer?

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How to Clean Your Car’s Fuel Injectors

fuel injectors in a car

Your fuel injectors are a vital part of the engine. As part of the main combustion system, they deliver fuel into the pistons, ensuring there’s enough fuel to drive your vehicle forward as you depress the accelerator. `

To keep the injectors in tip top condition they have to be cleaned from time to time. You might even find that with some complaints such as lit check engine lights and maintenance problems can actually be solved by unclogging your injectors before you embark on a costly course of replacement fuel injector. This bodes the question – what’s the best way to get them clean?

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