While drawing up great new plans and thinking of all the things you’d like to accomplish in 2022, consider making some resolutions for your car as well. Yes, that is a thing. Make specific goals about how you want to keep your vehicle clean and running at an optimal level. This is particularly crucial if you haven’t been giving your car its much-needed regular maintenance and you’ve been spending more than you should on repairs as a result.
Unsure of what to include for your new year’s car resolutions? These ideals from a Ford dealer near Louisville, KY, might help.
Read that Owner’s Manual
It is safe to say that many car owners, perhaps including yourself, have never thoroughly read their owner’s manual. This booklet is probably just lying in your trunk or tucked in the backseat. But the owner’s manual contains vital information that can help you maximize your vehicle–including every component and its function and what to do in an emergency. Considering that not all cars are the same, the manual may come in handy.
Figure Out how to Change your Tires
Changing tires should be in every car owner’s skill set. Most of us are dependent on AAA or the goodwill of passersby. But if your tire punctures in the middle of nowhere, then AAA will be hours away or, worse, uncontactable. Keeping yourself and your family safe on long drives includes being able to get yourself out of sticky situations when they arise.
First, make sure you have the necessary tools to change your tire. You will need a lug wrench, a car jack, and of course, a spare tire.
Your car should be in a safe space and on a flat surface. If it’s getting dark or if your vehicle is parked on a hill, turn on your hazard lights to give drivers extra warning. Get the spare tire out of the trunk before taking the hubcap off the flat tire. Loosen all the lug nuts with the lug wrench. There is a specific pattern to loosen the lug nuts. It’s a star pattern and can be found on the AAA website.
Look for the prime spot for the car jack in your manual. Crank it till there’s just enough space to remove and replace the wheel. Take off the flat tire and put in the new one. Screw the lug nuts in by hand till they can go in no further. Lower the car jack till it is fully depressed and the wheel is back on the ground. Tighten the lug nuts with the wrench.
Get into the workshop as soon as you can. A spare tire can function reasonably well for a time, but it does need to be replaced eventually. Don’t delay going in to see your mechanic. If you do, you might end up getting another flat in your spare.
Learn How to Jump-Start Cars
Educating yourself on how to do this could give you the chance to help someone stuck along the road. Dead batteries are not uncommon, and you’ve likely seen someone on the road in precisely that situation before. Unsure of how to help, you might have been forced to drive by them.
So, learning this simple technique could change the game for both you and dozens of other people. Just make sure you have jumper cables in your car and know the colors, red being positive and black being negative.
The simplest way to pick up this skill is to watch this video How to Jump Start a Car. It covers the safety precautions, how to connect, and how to disconnect properly.
With these new year car resolutions, you will feel more prepared as you drive. Never again will you have to worry about flat tires or helping someone stranded along the road. Want to make more care resolutions? Check out Jim O’neal Ford for more helpful tips.
