Basic Car Care Maintenance & Lubrication
Basic Car Care Maintenance Information
How to Get Good Car Repair Advice
When you need car repair advice, where do you go? The internet? Ask friends or family? The public library? An auto parts store? A dealership service adviser? Your local repair shop? Where you search for car repair advice and whom you ask may or may not get you the information you are looking for.
If you are having a car problem, you probably want to know what is causing the problem, what it will take to fix the problem and how much the repairs will cost. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you need to know what parts to replace and how to replace them. If you are taking your car to a shop or a dealership for repairs, you want to know ahead of time what you're getting into and approximately how much it will cost to fix your car. Knowledge is power, and it can reduce the chance of being ripped off on a repair bill.
Automotive Websites
Automotive diagnostic and repair help websites such as AA1Car.com are an excellent resource for general advice and background information on a wide range of automotive topics. Our articles are thoroughly researched, technically accurate and unbiased as we are not in the auto repair business and do not sell auto parts or other automotive products. For a list of automotive articles on this website, see the links below:
Alphabetical Index of All Auto Diagnosis & Repair Topics on AA1Car
COMMON CAR PROBLEMS (by symptom)
Other online resources we would recommend include:
Auto Repair Facts for Consumers Provided By the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
RepairPal.com (Free online repair estimates)
For vehicle specific diagnostic and repair procedures, we would recommend one of two sources:
Vehicle Manufacturer Service Information Websites (Most require a subscription fee)
Paying a small subscription fee to access all of the factory service manual information, diagnostic charts and detailed step-by-step repair procedures for your vehicle is not expensive (less than $30 in most cases), and is absolutely necessary for diagnosing and repairing most late model vehicles.
Automotive Forums
Another source of information many people use on the internet are automotive forums. There are hundreds of forums dedicated to specific vehicle makes and models as well as more general automotive forums. Forums contain a wealth of information, but also a lot of misinformation and conflicting information.
The typical forum user will post a question in hopes that other forum users will respond and offer an answer or advice on how to solve the problem. But with all forums, there is no guarantee that anyone will respond or that any responses they do receive will be accurate or helpful. It all depends on the other forum members and who posts a response. Many forum users are quite knowledgeable and can provide exactly the kind of answer you are looking for. Other forum users want to be helpful and may venture a guess or offer an opinion that may or may not be accurate or may be totally wrong. In other words, it may be hard to distinguish good advice from bad advice.
Most forums are moderated to delete spam, rants and off-topic posts and comments that don't belong on the forum. But in most instances, the accuracy of the posts and responses is left up to the forum users. There's no editing or vetting or review of the comments that are posted. Consequently, if inaccurate or incorrect responses are posted to a question, other more knowledgeable users may or may not challenge a post or offer additional information.
We've seen many forum responses degenerate into endless bickering between conflicting points of view. We've also seen a lot of posts that totally contradict one another. There's nothing wrong with a good debate provided the people involved know what they are talking about. But unless there is some resolution to the debate, or some serious fact checking involved, the person who posted the original question may be left confused and no closer to finding an answer than when they started.
Other Sources for Car Repair Advice:
Many public libraries still have automotive service manuals in their automotive section, but many of the manuals are out-of-date. Most of the auto makers stopped producing printed service manuals a decade ago and switched to digital storage. Some information is available on DVDs but most can only be access online by going to their service information websites.
For automotive service manuals and books, see the link below:
Repair Manuals, Shop Manuals & Auto Repair Books
Friends and family can sometimes provide car repair advice if they are technically knowledgeable or have experienced a similar problem. A friend or family member may also be able to recommend a good local repair shop or dealership where you can take your car for repairs (or warn you where NOT to take your car for repairs!).
If you take your car to a repair shop or dealership, they may be able to give you a general idea of what might be causing your problem and an estimate of how much it might cost to fix it. But until a technician actually gets into the diagnosis, it may be impossible to tell for sure exactly what is wrong with your car and what parts they may have to replace. So the service adviser or manager may offer a best-case and worst-case scenario of what to expect.
Related articles you can read for more Car Repair Advice:Car Repair Advice: How Much Should It Cost To Get Your Car Fixed?
Car Repair Advice: How To Avoid Auto Repair Fraud Scams & Rip-Offs
Car Repair Advice: What Goes Wrong With Cars (and When)
Car Repair Advice: Most Often Replaced Car Parts
5 Car Noises You Should Not Ignore
5 Warning Lights You Should Never Ignore!
5 Ways To Save Money on Auto Repairs
5 Things Your Car May Need Now!
Look up Technical Service Bulletins & Recalls for Your Vehicle
OEM Automotive Service Information Websites & Access Fees
Trouble Code Help
How to Find An Auto Repair Shop
Vehicle Manufacturer Service Information Websites (Most require a subscription fee)
Basic Car Care Topics:
Car Repair Advice
Preventive Maintenance -- Tips For Taking Better Care Of Your Car
Automotive Tools for Repairing & Maintaining Your Car
5 Car Noises You Should Not Ignore
5 Warning Lights You Should Never Ignore!
5 Ways To Save Money on Auto Repairs
5 Things Your Car May Need Now!
5 Things Your Car May Not Need
Most Often Replaced Car Parts
BMW's Condition Based Service System
Winterizing Tips
Car Care Tips for Hot Weather Driving
Tire Care Survey Results
Recommended Service Intervals from the Car Care CouncilReplace Your Windshield Wipers
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What Goes Wrong With Cars (and When)
Don't Get Overcharged for Simple Auto Repairs
What's a Tune-Up Today?
Don't Neglect the Spark Plugs
Why Spark Plugs Still Need To Be Replaced
Car Maintenance: Changing Fluids, Filters, Belts & Hoses
Serpentine Belts
Automatic Belt Tensioners
Bad Gasoline Can Cause Performance Problems
Fuel Saving Tips from the Car Care Council
Warning Lights (TEMP, OIL, ALT/GEN, BRAKES, ABS, AIR BAGS, etc.)
Auto Accidents: Mechanical Problems That Increase Your Risk
New Car Warranty Coverage: What Is Covered, What Is Not
Troubleshoot Odors Inside Your Car
Pollution Inside Your Car
Motor Oil & Engine Lubrication:
New Motor Oil Specifications 2014What Every Motorist Should Know About Motor Oil
Motor Oils & Lubricants
How Often Should You Change Your Oil?
How To Change Your Oil
Oil Filters
Certified Master Technicians Speak Out On Oil Change Intervals
API Motor Oil Classifications
Motor Oil Additives
ZDDP - What is it & Why do you need it?
Motor Oil Viscosity
Re-Refined Motor Oil
Synthetic Motor Oil
Troubleshooting Low Oil Pressure
Oil Pump Diagnosis
Automotive Filters & Fluids:
Underhood Maintenance: Fluids, Filters, Belts & HosesCheck Your Air Filter
Ford Focus PZEV 150K Sealed Air Filter
Cabin Air Filters
Fuel Filters
Automatic Transmission Fluid (types and applications)
Regular Fluid Flushes Good for Transmissions
Traduction
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