Categories: How-To Articles

Today’s cars are safer than ever before, with thousands of safety feaures built into each model. Unfortunately, despite these measures, unforeseen things still happen, even to careful and experienced motorists. So, in this article and ones to come, we’ll look at what to do when the unexpected occurs. This time around, we’ll outline the steps to take if a tire should blow out while you’re driving.

With summer finally here, millions of Americans will soon be hitting the highway for that iconic ritual: the family vacation. But, before you pack the car and head out, take a couple of minutes to review the following tips for staying safe. They could make all the difference between a pleasant getaway and one that’s best forgotten.

It’s no secret that new cars are getting more expensive all the time, and, in today’s cash-strapped economy, consumers have tighter budgets than ever. One way many drivers try to avoid sticker shock is by leasing a vehicle. But does this actually save money as opposed to buying? And are the restrictions dealers place on leased vehicles outweighed by the advantages?  Here’s a look at the pros and cons of leasing.

Tires are to cars are feet are to bodies. We need them to get where we want to go, yet we fail to check them for signs of trouble. Unfortunately, that can cause us to miss important messages they’re trying to send us. The results of such carelessness can include hefty repair bills, safety issues, and even traffic accidents. So here’s a look at six things your tires might be trying to tell you.

With the economy still in recovery mode, millions of Americans are buying pre-owned vehicles these days. Done carefully, this is a great way to save money and still get a dependable auto. Unfortunately, you can’t always count on the seller to tell you the truth. So let’s look at some used car buying tips that can help us to separate the good deals from the lemons.

When the topic of conversation turns to ways to save on gas, it seems that everyone has an opinion. But, while all these suggestions are well-intended, not all of them are equally valuable. Take changing the air filter as an example. While it can do your car a world of good in other ways, it won’t boost your MPGs, despite what many people believe.

Other folks swear that the trick is to buy gas early in the morning, so it comes out of the pump cooler. This, too, has no effect on fuel use. So how do your separate fact from fiction when it comes to boosting your car's efficiency? Here's a look at 10 popular tips for saving gas. We'll see how much truth there is in each one.

Sometimes US automakers get it right. TechShop Detroit, a recent addition to Ford’s Dearborn product development campus, is the perfect example. Although originally from California, TechShop is a DIY workshop business which offers a wide array of cutting edge (pun intended) tools to paying members. And the best part: Ford is working closely with TechShop to incentivize employee inventions to bolster the automaker’s patent portfolio.

Ford already has about 17,000 pending and issued patents, but expect that number to skyrocket in the coming years. Ford Global Technologies now offers a free three-month membership to TechShop Detroit for potentially patentable ideas. The company projects that 2,000 incentive memberships will be awarded this year…and more to come in the future.

With gas prices in constant fluctuation, we'd all love to own an all electric vehicle or high-mpg hybrid. In theory. In reality, electric cars don't travel all that far. And only a limited number of models, mostly small and mid-sized, have hybrid options. Plus, you probably already have a traditional gas powered car and may not have the money to replace it.

While buying the latest, most efficient car isn't always an option, there are many small things you can do to increase the efficiency of the car that you have. A new video from Yokohama Tires takes us through a few.

Now I was a high-performance-driving natural, earning seven straight Big Wheel Racing Championships in my neighborhood (and/or mind) before I turned pro at 11. Since then I’ve moved up the ranks to professional “production car test driver that sometimes does so on race tracks,” which—though short on trophies—is big on, well… seat-time, I suppose.

It took a long time—and many expensive driver training courses I mostly didn’t have to pay for—to get to my level of awesomeness. But let’s say you don’t have the “connections” it takes to bill someone else for your driver training, let alone the scratch it takes to pay your way into them the way you’re supposed to.

If only someone could package the combined knowledge of nearly every professional in auto racing—including drivers, team owners, car builders, receptionists, and anyone else nearby—regarding nearly every aspect of racing, into video clips that could be found at one slick website….

If you do your own car maintenance, eventually you’ll get around to changing your transmission fluid. How hard could that be? Actually, it is quite easy.

First, you must know what type and how much fluid you’ll need, so you should have you car’s manual handy. With that information in hand, go to the nearest parts store and purchase the fluid and a gasket for the transmission oil pan. While you at it, you might as well get a transmission oil filter as well, since it is really easy to change.

There have been quite a few how-to-ish articles posted around here but none has covered my particular automobile-upkeep-related pet peeve (OK, one of my many): burned-out bulbs.

Now I know what you’re thinking: “borrrrrriiiinnnnng.”  Well, you are not far from Truthsville on that one. But seeing as how the burned-out taillight is practically the state symbol of Michigan these days—I’m still waiting to hear back from the governor on my idea, though, so it’s still “unofficial”—MANY of you need to need to be bored with this.

Bored into ACTION, that is!