General Automotive Tutorials

How to Prevent Car Doors from Freezing in the Winter

Video tutorial on how to prevent your doors, hood, or trunk on your vehicle from freezing during the winter months. Water or moisture can enter in the door gasket area and then freezes which prevents you from opening the door. Applying silicon lubricant helps repel the water and also creates a slick film which allows the ice to break free easily or stops water from sitting around all together. If your door is frozen, I DO NOT recommend pulling hard on the door handle, especially if it plastic. This is an easy way to either break the handle or mechanism. Either try to pry your fingers around the door's edge, try other doors to enter the car and push from the inside out, or if your car is equipped, use remote start to warm the vehicle up and this in turn will melt the ice. This particular tutorial was done on a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

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Various Ways on how to Unfreeze a Door Lock

Video tutorial on how to unfreeze your vehicle's door locks during the winter. Some vehicles are equipped with heated door locks, some are not. This is something which you will need to refer to your owners manual. If in the event your lock is frozen, DO NOT force it. You can risk the chance of bending the key, breaking the key, or damaging the lock assembly. This tutorial will allow you to unfreeze the lock in a safe and timely manner. This particular tutorial was done on a 1997 BMW 540i.

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How to Replace a Burnt out Halogen Headlight Bulb

Video tutorial on how to replace the headlight or fog light halogen bulb on your vehicle. This DOES NOT apply to vehicles equipped with HID headlights or fog lights. The vehicle used in this particular video was a 1997 BMW 540i E39 body style, but was intended to be a generic video applying to other vehicles as well. Make sure you do not touch the bulb. If oil from your skin does get on the glass part of the bulb, this will greatly decrease the life span of the bulb. The oil spot does create a hot spot on the glass which in turn burns out the bulb eventually. If you do happen to touch the bulb, use rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth to clean the bulb's lens.

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How to Replace Worn or Old Windshield Wipers

Tutorial video on how to replace the windshield wipers on your car, truck, suv, or van. Some wipers and wiper arms do vary on styling and how they do attach. This is the most generic method found on vehicles today though. There are also different types of wiper blades to buy on the market which are all seasons, winter, and a low profile blades. When a wiper does start to deteriorate or malfunction, it won't clean the window efficiently or the rubber wipe strip will start to separate and become hard. This particular tutorial was done on a 2000 Subaru Outback.

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How to Fill and Maintain your Power Steering Fluid

Video tutorial on how to check the level of your vehicle's power steering fluid. Power steering isn't equipped on all vehicle, but it found on the majority of vehicles on the road. This is a hydraulic assist system to help steering your vehicle. If your fluid is low the power steering pump will make a cavitating/whining sound which will cause your steering to be harder to operate and in the long run cause damage to your pump. This is checked when your vehicle is not running. If your system is almost out or is out of fluid, it will most likely need to be bleed. Some systems are self bleeding but to ensure the air is fully out of the system, turn the steering from side to side until it stops multiple times to ensure all air is bleed. Refer to your local dealer or owner's manual to determine what the correct fluid is for your vehicle. This particular tutorial was done on a 2000 Subaru Outback.

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How to Maintain Engine Fluids

Video tutorial on how to check and maintain those engine fluids for your vehicle. This video covers engine coolant, engine oil, transmission oil, transfer case oil for all wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles, washer fluid, and brake fluid. Consult with your local dealer or vehicle owner's manual to ensure the correct fluid used. This particular tutorial was done on a 2000 Subaru Outback.

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How to Easily Repair an Exhaust Heat Shield Rattle

Video tutorial on how to fix a rattling heat shield on an exhaust pipe, muffler, or catalytic converter. This cannot be applied to all types of heat shields such as ones that bolt to the underside of the vehicle. This method mainly applies to the ones which wrap around an object. This is a permanent fix which will be much cheaper than having to replace the heat shield or exhaust and does not jeopardize the durability of the exhaust system. There is no need for a mechanic either as this can be done by yourself in your driveway. This particular tutorial was done on a 1999 Subaru Forester.

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How to Check Tire Pressure

Video tutorial on how to check your vehicle's tire pressure. General rule is that tires should be at 32psi (pounds per square inch). Although you should consult with your vehicle owner's manual, the tag on the inside of the driver's door, or with the tire specifications normally found on the side on the tire. It is important to ensure your tires are properly inflated to maximize fuel economy and maximize the life of your tires. This particular tutorial was done on a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

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How to Plug a Leaking Tire

Video tutorial on how to install a plug to repair a puncture/hole in the tread face of a tire. There is no need to pay a tire shop or mechanic for this repair. A tire repair kit will most likely cost less than having a professional repair the leak. The sidewall cannot be repaired as it is unsafe and illegal. The tire isn't leaking in the video either, sorry for the confusion. It's an insect (Cicada) in the background. This method of repair can last thousands of miles without issues (I put 60,000km on this rear and sold the vehicle with the plug still holding up excellently). Please refer to your local laws to ensure this repair is legal. Some countries do no allow these type of repairs, so an alternative method to this would be having a patch vulcanized inside the tire. This particular tutorial was done on a 2004 Volkswagen Golf.

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Sunroof Maintenance Tips

Video tutorial on how various maintenance which needs to be covered when owning a sunroof in your vehicle. This tutorial also discusses issues as to why your sunroof could be leaking and what repairs can be done in order to fix the issue. This is a generic tutorial that applies to all vehicles equipped with a sunroof regardless if it's a glass or metal insert. The main reasons why a sunroof can be leaking is from improper sunroof alignment, worn out sunroof gaskets, or sunroof drains are plugged. This particular tutorial was done on a 1997 BMW 540i.