Does the cost of your car maintenance pinch your pocket? Irrespective of your knowledge of cars, there are certain types of repair that you can make in your car. However, as a general advisory, make sure that you take all the precautionary measures while using flammable liquids and sharp tools.
To save yourself a trip to the workshop, these simple car fixes will help you save both time and money. As you cannot rely on your car insurance in Dubai for everything, there are certain things that you need to take into your own hands. Let’s have a quick glance at the ways in which you can fix your faulty car –
1. Changing the Flat Tyre
As soon as you realize that your car is wobbly, reduce the speed slowly and stop the car on a leveled surface. The tools that you will need are – a fully inflated spare tyre, jack, lug wrench, and a built-in lever. It will take around 20 minutes to get this done. But before this, make sure that the spare tyre is inflated.
Place the wheel wedges in front or on the back of the tyres to stop the car from rolling along. If the lug nuts are covered with hubcaps, then remove the hubcap before lifting the vehicle with the jack. Place the jack under the vehicle and lift it using the built-in lever. Start removing the lug nuts using the nut ratchet. Now remove the flat tyre, tighten the lug nuts, and replace the hub cup.
Usually, spare tyres do not last for a long distance. So, avoid driving at a high-speed until you find a workshop. Get it checked from a professional technician who will determine if the tyre needs to be repaired or replaced.
2. Oil and Filter Change
For a car, oil is as important as blood in a human body. Oil flows through the engine and is essential for a vehicle to function properly. Ideally, car oil should be changed after every 5000 km to keep up the performance.
It is quite easy and affordable to change car oil on your own. It will take approximately 45 mins to do so. Before you start the process, make sure that your engine has cooled down.
Equipment that you will need – an oil-filter wrench, funnel, oil bucket or pan, some newspapers.
Lift your car with a jack to get under it and use a jack-stand for support. Unscrew the oil plug with a ratchet. Drain all the old motor oil in a pan. Replace the old oil filter with a new one using a wrench and lubricate it with engine oil and tighten it thereafter.
You can also check the oil level using a dip-stick.
3. Dead Battery
If your car fails to start, it means your battery needs to be revived. To get back on the road and get help from the nearby garage, try out this method to re-start your car’s dead battery within 15 minutes.
Equipment needed – a screwdriver, wrenches, corrosion-removal fluid socket set, wire brush.
Give it a manual check-up. The terminals can be removed using a wrench. If there is any corrosion, clean it using the corrosion-removal fluid and wired brush. Once they are clean, attach them back.
If it doesn’t function properly, you will need to replace the battery and then join the terminals.
4. Head or Tail Lights
If you feel that the headlight or tail lights of your car are dim, then all you need is a screwdriver and a few bulbs to fix it. The process will not take more than 15 minutes and will cost you a fraction of what the mechanic will charge.
All you need to do is pop open the hood of your car and look behind the main lights, where you will be able to spot the housing. Unbolt the cap, remove the clip holding the bulb, then take off the plug from the fused or dim bulb. Replace the old bulb with a new bulb and repeat the procedure for any other dim or fused light.
5. Air filters
Change the air filter of your car if you do not want any dirt or other particles to get into your engine. It is one of the simplest maintenance tasks that you can perform. So, if you find any blockage in the air flow to the carburetor, you do not need any tools to fix it. It is just a 10-minute job.
All you need to do is open the hood of your car and locate the air filter box. Open the casing and remove the big metal clips from the box. Open the box and remove the dirty filter. Now close the box and snap the clips. That’s it. Remember your car insurance in Dubai will only cover accidental damage and you will not get agency repair for routine damages. So, by using these DIY tips, you can only save more.
6. Changing the Spark Plugs
If you have trouble starting the engine or if it misfires, then you do not need to worry. It is quite simple to change a spark-plug and it can be fixed within 30 minutes. Make sure that you have a spark plug socket, socket wrench, and socket extension with you.
As you open the hood, try to locate a group of wires directing to the engine compartment. All the wires are connected to the engine. If you check the end of it, you will find the spark plugs lying in their casings. Using a socket wrench, start removing the wire one by one and detach the spark plug from the casing. Now put the new spark plug and tighten it again.
To conclude –
It’s always better to prevent the damage, but one should always be prepared to deal with it at the time of urgency. By taking the matter in your hand, you can save yourself from burning a hole in your pocket. Just adhere to the above-mentioned guidelines to be prepared in case of an emergency.
