Ask Joe Mechanic: Security and Anti-Theft Tips

Most anti-theft tips are common sense, but something that we occasionally need to be reminded of. While car thefts have dropped slightly, thefts from inside vehicles have

The Club in action.

increased dramatically in the last few years. Some of this is due to the increased use of technology and part is due to the need for money to buy drugs.

            First of all, never leave your keys in the car, even if you are just running in your house to grab something or to pay for your gas or a coffee at the convenience store. This is one of the highest sources of theft of vehicles that there is.  If you leave your keys in, your insurance quite possibly will not pay off a claim. Tying into this, always lock your car, even in your own driveway during the day. An unlocked car is an open invitation for thieves to enter the vehicle. Also, do not leave cell phones, laptops, iPads or GPS units in a place where they are clearly visible.

           

A newer threat, which especially targets women, is the snatch and grab at the gas pump. What happens here is that while a lady is on one side of her car pumping gas, a thief approaches the car from the opposite side and either reaches through an open window or opens an unlocked door and grabs her purse or whatever else they can reach and jumps into a waiting car.  If you leave your purse in your car while you pump gas, either hide it or lock the doors.

            If possible, whether at home on the street, at the mall or in the airport parking lot, try to park in a well lit area. It is also safer for you if you come out to the car after dark.

Cars parked in a dark area are an open invitation for thieves and for vandalism.

            If your car is equipped with an alarm system, get small decals for the both rear side windows that state, ‘This car protected by a vehicle alarm system.’ This just may make a would-be thief think twice about targeting your vehicle. If your vehicle does not have an alarm and it sits out a lot, this may still be a wise investment.

            Another deterrent to many thieves is the “Club.” These were very popular before many vehicles were equipped with alarm systems.  However, if your car sits in a high crime area, this just might be the thing that will make a thief say this vehicle is not worth the trouble.

             And finally, when shopping for a new or used car, it is a good idea to check with your insurance agent to see if the vehicle you are considering has a high rate of theft. This could mean one of a couple things, either the parts from that vehicle are in high demand or the vehicle does not have a very good security system.

You Auto Know: Wordsearch Fun!

What's not to love about a wordsearch?  Especially one that it automotive-themed!  We've recently introduced puzzles into the pages of our publication.  In case you missed last week's puzzle, enjoy!
 

Let us know if you need the solution key!

Ask Joe Mechanic - Common Electrical Problems

As vehicles become increasingly more complicated, making simple electrical repairs has

Example of a vehicle's fuse box.

almost become a thing of the past. It used to be that people changed their own alternators and starters, now it is almost a task to even find them. And, with all the interconnecting computers in a vehicle, an innocent mistake can end up costing hundreds, even thousands of dollars to repair.  

I recommend that anyone who does not have some mechanical ability does not touch electrical repairs.  As, some of the worst situations I have seen created, were done by people who thought they knew what they were doing.

If you choose to do so, simple things like light bulb replacement generally is not too complicated, most owners’ manuals will tell you how to change taillight bulbs, etc. Headlight designs are becoming increasingly complicated with High-intensity Zenon bulbs and such. One caution whenever changing a halogen headlight or fog light bulb is to not touch the glass part of the bulb as the oils from your skin can cause premature bulb failure.

Another common repair, which is quite simple, is replacing a blown fuse. If something is not working on your car, find the location of your fuse box in your owner’s manual. There will be a diagram, usually on the fuse box cover, which identifies what fuse controls what function. If you pull out that fuse and it looks like it has a break in the filament or looks burned, it is blown out. Replace it with the identical amp fuse, they are often color-coded and are marked 10, 15, 20 etc. If a fuse blows out a second time, it means you have a more serious problem in that circuit and you need to get it checked by a professional technician. NEVER wrap a fuse with tin foil, stick a coin in the fuse’s place or put a jumper wire in the fuse box! I saw a person wrap a fuse with tin foil and he melted the entire wiring harness from front of the car to the back. With todays’ systems, you can easily fry an expensive computer or even worse, set fire to your vehicle.

On older cars, it is still easy to change a starter or alternator, but one caution if you plan to do this yourself, always disconnect the battery first to prevent arcing and fire.

Other than these few items, I recommend leaving electrical repairs to the professionals as it can prove to be less costly.

Ask Joe Mechanic - Periodic Maintenance

All vehicles require periodic maintenance, how often depends on the vehicle and the type of driving the individual does on a regular basis. The first rule of thumb is to follow what your owner’s manual

Periodic Maintenance is key to vehicle longevity.

recommends for your particular vehicle. Usually, the manual will give an option of two schedules, one for highway and one for local driving. My own recommendation on that matter is to follow the one for local or more frequent intervals, as nearly all of us do a mix of driving types and also experience a great impact of changing weather conditions. 

            As I said the last two weeks in Auto Locator, proper care of the inside and outside of your car will help to extend its useful life. The same thing goes for periodic maintenance. Actually, the care of the inside and outside of your vehicle should be considered part of your maintenance schedule. A car that has a routine schedule of recommended maintenance will in most cases last longer than a car that has a haphazard maintenance history.

            In recent years, many of the intervals for different operations have been extended due to changes in the makeup of many of the types of fluids and tune-up items. We now see antifreeze changes, tune-ups and some other items pushed to 100,000 miles. Some of these things I personally think are too long a time, but if you follow what you vehicle’s manual says to do, you will not void your warranty.

            Oil changes now are often every 15,000 miles or follow the on-board computer recommendation. I suggest, even with synthetic oils, that 10,000 miles is enough before oil and filter changes should be performed. Transmission fluids should be changed about every 30,000 miles. Air filters should be checked once a year to make sure they are not restricting to air flows. I feel that antifreeze should be changed at least every 50,000 miles and tune-up items should be checked at the same time.

Another big unknown is fuel filter condition with the increasing use of ethanol. Also, hybrids may require some different items to be checked to keep them in peak operating condition. Diesels also require different service schedules and may also require special diesel grade oil. All this information is in your owner’s manual, which should be considered the Bible for your vehicle.

            Periodic maintenance is the single most important thing that you can do to prolong the life of your vehicle. A final thought to consider, during my time working at dealerships, I found that people who leased vehicles were more apt to be lax in the proper care of the vehicle they were driving. I guess this happens because they figure it is not their vehicle and they are returning it in two or three years. But, if you read the fine print of the lease, it states you can be held responsible for repair and depreciation costs due to the improper care of the vehicle. So, even if you are leasing, it is in your best interest to at least perform the minimum required maintenance on the automobile and keep you receipts as proof of service performed.

Ask Joe Mechanic - Interior Car Care

            There are quite a number of things that you can do to prolong the life and maintain the beauty of the interior of your vehicle. Most of these things just take some time and effort and do not cost a lot of money.

            First of all, it is important periodically vacuum your interior. Do not just do your carpets, as running the vacuum over your seats will never hurt them. Also be sure to go under and alongside the seats and any other cavities that you can reach. And always do your trunk area.

            As far as your seats and any other upholstered areas, if it is cloth, after vacuuming, if the material is soiled, a good upholstery or carpet cleaner can be used. A product like Resolve foaming cleaner can be used and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The same thing can be done to clean your carpets and carpeted floor mats. This method may also be used on your headliner if it is dirty.

You can then, if you so choose, apply a Scotchguard treatment for ease of future cleaning. If you seating is vinyl or leather, you could use a mild dish soap and warm water solution with a soft cloth or brush if more heavily soiled. After cleaning, apply a good quality automotive leather protectant, but use sparingly so as to not make the leather too slippery or sticky.

            You should also use that mild soap and water to wipe down the top of your dash and your door panels and console, but make sure you ring your rag out well and do not wipe over any switches or electronics. Electronic screens such as radios and navigation or DVD player screens should be cleaned with an approved electronic spray screen cleaner.

After wiping down your dash and door panels, apply a protectant such as Armor-all, but definitely do not use it on your steering wheel or seats, as it is much too slippery.

            To keep your car smelling fresh, you can use the good old standard, the “Pine Tree” air fresheners. However, I personally like the small air fresheners that can be inserted into the dashboard vents.

            Spending a few hours a couple times on these car care tasks a year can really pay off in keeping your interior looking good, just like the day you bought it. See you next week.

Ask Joe Mechanic - Exterior Vehicle Maintenance

Last week we covered the things we should do to our vehicles to get them cleaned up from this brutal winter. In addition to the basic tips given last week, there is more you can do to help clean, protect and prolong the appearance of your vehicle. I will mention a few product names in this column, this is not a recommendation for you to purchase these products, only a statement that I personally have had good results from them. There are many fine car care products on the market and everyone has their own personal preferences. The only thing that I definitely recommend is that you research and purchase a quality product, as often buying a cheaper product may not yield the same results and could even adversely affect the finish on your vehicle.

            TIRES - it is always a good idea at the change of seasons to put a little extra work into cleaning up your tires with a good tire and whitewall cleaner. After cleaning, a good application of a tire protectant/tire shine does much to help renew the rubber and improve the appearance of your tires.

            WHEELS - it is recommended to thoroughly clean your wheels, especially if you have alloy wheels. Brake dust is very abrasive and corrosive, and can completely ruin the finish of expensive alloy wheels. There are quality wheel cleaning products on the market such as Wheel Brite, which do an effective job under normal conditions. If you wheels are extremely coated with brake dust of other corrosives, it may be necessary to seek out a professional detailer to have them use an industrial strength wheel acid.

            WINDOWS AND WIPERS - clean your windows and your wiper blades with an ammonia-based window cleaner.  Cleaning the wiper blades also removes any salt residue from the blades and will help to keep them soft and pliant. After a thorough cleaning, an application of a product such as RainX will really help your visibility in wet weather.  It appears we are going to see a lot of rain this spring!

            PAINT- after a through washing, on a nice afternoon, find a shady spot and give your car a coating of a quality wax. My personal preference is Meguiars products, however use whatever brand you prefer, but be sure it is a product suited for the type finish on your vehicle. I like to use a carnauba-based wax, but there are many types available. I recommend apply the wax in the shade for a few reasons. First of all, it slows the drying process of the wax.  Wax will set up very quickly on a hot paint finish, and a dark car on a hot sunny day can become very hot. Also, doing a wax job and buffing it out properly requires some serious physical effort.  If you are like me, I can spend a couple hours doing this so being in the shade is also for your own comfort. And, make sure you have some of your favorite beverage of choice so you do not dehydrate while you work.

           

If you complete these car care tasks on a semi-annual basis, you will add years to your vehicle’s good looks.

Ask Joe Mechanic - Cleaning up after Winter

We all know how much we have hated this winter and how we cannot wait for it to finally end.   Hopefully we have seen its last this past weekend!   Well, if our vehicles could talk, they would also tell us they are ready for spring.

            As this winter was much harsher than most, our vehicles have been exposed to many more chemicals than normal. Road salt and cinders (anti-skid) materials can collect in every nook and cranny.  Salt brine that is used to pre-treat roads can be very corrosive if not washed off. And, what you track inside your car on your shoes and boots can be just as damaging to your car’s interior. This is a general winter clean-up column, with more extensive information coming over the next two weeks.

            I personally am not a fan of drive thru car washes, but I realize that some people are not physically able to do the work themselves and others just find it hard to set aside the time required to do a good winter clean up. When I make my spring visit to the car wash, I like to pick a dreary day so that it is not so crowded, as to not aggravate people when taking a half hour or so to clean my car. 

            Things to take along with you are a bucket and sponge, a brush for cleaning the wheels, a large trash bag or two (explained later), a bottle of wheel cleaner, a couple of old rags, and any other personal preference items that you would want to use. When I arrive, the first thing I do is go to the vacuum, and remove all the floor mats and trunk mat (if equipped), move all the seats either forward or back and open the trunk. Then start the vacuum and thoroughly vacuum the trunk and all floor areas that are within reach, being careful to get down along the seats and console, also vacuum the seats. Sliding the seats the opposite way and finish vacuuming, I make sure to get under the seat areas. At this point, I recommend that you throw your mats in the trunk and pull in the wash bay.

           

Now is a good time to apply the wheel cleaner to your wheels, being careful to follow the instructions to remove wheel center caps if it says that it can damage plastic. While your wheels are soaking, take your floor mats out and use the pressure washer to thoroughly wash your mats. Set them aside, rinse your wheels according to instructions and then set to high-pressure wash. Kneel down on each side of the car and thoroughly spray the underside of your vehicle. This will dilute and remove the effects of the salt brine. After that, take the pressure wand and go thoroughly around the inside of each wheel opening to wash out any trapped salt and cinders. Turn the selector to rinse and wash all the areas that you just went over. You are now ready to do your normal wash of the exterior of your vehicle. Once you have done this, take those wet floor mats, put them into the trash bags and take them home to lie out on your porch to dry before reinstalling them.