Common Car Problems and Repairing Tips

When you spend so much money on buying a vehicle, you don't even like the thought of shelling out more on car repairs. However, there are so many car problems that can arise. You might drive your car very safely, but you cannot control the way others drive. While you might pay a lot of attention to car maintenance, minor car repairs will be needed from time to time. You may need to fix scratches or dents on your car or repair or replace a damaged car part. Car owners often end up paying a lot of money on car repair. However, they can save some money if they learn basic car repairing tips. Though it would be wise to leave the complex problems to trained mechanics, the simpler ones can be handled. Given below are some tips that will help you perform car repair on your own.

Wondering how to perform minor car repairs? Given below are some of the common car problems that most car owners face and also instructions for solving these problems.

Flat Tire
Do you know how to fix a flat tire? Haven't we been in this situation and most often raised our hands up in helpless despair? Let me tell you how to change a flat tire. First of all, pull over to the side of the road and park the car on level ground. Pull up the emergency brake and take out the lug wrench, jack and spare tire from the boot. Position the jack under the car directing them towards the lift points as given in the manual. Remove the hub cap and loosen the lug nuts. Gradually jack up the car till the flat is off the ground. Now remove the lug nuts and pull out the flat tire. Re-position the spare tire aligning its holes with the lug bolts. Now lower the jack till the wheels are on the ground. Tighten the bolts and place the hub cap. Now drive off and don't forget to get your flat repaired quickly.

Car Doesn't Start
If your car doesn't start, pop up the hood. Take a look at the terminals of the battery. If there any signs of corrosion then they could have eaten into your cables. Make sure that you regularly clean the battery terminals of such corrosion. If all looks fine then it's possible that your battery run out of charge, if so then get it charged. At times, the engine turns over but doesn't start. Firstly make sure that you have enough gas in the tank. Give all the fuel lines a thorough run through. Make sure that all of them are in place and well connected. Look at the main wiring. If all is in place, it could be a more serious electrical or mechanical issue. It would be better to let a mechanic diagnose the car problem.

Scratches on Car
Purchase a primer and a touch up paint which matches your car's paint job. Make sure that the primer is a color lighter than your touch up paint. Wash and then sand the area. Remove any debris from the sanding and section off the scratch. Now apply the body compound preferably using a plastic knife. Once the compound hardens sand it and then apply the primer. Once the primer has dried apply the touch up paint and allow it to dry. Follow these instructions and your car should look as good as new!

Dent on Car
If the dent is small, you can follow these instructions to get rid of dents. You can use a wooden block on the dented area and gently beat out the dent from the inside using a rubber hammer. Sometimes the dent would pop and fill out the section as before. This helps if the dent is accessible. Application of dry ice on the center of the dented surface will also help in the removal of small dents. In case the dent is inaccessible, you will need a dent removal kit. Get hold of a rubber plunger and press it against the dent to create a suction action. This will surely help in pulling the dent out. If this doesn't work, you may also drill a hole through the dent's center and then insert the dent repair tool into it to pull out the dent.

This was some information on common car problems along with ways to address these problems. While you can fix a car tire or repair scratches or dents, it would be best to seek the services of a professional if you are not able to identify the problem.