Lower the front window in most cars and the glass disappears neatly inside the door. Try the same thing from the rear seat and several inches may remain stubbornly visible. The motor stops. The swi
Long before a crash-test dummy sat behind the wheel of a family sedan, one was strapped into an aircraft ejection seat. Its assignment involved rocket sleds, aviation helmets and the violent forc
Most people call it a headrest, which makes it sound like somewhere to relax during a long traffic jam. Its proper name is head restraint, and that description is much closer to its real purpose. T
Pull a seat belt slowly and it follows without complaint. Lean forward to adjust the radio and it gives you room. Tug it sharply, and the belt becomes rigid before moving another inch. Nothing el
A dead battery is annoying in any parking space. It becomes considerably more awkward when the car is nose-first inside a garage and the tow truck needs it in Neutral. The brake pedal feels normal.
Winter rubber mats are excellent at catching snow, salt and the gray slush that somehow finds its way into every corner of a car. The temptation is to place them directly over the carpet mats alrea
Nothing makes a normal morning more annoying than a garage door that suddenly decides it has boundaries. You hit the button, the door starts to move, then stops, blinks at you, reverses for no
Most people already know not to leave a child or a dog in a hot car. That part is obvious. What catches people off guard is everything else. Because once summer really kicks in, a parked car st
There is a special kind of regret that comes from leaving a car in the sun. It usually starts with confidence. “I’ll only be five minutes.” Fifteen minutes later, th
Most parents probably assume car seats are already tested for everything that matters. That would be nice. But apparently, that has not fully been the case. A big federal update is finally c