Topping up the washer tank ought to be one of the least complicated jobs a car can demand. Open the bonnet, find the right cap, pour. There is no good reason for it to become an ongoing conversation w
Being unable to put fuel into an almost-empty car is a peculiarly annoying problem. There is diesel in the pump, space in the tank and apparently no reason the two should have trouble meeting. Yet the
The cloth catches halfway across the dashboard. Instead of lifting the dust, it leaves a few fibers behind, and a fingertip pressed against the surface comes away with the unpleasant impression that s
An engine splash shield can make a ridiculous amount of noise for a piece of plastic. One corner slips out of its clips, drops a few inches, and begins scraping the road. You hear it over the radio. Y
You unbuckle, open the door and feel the seat belt brush against your leg. It should have disappeared toward the pillar, but half of it is still hanging beside the seat. Give it a little help and it w
Tire valve caps have a talent for disappearing. One drops beside the air pump, another vanishes during a tire change, and the next set you find online looks far nicer than the little plastic ones the
A flower vase seems like an unlikely thing to find beside a car’s speedometer. It cannot tell you whether the engine is overheating, help you find your way home or hold a takeaway coffee. Yet a
A stubborn wheel nut invites a familiar response: a longer wrench, a firmer pull and perhaps a few unkind words. On certain older Chryslers, that approach can end with a snapped stud. The nut was neve
Long before carmakers filled dashboards with screens, an important piece of engine information was displayed outside the windshield. Early automobiles often carried their radiator filler caps at
A remarkably low odometer reading has a way of making every other detail fade into the background. The paint may be dull, the tires may look suspiciously old and the service book may contain a de