Tips & Tricks
If a car’s head restraint pushes your head forward, check the seat setup and the adjustment instructions for that model. Some restraints tilt as well as move vertically, and their reset mechanis
When a microfiber towel starts pushing water around, residue may be coating its fibers. Fabric softener, dryer sheets and detailing products can all interfere with absorption. A wash following the tow
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
The first minute is often the worst. You start the car, turn on the fan and get a brief gust that smells faintly sour or musty. By the time the cabin has cooled, the smell has faded enough to make you
Washing a car in winter can feel wonderfully pointless.The bodywork is clean for perhaps half a journey. Then a truck passes in the opposite direction, the windshield receives a cold brown showe
The charging session is complete. The battery has enough range, the dashboard looks satisfied and everyone is ready to leave.The plug, unfortunately, has made other plans.Pressing its rele
A seat belt can work perfectly all week, then refuse to move on the one morning when the car happens to be parked nose-down on a steep driveway.Pull gently and nothing happens. Give it a firmer tu
Wash a car in the evening and look through its wheels the next morning. The brake rotors may have turned bright orange.The change can happen quickly enough to feel impossible. The discs looked cle
Opening a car’s hood is oddly ceremonial.First comes the lever beneath the dashboard, usually hidden low enough to require an undignified search around the driver’s footwell. The hood
The car has been washed, rinsed, and dried. From a few steps away, the paint looks spotless. Run a hand across the hood, however, and the surface tells a different story. Instead of feeling slick, it
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
Red goes to positive. Black goes to negative. It is the sort of rule that feels too simple to forget. It is also incomplete.When jump-starting many modern cars, the final black clamp is not suppos
The key fob worked perfectly that morning. A few hours later, it has apparently decided that opening the car is no longer part of its job. The unlock button does nothing. The door handle ignores
It may be the most famous sentence ever permanently printed on a car. “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” The wording has turned up in films, songs and countless jokes, but it
The sticker inside the driver’s door says 35 PSI. After an hour on the highway, the dashboard says 39. Four extra pounds of pressure sounds like a problem. The tires were set correctly that morn
The pump stops at $47.83. It is not a particularly satisfying number. Another quick squeeze would make it $48. A couple more might bring it to a nice, tidy $50. The nozzle clicks again, a few drops di
The car is parked out front, freshly washed and looking suspiciously pleased with itself. The seller hands over the key, mentions that it “runs beautifully,” and points out that the engine
A used car with gleaming paint, freshly shampooed carpets, and half a dozen pine-scented air fresheners may look beautifully prepared for sale. Or it may be trying much too hard.Flood-damaged
Park on a slope, move the shifter to P, take a foot off the brake, and most automatic cars will perform a small, familiar shuffle. The body rolls a fraction of an inch, stops with a muted clunk, then
At the tire shop, the choice seems too obvious to question. The front tires on a front-wheel-drive car handle the steering, put the power down, and do most of the braking. They usually wear out first.
