Auto Maintenance & Repairs — auto repair & maintenance help for car owners & mechanics « Auto Maintenance & Repairs

How To: Identify a Jeep rear axle in order to replace it

RichPin shows how to identify a rear axle on a Jeep Grand Cherokee to determine the correct replacement part. The first thing to do is to identify the axle by cleaning the fill plug on the back cover. Look at the inscription of the plug to find out the style of the rear end. In this example, Rich has a "Dana" style rear end. To determine if it is a 35 or 44 Dana, look at the web area to the right of the plug to locate the number. The two steps outlined in this video allow you to identify the ...

How To: Unlock a Car Door Using a Cell Phone and a Faraway Keyless Remote (Faux-To?)

What if you forgot your car keys and that keyless entry remote banded to them, how are you going to get in your car? Well, if you haven't forgotten your cell phone, too, you can call up someone who has access to that keyless remote, so you can unlock your car or truck via the wireless mobile phone! What?!?

How to Fix Car Dents: 8 Easy Ways to Remove Dents Yourself Without Ruining the Paint

Only three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and getting a dent in your car or truck. Even if you're as careful as possible, you can't always account for runaway shopping carts, wrongly thrown footballs, out-of-nowhere light posts, and other real-life annoyances.

How To: Replace a Saturn S-Series engine coolant temp sensor

One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...

How To: Replace the water pump and timing belt on a Ford Escort automobile

This guide to replacing the timing belt and water pump on a Ford Escort is for a 95 Escort, but it will likely help with several different types of vehicles. Watch as both the timing belt and the water pump are removed carefully from the car and then replaced with new parts.

How To: Use Lysol to Clean Bacteria Out of Your Car's Air Conditioning System

Air conditioning systems are cold and wet and make great breeding grounds for bacteria and mold, and adding a nasty odor to the air coming out of the vents.

How To: Replace a Headlight Switch for a 1998-2003 Dodge Durango.

If your headlights are not working when you pull the switch or if your turn signals are the only things working, Then your headlight switch might be broken. This is often due to loose connections or wear and tear on the part itself. The first thing I would highly recommend before starting this project is to make sure that your connections at the headlights are tight. You can test this by simply putting a piece of foil in the connector or by bending the prongs slightly. Also check to see if yo...

How To: Replace the rear cargo door roller track on an LLV postal truck

The rear door track is a must-have for postal workers on their LLV postal trucks. If they can't open the back cargo door, how would they get us our mail? So, when dealing with a broken cargo door track, this video will help you replace the roller track, which is actually quite easy. The United States Postal Service (USPS) uses these "Long Life Vehicles" for almost all mail deliveries! If you have another problem, check out the other LLV videos.

How To: Open Your Car Door Without a Key: 6 Easy Ways to Get in When Locked Out

Locking your keys inside of your car is frustrating, to say the least, especially if you're in a hurry to get somewhere. You can always call AAA roadside assistance or a locksmith, but you'll probably have to fork over some money, as well as wait for them to get to you. You might even get towed.

How To: Hotwire a Nissan Patrol if you lose your keys

This tutorial is only for those who need it! Please don't be stupid and try to commit a crime. Anyway, in this tutorial you'll find out how to hotwire a Nissan Patrol in the likely event that you lose your keys. Messing with a cars wiring can be bad news if you don't have any idea of what you're doing, so be careful. Good luck and enjoy!

How To: Replace Headlight Bulb on Pontiac G6

Cars are quite different than they used to be. Sure, modern cars have some cool things, but repairing them are becoming difficult. Even simple things like changing a headlight bulb.

How To: Remove and install the front door panel on a 2002-08 Dodge Ram

Replace your front door panel yourself following these step by step instructions. You will learn how to remove and install a front door panel on any 2002-08 Dodge Ram truck. This simple procedure is the first step to a number of other repairs.

How To: Change the camshaft position sensor in your car

The camshaft position sensor in your car is a finicky machine that can cause a lot of unwarranted check engine lights. In this video veteran TV mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to replace a defective camshaft position sensor on nearly any car.

How To: Fix the E brake on a Chevy Tahoe if the rear back braking plate is replaced

The Chevy Tahoe isn't the most reliable vehicle, bless it's heart, and home maintenance skills are a must if you're going to enjoy owning one. If you're replaced the rear brake backing plates recently and noticed the E-brake not working after that, watch this video to learn whether you lost the pin under the adjuster pad and that's causing the problem.

How To: Replace a serpentine belt on a Chevrolet Aveo 1.6L

In this video, we learn how to replace a serpentine belt on a Chevrolet Aveo. Start off by turning the passengers side wheel to the right and raising your car so you can get underneath it. Now, remove the nuts and bolts that are underneath the belt so you can get to it. When you see the belt, remove it with tools and slide the belt off. Now replace the old belt with the new one and tighten the tension on the belt again. Make sure it's in all the grooves correctly, then reinstall all the parts...

How To: Operate a Car Jack

If you don't know how to raise a car off the ground by now, you don't know jack. You Will Need

How To: Replace the knock sensor in a Saturn S-Series car

One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...

How To: Replace the spark plugs in a Saturn S-Series car

One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...

How To: Repair the ABS & speed sensor in a Dodge Dakota truck

In this automotive repair video you will learn how to fix the ABS and speed sensor in a Dodge Dakota truck. Learn how to read diagnostic trouble code to evaluate trouble indicators and fix broken sensors. So if your speed sensor or ABS brake system are on the fritz in your Dodge Dakota truck, watch this video and learn how to check and fix them.

How To: Clean your AC drain if water is spilling into your car

This next tutorial is going to be showing you how to take care of a problem that is very common amongst drivers. If water has ever spilled on you from inside your car, it's probably from your HVAC. When you use your A/C, condensation builds up as well, and this usually goes down a drain. But if it gets clogged then you might have a problem.

How To: Replace the fuel filter in a Saturn S-Series car

One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...

How To: Stop Running Over Plastic Bags! And More Small Tips for Keeping Your Car Running Smoothly

Approximately 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year. That’s more than 1,200 bags per U.S. resident and more than 54 times the number of people who live on the planet. That's why here in Santa Monica, thanks to a city-wide plastic bag ban, you won't find a plastic bag at any of the major retail stores.

How To: Repair or replace a power window motor for a Chevy Venture or Pontiac Montana

This video focuses specifically on the Chevy Venture or Pontiac Montana models of vans. If your power window motor is going out, or isn't working anymore, this video shows you how to fix it (if possible) or replace it (if it isn't).

How To: Replace rear brake pads on a Ford Explorer

When replacing your brake pads on your Ford Explorer, you first need to jack up the vehicle and remove the tire. This will give you access to the brakes. Locate the caliper, remove the two bolts and slide the caliper off. Inside the calipers are the brake pads. Pry out the outside brake pad off first, then the inside pad. Then it's time to reverse the process!

How To: Unlock Your Car Door with a Shoelace in 10 Seconds

Have you locked yourself out of your car? Well, as long as you have a shoelace, you may be able to get back in.

How To: Replace the front disc brakes on a 2000-2005 Chevy Impala

Keep your car safe for road use by maintaining the brakes. The brakes are the cars most essential safety feature, so don't put off a repair if it's needed. Do it yourself, by watching this video and learning how to replace the front disc brakes on a 2000-05 Chevy Impala.

How To: Fix error codes P0340 & P0341 on a Saturn S-Series

IF you have a Saturn S-Series and it's thrown a P0340 or P0341 error code at your on the scanner after the check engine light has come on, you might be wondering how your cam position sensor can be off if you don't actually have one in your car. Watch this video to learn exactly what this code means to your car and some thoughts on how you might fix it. Three words: spark plug wires.

How To: Get Out Car Dents & Dings Without Damaging Your Paint Job

According to George Gjoka, a professional Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) technician, when you attempt to take a dent out of your car, you're probably doing it wrong.

How To: Fix a Huge Dent in Your Car at Home Without Ruining the Paint Job

There are two options when it comes to a dent in your car — live with it, cringing each time it enters your view, or get rid of it. While the latter is obviously the best option, most of us will probably just live with dents and dings since spare money is better spent on the actual functionality of the vehicle. However, there is a way to knock out automobile dents yourself with relatively little cash in the bank.

How To: Replace a thermostat on a GM 3.1L or 3.4L automobile

Replace the thermostat on your GM 3100 or 3400 vehicle with this nifty tutorial. The video shows you how to replace a thermostat on a 3.4L GM but it should also help you repair a 3.1L GM as well. Just a heads up - you'll need to replace an o-ring when you install the new thermostat as well.

How To: Replace a 2009 Ford Focus brake, backup, or tail light bulb

This tutorial shows you how to replace a rear light on a 2003 Ford Focus. Specifically, the video shows fixing the rear brake light, but this tutorial shows how to fix any rear light (including brake/tail, reverse, and turn signal lights). It is very simple and does not necessarily require any tools at all, though a pair of pliers comes in hand. Give me a break! Better yet, give me a working brake light on my 2003 Ford Focus! OK, if that's what you want, this video is going to show you how to...

How To: Replace and repair the rack and pinion on a Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner

The Mercury Mariner, Ford Escape, and Mazda Tribute are the exact same car with different skins, so what works on one works exactly the same on the others. Watch this video to learn how to replace the rack and pinion steering gears on any of these cars.

How To: Use a shortcut to quickly remove a heater core on a 2001 Ford Taurus

When working on the dashboard of any vehicle, make sure you disable the vehicle's airbag system first. Your service manual should tell you how to do that. In this video, the heater core is plugged up in a 2001 Ford Taurus, which means it needs to be taken out. The book states it will take 5 hours to complete, mostly because of the dash. But this trick will cut the time down to 1.5 hours. First, get you heater hoses off in the engine area. Then proceed to watch a mysterious bracket being cut o...

How To: Change the spark plugs on a 4.7L V8 Jeep engine

A spark plug is a device that fits into the cylinder head of an engine and ignites compressed fuel with an electrical spark. This video tutorial demonstrates how to change the spark plugs on a 4.7L V8 Jeep engine. When changing spark plugs, wait until the engine has cooled down to reduce the risk of thread damage, and use proper tools and safety precautions to insure a successful outcome.

How To: Replace the front crankshaft oil seal on a GM 3.1L V6

Richpin's Auto Care shows you how to replace the cam over seal on a GM 3.1L V6 engine. Once the vehicle is raised and is safely supported by jackstands, you'll be taken through the first step which involves removing the serpentine belt from the engine. After the belt is removed, the video shows you how to remove the splash shield in the wheel next to the engine, using the proper tool. Next you'll be removing the crank pulley using a pulley remover, allowing you to get access to remove the sea...

How To: Remove the ignition coil & module in a Saturn S-Series

One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...

How To: Wire a Trailer on a Nissan X-Trail 2005

Hi there, first I'm canadian and my SUV so. I'm a hobbyist doing his best, not a mechanic, I don't take charge of other people's installation issues. Anyway, I decided to buy a SUV some months ago, and it comes without the wiring harness for the trailer and the hitch. I made it myself. In this part, only the wiring will be presented. This is for 4 pins harness connector. In any doubt, you can do as I have done for some wires; use a multimeter. Everything on that car works on a 12VDC. Ground y...