Should I Service My Own Car?

One of the things that you should always factor into your budget when you buy a new car is the maintenance of that vehicle. It would be nice to think that cars never run into trouble, but this notion would be far removed from reality.

A number of people wonder if they can save a few dollars on their car maintenance by doing their own car repairs. The answer to this question is yes and no. Some things can be done by a handyperson with a good set of tools and some video tutorials on YouTube – ahh, bless the internet!

However, some other things require an expert because not only do you need specialty equipment, but if you fudge something, you run the risk of causing more damage.

So which repair jobs can you tackle yourself? Let’s take a look.

• Oil changes: Just make sure that you drain the oil out of the right compartment if you have an automatic transmission so you don’t leave the gear system without lubrication. Get this wrong and you wreck the engine. Also remember to put the plug back in the drain hole BEFORE you pour new oil in. Many a humble DIY’ers have missed that one!
• Air filter change: Another fairly simple task that every driver can learn how to do. A quick fix too!
• Replacing light bulbs: You probably shouldn’t do this with more modern LED units, but old-style lamps can be replaced with ease.
• Replacing your windscreen wipers: wax on, wax off! You don’t need a mechanic for this one, easy peasy.
• Changing the fuel filter: Another comparatively simple task.
• Changing the spark plugs: a little more complicated that some of the other tasks above, but as long as you have the tools for the job, this one can be done on a weekend arvo!
• Replacing the drive belt: This one is probably as complex a task as the novice might want to tackle, and you need to make sure you remember which way the belt is configured. Photos help, and you will likely need to remove a few bits to get access, so this isn’t one for those with limited tools in the garage.

What about the things that you shouldn’t touch? You should never attempt the following unless you REALLY know what you’re doing:

• Anything to do with the electronics or computer componentry. If it involves wires or circuit boards, leave it alone. You never know what can go wrong.
• If you don’t have the right tools for the job, don’t improvise. Borrow the tool from a mate, buy yourself one (although this could end up getting expensive) or bite the bullet and take the car down to the mechanics and grit your teeth for the repair bill.
• Anything you don’t have the right spare parts for. Even if you have some doubts around whether a replacement part is the appropriate part, err on the side of caution.
• Unless you’re very well-versed in all things cars and mechanical, don’t tinker around with the brakes, nor too much with the cooling system, or deep down in the engine bay.

Filled For Life? The Truth About Automatic Transmissions

“Oh, you don’t have to change the automatic transmission fluid,” he said.  “It’s filled for its lifetime.” He was a university professor (in the field of biomechanics) so I assumed he knew what he was talking about.  However, things didn’t go so smoothly when his automatic transmission tried to change gears later.  Turns out that biomechanics experts aren’t actual mechanics!

The idea of having a fluid in your car that doesn’t ever need to be replaced or topped up sounds great. We should be topping up everything else on a regular basis, from the radiator to the window washing fluid to the oil. Not having to do this for the transmission fluids sounds almost too good to be true.

And you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true…

The trap that a lot of us can easily fall into is the whole idea of the “lifetime” automatic transmission fluid.  What does a lifetime actually mean?  Does it mean forever until the end of the universe (short answer: no)? Does it mean for the rest of your lifetime?  The car’s lifetime? Or something else?

It turns out that the lifetime in question is the planned lifetime of the car. This is not the same as the actual lifetime of the car.  Car manufacturers, who are always coming out with nice new models want you to buy those nice new models. No harm in that and if you want a new car, why shouldn’t you get one? However, some manufacturers have a sneaky way to push you into buying a new car possibly sooner than you want to, known as “built-in obsolescence”. This means that the car manufacturers expect that a vehicle will wear out – and need to be replaced – at some point.  You can get an idea of what the expected lifetime of a car is by looking at the warranty, which is either going to be the age of the car or the mileage. After the car has clocked up that many kms or that many years, you and the manufacturer can expect things to start showing a few signs of wear.

Don’t blame the car manufacturers too much for this. There is nothing that can be done about the law of entropy, and it’s in the nature of things to break down and wear out over time.  You can see evidence of this fact when you look in the mirror (and the biochemist could tell you more about that in great detail). I know my face doesn’t look as smart and new as it did 15 or so years ago.

However, some of us like our cars and we’re rather fond of them. We don’t want to move on something as comfortable and familiar as an old friend. We would like to keep them for longer, thank you. There are those of us who are into classic cars, and there are those who, despite some of the great offers out there, are more likely to get a second-hand car that has passed the threshold of the magical number in the warranty. What happens then?

The fact is that you’re going to have to do something about the fluids in your automatic transmission. That fluid gets old and deteriorates over time, and when it does, then it won’t work as well as it used to… and neither will your automatic transmission. To keep the gears changing the way they should, then it’s time to do something about the fluid.

I don’t want to hear that line again about not changing the automatic transmission fluid because it’s got a lifetime guarantee. Remember those cheap watches that had a “lifetime guarantee”? That “guarantee” that meant that the watch wouldn’t break until it came to the end of its life, and you knew when it came to the end of its life because it would break, i.e., it was guaranteed not to break until it broke.  The same thing applies here. The lifetime is the lifetime of the fluid, so it won’t need to be replaced until it comes to the end of its lifetime – which is shorter than the lifetime of the car, to say nothing of yours.

So what comes next? To flush or not to flush the automatic transmission, that is the question.

There’s a bit of debate about whether one should flush an automatic transmission, or whether it’s better to simply change the fluids. If you’re new to the world of motoring – which we all are at some point – then let’s start by describing the difference between them.

• Changing the fluids means that the old fluids are simply drained out without the help of any special equipment, new fluids are put in, then the filter is replaced and there you go. You can do this yourself. Some of the old fluid will still be left inside the system and will mix with the new fluid.
• Flushing the automatic transmission involves the use of a pump that will ensure that every single bit of the old fluid, along with any junk and debris that’s got caught in it, gets removed from the system and completely new fluids will be added.

You can get a rough idea of this by picturing a bottle of hand sanitiser or similar goop. Changing the fluids is like squeezing or pouring out the contents and putting fresh stuff in (try it; you’ll see bits of the old stuff stuck on the sides). A full flush is like giving it a full scrub out under the tap before putting new stuff in.

Some say that you should only change the fluid, as the forces involved in flushing can move that inevitable debris from the corners and get it into the working parts, which can damage the transmission. This argument has some weight to it, and the risk is real. However, a mechanic who knows what she/he is doing will have the right equipment and will be able to do it properly. Because this can be a bit pricey and it’s something of a deep clean for your car’s transmission, it shouldn’t be done that often. Have a look at the fluid in question. If its still a nice translucent scarlet, a flush isn’t needed. If it’s thick and black, then it’s flushing time.

Merely changing the fluids can be done more frequently – about every 2 years or thereabouts for your average driver. It will need to be done more often (as will a full flush) if you put your automatic gearbox through a workout on a regular basis – lots of towing or lots of very short trips being the main ways to stress the auto gearbox.

How often should you change the fluids in your automatic transmission or get it flushed?  The answer will vary. However, one thing’s for certain: the gearbox is not filled for life and when it comes to automotive maintenance, listen to the person in the blue overalls with black smears, not the person in a white lab coat.

Essential Car Maintenance for Summer Driving

With summer upon us, it’s a perfect time to look at some basics of car care. Of course, you can take your car to a service centre or mechanic, but you also have the option to do some things at home.

The logical starting points are the tyres and the engine. Let’s take a look at these two areas.

Tyre Maintenance

A crucial point is tyre pressure. Why? Having an under or overinflated tyre causes excessive tread wear, can cause sidewall damage, limits the size of contact on the road, and can affect the performance of your braking system.

The sidewall of the tyre will have the maximum pressure recommended for the tyres on your car.

The tyres themselves will be a certain size in diameter, width, and sidewall height. Again, you will also find this information on the sidewall. This is important as certain sized tyres should be fitted to your car and therefore, the pressure for them will vary.

Somewhere inside your car should be a placard with the right tyre pressures for your particular tyres and car.

Engine Maintenance

The most common thing to take care of as far as engine maintenance is changing the oil.  Fresh oil lessens interior engine wear nd will help in fuel consumption.

Keep in mind, however, safety is paramount, so pick up some good thick gloves and eye protection if you’re doing this at home.

Start with a good drive to warm up the current oil, which will make it easier to drain. Then jack up the car, loosen the sump plug, and slide in an appropriate holder. Carefully remove the plug. Remember the oil will be hot.

Using an oil filter remover, swap the old filter for a new one once the oil has finished draining.

Wait for the engine to cool and after reinserting the sump plug, pour fresh oil into the top of the engine. Refer to the car manual for information on the appropriate engine oil.

Other Maintenance Tasks

Another task you may wish to tackle is changing the spark plugs. Providing you set the gap at the end of the plug correctly, these will aid fuel efficiency by burning the fuel more effectively, reducing emissions, and improving driveability. Check what types of spark plugs your car needs before making any changes.

Next up, your air-conditioning system may need a regas. This is one task you should take to a licensed service centre where they can check for leaks from potentially corroded connections or cracked pipes.

Then there’s windscreen wipers. Being rubber, they suffer from UV exposure, and if not cleaned regularly, can trap and scratch windscreens from embedded particles. While you’re at it, check the level of wiper fluid, and if it needs topping up, head to your local auto retailer.

Last but not least, the radiator is important. Radiator fluid may fail to be efficient over time. Check your car manual to see how much, and what type of radiator fluid your car needs. Depending on the car you have, there will be a drain plug at the base of the radiator. Only drain the radiator when it is completely cold. Once drained, flush the system with water and follow the directions in regards to refilling.

Roadside Assistance

There are a whole bunch of awesome businesses ready and waiting to come to our aid when we experience a breakdown while on our way from A to B.  As we draw closer to the holiday season, having the backup of a roadside assistance team in our travel plans is a jolly good idea.  According to some of the latest stats from Australia’s NRMA (National Roads and Motorists’ Association Limited), even a brand-spanking new car can still have a breakdown.

A few years ago, I was doing a lot of travelling between office sites and, in the space of 6–12 months, I had had a spate of three-or-so callouts.  Two were for the alternators giving out, and I forget what the other was for – possibly a dud battery.  I also remember a time when I was barely out of my teens, that I had locked the keys in the car, and a very skilful bloke came and unlocked the car within seconds.

The NRMA is one of those roadside assistance teams that are ready to come to the rescue.  New cars are great when they work fine, and most do for most of the time.  NRMA recently stated that car technology is improving, and now there’s even cars that drive themselves, but still these cars have the potential to break down. Over the last year, the number of call outs that the NRMA have had for new cars aged between 0–3 years old has risen by 43% compared to the previous year.  Over the entire year there were 103,262 new cars in Australia that needed the NRMA breakdown assistance service.

In a 2017 NRMA survey, cars that were between 11–20 years old had the highest number of breakdowns, followed closely by cars aged 4–10 years old.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, the car’s batteries were at the heart of most of those breakdowns.  During that year, 25% of the callouts were for dud batteries.

Across the ditch in NZ, the AA found out that, in relatively recent years, their number one callout for road assistance was also for a flat or faulty battery.  Batteries can go flat for various reasons but most commonly they are faulty because the car has been unused for a while, or only used for short journeys.  Also, there may be a faulty component in the battery system or the car’s charging system (maybe the alternator has worn out).

The NRMA also came to the rescue of plenty of people who had locked themselves out of the car (5%).  It’s easier to lock your keys in the car than you think!  Number two for AA was for lost keys!

The third most common reason for AA to be called out was for damaged tyres and wheels.  The cause of a damaged or flat tyre is most often due to hitting a sharp object, but other reasons include the tyre’s valve failing, the tyre’s hitting a kerb or a deep pothole at speed, or even just old age.

AA found that AdBlue was the next main reason for their callouts.  Most modern diesel vehicles use a Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) method for lowering harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from exiting the exhaust system.  AdBlue (also called urea or Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)) is an additive that helps with this process, and it requires to be kept topped up for the car to work properly.  The modern diesel engine won’t start if it runs out of this stuff, so it’s important to keep it topped up.

Number five for AA callouts was for the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).  Again, the DPF is a part of the exhaust system on vehicles with a diesel engine.  The DPF traps fine particles of soot and burns them off into a less-harmful gas.  Generally, long hot running keeps this filter clear, but it may get blocked up if you do lots of short journeys.  The car won’t run properly, and a warning light comes up on the screen if the DPF isn’t functioning as it should.

Engine oil issues accounted for AA’s next most common callout.  Having the wrong level of engine oil inside your car’s engine can damage it.  And that gets expensive!  Having too much oil can be just as risky as having too low a level of oil.  Make sure you do check your engine oil.  Even Toyota’s, as they start to cover moderate kms, can start to use a bit of oil between services.  Learn how to regularly check your engine oil using the dipstick.  Your vehicle’s handbook will give you a good guide for checking the level of oil in your engine, as well as a guide for adding the correct amount of oil for topping up your car’s engine.

Faults with the car’s alternator was the next biggest issue.  If you experience persistent battery problems and dim headlights when your car’s engine is idling, you could have a fault with your alternator.  If your ignition warning light comes on and the engine temperature rises quickly, the belt that drives the alternator and the water pump may have broken.  If this happens, then stop right away and get help!  If you don’t, the engine will quickly overheat and self-destruct itself costing lots of money in repairs or even a total engine replacement.

Starter motors fail as they age.  Although starter motors are usually tough and robust, they do fail eventually.

The ninth most common issue that required AA was for problems with the car’s fuel system.  Never start your engine if you’ve accidentally put the wrong fuel type in your car (diesel instead of petrol or vice versa).  Also, fuel filters can get clogged up causing rough engine performance.  The fuel filters also require servicing and even replacement for many cars.  But then if you don’t have any fuel in the tank, then the car won’t go either!

Tenth most common reason for a callout was for the car overheating.  In this case, there could be problems with the engine or with the engine’s cooling system.  If there’s steam coming from your engine or the temperature warning light is on, just pull over and stop.  A hot engine is a recipe for costly damage.

In light of all these things, it is wise to have a roadside assistance team there to back you up at any time of the day or night, whether it is the holiday period or just an everyday commute.  NRMA, RAC, and 24/7 Roadservices Australia are three roadside assistance teams that offer us a great service.  Of course, there are others as well.

Here are some quick tips if you have a breakdown while out on the road:

• Turn on your hazard lights as soon as you sense something’s wrong.
• Slow down and pull off to the side of the road.
• Stop in a safe place and put the parking brake on.
• Once you are safe, call your roadside assistance team.