It’s no secret that having a car can be expensive. And even though you can control most of the variables when it comes to how much you’ll spend, repairs can still add up. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make sure your car doesn’t break down while you’re on the go. After all, what you wear and how you drive are two of the most important decisions you make while driving. So, when your car is broken, it’s important to know what to do. But, do you know how to do it? Do you have the right tools? Or, are you just plain scared? auto insurance quotes in Brooklyn, NY While all of these things are important, the first step is knowing what to do if your car breaks down.
what to do if brakes fail in automatic car?
Usually, the brake system is one of the first things to go wrong with a car. If you have this problem, you can either get it fixed or buy a new vehicle. The good news is, that there are many options for fixing your brakes and getting them working again. This article will briefly explain what to do if your brakes fail in an automatic car and give you some tips on how to fix them yourself.
What to do if your car breaks down?
- Call a tow truck or get the car towed.
- Remove all of your personal items from the car (such as your wallet, phones, etc).
- Make sure all of your valuables are stored safely in your vehicle (such as your purse/wallet) and that you have a copy of this information with you. If possible, take a picture of the license plate and make note of any other information that may help in case the car is stolen.
- If you have an auto insurance policy, call the insurance company to report an accident or claim damage to your vehicle. It is important to keep this receipt safe so that you can file a claim if necessary at a later date. The more detailed information you can give on what happened and where it occurred will help them determine the extent of any repairs needed on the vehicle or if they will pay for any damages or lost items left in the vehicle during the incident. You can also request that they send a tow truck to pick up the vehicle.
- If you don’t have an auto insurance policy, the first thing that you should do is call the police to report the accident and file a police report. You will also need to notify your insurance company immediately. Once both of these are taken care of, call your car insurance provider and let them know what happened so that they can cancel your policy if necessary and put you on a new one with another company.
- If you have the opportunity, call a friend or family member to come and pick you up, or if you’re on your own, walk to a gas station and fill up your tank.
- If you need to wait for the tow truck, try to find an open space where you can park and not block traffic. You can also try calling a ride share service such as Uber or Lyft to get a ride home or take some time to relax at home until the tow truck arrives.
- Try not to stress while waiting for help to arrive; it’s a good idea to turn on some music and take in some fresh air while trying not to worry about what will happen next. When the tow truck arrives, make sure that they know where everything belongs so that they can remove it from your car safely. The best thing that you can do is provide them with all of the important details about what happened so that they can be sure to take care of your car.
How To Check Your Tire Pressure?
- In order to check your tire pressure, you have to find the air pressure gauge. Most cars have a gauge that sits on the dashboard. If not, it’s easy to find one in most auto parts stores.
- The first thing you’ll need is a tire pressure gauge, which can be found at any auto parts store like AutoZone or O’Reilly’s.
- Next, you’ll need some air…either from a compressor or a can of compressed air that comes with its own nozzle that you can use on the tire valve stem (the hole in the tire). Using anything other than your car’s compressor will result in under-inflating your tires and could cause them to fail when driving on them later down the road. So make sure if you’re going to use an air hose that it’s compatible with your car and has been tested for safe use by automobile manufacturers.
- Air the tire up until you get a couple of “thumps” from the compressor. Then, immediately check the tire pressure gauge for your desired level of pressure. If it’s too low, add air to your tires until you get to your desired level.
- If it’s too high, then you’ll want to deflate your tires and add air until they’re at a safe level.
How To Check Your Brake Fluid?
- Park your vehicle in a safe place.
- Make sure your parking brake is set and engaged.
- Check the level of fluid in the master cylinder reservoir, and add fluid if necessary to keep it full.
- Check the level of fluid in the brake lines and add fluid if necessary to keep them full.
- Move your foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal, stopping as soon as you feel resistance from both pedals at once, then release it and check again for resistance at both pedals once more.
- Repeat this process for all four wheels as necessary to ensure that no one wheel is taking more effort than another, or that there is any sign of leaking or low levels of fluid in any of them (in which case you may have a leak somewhere else). If you have a manual transmission, pull out on the clutch lever while braking by using light pressure on each side until you reach maximum braking force (which should be light) then push the clutch back in to stop and check again.
How To Change Your Oil?
- Park on a flat, level surface.
- Turn off the engine and open the hood.
- Remove the oil filler cap and drain the old oil into a container.
- Place a container under the drain plug to catch the old oil. You can use a plastic jug or a large glass jar with a lid for this task. Make sure that you have an extra container on hand in case you spill any of your oil during its removal from your engine.
- Pour new oil into your vehicle’s engine sump until it’s about half full, then replace the drain plug and tighten it securely with an appropriate wrench or socket and ratchet. If you don’t have one, use an 8mm socket wrench to loosen the drain plug before you put in new oil, then tighten it when you’re done pouring in new oil; this will prevent leaks later on in case there is any leftover or improper amount of oil remaining in the engine.
- Check the level of your oil again to make sure it’s full. If there is any leftover, add it back in with a new oil filter and use your hand to spin the engine to distribute the oil throughout the system.
- Return the drain plug to its original position and tighten it snugly with an appropriate wrench or socket and ratchet.
- Place a container under your drain plug, then remove it when you’re finished draining your old oil.
What To Do If Your Tire Is Flat?
- Find a safe place to park your car.
- Check your tire pressure.
- If you have a spare tire, put it on and inflate it to the recommended air pressure.
- If you do not have a spare tire, put the car in neutral and turn off the engine and lights to prevent further damage or injury.
Conclusion
If your car breaks down, you need to know these simple tips to help you get back on the road as quickly as possible. If you can’t fix your car on your own, you’ll need to call a tow truck or a mechanic. In addition, make sure you have the right tools to check your tire pressure, check your brake fluid, and change your oil.