Auto Repair for Dummies

• Perform routine repairs and maintenance
• Troubleshoot problems and handle roadside emergencies
• Save fuel and extend your car's life

Get the skills to maintain your car like a pro! Want to handle basic auto repairs yourself? This easy-to-follow guide gives you the nuts and bolts of diagnosing trouble and performing maintenance and repairs on your vehicle. You'll explore each system and keep everything running in tiptop shape, including how to change coolant and oil, repair leaks, and check breaks. Along with learning about rollover protection, you will also discover how to utilize stability control. Plus, you'll see how to go green on the road--from recycling oil to choosing alternatively fueled vehicles. Inside...

• An under-the-hood checklist
• Advice on using proper tools
• Techniques to extend car life
• Eco-friendly tips for saving fuel
• Illustrations to help with repairs
• Pros of alternative fuels
• Choose, check, and care for tires

Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting to Know Your Vehicle 9
CHAPTER 1: Things Every Driver Should Know 11
CHAPTER 2: Preventive Maintenance: A Monthly Under-the-Hood Check 31
CHAPTER 3: The Way to Your Car's Heart Is through Your Toolbox 49
CHAPTER 4: What Makes It Go? The Inner Secrets of Your Car Revealed! 69
Part 2: Powering Up with Air, Fuel, and Fire 83
CHAPTER 5: The Electrical System: Your Car's Spark of Life 85
CHAPTER 6: Keeping Your Electrical System in Tune 103
CHAPTER 7: The Traditional Fuel System: The Heart and Lungs of Your Car 129
CHAPTER 8: Keeping Your Fuel System in Tune 149
CHAPTER 9: Diesels For Dummies 165
CHAPTER 10: From Horses to Hybrids: Alternatively Powered Vehicles 185
Part 3: Staying Cool and In Control 197
CHAPTER 11: The Cooling System Up Close 199
CHAPTER 12: Keeping Your Car from Getting Heartburn 207
CHAPTER 13: Oil: Keeping Your Car Young and Happy 239
CHAPTER 14: It's the Brakes! 257
CHAPTER 15: Be a Buddy to Your Brakes and Bearings 271
Part 4: Smoothing the Ride: Steering and Suspension, Tires and Transmissions 299
CHAPTER 16: Steering and Suspension Systems Smooth the Way 301
CHAPTER 17: How to Keep Your Car from Getting Sore Feet: Tires, Alignment, and Balancing 317
CHAPTER 18: Take the Drive Train: Understanding and Maintaining Your Transmission without Losing Your Mind 343
Part 5: Staying Safe and Dealing with Emergencies 367
CHAPTER 19: Staying Safe on the Road 369
CHAPTER 20: Troubleshooting Leaks, Squeaks, Smells, and Strange Sensations 395
CHAPTER 21: What to Do If Your Car Drops Dead or Won't Start 407
CHAPTER 22: When All Else Fails: Finding and Dealing with a Good Mechanic 419
Part 6: Helping Your Vehicle Look Its Best 439
CHAPTER 23: Keeping Your Vehicle Clean and Beautiful 441
CHAPTER 24: Bodywork: Getting Rid of Dings, Dents, and Other Hard Knocks 463
Part 7: The Part of Tens 479
CHAPTER 25: The Ten Most Important Preventive Maintenance Measures 481
CHAPTER 26: Ten "Eco-Logical" Ways to Save Fuel 487
Appendix A: A Practical Glossary of Automotive Terms 495
Appendix B: Specifications and Maintenance Records 527
Index 535