Car maintenance is no longer reserved for men only. Female drivers are skilled enough to be able to handle some DIY repairs themselves.
Doing the easy car repairs yourself will save you lots of money and time. Making sure your car is well maintained is also important if you want to avoid some more serious damages.
Even if car maintenance seems complicated in the beginning, once you actually try it, it might even become something of a hobby, and most importantly, you will discover that it’s not that complicated at all.
What are Some Car Repairs you can Easily DIY
Maintaining a car can be costly, so it’s better if you learn to do on your own some repairs that are simply not worth visiting a mechanic and paying for. They won’t take you as much time at all, compared with travelling to the repair shop.
Read below to find out what are those repairs that you don’t really need help with and could easily do on your own in the blink of an eye.
Replace a Battery
Replacing a battery might seem like a more complicated task, but it’s really not that hard. To see if it needs changing, first, you need to test it using a simple battery tester.
If it’s started to wear down, it’s time to get a new one. You don’t really have to go to a mechanic to put it in place of the old one. You will need to get leather gloves, some safety goggles and a socket set.
Firstly disconnect the negative cables, remove the clamp, and after that disconnect the positive cables. Now you can unscrew the battery and safely remove it.
Change the Windscreen Wiper Blades
We often forget to check the condition of our windscreen wipers before the blades have become completely useless. Fortunately, changing them is a piece of cake, and it doesn’t need to happen very often too. Actually, twice a year should be enough, depending on the weather conditions which could wear down the rubber more quickly.
If you don’t want the wipers to start scratching your glass, check their condition regularly. If you notice that the rubber is starting to wear down, find the button that releases the blades through a clipping mechanism.
Simply put the new blades in place of the old ones and clip them, and you are ready to go. Make sure you buy the correct size for your wipers.
Fix Flat Tires
Fixing a flat tire doesn’t have to be something you need help with. In the past, you had to take the tire off in order to be able to fix it, but nowadays you can easily solve the problem while the tire is still on the car.
Before pumping the tire you need to find out where the leak is and somehow block the hole. It could be from a staple or a nail, or any other sharp object. There is a special tire repair mixture you can buy and effectively seal the hole for good.
To find out where the hole is, pump the tire and prepare a mixture of 20% dishwashing liquid and 80% water. Spray it on the tire and you will see the mixture bubbling up around the hole.
After you seal the whole you will be ready to inflate the tire enough to keep driving.
Change the Oil and Filter
Changing the oil and filter of your car is probably one of the easiest things everyone can do on their own. If you are a female driver, you should definitely know how to do that because you really don’t need anybody’s help to do it successfully.
It is important to change the oil every once in a while, depending on your vehicle type and model. Usually, it’s in about every three months, or between every 3000-5000 miles.
To drain the oil you should find the drain plug under your car, open it and let what is left flow out in a drain pan. After that close the plug and pour new oil through the opening near the engine.
Remember, you can take the leftover oil to get it recycled in an auto store. Now put on your work clothes and go!
Replace the Air Filter
Changing the air filter also classifies as one of the easiest repairs for a car.
To see if the engine air filter needs changing, unclip the retainers of the filter and take it out of the box. Take a light and hold it behind the filter to see how much light is passing through.
The filter should be allowing more than half the light to pass, and if it doesn’t, that means it’s time to change it. If it’s okay, you can safely put it back in the air filter box.
My name is Rebecca McCarthy and I am an American girl with British heritage residing in the beautiful city of Nashville, Tennessee. I have always had a keen interest in cars, particularly brand new ones that showcase the latest technology and design features. I am also passionate about travelling and experiencing new cultures, as well as enjoying hot summer days with friends and family.
