Safety Tips All Car Owners Should Know

Park on a level surface to reduce the chance of the car rolling. If you intend to run the car for a recipe, park the car outside or make sure the car's tailpipe is vented outdoors to avoid poisonous, deadly, nonsmelling fumes. Also, check the condition of your car's exhaust pipes to eliminate the possibility of a leaking hole somewhere.

Double-check that the car is in "Park" for an automatic, or first or reverse gear for a standard (manual).

Set the parking (emergency) brake. This applies the rear brakes as an added precautionary measure to reduce the possibility of rolling. "Chock" the wheels. This means to block the wheels with purchased chocks. Block at least three wheels. Again, this is to reduce the possibility of rolling.

Remove the key from the ignition, especially with children around. This eradicates the possibility of the car being mistakenly turned on. Later on, as you diagnose sensor problems, key removal insures that the key is completely off. Otherwise, an unintentional "on" key can ruin both the sensor and the car's computer.

Watch out for hot parts! If the engine has been running, there are lots of hot stovetop burners underneath the hood. Give the car plenty of time to cool down before rummaging around. Underneath the car, exhaust parts get even hotter-be extremely cautious. Again, waiting awhile after driving is the best bet.

Stay clear of the fan. This is near the front end of the car just behind the radiator. It looks like a window box fan, can come on any time (even with the car off), and it has the capacity to do serious injury. Keep your fingers, loose hair/clothing, and tools away at all times. Disconnecting the battery is the safest bet because this actually unplugs the fan from the wall socket or electrical supply, which in this case is the battery.

Also keep clear of the belt, which runs continuously when the car runs. Most front-wheel drive vehicles have the belt near the right front tire. Rear-wheel drive cars have a belt just behind that window box fan. If you are not sure whether your car is front-wheel or геаr-wheel drive, a basic rule of thumb is that newer cars are generally frontwheel drive; most trucks, some sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and most older cars are rear-wheel drive. Anyway, keep yourself, your clothing, and tools away, since it is perhaps as dangerous as those old wringing clothes dryers from the 1930s. When working near the belt, disconnect the battery for the best in safety.

Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. This disconnects power to everything. Nothing can run, and you are completely safe from the belt, ran, etc.

Be aware of fire hazards. Just about every car fluid poses a possible fire hazard. You can reduce fire risk by keeping fluids tightly capped in their bottles; promptly cleaning up any spills; working in a well-ventilated area to avoid fumes building up; and not smoking or using regular light bulbs. Regular light bulbs get hot enough to ignite fuel, oil, and battery fumes. Use a flashlight or purchase a special, non-heat-producing lamp (a fluorescent one) from an auto parts store. The biggest danger comes from fuel, which evaporates readily in open air and settles as invisible fumes just above the floor. Anything will ignite this, including heat from a hot engine, hot exhaust system, or even a hot lightbulb. Again, do not smoke and use a well-ventilated area. Keep a fire emergency number handy by the phone just in case.

Want to find out more about selling car, then visit car forums

Tags: Automotive

Related posts

• Window Tinting Can Protect You And Your Vehicle (1)
• Will Hybrid Cars Dominate The UK Car Market In 2010? (0)
• Why You Should Take Out Gap Insurance On a New Car (8)
• Why Purchase A Compact Track Loader (0)
• Why Isn’t There A Hybrid Pickup? (1)