4 basic skills car users should know

A flat tire, a dead battery, or a dead key that prevents you from opening the car door… are problems that many car users encounter in their daily use of their cars. When encountering these situations, many car users are worried and confused about how to handle them. Some users, especially female drivers, often call a tow truck for assistance. However, this solution often takes a lot of time and money.

Therefore, car users need to equip themselves with some basic skills to be able to handle some simple problems such as flat tires, low battery or not being able to open the door due to dead key battery. Below are 4 basic skills that car users should know when using a car:

Change car tires

Changing a tire is one of the most basic skills that drivers and car owners need to know when using a car. In cases of force majeure such as a flat tire, a flat tire, and an empty road, with no repair shop or warranty center nearby, the skill of changing a tire yourself will be extremely useful.

Changing a car tire may seem complicated, but it is actually quite simple. First, when you discover that the tire pressure has dropped, you should find a safe place to park. Then, take the tire changing tool kit, which is usually located under the luggage compartment floor or under the passenger seat cushion. Use a jack to lift the car near the area where the tire needs to be replaced. Lift the wheel 7-10cm from the ground so that it can be removed. Then continue to loosen the screws until the wheel is removed from the axle. Remove the spare tire, which is usually placed in the luggage compartment or hung under the car, to replace the damaged tire, then tighten the screws in a symmetrical order. Finally, lower the hydraulic jack and tighten the screws.

Jump start or replace battery

In addition to changing tires, jumping the battery or changing the battery when the car runs out of power is also a skill that car users should know. The car cannot start due to a dead battery is a phenomenon that many car users encounter due to forgetting to turn off the lights or leaving the car unused for a long time... When encountering this situation, you should use a battery jumper or a charging cable... to help overcome the phenomenon of the car not starting due to a dead battery.

For the most convenience, it is recommended to equip a battery booster instead of a jumper cable. Currently, these devices are designed with different sizes, designs, capacities and prices. Depending on your budget, car owners can easily order them on e-commerce sites. Just plug the wire into the charger, then use a red clamp on the connecting wire to clamp the positive pole of the car's battery. The black clamp on the connecting wire is attached to the negative pole on the battery or an unpainted metal piece on the car. On mini jumper devices, there are usually 2 green and red indicator lights. When the wire ends are connected correctly to the corresponding poles on the car's battery, the green light will turn on. Activate the jumper and wait about 1 minute before starting the engine. After the engine starts successfully, remove the jumper cable.

Replace smart key battery

These types of keys are usually equipped with batteries to operate. Therefore, after a period of use (about 1 - 2 years), the battery attached to the key will gradually run out, causing the key to show signs of flickering, difficulty receiving signals, or running out of battery, unable to start the vehicle as usual.

With a smart key out of battery, drivers should replace the battery soon for ease of use. Batteries used for car smart keys are usually flat, round batteries sold at car dealerships or spare parts and accessories stores. Some car manufacturers often recommend that car users replace the smart key battery after about 2-3 years of use. However, depending on weather conditions, frequency of vehicle use, etc., drivers should replace the battery when they notice that the smart key is showing signs of flickering, difficulty receiving signals, or the battery is damaged.

Check and replace wipers

The windshield wiper system helps ensure visibility while driving, but in reality, many new car users still do not pay proper attention and do not know how to fix problems with this system.

If you find that the wiper blades are too worn, the rubber surface is hardened or cracked, you should replace them with new ones. Currently, there are many types of wipers sold on the market with different prices and qualities. Car users should pay attention to choosing genuine wipers or wipers from major brands to ensure quality. In addition, after replacing the wipers, you should use glass cleaning solution and a soft cloth to wipe off any remaining dirt on the glass surface.

Manufacturers often recommend that car users should replace the wiper blades after 12 - 18 months of use. However, with the hot and humid weather in Vietnam, the wiper blades are very susceptible to rust, and the rubber surface of the wiper blades is easily deformed and eroded. When checking the wiper blades, if you notice signs such as the wiper blades leaving water streaks on the windshield; the wiper blades making noises, bumping sounds when operating or wiping but still cannot see clearly... you should buy new wipers to replace them. The way to replace the wiper blades is quite simple and all car owners can do it. First, stand the wiper blades upright. Then open the wiper lock to remove the old wiper blades from the pin. Finally, install the new wiper blades in the correct position.