How to check your car’s shocks for wear
Wondering what shock absorbers you need for your car? Are they expensive? Can shock absorbers leak? Haynes has all the answers.
Car maintenance Tips and Tutorials Archive
You are here
Caring for your car’s driveshaft gaiters
Your driveshaft gaiters stop dirt and other mess getting into your driveshafts, but they can and do fail. So how do you check if they’re in rude health?
How to use car ramps safely
They’ve been around almost as long as the car itself, but one question still surrounds them: are car ramps safe? Allow Haynes to give you the lowdown.
When is your car battery too old?
When is your battery too old? How do you know? When should you change it? Read on and let Haynes take all of the guesswork out of battery health.
What is your car’s ignition system?
Your car’s ignition system produces the sparks used to ignite the air/fuel mixture in a petrol engine (diesel engines don’t have an ignition system). Here’s how it works.
Jacking up your car: 5 key things you always need to do
Jacking a car up is such a trivial thing, but it’s shocking how many people get it wrong. And that’s a remarkable thing, because you’d like to think that most people would rather not have a car land on top of them.
...
5 signs your air filter needs to be replaced
The key part in your car’s respiratory system is the air filter. Without it, air and whatever detritus may be floating in it would be allowed deep into your engine. The air filter stops them, making sure your cylinders only gulp down the good stuff. But how do you know if your air filter is having...
Why you should keep your old car going
In his first blog post for Haynes, Chris Pollitt explains why you should ignore the scrappage schemes and take care of your older cars... because it might just be better for the environment as well.
How to care for a car you only drive a few times a year
Life is busy, so if like us you enjoy owning more cars than is entirely advisable, you might find that you struggle to find the time to drive them all. Failing that, you might be lucky enough to own something so rare that you can only really take it out on those rare days when the conditions are...
Checking your car's fluid levels: how long they should last and what it will cost you
To check the fluid levels on your car you seldom need anything more than your eyes, and a lint-free cloth, or sheet of kitchen roll (to wipe the oil dipstick before taking a measurement).
...