I’m sure you’ve seen the countless jokes about women being stranded when they experience car problems. This doesn’t have to be you. Here are some fixes to the most common problems you’re likely to face.
Dead Battery
You get back to your car from the market or some hours of catching up with friends only to find that the car won’t start. Only to realise that you left your headlights on and drained the battery. Don’t panic, a jump pack should get your car started in a matter of minutes. Connect the positive lead to the appropriate terminal on the battery, connect the negative lead to an engine ground or the chassis (NOT the negative battery terminal), turn on the pack and start your car. Once used, put your jump pack on the included charger overnight to recharge it for next time.
Dents
To fix small dents on the car, you’ll need various sandpaper grits, a small can of autobody filler and cream paste and plastic applicators. Sand the dent down to bare metal with coarse grit sandpaper. Then feather the edges. Clean the dents with wax and grease remover. Mix the body filler and apply a very light skim coat to fill in the sandpaper scratches. Allow the filler to set up and then build up the repair with additional layers no more than 1/4-inch thick per application.
Ensure the previous layer is dry before adding another. Feather the final coat so it levels with the painted areas. Let it set then sand until smooth. Apply a cream filler to the entire area to fill in any holes. Let it cure and do a final sand. Finish off by painting the area with touch up paint.
Chipped Paint
Chips in car paint make it look unsightly. Not only that, but if you don’t cover paint chips they’ll rust leaving you with a much bigger problem. You can touch up small areas yourself instead of spending time and money at the mechanic’s. Buy touch up paint, fine tip paint applicators and wax and grease remover from any auto parts shop. Clean the chip with the wax and grease remover and let it dry. Then dip the applicator in the paint and dab it onto the chip. Apply small amounts of paint to prevent dripping. Let it dry completely and apply wax after 30 days.
Flat Tyre
There’s nothing as devastating as getting a flat tyre especially on a busy road. When this happens, keep calm and place the warning triangle at a distance to warn other motorists. Replace the flat tyre with the spare one in your car. An even easier solution is to use tyre sealant to temporarily repair the punctured tyre in a flash. Tyre sealant simultaneously covers up the puncture and inflates the tyre, allowing you to get the car safely to your mechanic for repair.
Burnt Headlight Bulb
Bulb replacement is quite easy to do especially if you have spare bulbs. To change headlights on most cars, open your bonnet/ hood and remove the rubber part that protects the headlight. Unplug the wire harness and release the clip that holds the bulb in place. Don’t touch the glass part of the new bulb with your finger, as the oil from your hand can cause it to burn out prematurely. Replace the bulb in reverse order.
