How To: Fix a Huge Dent in Your Car at Home Without Ruining the Paint Job
There are two options when it comes to a dent in your car — live with it, cringing each time it enters your view, or get rid of it. While the latter is obviously the best option, most of us will probably just live with dents and dings since spare money is better spent on the actual functionality of the vehicle. However, there is a way to knock out automobile dents yourself with relatively little cash in the bank.
How To: Repair Vehicle Dents Using a Hammer and Dolly
The hammer and dolly method is probably the easiest repair technique for dents, but it requires that you have access to both sides of the panel being repaired. However, newer cars have many areas that do not allow you to use the hammer and dolly method. There are two techniques when using hammer and dolly—hammer off dolly and hammer on dolly.
How To: Open Your Car Door Without a Key: 6 Easy Ways to Get in When Locked Out
Locking your keys inside of your car is frustrating, to say the least, especially if you're in a hurry to get somewhere. You can always call AAA roadside assistance or a locksmith, but you'll probably have to fork over some money, as well as wait for them to get to you. You might even get towed.
How to Fix Car Dents: 8 Easy Ways to Remove Dents Yourself Without Ruining the Paint
Only three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and getting a dent in your car or truck. Even if you're as careful as possible, you can't always account for runaway shopping carts, wrongly thrown footballs, out-of-nowhere light posts, and other real-life annoyances.
How To: Unlock a Car Door Using a Cell Phone and a Faraway Keyless Remote (Faux-To?)
What if you forgot your car keys and that keyless entry remote banded to them, how are you going to get in your car? Well, if you haven't forgotten your cell phone, too, you can call up someone who has access to that keyless remote, so you can unlock your car or truck via the wireless mobile phone! What?!?
Quick Tip: Pointing Your Car Remote at Your Head Increases Its Range
Keyless entry remotes are great, but they don't always work how you want them to. One of the most common complaints is that they just don't reach far enough, and there's nothing more annoying when you can't remember where you parked. After all, what's the point of having "remote" entry if you have to be right next to the car for it to work?
How To: Use a deadbolt cable and ballmount trailer lock
This is a cable and ballmount lock set for 1-1/4 inch trailer hitch receivers. What it does is attach to your bicycle rack through the receiver and also the cable lock attaches your bike to the receiver and the bikes themselves. See how to set it up in this video.
How To: Find your cars VIN (vehicle identification number)
Ever tried to sign up for auto-insurance, or some other thing that required your VIN number, and ran around trying to find it in frustration? Well frustrate no more good people! This video will show you all of the various places that you can locate your VIN number! Trust me, there's a lot....
How To: Use Lysol to Clean Bacteria Out of Your Car's Air Conditioning System
Air conditioning systems are cold and wet and make great breeding grounds for bacteria and mold, and adding a nasty odor to the air coming out of the vents.
How To: Use a shortcut to quickly remove a heater core on a 2001 Ford Taurus
When working on the dashboard of any vehicle, make sure you disable the vehicle's airbag system first. Your service manual should tell you how to do that. In this video, the heater core is plugged up in a 2001 Ford Taurus, which means it needs to be taken out. The book states it will take 5 hours to complete, mostly because of the dash. But this trick will cut the time down to 1.5 hours. First, get you heater hoses off in the engine area. Then proceed to watch a mysterious bracket being cut o...
How To: Replace the Front Inside Door Handle on a 04-10 Toyota Sienna
In this video we will show you how to replace the inside door handle on your 04-10 Toyota Sienna.
How To: Replace the fuel filter in a Saturn S-Series car
One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...
How To: Replace a 2009 Ford Focus brake, backup, or tail light bulb
This tutorial shows you how to replace a rear light on a 2003 Ford Focus. Specifically, the video shows fixing the rear brake light, but this tutorial shows how to fix any rear light (including brake/tail, reverse, and turn signal lights). It is very simple and does not necessarily require any tools at all, though a pair of pliers comes in hand. Give me a break! Better yet, give me a working brake light on my 2003 Ford Focus! OK, if that's what you want, this video is going to show you how to...
How To: Remove the blower motor resistor in a Saturn S-Series
One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...
Boiled Water: The Easiest Way to Remove Dents from a Car Bumper
Even if you're lucky enough to not be injured in a car accident, it's rare to escape without some sort of damage to your vehicle. It goes without saying that there are some things you shouldn't try to fix yourself, but if it's just a scratch or dent, DIY can be a cheaper way to go.
How To: Stop Running Over Plastic Bags! And More Small Tips for Keeping Your Car Running Smoothly
Approximately 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year. That’s more than 1,200 bags per U.S. resident and more than 54 times the number of people who live on the planet. That's why here in Santa Monica, thanks to a city-wide plastic bag ban, you won't find a plastic bag at any of the major retail stores.
How To: Replace Headlight Bulb on Pontiac G6
Cars are quite different than they used to be. Sure, modern cars have some cool things, but repairing them are becoming difficult. Even simple things like changing a headlight bulb.
How To: Don't Smoke? Turn Your Car's Ashtray into a DIY Smartphone Dock
If you don't smoke, your car's ashtray is probably either unused or, if you're like me, full of loose change. And if your car is older, unless you've installed one, it probably doesn't have a place for you to plug in your phone. This quick hack by Jalopnik's Jason Torchinsky will solve both of those problems by turning your ashtray into a simple DIY smartphone dock that will charge your phone and let you play music through your car's speakers. After removing and cleaning the ashtray, Jason to...
How To: Remove the Door Panel from a 2002 Ford Explorer
By trial and error, I have found a good way to remove the door panel from a 2002 Ford Explorer (and other similar years).
How To: Fix error codes P0340 & P0341 on a Saturn S-Series
IF you have a Saturn S-Series and it's thrown a P0340 or P0341 error code at your on the scanner after the check engine light has come on, you might be wondering how your cam position sensor can be off if you don't actually have one in your car. Watch this video to learn exactly what this code means to your car and some thoughts on how you might fix it. Three words: spark plug wires.
How To: Find, test, and replace the blower resistor on a Chrysler
The blower resistor is one of the many obscure parts in your car. If you find that the fan in your car only works on high, you might well have a broken one. In this video you'll learn how to find, test, and if need be replace the blower resistor in a 2002 Dodge van.
How To: Make an external fuel tank and pump for starting dead cars
If your car cranks and won't start, you may need to put some fresh fuel in it. Rather than push the car inside, why not construct an external fuel tank and pump system for fixing the car in the field? This video will show you how to do it.
How To: Remove and replace a Mitsubishi valve body control center
If you're Mitsubishi transmission is acting up, there could be something wrong with the DSM valve body, which is the hydraulic control center located in the engine. This video is super helpful for anybody needing to troubleshoot their valve body. You'll learn how to take the valve body out, and then reinstall it.
How To: Replace the front crankshaft oil seal on a GM 3.1L V6
Richpin's Auto Care shows you how to replace the cam over seal on a GM 3.1L V6 engine. Once the vehicle is raised and is safely supported by jackstands, you'll be taken through the first step which involves removing the serpentine belt from the engine. After the belt is removed, the video shows you how to remove the splash shield in the wheel next to the engine, using the proper tool. Next you'll be removing the crank pulley using a pulley remover, allowing you to get access to remove the sea...
How To: Install a hanging nut sack from your car bumper
Take a look at how Nutz are mounted on a car - the ultimate bling for your vehicle.
How To: Change the oil in your 2002-07 Jeep Liberty 3.7L
In this tutorial, we learn how to change the oil in your 2002-07 Jeep Liberty 3.7L. First, go underneath your Jeep and remove the oil plug from the tank. Once you do this, let the oil drain out into an oil pan or plastic container. While this is draining, go to the hood of your car and find where the oil filter is. Once you find this, take out the old one and replace it with the new filter. When the oil is done draining, place the drain plug back on and then fill in the new oil to your Jeep i...
How To: Open & utilize the trunk area of a 2010 Prius
In this tutorial, we learn how to open & utilize the trunk area of a 2010 Prius. To access the cargo area, open the rear hatch by pressing on the release above the license plate. To keep items out of sight, there is a sliding cover that you can pull back and hook into slots. To open, pull towards you slightly, then reel it in. There is additional space under the floor which can be accessed by twisting the locks and removing from the vehicle. Underneath this, there is a cargo bin, and undernea...
How To: Replace the spark plugs on a 2006 Ford Escape SUV
Most do-it-yourself mechanics are afraid to touch newer model cars and trucks, even when it comes to changing spark plugs. This video will show you the process of replacing the spark plugs on a 2006 Ford Escape. The front three spark plugs are easy to get to, but the back three are underneath the intake, so you will have to remove that for access. But don't worry… there are no special tools required for this job.
How To: Replace a timing belt on a 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT
Before you begin, take note that this Mitsubishi engine is an interference engine, so damage will occur if this procedure is not done correctly. In this two-part tutorial, you'll see the process for replacing the timing belt on a 1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT with a 3.0L quad cam engine. This will show you the way to do it without expensive tools to hold the cams in place.
How To: Perform commercial eights on pylons when flying
This video, brought to you by UND AeroCast, will teach the fundamentals of commercial eights with pylons when flying. The objective of eights on pylons is to develop the ability to maneuver the airplane accurately, while dividing attention between the flight path and selective pylons on the ground.
How To: Change the transmission fluid to the Tomos A55 and A35
Changing fluids to your car or motorcycle is an important task if you want to keep you vehicle in tip-top shape. One important task is to check and change the transmission fluid when needed. Not doing so can do result in damage to your vehicle that could have easily been avoided. So, here is a tutorial on how to change the transmission fluid to two mopeds, the A55 and A35. Enjoy!
How To: Patch a radiator hose
Find out how to patch up your radiator hose long enough to drive to the auto parts store or your local mechanic and replace it with a new one.
How To: Install cable style tire chains on your automobile
The Oregon Department of Transportation shows you how to install cable style tire chains in this video tutorial for the winter. These are tips and techniques for cable chain installation and removal from your auto's tires. The winter is here, and driving safely means protecting yourself against the snow and ice. Tire chains on your automobile is the perfect solution.
How To: Check the OBD-2 data link in a Saturn S-Series car
One day, your car may break down and you won't be able to afford to hire a mechanic, so what do you do... you look on the web for some how-to vehicle repair videos and become your own car mechanic, that's what. You don't need any advanced training to perform repairs and simple maintenance on your automobile, but you may need a few tools. Invest in the basic tools and you'll be prepared for just about any car malfunction you can think of. These tutorials will help get you on your way, as long ...
How To: Rebuild an alternator
Rebuilding an alternator often requires removing the alternator and replacing the alternator brushes. Learn how to remove the alternator and replace the alternator brushes in these free auto repair video instructions featuring a certified mechanic.
How To: Use Scotch lock wiring connectors
If you're working on your vehicle, specifically wiring harnesses and wiring harnesses for trailers, you may need to do some reconfiguring. If you need to connect wires, you should learn to use Scotch lock wiring connectors. This video shows you how.
How To: Replace and repair the rack and pinion on a Ford Escape or Mercury Mariner
The Mercury Mariner, Ford Escape, and Mazda Tribute are the exact same car with different skins, so what works on one works exactly the same on the others. Watch this video to learn how to replace the rack and pinion steering gears on any of these cars.
How To: What Side of Your Car Is the Gas Tank on? This Easy Trick Will Tell You Every Time
Ever drive a friend's car? Maybe a rental? Then you've probably found yourself in a very frustrating situation when you realize you need some gas. Heck, it probably even happens to you in your own car sometimes.
News: Can Glaze Putty Be Applied Over Primer?
This is a Q&A video with the question asking if glaze putty can be applied over primer or not. In this short Q&A video I am going to answer this question.
How To: Replace the blower fan motor in a 1998-2004 Dodge Intrepid
Are you sweating without AC on hot days? Freezing without a heater when it's cold out? Time to replace the blower fan motor in your 1998-2004 Dodge Intrepid. Removing the old broken blower fan motor and installing a new one will bring your AC and heating systems back to life.