Autos, Motorcycles & Planes — How-To Videos, Articles, & Inspiration « Autos, Motorcycles & Planes

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: Clean your AC drain if water is spilling into your car

This next tutorial is going to be showing you how to take care of a problem that is very common amongst drivers. If water has ever spilled on you from inside your car, it's probably from your HVAC. When you use your A/C, condensation builds up as well, and this usually goes down a drain. But if it gets clogged then you might have a problem.

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: Replace a front wheel bearing on a Chevrolet Impala

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 ...

Skip the Long DMV Line: Renew Your Driver's License at a AAA Office Instead (No Membership Required)

If there's one way to get a visceral response from someone, it's bringing up the DMV. Regardless of the reason, whether it's the long lines, disgruntled employees, or just general inefficiency, I have yet to meet a single person who doesn't mind the trip. Just look at all those happy faces.

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?!?

How To: Start a car without needing the key

Please only use the information in this video if you have lost your own car key or you are helping out a friend who has lost theirs! If you need to start a car without the key, this tutorial shows you how to find the wires in the steering column to find the eight cables underneath. Here's what to look for and then what to do so you can get your car running and go to where you need to be.

How To: Fix error code P0300 for random misfires on your car

Error code P0300 is one of the most infamous in auto maintenance, indicating random misfires in the engine. This can mean several different things, and in this video mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to figure out where the problem is and fix it.

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: Fix Broken Plastic Tabs on Bumper

A common problem on bumper covers is that the tabs that attach the bumper to the car get broken. This is critical, as this is what secures and aligns the bumper cover. Many times, a broken tab is all that is wrong with the bumper cover. With the cost of these plastic parts $200 to $700, the replacement cost can break the bank.

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: Pass a California DMV Driving Test

If all things go well, you'll only have to take your road test once. That's the goal: to ace your test on the first try and then start driving on your own. Granted, it's a nerve-racking experience, but keep in mind that the California Department of Motor Vehicles wants you to pass. So much so, they give you the examination answers ahead of time! All you have to do is study.

How To: Break into Your Car to Retrieve Your Keys

Have you ever locked your keys inside of your car before? I net you have, you've felt the frustration, you've felt the pain, but don't pull out that cell phone just yet... you don't need a locksmith.

How To: Fix transmission and oil seal leaks fast with AT-205 Re-Seal

If you've got an oil seal leak in a very inconvenient place, then this video by Scotty Kilmer will show you how a little bottle of re-sealer may be able to fix that leak. The vehicle in this video has a leak in the front main seal of the automatic transmission. The seal is pretty cheap, but you have to pull the transmission off to replace it, which can take a serious amount of time. The re-sealer is a better solution, a polymer oil that can mix with all kinds of oils. If you mix AT-205 Re-Sea...

How To: Replace an oil pressure sending unit to fix a low engine oil pressure gauge

Your "check gauges" light comes on inside your vehicle, which prompts you to notice your oil pressure gauge, which is reading pretty low. What do you do to resolve this car problem? In this video, Scotty Kilmer shows you what you can do to shut that low engine oil light off for good!

How To: Diagnose a problem with the cooling fan relay on a Chrysler

The cooling fans on Chrysler cars are not particularly well-made, but that doesn't mean you can assume that they are broken the second the cooling system stops working. Watch this video to figure out how to diagnose problems with the cooling fan relay on a Chrysler.

How To: Fix the driver side window in a Dodge Dakota truck

This automotive repair tutorial shows you how to fix a broken power window on a 1998 Dodge Dakota Sport 4x4 when it won't go up or down. Even if you don't know exactly what is causing your power window not to work, this video will show you how to diagnose and fix the problem in your Dodge Dakota 4x4 truck.

How To: Lift the bed of a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck for easy access to the fuel pump

If you're working on a Chevrolet S-10 or similar pickup truck, the easiest way to getting to the fuel pump is not by dropping the gas tank, but by lifting the bed of the truck. If you have the mechanic's equipment, you can get this done fast! Doesn't have to be a Chevy S-10. Could work for any lightweight pickup truck.

How To: Pair a phone through Bluetooth with a 2010 Prius

Learn how to pair a phone through Bluetooth with a 2010 Prius in simple steps. 1. You can connect your phone to the vehicle through Bluetooth without using any wires. 2. Press the 'Info Phone' button on the right side of the display screen, press 'Phone' now and press 'Yes' when prompted. 3. Now enter the pass code when prompted on your phone to pair it successfully. 4. You can pair more than a single phone by using the same process but you can use only one at a time. 5. You can also transfer...

How To: Change your differential oil on a Jeep Grand Cherokee

In this tutorial, we learn how to change your differential oil on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. First, you will need to remove the drain plug from the underneath of the vehicle, then let it drain out onto an oil pan, use a pipe and pump to do this. Once it's finished draining, you will need to replace the plug. After this, grab a new pump and pour your new oil into the pump. Remove the plug again, then pump the oil back into the engine. Once the oil is full, you can replace the drain plug and check ...

How To: Solve Volkswagen overheating issues

One of the worst things to experience is an overheated engine on your vehicle. There can be many different areas where this can take place, so it's important to take your time when trying to solve the problem. So in this tutorial, you'll be finding out how to solve any overheating issues that you may experience with a Volkswagen vehicle. So check it out and good luck!

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: Keyless Entry Remote Not Working? Try This Quick Fix Before Buying a New One

Most cars made in the last ten or fifteen years can be unlocked with a keyless remote, and once you get used to them, unlocking your car with a traditional key feels like a pain. The most common reason they stop working is just because the battery needs replacing, but when they're broken for real, a new one can cost a small fortune. So before you go out and buy one, try this quick fix that worked for Redditor diggalator, and cost absolutely nothing. Basically, he pried the remote apart and to...

How To: Unlock a Locked Car Door Without a Key or Slim Jim

It has happened to everyone at one time or another, but if you work in an environment with cars, it may happen much more often.

How To: Unlock Your Car Door with a Shoelace in 10 Seconds

Have you locked yourself out of your car? Well, as long as you have a shoelace, you may be able to get back in.

How To: Get a Dent Out of a Car Using Just a Plunger

Paying for someone to get a small dent out of your car can be expensive, especially when you realize that you can just do it yourself. If you've got a bathroom—and you probably do—then it's a surefire bet that you've also got a plunger.

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.

How To: Lift a pickup truck bed instead of dropping the tank for fuel pump access

For most vehicles, the only way to replace the fuel pump is by dropping the tank, which could take a long time. But on most flatbed pickup trucks, there's a simpler way to access the troublesome fuel pump. Simply unbolt the bed and lift that sucker up! See the trick to avoiding the gas tank.

How To: Pair your bluetooth phone to Ford SYNC

Sometimes pairing your mobile phone with your car is a difficult and unwritten chore to accomplish. But now with Ford's new SYNC system, you can easily pair your cell phone. It's as easy as pressing the Phone button. Let it search for already stored bluetooth devices, and if none are stored, simply press the Arrow buttons until you see the Add Bluetooth Device option. It's that easy!

How To: Find and fix leaking spark plug tubes in your engine

If you pull the spark plugs out of your engine and they are covered in oil, that might seem terrible, but the problem really isn't that bad in all likelihood. Your probably have a spark plug tube leak, and this video will show you how to find and fix just such a problem.

How To: Bypass a broken air conditioning computer system in a car with a bypass switch

More and more car parts are controlled by computers, and the results are not always what we hope they will be. They often break for what seems like no reason and are expensive to fix. In this video you'll learn how you can fix a broken air conditioning control system on your car with a $30 bypass switch that will be much more reliable than your computer was.

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: 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 a bad expansion valve in your car AC

One of the many thing that can go wrong with the air conditioner on your car is a bad expansion valve. In this video you'll learn how to replace the expansion valve yourself, assuming that you've already drained the refrigerant from the system professionally.

How To: Fix the blend door actuator motor on a '99 Mercury Grand Marquis

If the air conditioning on your car doesn't work and the condenser does work, you may have a broken blend actuator door motor. It's hard to get to, but there's a way to do it without removing the dash board, and this video will show you how to do it.

How To: Replace the lower ball joint on a Ford F150 (two-wheel drive)

Want to replace the lower ball joint on your two-wheel Ford F150? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this repair video can present a complete, step-by-step overview of the process in about 13 minutes. For all of the details, and to get started yourself, take a look!

How To: Apply POR 15 for Rust

The Problem If you are working on a car restoration project, then you are going to faced with rust damage. This problem can’t be overlooked, as the entire project depends on repairing and eliminating rust. This would be like laying down new carpet to a house that was flooded, without cleaning the mess and making necessary repairs before laying the carpet down. The problem will still be there and the new carpet will be ruined.