Car Maintenance | DontKnowCars.com

There are other mechanical systems in your car that will need maintenance or may need repair. They include door and window components (hinges, latches, locks), seats, heater (drawing heat from the engine and cooling system), air conditioner, exhaust, and more.

This book’s mantra is: maintain well and you won’t have to repair (as much). The same mantra applies to other mechanical systems. Check your car’s owner’s manual and service manual for specifics. Newer cars need less lubrication than older ones (better plastic joints), but they can still use some silicone grease on seat tracks, door latches, and other frequently-used parts.

In addition, keeping your car’s coolant system problem-free will do the same for the heating system. As for air conditioning, keep the AC belt on the engine in good condition and well adjusted. Also find (or ask) and visually check the refrigerant level; most have an in-line glass peep-hole that changes color when refrigerant is low. But don’t even try to add refrigerant or repair the AC system. Too many hazards—and laws. Take it to a licensed and certified AC shop.

Finally, the exhaust. It’s not quite a mechanical system as it doesn’t have moving parts. However, it’s certainly not electrical (Electrical Repairs) nor body (Body Repairs). So it goes at the end of this section. (Actually, it is the exhaust system for the mechanical engine, thus qualifies for current placement.) Whatever.

Again, exhaust system repair really means replacement of worn or nearly-worn parts. Exhaust system parts include:

• Exhaust manifold (back door for the engine’s exhaust gasses)

• Exhaust pipe

• Catalytic converter (converts some of the harmful gasses into less-harmful elements)

• Muffler(s)

• Resonator(s)

• Lots of little emission-control parts

Car Words

An exhaust manifold collects gases from the engine’s cylinders and delivers them to the exhaust pipe(s). An intake manifold delivers the fuel/air mixture to the cylinders for burning.