20 Most Interesting Facts About Cars

“All of you guys have read certain interesting facts about animals, technology, or people at least once in [your] life. Right? And since [a] car is something you use every day, this time it’ll be facts about cars. These infotaining car facts might surprise everybody, from car enthusiast[s] to simply car owner[s]. So in the name of entertainment and because car[s] [are] the most popular type of transport, [here is a] list of great facts about automobiles and things regarding autos. Accompanied with pictures that will help you get a visual description, these great facts can change your attitude towards routine work or usual stuff. Get to know [these] top 20 interesting facts about cars!”

More here:
http://blog.carid.com/20-most-interesting-facts-about-cars

How to Jump Start Your Car

Imagine this, you walk out the door towards your vehicle, get in, and it won’t start. Oh no, maybe the battery’s dead! This can be because the headlights were left on, a door was not completely closed, or maybe the battery is just old. In any case, you’ve got somewhere to go, and you’re not going to let this stand in your way. Well as long as you’ve got a friend with a charged car battery and some jumper cables, you can still get where you’re heading after a quick jump.

“Put on the safety glasses and open the hoods of both cars. Make sure the battery position on each car is compatible to the length of the cables.
Attach the red clamp of the jumper cables to the working battery in the assisting car first, then attach the black clamp to the negative terminal of the working battery in the assisting car. Be sure once both of those clamps are attached to the working battery that the idle clamps on the other end of the jumper cables do not come into contact with one another, or sparks will fly.
Hold the remaining clamps of the jumper cables apart and attach the red clamp to the positive battery terminal on the dead battery. Attach the black clamp of the jumper cable to a non-moving metallic ground away from the dead battery. Use a large bolt head or metal engine bracket within reach. Make sure that there is no slack in the cable or clamp connections that can come into contact with moving engine parts when the dead car battery starts the engine.
Start the car with the dead battery. If it doesn't start, you may need to start the engine of the assisting car and allow it to run for a while, or have the engine revved to accommodate the cold cranking amps of the dead battery. It will depend on how many cold cranking amps the dead battery calls for and how dead the battery is. A rule of thumb is to find a compatible vehicle to jump start from. A small compact car with a low cold cranking amp battery may have a difficult time jump starting a 3/4-ton truck with a high cold cranking amp battery.
Remove the black clamp from the ground position on the vehicle that needed to be jump started first, then remove the red clamp from the same vehicle (once the battery starts the engine). Again, be sure not to allow the clamps of the jumper cables to contact one another. Finally, remove the black clamp from the assisting car's negative battery terminal and then the last clamp from the positive battery terminal. Close the hoods and remove the safety glasses.”

For two other ways to jump your car, check out the rest of this article. http://www.ehow.com/how_4899364_jump-start-car-safely.html

How Your Car Gets Tuned Up

Every 30,000 miles or two years (whichever comes first), your car should receive a tune up. This is a good way to keep your vehicle out of the shop, by having a few parts checked and replaced that are worn down. Here’s a list of things your mechanic does to tune up your car!

• -Replace the fuel filter
• -Change the spark plugs
• -Replace the distributor cap and rotor
• -Change the points and condenser
• -Check and adjust the ignition timing
• -Adjust the valves
• -Check the belts
• -Replenish fluids
• -Change oil filter
• -Replace the air filter
• -Adjust the clutch (if manual transmission)
• -Service the Battery
• -Replace the PCV

To get see the rest of these steps, check out the full article at:
http://www.ehow.com/how_1874_tune-car.html

The Future of Travel: Driverless Cars

The future’s days are numbered. Hoverboards and humans on Mars are still many years off, but estimates put the mass production of driverless cars at 2018, only five years from now. Want to text while driving? Go for it. How about playing poker while sitting in the drivers seat? Come on aces! Need a nap? We’ll wake you up when we get there. Driverless cars are everyday becoming more science and less fiction. Check out this infographic for more info, in graphic form (WOAH).



Credit for the infographic to Daniel R Rossen: http://www.danielrrosen.com/2012/02/driverless-cars/

What You Need to Know About Vehicle Theft

For many people, their car is their life. Imagine the setbacks you would face if your car was stolen – it gets you to work, school and pretty much anywhere else you’d want to go. This infographic from the NHTSA explains more about vehicle theft and gives you the facts.





To learn more about how to prevent your car from getting stolen, check out the NHTSA website.
http://1.usa.gov/2pI87

The Dangers of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can be dangerous for more than just your car. When you allow distractions to take you away from the process of driving, you can put yourself and your family at risk. Unfortunately, there are many things today that can cause distractions in the car, from cell phones and mp3 players to children and food. The next time you’re driving, make sure you avoid distracted driving by following these tips from eHow:

1. Avoid talking on your cell phone. Some states require you to pull over when using your cell phone while driving. 2. Never multi-task while driving. Do not do things like adjusting your radio, compact disc player or GPS unit. 3. Do not read while driving. When you need to read or use a map, pull off the road. 4. Avoid taking your coat off or changing clothes while driving. 5. Put makeup on, comb your hair and shave before leaving your house or office. These things should never be done while driving. 6. Avoid eating or drinking while driving. 7. Keep music at a reasonable level. Listening to music that is too loud or using headphones or earplugs while driving can be distracting and can prevent you from hearing emergency vehicles sharing the road with you. 8. Avoid lighting up or putting out cigarettes, or dealing with falling ashes while driving.

Read the entire article here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2043250_avoid-distractions-driving.html#ixzz2IGgJ0A1Tqx4M

What Makes Brakes Work?

One pedal makes it go, and the other one makes it stop - but how much do you really know about your brakes? They’re critical to keeping your car on the road and your family safe. In fact, brakes use a lot of interesting technology to ensure that you always stop when you press the brakes. Here’s a quick explanation from How Stuff Works:

We all know that pushing down on the brake pedal slows a car to a stop. But how does this happen? How does your car transmit the force from your leg to its wheels? How does it multiply the force so that it is enough to stop something as big as a car?
When you depress your brake pedal, your car transmits the force from your foot to its brakes through a fluid. Since the actual brakes require a much greater force than you could apply with your leg, your car must also multiply the force of your foot. It does this in two ways:

• Mechanical advantage(leverage)
• Hydraulic force multiplication

The brakes transmit the force to the tires using friction, and the tires transmit that force to the road using friction also.

Learn more about your brakes and read the original article here: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/brake.htm