TWEETIE PIE TUNE UP CORNER
GET TO KNOW YOUR CAR
Your car is like a child. It needs to be loved and taken care of if you want it to go places. Here are some car care tips.
CONNECT THE DOTS
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If you need to take off your tire, when putting them back on, remember to connect the dots. Lug nuts are used to secure your tire to your car. When putting your tire back on your car, start from any lug nut, and tighten them in a star pattern. This will prevent wobbling or vibration.
I'M THURSTY
These are reservoirs. A reservoir is your car's water bottle. Each reservoir carries a different type of fluid (coolant, washer fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid). A reservoir is a clear white container that you can see through with a cap on it.
Each reservoir has a minimum line and a max line. If fluids are close or below the min line, your car will need more fluids. Never over fill fluids past the max line. Fluids often tend to expand. You don't want your fluids to expand and overflow in your car. Always check the caps to ensure you are putting in the right fluids in the right reservoir.
FEED ME
Every car needs a specific type of engine oil. Most of the time, the cap will have a teapot symbol on the cap. The letters "SAE" followed by numbers is type of engine oil your car needs. This car would need 5W-20 type engine oil.
IF I'M HUNGRY, PLEASE FEED ME
YOU NEVER WANT METAL RUBBING EACH OTHER WITHOUT LUBRICATION. Your car has metal parts moving and rubbing each other. Having no engine oil in your car is called "bone dry", this will cause metal parts in your car to grind. Here are easy steps to follow to check your engine oil levels.
STEP 1: Look for the yellow ring or orange ball with the words "engine oil".
STEP 4: Put back the dipstick from where you took it out of.
STEP 2: When you lift the yellow ring, you will find the engine oil dipstick.
STEP 3: Wipe the dipstick clean with a napkin or rag.
STEP 5: Cars may vary to what the engine oil level indication marks look like. There will either be dots or lines. The bottom line or dot means your car needs more engine oil. The top line or dot means your car doesn't need engine oil.
GET A GRIP
Ever heard the phrase "your tires are bald"? It simply means you need new tires. Each tire has "wear indicators". These bars will be in the middle of the grooves in your tires.
These tires are in good condition because the wear bar isn't flushed with the tire tread.
These tires are considered "bald". The wear bar is flushed with the treads of the tire. These tires are not in good condition, and should be changed immediately.
These are called steel belts. If any metal is showing through your tire, even if it's just a little, you should get them replaced to prevent a tire blow out.
FILL ME UP BUTTERCUP
If you need to put air into your tires, there will be a sticker on the driver’s side of the door. The sticker will say “TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION”. On that sticker you will find the proper amount of air to put into your tire.
Never use the PSI on your tire. The air pressure stamp on your tire is the maximum amount of air your tire can hold when your tire is cold.
BOILING WATER
If your car overheats, NEVER OPEN THE RADIATOR CAP WHEN YOUR CAR IS HOT! That would be like lifting up the cover to a pot of boiling water. Hot coolant flows through your car. When you open the cap while the car is hot, you are releasing pressure. Hot coolant will shoot up and can cause burns. Not all caps look the same, but they will all say “DO NOT OPEN WHEN HOT”. If you need to open up the cap, let your car cool off for a few minutes before you do.
YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT AIR
This is a TPMS sensor (tire pressure monitoring system sensor). This sensor monitors how much air is in your tire. If your tire has low air or is leaking air, a light will pop up on your dashboard.
