Giving your vehicle some much-needed maintenance can keep it on the road for a long time.
While there are some auto repairs you’ll want to leave to a licensed mechanic, you might be able to handle some of the small fixes yourself and save money.
5 Car Repair Ideas You Can Do Yourself
In this article, we’ll go over some do-it-yourself tasks that will help keep your car on the road. Of course, you’ll always want to make safety a priority.
The following tips come from Team Clark, where our #1 goal is to help you save on the things you need. With these DIY tips, you’ll still have to buy parts, but you won’t be paying anyone to install them.
Ready to get started?
1. How To Change Your Car’s Air Filter
“An ounce of prevention. ….” You know the rest. There’s no need to pay a mechanic to change out your car’s air filter.
Team Clark member Theo spent around $12 on an air filter and changed it himself in about two minutes.
Watch him go through the process in the video below.
2. How To Change Your Vehicle’s Turn Signal Bulb
Theo also walked us through how to change a turn signal bulb. Here are the steps:
- Go to the auto store armed with information about the make, model and year of your car. The clerk should be able to tell you which bulb you need. (They generally run about $5.)
- Before you take the bulb out of the packaging, put on a pair of rubber gloves so that you don’t touch the bulb with your skin. Your finger’s natural oils can shorten the lifespan of the bulb, Theo says.
- Once you pop the hood, disconnect the headlight assembly’s power source.
- Locate the bulb and disconnect it by giving it a slight tug.
- Pop in the new bulb and reconnect the headlight assembly, and you should be good to go.
Let’s look at all the steps on how to change your turn signal bulb via video.
3. How To Fix a Jammed Car Ignition
It’s always frustrating when you put your key in the ignition, and then it jams. You just can’t turn the key.
If your car key gets stuck in the ignition, try this:
- Gently tap on top of the key ignition with a book or similar object.
- Try to turn the ignition now. You should be off and running!
Let’s look at that on video.
4. How To Determine Your Car’s Recommended Tire Pressure
It’s really easy to find the information about your tire pressure because in most cases, it’s actually stuck on the vehicle!
- Tire and loading information chart: Inside your driver’s side car door, there should be a sticker that reveals just the data you need. If it’s not there, try the …
- Owners manual: Thumb to the tire section to find this information.
Here’s a video that can help.
5. How To Replace Your Car’s Wiper Blades
It’s time to change your car’s windshield wipers when they start to be less effective in inclement weather or show signs of wear and tear.
In some cases, you may opt to replace the entire wiper, but at least for a while, you can get by replacing only the blades. That’s an expense that shouldn’t run you more than $20 (or less).
Here’s how to install new blades:
- Pull the wiper erect so that it’s away from the windshield.
- Press in the blade’s pin to dislodge it from the wiper.
- Insert the new blade by positioning it over the pin and hook it in place.
Here’s a video to walk you through it.
Final Thoughts
Although these DIY repairs may get you back on the road, they may not be long-term solutions. If your problems persist, take your vehicle to a trustworthy mechanic.
“I want you to make sure,” money expert Clark Howard says, “that you have a relationship, if you can, with a routine mechanic, and that he or she knows you and knows your vehicle.”
