Chapter 17 Maintaining Your

Vehicle

Owner's Manual

Provides valuable information about your vehicle and it's systems

Fuel System

Fuel Injection System

Deliver exact amount of fuel to engine

Reduce the amount of pollution-causing gases

Fuel Efficiency

Depends upon:

Weight of car

Speed you drive - over 55 fuel efficiency decreased

Air resistance: keep windows closed when driving over 45 mph

Fuel Efficiency Continued

Also depends upon:

Type of engine - 4 or 6 cylinder

Vehicle Design

Manual vs Automatic

Power equipment - air conditioning

Know how to calculate your MPG

Used 10 gallons of fuel to drive 150 miles : 150 divided by 10 = 15MPG

You have 10 gallons of fuel. Your car delivers approximately 15 MPG in the city. How many miles should you be able to drive? = 150 miles

Emission System

Catalytic Converter

Converts harmful gases into less harmful gases & water

Muffler - reduces noise. Louder sounds may indicate a hole in. Our muffler

Check emission system - CO ( may poison you), CO2, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides

Drive Train SystemOften covered in warranty

Engine

Transmission (low fluid level may produce jerky shifting)

Clutch

Drive shaft

Differential (allows 1 wheel to turn more slowly than another)

Transaxle

Drive axles

Universal joints

Ignition & Electrical System

Alternator- recharges the battery

Battery - strong acid (dangerous)- powers vehicle's starter, lights, computer assisted controls, electrical accessories. A dead battery (no sound when starting the engine)can be jump started with jumper cables - know the procedure for "jumping" a vehicle's battery

Lights - headlights, taillights, back up lights, turn signals. Should be replaced immediately when defective

Lubricating & Cooling Systems

Oil helps engine work efficiently by reducing friction and cleaning engine parts - warning light comes on - pull off road and shut engine

Cooling System

Cools engine - mixture of antifreeze & water

Provides heat to interior of car

Radiator - connected to the engine - holds the coolant

Thermostat - controls the amount of coolant needed

Maintaining Control Systems

Power Steering - makes steering easier

Master Cylinder (Brake System) - forces fluid to each wheel's brake cylinder and squeezes brake pads against the turning disk which causes the friction to slow the wheel

Parking Brake is a completely separate system - it should hold your vehicle on a hill

Suspension System

Keeps tires in line according to steering

Shock absorbing

Preventative Maintenance(Care given to prevent trouble

later)

Includes:

Day-to-day care

Mileage-based-maintenance: Periodic servicing done after a certain number of miles - shown in manual

Warranty may be voided if maintenance schedules are not followed

Tires

Belted tires - improved strength, performance and mileage

Radial tires - gives best fuel mileage - strengthens tire, improved tread mileage, & traction

Air pressure in increases when warm, lowers when cool

Tires need to be rotated regularly, balanced (for even wear) and aligned (for longer life & more even wear of tire)

Replace tires when the wear bar appears smooth

Always use the same tires for all 4 tires

If you want your tires to last longer then you need a higher tread-wear rating