unit 26 drivers ed
A number of different conditions can cause the check engine light to illuminate, including problems with your engine's spark plugs, air flow sensor, oxygen sensor, and catalytic converter. Even a loose gas cap can trigger the check engine light. When the check engine light illuminates, drive to a mechanic as soon as possible—your engine could be on the verge of breaking down. Having it inspected immediately can save you from even greater expense and inconvenience in the near future.
An illuminated oil pressure light indicates that your engine's oil pressure is too low or too high. Both can cause serious damage to numerous engine components. When the oil pressure light illuminates, pull over onto level ground and turn off your engine. You may not be able to get an accurate oil depth reading on an incline. Wait a few minutes for the oil to settle, then check your dipstick.
Your car should drive without difficulty at first, but when battery charge becomes too low, it may stall and suffer damage. If the battery warning light illuminates when certain electronic components are active and turns off when they're deactivated, your battery is still running low. Have it inspected as soon as possible. If your engine won't turn on and the battery warning light remains illuminated, you may need a jumpstart to recharge your battery. We'll discuss this process in detail in a later section.
Internal combustion engines rely on exploding fuel to produce power for your vehicle's wheels. One byproduct of this process is a large amount of heat, which is normally dissipated with the help of an engine coolant. If the coolant fails to keep up with the heat produced by the engine, a number of components may suffer damage. When the engine temperature gauge or light indicates excessive heat, pull over, turn off your engine, and raise the hood. Park in the shade if possible.
Fill each tire to the manufacturer's recommended pressure, which can usually be found inside the driver's side door jamb. The pressure indicated on your tires is the maximum pressure they can hold without bursting—disregard this number. Don't follow any rule of thumb related to this number, either. Your vehicle manufacturer has determined the pressure at which your tires are safest, provide the best traction and fuel economy, and wear the slowest. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation at all times, adjusting only for increases or decreases in seasonal temperature. Remember: a 10°F increase or decrease in outside air temperature will result in a 1 psi rise or drop in tire pressure.
A car door left ajar can swing open and strike another vehicle, let high wind and noise inside, or allow personal items to fall out. Worse, it can cause a severe loss of protection in a collision, increasing the likelihood of a fatality. An open trunk can eliminate rear visibility, making a number of maneuvers extremely dangerous. When the door open or trunk open warning light illuminates, pull over as soon as possible and make sure all doors are closed. If your warning light stays on, take your car to a mechanic when it's convenient.
Follow these steps to perform a rolling start: Turn the key to ON and shift into second gear. Press the clutch to the floor and hold it there. Let the car roll forward and gain speed. When the car reaches 5 to 10 mph, release the clutch suddenly. The engine should start. If it doesn't work the first time, press the clutch all the way in, then release it again suddenly. Once the engine starts, be prepared to press the clutch back in or shift gears to prevent the car from stalling.
A flat tire or a blowout—when your tire explodes—can occur because of a puncture, a defect, or improper inflation. Check tire pressure regularly and inspect your treads for embedded nails and screws. When you suffer a flat tire, grip the steering wheel firmly and steer straight ahead. Take your foot off the accelerator, but don't touch the brake pedal, either. Activate your hazard lights and guide your car to the shoulder. When you've reached a low enough speed to stay in control, you may apply the brakes. If one of your front tires goes flat, the car will pull to the side of the deflated tire. If a rear tire goes flat, the car will wobble and sway, and in some cases will also pull slightly to the side of the deflated tire.
To install a spare tire, first park your vehicle, set the parking brake, turn off the engine, and take the keys from the ignition. Park your vehicle on level ground in a place where you won't be in any danger while you replace your tire. Before you do anything else, check your vehicle owner's manual to find where your spare tire equipment is, and where the designated contact points for jacking up your vehicle are.
After reading your vehicle owner's manual, make preparations for the spare tire installation. Remove all equipment you'll need: tire iron, jack, and spare tire. Your jack may require, and include, a metal hand crank for its operation. Check your spare tire's air pressure right away. It may be flat itself, in which case you'll need to call a tow truck. It's a good idea to carry sturdy blocks in your trunk, and to place them on either side of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat to keep it from moving. Large rocks will work if you don't have anything. If the flat tire's wheel has a cover, remove it. If you have reflective warning signs, place them 100 ft in front of and behind your vehicle.
Finally, replace your tools. Pick up any blocks or warning signs you placed on the ground, and place them in your trunk with the jack, tire iron, and flat tire. At this point you can drive away, but keep in mind that you're using a spare tire. They don't last as long as proper tires, and they aren't fit for driving above 50 mph. Check your spare tire or vehicle owner's manual for top speed recommendations.
Although it's extremely rare, your accelerator pedal can become stuck in the down position, leading to uncontrolled acceleration. If this happens to you, don't panic. Activate your hazard lights and shift to neutral. If your transmission doesn't shift to neutral, try holding the gearshift in the neutral position. If this doesn't work, you may be able to force your transmission into neutral gear by shifting into Reverse—but be careful: while some vehicles are designed to shift into neutral when Reverse is selected while moving forward, other vehicles will suffer severe transmission damage. Your vehicle owner's manual may contain information on this topic. If you're driving a manual transmission vehicle, press the clutch all the way in and hold it there.
When starting your car this way, make sure to press the accelerator fully: if you pump it or press it only lightly, it will increase fuel supply, flooding your engine even further. If holding the accelerator down fails to help start your engine, wait 20 to 30 minutes for the fuel to evaporate. Then try to turn on your engine again, first normally, then by holding the accelerator down.
As discussed previously, your engine may also stall due to a depleted battery. If this happens, you may be able to revive your battery and engine with a jumpstart. If you have a newer battery that died because of a sudden increase in output, for example if you left a light on overnight, a jumpstart should return your battery to full working order. However, if you have an older battery that died because it's wearing out, a jumpstart will only enable you to drive for a short period of time until the battery dies again. Do not jumpstart a car with a corroded battery, and do not use a car with a corroded battery to jumpstart another car.
If you have to wait with your vehicle, stay inside unless it's unsafe. Keep yourself safe and comfortable, and remain buckled! In warm weather, roll down your windows and drink water. Don't run the air conditioning constantly, or you risk depleting your battery. For the same reason, in cold weather, only run the heater intermittently. Never sit for extended periods of time in a vehicle with the engine running unless your windows are at least partially rolled down. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, and the first symptoms of poisoning may be simply falling asleep—followed eventually by death.
As you review the information presented in this unit, consider how to incorporate the following topics into your driving plan. To reduce risk on the road, you must: Respond calmly and appropriately when your vehicle malfunctions Review your vehicle owner's manual thoroughly so that you can better understand your vehicle Keep yourself and other road users safe by calling the fire department immediately if your vehicle catches fire Slow your malfunctioning car down as much as possible before entering the road's shoulder Pull over in a safe place, away from traffic, curves, and hills, when dealing with an emergency
On the Road Ahead Warning Lights Stalled Engine Deflated Tire Movie: Road Skillz—Tire Blowout Other Malfunctions Movie: For Safer Roads—Emergencies Managing a Disabled Vehicle Reducing Risk: Driving Plan/Unit Review
Even a well-maintained vehicle will suffer occasional malfunctions. The information provided in this lesson will enable you to respond appropriately to many of the malfunctions you're most likely to encounter on the road. Most of the information in this lesson applies across all types of cars, but each car is different. Reading your vehicle owner's manual is essential to understanding your vehicle's warning lights, specifications, and operation.
If you lose steering control, don't panic. Take your foot off the accelerator, and don't brake. Braking may cause your vehicle to steer left or right unpredictably. Activate your hazard lights, and honk or flash your high-beams to warn other drivers. When you've slowed down to 10 to 15 mph, brake gently and come to a stop. Call a tow truck and stay in your vehicle. Only exit your vehicle if you're sure that it's safe to do so.
If you lose power steering, you can still control your vehicle, but it will require much more force. This effect is more noticeable at lower speeds, but is more dangerous at higher speeds. Either way, the best thing to do is to activate your hazard lights, grip the steering wheel, and steer firmly to the side of the road. Pull over and turn off your engine. If power steering is lost due to the engine stalling or otherwise turning off, you'll also lose power braking. Both problems can usually be solved by restarting the engine. If this fails to return your vehicle to normal operation, call a mechanic.
After shifting into neutral, try kicking the accelerator pedal from the side. If that doesn't work, use your foot to pull up on the pedal from underneath. Honk and flash your high-beams to warn other drivers. In some vehicles, simply applying your brakes may bring you to a stop. If pressing the brake pedal fails to stop the vehicle, let go of it: holding on while the car accelerates can burn the brakes out, making them unusable. Do not turn the engine off. This will turn off power steering and power braking, making your vehicle even more difficult to control.
If you regain enough control, steer smoothly off the road and park in a safe place. Call a tow truck—don't drive again until the pedal is repaired. If you can't slow down or regain control, reduce the severity of your impact by hitting something soft, light, or broad. If you must collide with a moving object, a vehicle traveling in the same direction as you will provide a much softer impact than a vehicle traveling the opposite direction.
The low fuel warning light typically comes on when your vehicle has less than one or two gallons of fuel left—check your vehicle owner's manual for information on your own model. You can avoid this warning entirely by refueling before your tank becomes this empty. Many people refill their tanks when they're one quarter full—find what works best for you. When the low fuel warning light illuminates, find a service station as soon as possible. Accelerate slowly and coast as much as possible to conserve fuel.
If your engine becomes overheated, it may stall—it may slow down and stop running. Factors that can cause your engine to overheat include: Driving in excessive heat Driving uphill Towing or carrying a heavy load Repeated stopping and starting Low coolant levels Broken radiator hose, fan belt, or water pump
When choosing where to pull over, find a place that minimizes the hazard your vehicle presents to others on the road. Try to stop as far over on the side of the shoulder as possible. Don't stop near curves or hills—they may hide your vehicle from traffic in one direction or both. If drivers can't see your vehicle for at least 100 ft from both directions, place warning devices at that distance.
If your engine has stalled and you're driving a manual transmission vehicle, try to come to a stop in a place where it will be easier to perform a rolling start. A long, clear downhill stretch will work best. When you've found an appropriate location, pull off the road, come safely to a stop, and park your vehicle. Remember to set the parking brake even in emergency situations. Turn your engine off and take your keys from the ignition.
Your headlights serve two extremely important functions: allowing you to see the road more clearly, and making your vehicle more visible to other drivers. It's not safe to drive without headlights if driving conditions call for them. If your headlights darken while activated, or if they fail to activate, flip all headlight switches repeatedly. If this doesn't work, slow down and pull over. Check your battery warning light—malfunctioning headlights may indicate a dying battery. To prevent further depletion, turn off all unnecessary electronic devices.
If your hood opens while you're driving, don't panic. Take your foot off the accelerator, activate your hazard lights, and try to find a way to see the road. Slouch down and look through the gap at the bottom of your hood, if possible. If you can, try looking around your hood. Pull over to the side of the road. If your trunk opens, activate your hazard lights and carefully pull over to the side of the road. Be particularly careful when changing lanes—you'll only be able to use your side view mirrors. After pulling over, close your hood or trunk tightly and test it by pulling on it. Don't drive again unless your hood and trunk are securely latched.
Most vehicle fires start in the engine compartment. If you see smoke or flames coming from under your hood, pull over immediately. Vehicle fires are particularly dangerous, typically involving burning fuel, oil, electronics, plastic, and numerous other materials. The combustion of these materials produces extremely toxic fumes.
If your vehicle begins to catch fire, quickly pull over in an area clear of plants and other flammable materials. Avoid service stations and other businesses. Unless you're properly equipped to fight the flames, all occupants should move at least 100 ft away from the vehicle. Call the fire department immediately. If you have a chemical fire extinguisher and the fire is very small, it may be a good idea to attempt to put it out. Cover your hands with gloves or rags, and keep your face low and away from the heat of the flames. If you can't quickly extinguish the fire, stop trying. Leave the hood down and move away from the vehicle.
If your engine stalls or is turned off, you will lose power steering and power brakes. Compensate for this by turning the steering wheel and pressing the brake pedal gently but much more strongly than usual. Gently pull the emergency brake if necessary. When your engine stalls, shift into neutral. Let your vehicle coast to a stop—braking hard can cause you to lose control. While coasting, try turning the ignition switch and restarting your engine. If this fails, pull over and turn the engine off.
In older engines with carburetors, and sometimes in newer engines with fuel injection technology, the engine can become flooded with fuel. Normally, each piston only needs a momentary burst of fuel mixed with air. When the engine floods with fuel, it will typically stall, and can suffer serious damage. If the engine turns over without difficulty but fails to ignite when you turn the key all the way, it's probably flooded. You can start a flooded engine by turning the key all the way and holding it there while you press the accelerator all the way to the floor and hold it. Both cars with carburetors and those with fuel injection are designed to cut off fuel supply when the throttle is held wide open in this way. Your pistons will be flushed with air, allowing the fuel-air mixture to return to an appropriate level.
Once the engine starts, let it run. Disconnect the cables in reverse order: black cable from ground source, black cable from good battery, red cable from good battery, red cable from dead battery. Close both hoods. Keep the engine running for 20 to 30 minutes with electronic devices off. This lets the battery acquire enough charge to start the engine again after being turned off. If your battery was in good condition before losing its charge, your car's behavior should be back to normal.
Manual transmission vehicles with stalled engines sometimes can be restarted using momentum. Rolling downhill or being pushed at 5 to 10 mph, the power of the turning wheels can be directed into the engine, causing it to start. This won't work if the battery is completely dead. To perform a rolling start, you'll need a clear downhill stretch of road or a few friends willing to push your vehicle along flat ground. Never attempt a rolling start without a person in the driver's seat at all times, controlling the brakes and steering wheel.
To jumpstart a car, you need a car with a dead battery, a car with a healthy battery, and a set of jumper cables. First, park the vehicles near each other and turn them off. Their engine compartments need to be close enough for the cables to reach, but the vehicles must not make physical contact with each other.
Next, open both hoods and attach the jumper cables. One cable, usually red, is for positive current, while the other, usually black, is for negative current. You must connect the cables in this exact order: Red cable to positive terminal on dead battery Red cable to positive terminal on good battery Black cable to negative terminal on good battery Black cable to grounded surface in engine compartment of car with dead battery
Once you've pulled over and turned off your vehicle, your first priority is the safety of all vehicle occupants, then the safety of passing road users. If you or any of your passengers are harmed, administer first aid or call an ambulance. Move away from your vehicle if it's on fire, and make sure your vehicle presents as little hazard as possible to passing drivers. Next, tend to your emergency, whether it's a flat tire, an overheated engine, or an open hood.
Next, you may need to place a phone call. Use your cell phone if you have one, or a call box if it's near and safe to walk to. If you've been in a collision, call the police. If your vehicle catches fire, but it is not the result of a collision, and there are no injuries, call the fire department immediately. If your car breaks down without injuries, a collision, or a fire, you may need to call your insurance company, a tow truck, or another automobile rescue service.
Next, jack up your vehicle and remove the flat tire. Place the jack in the location recommended by your vehicle owner's manual, or indicated on the underside of the body. Jack up the vehicle to take weight off the tire, but stop before the tire leaves the ground. Using the tire iron, loosen each lug nut, but don't remove them yet. Finish jacking up your vehicle, leaving the tire about two inches above the ground. Remove all lug nuts in a five-pointed star pattern and place them where they won't roll away. Remove the flat tire and place it where it won't roll away. Don't leave your tire on the road—this is littering, and can result in a heavy fine.
Now you can install the spare tire and return your vehicle to the ground. Grasp the spare tire on the outside and place it on the wheel's hub. Put the lug nuts back on with the tapered ends facing in, and tighten them a few turns. Lower the car back down until the wheel is just touching the ground. Tighten all lug nuts as much as possible, in a five-point star pattern. Finish lowering the car. Remove the jack. Make sure all lug nuts are secure.
Find a clean, unpainted metal surface, such as the engine block or a bolt head, to ground the black cable. Do not attach this cable to the negative terminal on the dead battery—it may cause an explosion. Make sure the cables aren't touching any fans, belts, or other components that will move when the engine starts.
Once the cables are in place, start the engine on the car with the good battery. Let it run for a few minutes to charge the dead battery, then start the engine on the car with the dead battery. If the engine doesn't start right away, hold the ignition switch all the way to ignition for a few seconds, but no more than five seconds—this may damage the ignition. Try this a few times. If the engine doesn't start, let the car with the good battery run for another five minutes, then try again. If you still have no success, detach all cables in reverse order, then reattach them, trying to get a better connection between their metal teeth and the metal on the battery terminals. Then try to start the engine.
If you must drive a distance before pulling over, turn air recirculation off, air temperature up to high, and air speed up to high. This will help remove heat from the engine. If your vehicle has a belt-driven radiator fan, you can help cool the engine by shifting to neutral and pressing the accelerator lightly. Most front-wheel drive vehicles do not have belt-driven radiator fans, but many rear-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles do.
Once you've pulled over, wait for the engine to cool. Next, check your coolant reservoir, which can typically be found above the radiator. Add coolant if necessary. Water will work as a last resort, but should not be relied on as a long-term solution. Never unscrew your radiator or coolant reservoir cap before letting the engine cool down. You may be sprayed with boiling coolant.
When you must pull off the roadway, do so as calmly and as safely as possible. While there are many different reasons to pull over, and you must brake or steer differently depending on your situation, there are some actions you should take whenever you can. If you're in an emergency situation, activate your hazard lights. Otherwise, activate your turn signal to indicate that you're pulling over. Maintain control over your vehicle to the greatest extent possible, and change lanes safely as you approach the road's shoulder.
Some shoulders are paved and some are unpaved, but even some paved shoulders will be rough or bumpy and provide less traction. Whenever possible, slow down primarily in your lane just before entering the shoulder. However, you should be conscious of traffic behind you—try not to brake so heavily that you endanger other drivers. When the shoulder is unpaved, you'll need to enter it at a slower speed, so you should brake over a longer distance.
The tire pressure warning light indicates low air pressure in your vehicle's tires. Low air pressure can be caused by a puncture, a slow leak, cold weather, or simply the passing of time. When the tire pressure warning light illuminates, pull over and check your tire pressure. If none of your wheels is flat or nearly flat, drive to a service station or other establishment with air machines and refill your tires.
The tire pressure warning light indicates low air pressure in your vehicle's tires. Low air pressure can be caused by a puncture, a slow leak, cold weather, or simply the passing of time. When the tire pressure warning light illuminates, pull over and check your tire pressure. If none of your wheels is flat or nearly flat, drive to a service station or other establishment with air machines and refill your tires.
The brake warning light indicates that the parking brake is set, or that brake fluid pressure is weak or lost. When the brake warning light illuminates, make sure your parking brake is released. If it's not, gently test your brake pedal. If there's little or no response, try pumping the pedal a few times to build pressure. If necessary, gently use your parking brake. Slow down, pull over, turn off your engine and call a mechanic.
Vehicles with antilock brakes have a separate ABS warning light that indicates when this system is malfunctioning. When the ABS warning light illuminates, be prepared to prevent skids while braking. Brake earlier and more gently than you would with active ABS. Pump the brakes if you feel your wheels locking up.
As discussed earlier, if you lose brake response, take your foot off the accelerator and shift into low gear. Pump your brake pedal to build brake fluid pressure. If this fails, gently pull your emergency brake. Remember: your emergency brake doesn't have ABS technology, so you'll have to consciously avoid locking your wheels. If you're unable to brake, activate your hazard lights and try to avoid a collision. Hold the steering wheel firmly while honking and flashing your high-beams to warn other drivers. Do what you can to reduce the severity of a coming impact.
You may lose power braking if your engine stalls. Without power braking, you'll have to use more force to press the brake pedal. Apply pressure slowly but firmly, bringing your vehicle to a controlled stop. Pull over and turn your vehicle off. You may regain power braking after restarting your engine. If you're in a safe area without other cars or pedestrians, test your brakes. If power braking remains lost, pull over and call a mechanic.
First, locate your dipstick. Most use a metal or plastic ring, often yellow, as a grip. Carefully remove the implement from its shaft, then wipe it clean with a cloth or tissue. Insert the dipstick back into its shaft, and push it down to the starting position. Wait a few seconds, then remove it again. Look near the bottom of the dipstick: if the top of the oil level appears beneath the lower mark, add one quart of oil to your engine. If oil levels are too high, or if they're normal but the oil pressure light stays on, call a mechanic. The oil on your dipstick should appear smooth, glossy, and somewhat transparent. If you see dirt, sludge, brown bubbles, or a crusty brown residue, your oil needs to be changed entirely.
Your vehicle's battery is an essential component, powering ignition, headlights, power steering and brakes, and many other important systems. It's designed to recharge continually as you drive, but this process can be disrupted in a number of ways, most often by an alternator belt that is too loose or too tight. When the battery warning light illuminates, or when the alternator gauge indicates low charge, turn off all unnecessary electronic components and take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible.
