What’s In A VIN?

 

Ever wonder what that long group of numbers and letters identifying your car means? There is some method to the madness. While the various bumper stickers on the back of your car tell people who you are, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tells the world who your car is.

Mechanics use the VIN to identify engine type and other parts to service a vehicle, law enforcement can use the VIN to identify stolen vehicles, and manufacturers use it to resolve safety recalls.

Where’s My VIN?

You’ve probably had to find the VIN on your vehicle at some point. Because the VIN unlocks information about your car, you’ll see it on car titles, insurance policies and auto service records.

The location on the car will vary by year and manufacturer, but you’ll usually find it on the dashboard (you’ll be able to see it through the front windshield), on a sticker inside the driver’s side door or on the engine block.

Cracking The Da-VIN-ci Code

Under standards set by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA), every car and truck model year 1981 or later has a unique 17-digit VIN. Here is how the VIN is assigned.

• World Manufacturer Identifier – The first three digits of the VIN tell you the country of original (or final point of) assembly, manufacturer and vehicle type or division. For example, 1GC would represent an American-made General Motors vehicle branded as a Chevrolet.
• Vehicle Descriptor Section – The next five digits are used by service shops to determine the vehicle model, body, engine type, and more. The ninth digit is known as the “Check Digit,” is based on a mathematical formula to identity invalid VINs.
• Vehicle Identifier Section – The 10th digit represents the vehicle’s model year, but is represented by a letter or number. For example, 2010 is an “A.”
  The remaining digits make up the assembly plant and production number, which can be used differently by each manufacturer.

Read More Here

How To Safely Handle A Tire Blowout

It’s one of the most unexpected—and unnerving—driving experiences: a tire blowout. And something as small as a nail in the road can be the cause.

“It happens any time the air in the tire escapes at a rapid speed,” says James Solomon, a defensive driving expert with the National Safety Council (NSC). According to the NSC, the top five causes of tire blowouts are under-inflation, overload, uneven tread wear, damage and defects.

Fortunately, tire blowouts seem to be on the downswing since the implementation of tire pressure monitoring systems, says Solomon. Still, he cautions, the unexpected event could occur, so it’s important for drivers to understand the possible causes and the proper responses, as well as the steps to take to help prevent a tire blowout.

What To Do

“A blowout is pretty obvious,” says Solomon. “You’ll hear a pop, and one side of your car will drop down.” If it’s a front tire, you’ll hear a flapping sound, and the steering wheel could jerk from your hands. A back tire may be less dramatic, but both situations should be handled the same.

“The last thing you want to do is jam on the brakes, especially in traffic,” says Solomon, even though that may be your gut reaction. The goal is to gain control of the vehicle as it continues to move and to get it away from traffic. He recommends signaling for a lane change and easing your foot off the gas pedal while steering to the side of the road as quickly and as smoothly as you can.

 ...More

7 Signs Of Worn Shocks And Struts

 

The Warning Signs

While many variables determine the life of your shocks or struts (hello, potholes), Reina says experiencing any of these seven symptoms means it’s time for replacements.

1.  Instability at highway speeds. Your vehicle never feels completely stable on the highway and is constantly moving up and down. The movement may be slight, but you notice it.
2. Vehicle “tips” to one side in turns. When taking a sharp turn or an off-ramp, your vehicle leans or “tips” to the outside of the turn and feels wobbly.
3. The front end dives more than expected during hard braking. You may not notice this until you have to jump hard on the brakes.
4. Rear-end squat during acceleration. You’ll notice the front end of your vehicle rising while the rear “squats” during hard acceleration.
5. Tires bouncing excessively. After hitting a bump, you can feel a tire (or tires) reacting or “bouncing” for a time. You may also hear a clunking noise.
6. Unusual tire wear. Because the tire isn’t being held firmly to the road, the tread wears in a wavy manner instead of evenly.
7. Leaking fluid on the exterior of shocks or struts. This is a sign that the seals have broken and the internal fluids essential to proper function are escaping.

...More

How To Remove Bad Car Smells

 

Your car isn’t just a car—depending on the day, it can be a dining room for a quick bite (while parked, of course), a place for the kids to catch up on the latest shows, a shuttle to your dog’s vet, you name it. And all that multitasking can lead to some pretty funky smells. “Our cars are really just microcosms of our homes,” says Melissa Maker, the author of Clean My Space. And thanks to the confined area, common smells can quickly intensify, turning an unwanted scent into a stench.

But no need to call in a pro to clear the air: Some household tools you probably already own can purge pungent odors—and help to ward off future ones. Here are some simple and effective strategies to combat the prime culprits.

Spills on the Seat

Whether they’re from crumbs, dirt or liquids, messes on your seat cushions can be a real pain to get out, consequently turning the upholstery into an incubator of stink. Maker stashes a microfiber cloth in her glove compartment for just such occasions: cleans up the mess in a pinch. Plus, they’re handy for everyday tidying, like a dusty dashboard.

Once you get home, the real deep clean can begin. For leather upholstery, there’s not much more you can do on your own than wipe it down, but leather generally doesn’t hang on to odor the same way cloth does, Maker says. With fabric seats, you may be able to address the problem with a lint roller, particularly if it’s a dry substance like dirt or pet hair. For trickier messes, try the hose attachment on a vacuum cleaner. Still won’t come out? Break out a carpet shampooer. “It might seem like an onerous task, but cleaning your upholstery is going to have a huge effect on the way that it smells,” says Maker.

...more