Motoring Tips

Road Emergency | Long Drives | Cellphone Use

oad Emergency
Hard starting or won't start:

 Check battery for loose terminals. Check terminal connections for loose or dirty connections. Check
negative ground connections. Check battery, if battery is discharged, charge battery.
 Carburetor flooded - wait 5 min. then hold gas pedal to floor and start, do not pump gas pedal.
 Choke plate stuck or set incorrectly.
 Faulty starter. Have coil resistance wire or coil resistor tested or replaced.
 Inspect, clean or replace spark plugs.
 Inspect fuel filter and fuel pump.

Engine/Radiator Overheat

 If engine boils over: Turn off engine.

 Wait 15 - 20 mins. for engine to cool before opening the hood.
 Don't open radiator cap if steam is coming out.
 Check for leaks, burst hoses, broken drive belt or other faults.
 Start engine to see if fan is working. If blades are not moving, turn off engine and replace fuse or
bypass a faulty fan switch.
 If there are no obvious faults, carefully remove radiator cap and top-up with water while the
engine is running to prevent engine manifold from cracking due to sudden change of
temperature.

Flat Tire

 Slowly pull-over to road shoulder.

 Put gear in reverse.
 Set hand / foot brake.
 Loosen nuts on wheel. Don't remove yet.
 Chock tire diagonally opposite the flat.
 Jack car until tire is clear of ground.
 Remove lug nuts and flat tire.
 Align holes in the spare with the studs and put on the spare tire.
 Tighten nuts in opposite sequence to ensure even stress distribution.
 Lower car. Remove jack and block.
 Tighten all nuts again in proper sequence.
 Have flat tire fixed or vulcanized.

Simple electrical problems:

 Most electrical problems can be solved by first checking blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers:
Replace blown fuses with correct ampere rating or reset breakers.
On emergencies where extra fuses are not available, you can bypass fuses by using a small
strand of electrical wire. Replace this with correct fuse as soon as possible.
 Excessive battery wear, causing frequent replacement:
 Tighten or replace broken fan belt.
Check grounding connections.
 Alternator overloaded / charging poorly.
Check alternator.
Faulty wiring or ground connection.
 Horn will not stop blowing:
Repair/replace horn switch/relay.
Faulty wiring or ground connection.
 Lights or turn signals do not work:
Fuse blown or circuit breaker tripped - reset breaker or replace blown fuse.

Emergency Hotlines:

 Outlast Battery Delivery 725-9005

 Police Assistance 117
 Meralco 16210 / 16211
 MMDA Metrobase 812-8495 / 8527
 Traffic Operations Center 527-3087
 National Disaster Operations Center 911-5061
 Volunteer Fire Brigade 244-4141, 244-5151
 Citizen's Anti-Crime Assistance Group 527-2327

otoring Tips for Long Drives

hile most vehicles should have as standard tools for changing a flat tire plus a spare tire, motorists
ould invest in emergency equipment because there's no telling what will happen down the road,
pecially during those long drives.

re are some of the emergency equipment that motorists should consider acquiring:

arning Device: Warning devices range from the popular reflectorized triangle devices to strobe lights or
nterns powered by batteries.

ways choose battery-powered lights over those that have to be powered by a vehicle's power system
cause the former can be placed farther away from your vehicle.

ashlight: Choose a big flashlight that uses large batteries. While plastic flashlights are good, you can also
nsider those clad with rubber that are waterproof.

ares: Aside from bringing along a spare tire, and extra bulb and batteries for your flashlight, also pack
assortment of fuses, light bulbs, drive belts, sparkplugs, windshield wipers, coolant, washer fluid,
otor oil, water and fuel placed in a safe can.

you are going on a long drive and not sure that your battery will last, then by all means bring along a
and new battery. That's better than scouting for a second hand or brand new battery in a place where
u don't know where the car shops are.

uick Fix Materials: These include radiator leak sealants, duct tape to seal various leaks and a mat if you
ve to do work under your car. A can of silicon spray should very useful in drying wet wires and
rminals if the need arises.
 st but not least, bring electrical tape but get the heavy-duty cloth variety that is more durable.

ean-up Stuff: Waterless hand cleaner, clean rags, a can of carburettor cleaner (for those with vehicles
thout fuel injection systems) and a roll of thick tissue paper should always come in handy to clean up
ess and dirt.

r sure you don't want to grip the steering wheel with dirty hands after changing a flat tire.

ol Kit: Other tools which you should bring along are a Swiss Army preferably the one with scissors, an
ght-inch pliers with a wire cutter, a needle nose pliers, a standard socket set, a multi-purpose
rewdriver that has interchangeable blades and an adjustable wrench.

e Extinguisher: Buy a fire extinguisher that can fit into your car's compartment, and one that is not too
mall. Always replace your fire extinguisher before its expiry date.

ectric air pump: An electric air pump will come in very handy when the puncture on a flat tire is small.

th an electric air pump, you can inflate your vehicle's flat tire and drive towards a safer place where you
n seek assistance.

st Aid Kit: A first aid kit that has the basics to treat wounds like alcohol, antiseptic, bandages and
aster is okay for motorists who do not seek the outdoors.

owever, for those who love the outdoors, a snake bite kit should always be a necessity.

mper Cables: This should always be carried by owners of older vehicles. Always choose jumper cables
ade from copper.

her Items: Chocolate bars can give you a surge of energy to do such chores like changing a flat tire.
scuits can also come in handy if you get stranded in a place where you hate the food, or where there is
place to eat.

tra cash should always be a must, as well as a mobile phone that has wide coverage. Also bring along a
are battery for your mobile phone.

hile buying all the items mentioned are not cheap if taken altogether, it is worth noting that many
otorists spend too much money on unnecessary car accessories only to find out that during an
mergency that they should have bought the items that really count.

sing a Cell Phone While Driving:

you must use a cell phone while driving, here are some helpful tips:

 If possible, use a hands-free device such as a headset or speaker cradle

 Do not take notes or look up numbers while driving (that's what speed-dial is for)
 Place calls when you're not moving or before you pull into traffic
 Keep conversations short. Don't use the phone for social calls.
 Suspend calls and allow them to go through to voice mail when you're driving in heavy traffic,
hazardous weather conditions, or stressful situations. You can explain later when you're still alive
to tell about it.

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