GENERAL MAINTENANCE TIPS

In a perfect world, your car would perform smoothly all the time. You'd never have to jump-start a battery or change a tire or ever get your hands dirty. But unfortunately there are times when it's necessary to take matters into your own hands. Here are some ways to perform those duties as safely as possible.

Although you should familiarize yourself with the steps outlined in your owner's manual, here are some standard rules.

• Do not smoke, create a spark or light a match near a battery.
• Check the battery voltage. Most new cars have a 12-volt battery. Never try to jump an older car with a 6-volt battery by using a 12-volt battery. The battery could explode.
• Make sure the vehicles aren't touching.
• Check the charge indicator dot or hydrometer. Its color changes depending on the state of the battery charge. Green means fully charged. Brown or black means the charge is lost. Yellow means that the battery is bad and needs to be replaced.
• Make sure the battery terminals, positive and negative, are clean and free of corrosion. You can clean them with baking soda and water. (In an emergency, Coke works.)
• Don't let the cables touch each other.
• First connect both the positive (red) cables to the plus (+) terminals.
• Then connect both negative (black) cables to the negative (-) terminals. Do not make the final jumper connection to the low or dead battery itself. It could produce a spark.
• Turn on the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and let it idle for a few minutes.
• Turn on your headlights before starting your car. This absorbs voltage spikes that can cause damage to your vehicle's computer.
• Turn on the vehicle with the low battery. As soon as it starts, remove the cables.
• Once it's jumped, drive the vehicle for at least 30 minutes to recharge the battery. Depending on the condition of the battery, additional time may be required.
  

• Put your vehicle in park if it is an automatic transmission. Put it in first gear if it's a manual transmission. Put the emergency brake on.
• Place wedges, blocks or rocks behind the wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
• Take out your jack, spare tire and lug wrench.
• Pry off the hubcap.
• Loosen the nuts with the lug wrench. DO NOT remove them.
• Put the jack under the car frame close to the flat tire in a place that has enough strength to support the vehicle's weight.
• Pump the jack until the tire is off the ground. Once the car is elevated, never open vehicle doors, start the car or get under the car.
• Remove the nuts.
• Pull the tire off and replace it with the spare.
• Put the nuts back on but don't tighten them all the way until the car is back on the ground.
• Lower the vehicle with the jack.
• Remove the jack from under the vehicle, tighten the nuts and unblock the wheels.

Check your oil, water, wiper fluid, engine coolant/antifreeze level and tire condition and pressure.

Inspect transmission fluid and brake fluid, windshield wiper blades and power steering fluid. Review condition of belts, hoses and battery cables.

Check the brake system and inspect and/or rotate tires. Review condition of clutch system (manual transmissions) and chassis lubrication.

Have underbody flushing performed and service engine cooling system (which should include inspecting the radiator, water pump, fan belt, thermostat(s), radiator cap and antifreeze). Check accelerator control system, and lubricate doors, locks, hinges and parking brake.

Inspect automatic transmission. Change auto transmission fluid and filter.

Change spark plugs and fuel filter, inspect spark plug wire, check engine timing.

This schedule is a sample of the maintenance inspections and services required for many cars and trucks. It is not meant to replace the schedule provided in your owner's manual. Always refer to your owner's manual to achieve the best performance from your vehicle.

Note: In some cases, automakers do not advise tire rotation. Check your manual to find out when wheel alignment and wheel balancing are necessary.

When your car is acting up or breaks down, the last thing you need is a communication breakdown with your technician. Learn how to describe certain sounds with Lesson in sounds: Around the vehicle or Lesson in sounds: Under the hood. Get an idea of what the leak spots on your driveway might mean in Lesson in liquids. Then, the next time you make a trip to the repair shop, you and your technician will be talking the same language.

Most drivers feel shaky even after a minor collision. Knowing how to handle the problems that you may encounter can save headaches — from the scene of the accident all the way to the body shop.

The number one error drivers make after being in a collision is not obtaining enough information from the other party before leaving the accident site. For example, what if the other party is driving a car that he or she has borrowed and does not own? You need to have the insurance information on the car that is involved in the crash, not the driver's own car. Below is a list of information one needs to exchange after an accident. We suggest keeping it in your glove box, along with a pen.

• Driver's name
• Address
• Phone number
• Driver's license number and state of issuance
• Name of insurance company
• Insurance policy number
• Vehicle make, model and year
• Vehicle identification number
• Registration number and state of issuance
• Vehicle owner's name, address and phone number if different from the driver

• If possible, move the vehicles out of the lane of traffic to prevent another crash.
• When someone is injured, do not move them. If you have a cellular phone, call for medical help. Or, flag someone down and ask that person to call an ambulance. If crash victims say they have pain in their back, shoulder, neck or legs, for example, they should not be moved because that can cause further injury.
• Unless it is obvious you were at fault, do not admit blame. Ask for witnesses' names, addresses and phone numbers. And as soon as you arrive home, write down everything you can remember leading up to, during and after the crash. For example, what was the weather that day? Was construction happening? Was there a road sign obscuring your view?
• If you hit an uninsured driver, still obtain as much information as you can. It will be helpful to you when speaking with your insurance agency.

You are required to call the police if one or more parties are injured, if a vehicle has to be towed or if the damage is more than $500 on your vehicles collectively. However, it is recommend that you always call the police, as a police report can verify what actually happened. Without a police report, the other parties involved could change their stories.

The other driver may ask you not to report the accident and offer to pay for your damages. If the damage looks like it is under $500, you might consider accepting the other driver's offer, but doing so is risky. You have no assurance that the person will actually send you a check to cover your damages.

Usually, the reason people don't want an accident reported is higher insurance rates. However, the police agency that handles the accident usually does not notify the insurance agency, as one of the involved parties frequently does it. So, go ahead and file a police report. It is important for your protection.

After the police report is made, you should notify your insurance company. (Most insurance companies require a police report prior to making a claim.) Illinois law, for example, mandates personal injury accidents to be reported within 48 hours and property damage accidents over $500 within 10 days. (If there is visible damage on a vehicle, most likely the repair cost will be over $500. If you are unsure, obtain an estimate and report it before your state's deadline.) Remember to check the laws in your state.

• Is the repair estimate based on new genuine GM parts? If no, why not?
• If I accept imitation parts for the repair of my vehicle, will my rates decline?
• If I insist that only new genuine GM parts be used, do I have to pay more? If yes, why?
• May I select the body shop I want to repair my vehicle? If no, why not?

If you're replacing parts on your vehicle, know that there are significant differences between genuine GM parts and imitation, used or salvaged parts. The quality of fit, finish and corrosion protection can be great. These differences can negatively affect a vehicle's warranty, safety and resale value.

• Do you use imitation and/or used/salvaged parts or only new, genuine GM parts in a repair?
• Does my insurance company's policy specify using only new, genuine GM Parts for my vehicle's repair?

Our experience indicates that most body shops would rather use genuine GM parts because they fit right the first time and help maintain the long-term integrity of the vehicle's appearance and long-term investment return.

This Technical Tips section has been created with you in mind. It is an example of our desire to enhance the existing dialogue on technical issues that will aid in lowering your fleet maintenance and repair expenses. General Motors has a team of highly experienced service professionals who are committed to helping you manage your fleet at the highest level of efficiency.

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