Did you know that almost 1.3 Million British people don’t know how to open the bonnet of their car?
Insane!
The 1st time I picked up the steering wheel of a car, was when I was 2 years old. Literally on my father’s lap, in the parking lot of our condo, he would teach me about it.
By 13 years old, I would pick his Volkswagen Passat and drive it around the empty street (hey it was the end of the 80’s…it was permitted… It wasn’t but there wasn’t anyone on the street). I was always the designated driver around my family by my 20’s and still am.
So when I was researching about this subject, I got even ashamed on how so many people don’t know how to open the bonnet! Cars don’t run only on gas/petrol people! You need to take care of it, for your sake, the sake of those who are inside the car and the sake of the others on the street, as you are, and By Law, the responsible for the car and anything happening with and to it!
So Let’s check the basic things to make your car safe, things you HAVE TO know.
Want to drive, need to know. Period!
1 – Open the Bonnet!
Simple as that. There is a lever on your side of the steering wheel, open it up and that’s it! Of course it depends on which car you have, but standard rule, is always on the lower side, near the pedals on the driver side. In the bonnet you have access to some of the things I am listing below. You don’t have to be a mechanic, but you will need to know about opening a bonnet!
2 – Check the Oil
Under the bonnet you can find the oil stick. If your car does a strange sound, like a constant metallic beating, then your oil must be running low. Either control it by measuring the oil stick or in doubts, take it to a mechanic.
3 – Check the Coolant
Either is summer or winter, checking the coolant is very very important. Just like the name says, this liquid cools off your car so the engine can maintain a perfect run and not overheat. If the car overheats, the car will stop and occasionally can damage the car to the point that it need to be overwritten. A car overwritten means being turned into scraps… unless you want to spend more than the car actually costs to buy a new engine, please check over the coolant to be safe.
4 – Tyres and the right tyre pressure
Tyres are as important as the engine in a car. Tyres should always be checked if they are proper to drive on the street, looking at the depth and looking also if there any any punctures or cracks, or even to see if they are too slick for a proper safety driving. If you don’t have the notion about tyres or look for a professional, you can always look and order online for new tyres. I have been ordering tyres online for some time and never failed me.
The pressure is always very important. It’s not rocket science, and everyone should be taught about how to put air on their tyres, either on the Gas pump / Petrol station, or even at home with a proper tyre inflator. Really easy!
5 – Windscreen wipers
Now here is something people tend only to check on winter, or when it’s raining season: the windscreen wipers. They won’t last all eternity and should be switched to new one’s as soon as you start noticing that they aren’t cleaning properly or has cracks on it (because they got too much son or too much weather changes, the windscreen wipers will become faulty on it’s own). Also don’t forget to put water or proper liquid in the windscreen washer pump… which is under the bonnet!
So as you can see the bonnet is definetly something everyone needs to learn – It’s Basic as ABC!
Make sure you drive safe out there for everyones’s sake.
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