How to Read a Tire Date Code
Learn where to find the DOT date code on a tire, how to decode three- and four-digit codes, and what a tire's age does and does not tell you.
Car blog Page 149
Practical automotive articles on maintenance, diagnostics, vehicle systems, buying used cars, tires and electric driving.
What Is a Car Differential and How Does It Work
Learn what a car differential does, how its gears let the wheels turn at different speeds, how designs vary, and what owners can check before repairs.
Trailer Hitch Ball: How to Choose the Right Size and Rating
How to choose a trailer hitch ball: match the coupler size, shank fit and weight rating to your trailer, ball mount and vehicle limits before you tow.
Spark Plug Gap Gauge: Choosing and Using the Right Tool
How spark plug gap gauges work, how wire, feeler and coin styles differ, which suits iridium and platinum plugs, and how to check a gap against your engine's spec.
How to Replace a Tire Valve Stem
Learn how to replace a tire valve stem on tubeless car, trailer, golf cart and motorcycle wheels, including TPMS stems, outside-install kits and leak checks.
Locking Trailer Hitch Pins: Sizing, Security and Safe Use
How a locking trailer hitch pin works, how to match it to your receiver, what it does not protect, and how to install and maintain one so it keeps working.
Tire Speed Rating Chart: What Each Letter Means
Learn what each tire speed rating letter means in mph and km/h, how to find it on the sidewall and vehicle placard, and how to choose a correct replacement.
How to Measure a Wheel Bolt Pattern on 4, 5, 6 and 8-Lug Wheels
Learn how to measure a wheel bolt pattern by lug count, convert inches to millimeters and avoid look-alike patterns before buying wheels or trailer hubs.
Car Water Pump Replacement: How to Change It Safely
How to replace a car water pump: confirm the fault and correct part, prepare safe access, remove and install the pump, refill coolant, bleed air and check for leaks.
What a Car Spark Plug Is, How It Works and Where It Is Located
Learn what a spark plug does in a car, how it fires the air-fuel mixture, where it sits in the engine and what changes by engine type and model year.
Best Digital Tire Pressure Gauge: Accuracy, Range and Reviews
How to choose a digital tire pressure gauge: what it measures, accuracy versus resolution, range, valve fit, and how to compare readings with your vehicle specification.
Chevy Malibu Shift Lock Release: How to Release the Selector
Learn how to use the Chevy Malibu shift lock override to move a stuck selector out of Park, what the shifter's response tells you, and what to check before repairs.
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