Deanna Sclar 
Auto Repair For Dummies 

The top-selling auto repair guide–400, 000 copies sold–nowextensively reorganized and updated

Forty-eight percent of U.S. households perform at least someautomobile maintenance on their own, with women now accounting forone third of this $34 billion automotive do-it-yourself market. Fornew or would-be do-it-yourself mechanics, this illustrated how-toguide has long been a must and now it’s even better. A completereorganization now puts relevant repair and maintenance informationdirectly after each automotive system overview, making it mucheasier to find hands-on fix-it instructions. Author Deanna Sclarhas updated systems and repair information throughout, eliminatingdiscussions of carburetors and adding coverage of hybrid andalternative fuel vehicles. She’s also revised schedules fortune-ups and oil changes, included driving tips that can save onmaintenance and repair costs, and added new advice ontroubleshooting problems and determining when to call in aprofessional mechanic. For anyone who wants to save money on carrepairs and maintenance, this book is the place to start.

Deanna Sclar (Long Beach, CA), an acclaimed auto repair expert andconsumer advocate, has contributed to the Los Angeles Times and hasbeen interviewed on the Today show, NBC Nightly News, and othertelevision programs.

Table of Content

Introduction.

Part I: Getting to Know Your Vehicle.

Chapter 1: Things Every Driver Should Know.

Chapter 2: Preventive Maintenance: A Monthly Under-the-Hood Check.

Chapter 3: The Way to Your Car’s Heart Is through Your Toolbox.

Chapter 4: What Makes It Go? The Inner Secrets of Your Car Revealed!

Part II: Powering Up with Air, Fuel, and Fire.

Chapter 5: The Electrical System: Your Car’s Spark of Life.

Chapter 6: Keeping Your Electrical System in Tune.

Chapter 7: The Traditional Fuel System: The Heart and Lungs of Your Car.

Chapter 8: Keeping Your Fuel System in Tune.

Chapter 9: Diesels For Dummies.

Chapter 10: From Horses to Hybrids: Alternatively Powered Vehicles.

Part III: Staying Cool and In Control.

Chapter 11: The Cooling System Up Close.

Chapter 12: Keeping Your Car from Getting Heartburn.

Chapter 13: Oil: Keeping Your Car Young and Happy.

Chapter 14: It’s the Brakes!

Chapter 15: Be a Buddy to Your Brakes and Bearings.

Part IV: Smoothing the Ride: Steering and Suspension, Tiresand Transmissions.

Chapter 16: Steering and Suspension Systems Smooth the Way.

Chapter 17: How to Keep Your Car from Getting Sore Feet: Tires, Alignment, and Balancing.

Chapter 18: Take the Drive Train: Understanding and Maintaining Your Transmission without Losing Your Mind.

Part V: Staying Safe and Dealing with Emergencies.

Chapter 19: Staying Safe on the Road.

Chapter 20: Troubleshooting Leaks, Squeaks, Smells, and Strange Sensations.

Chapter 21: What to Do If Your Car Drops Dead or Won’t Start.

Chapter 22: When All Else Fails: Finding and Dealing with a Good Mechanic.

Part VI: Helping Your Vehicle Look Its Best.

Chapter 23: Keeping Your Vehicle Clean and Beautiful.

Chapter 24: Bodywork: Getting Rid of Dings, Dents, and Other Hard Knocks.

Part VII: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 25: The Ten Most Important Preventive Maintenance Measure.

Chapter 26: Ten ‘Eco-Logical’ Ways to Save Fuel.

Appendix A: A Practical Glossary of Automotive Terms.

Appendix B: Specifications and Maintenance Record.

Index.

About the author

Deanna Sclar is an acclaimed auto repair expert. She has appeared on hundreds of radio and TV shows, including NBC’s Today show and the NBCNightly News. Sclar lectures internationally on the ecological impact of vehicles and is active in promoting residential solar energy programs. Sclar is also the author of Buying a Car For Dummies.