4 Things Men Should Know How to Do with Their Cars

There’s an outdated notion that men should know everything about cars. These days, society realizes that women can know just as much about vehicles as men. Also, it’s not unmanly if you’re a male who doesn’t know every tiny detail about how your car operates.

Still, male car owners should probably know how to do a few basic vehicle-related things. Maybe you can’t install a new carburetor or completely rebuild an engine, but you shouldn’t have to take the car to a mechanic for small but crucial automotive tasks.

We’ll talk about a few things men should know how to do with their cars right now.

Checking Your Oil Level

The Telle Tire company website says that “Telle tackles every aspect of auto maintenance.” It’s more than likely you have a company like that in your neighborhood that you can approach with an automotive problem you can’t fix. You can probably handle car basics yourself, though.

For instance, you should know how to check your car’s fluid levels. Your vehicle has several vital fluids, and each one should remain at the appropriate level for maximum efficiency.

You can check the car’s oil level by raising the vehicle’s hood and pulling the oil dipstick out of the tube. Make sure the engine is not running, and the car is cold.

Use a cloth to wipe the dipstick clean, and then insert it back into the tube. Take the dipstick out and check the oil level. You should see it below the upper and lower marks on the dipstick. If you’re running low, pour some into the reservoir.

Refilling the Car’s Windshield Wiper Fluid

You should also refill your car’s windshield wiper fluid occasionally. Every three months or so should take care of it.

You can keep a bottle of wiper fluid in the basement or garage. You can bring it out and then pop the vehicle’s hood. Look at the manual to identify the wiper fluid reservoir. You should see a marking like a wiper moving back and forth on the correct tank cap.

Pop that cap open and look down into the tank. You can’t use a dipstick to check the fluid level like you can with the oil reservoir. Instead, you can simply pour in some liquid.

Stop when you see the level get close to the top. It’s easy to see the liquid filling the tank since it’s blue and stands out against the tank’s clear plastic.

Replace a Windshield Wiper

Men should know how to replace a car’s windshield wiper as well. Your wipers have a lifespan, and you’ll know they’re nearing the end when they don’t clear off the windshield effectively when it rains.

You might also notice a wiper bump or skip along the windshield’s glass when you try to operate it.

You can remove the wiper and replace it by lifting the arm away from the windshield and finding the small tab under the wiper where it meets the arm. Press that to release the wiper.

You’ll want to make sure you've got the correct replacement wiper. You can look at the car’s manual to see what kind it needs. You can also check with someone at an auto body supply store to ensure you’re buying the right one.

Once you’ve removed the old wiper, you can slide the new one into place on the arm. You should see and hear the two components lock smoothly with a clicking sound. Then, try out the wiper to make sure it’s sliding smoothly over the glass.

Checking Your Tire’s Air Pressure

Men should also know how to check a tire’s air pressure. You need to do that every once in a while, but you should particularly do it if you’re about to go on a longer trip.

Go to a gas station and pull into a space next to the air pressure pump. Remove the cap from each tire’s air valve and put them in your pocket or somewhere you won’t lose them. Then, press the tire gauge against each valve stem for a couple of seconds.

The air pressure gauge should tell you the pressure for that tire. If it’s low, you can press the trigger to fill up the tire. You can check what number you should see for each tire by looking at the car’s manual. You will also usually find that number on the car’s driver’s side door when you open it.