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Car dashboards are made out of vinyl, a soft and easily scratched material. A few scratches or cracks in a cars dashboard can ruin the look of your whole cars interior. It can also be very costly to have it repaired at an auto body shop. Fortunately, repairing a car dashboard can be easily accomplished without professional assistance or a costly bill.

Instructions

1

Place silicone caulking into the cracks or deep scratches in your dashboard. If the scratches are small and shallow, you can skip this step. Allow the caulking to dry.

2

Sand the uneven area around the scratches and any bumps left by the dried silicone caulking. Sand gently until smooth.

3

Spread the dashboard repair compound from the vinyl repair kit over the scratches. Make sure to choose a vinyl repair kit with a compound matching the color of your dashboard. Press the textured paper over the compound to match the texture of the dashboard. Some compounds require heat to dry and bound properly. Use a hair dryer or heat applicator if provided to dry compound. Let dry.

The 2003 Nissan Altima is not known for its performance, but it is known for its longevity. Consumer review of the Altima generally give high marks for reliability. However, there are a few repairs that are commonly needed on this vehicle. These repairs can prolong the use of the 2003 Nissan Altima and let you drive it you many years.

Headlight Issues

The 2003 Nissan Altima has been known to have corrosion problems of the reflective surface on the interior of the head lamps. This has since been recalled and can be repaired at your local Nissan dealership at no charge. If you would like to repair this yourself, open the hood and remove the Phillips screw on the side of the headlamp thats on the outside top of the headlamp. Place the screwdriver on the inside of the headlamp between the turn-signal light and the headlamp and pry outward; the headlamp should pop out. Twist the headlight bulb counterclockwise to remove the bulb from the headlamp. Install the headlight into the new headlamp and reinsert the entire fixture. Make sure that the clip on the grill side of the headlamp clicks into the groove, then install the Phillips screw.

Loose Interior Door Panels

As the Nissan ages, the door panels sometimes pop loose. Gently pry the door panels back with a flathead screwdriver to see which of the rivets has broken. Remove the broken rivet and match it at an auto parts store with a new one. Install the rivet into the panel slot on the door. Push the rivet into the hole and give the area that the rivet is in a good hit with the palm of your hand. This allows the rivet to fully insert into the hole and the end to expand, holding the panel in place.

Smoking Muffler

If the muffler seams like there is something burning in it, this just may be the case. A recall was issued on 2003 Nissan Altimas because of a muffler hanger pin that caught road debris and could cause the material to ignite, thus igniting the catalyst as well. This dangerous situation can be repaired at a Nissan dealership, or by taking a pair of pliers and bending the pin upwards as it will no longer catch on the road.

Excluding interior bulbs which facilitate convenience, automotive bulbs are as essential to driving safety as a properly working engine. They are used predominantly to make driver intentions visible to others. Mitsubishi recalled their vehicles at least five times for lamp-related problems.

Outlander

In December 2008, Mitsubishi recalled the 2007 and 2008 Outlander models due to a faulty brake lamp switch connected to the LEB brake light bulbs. A malfunctioning switch may cause the brake bulb to not light upon brake application which could result in rear-end crashes.

Lancer

Mitsubishi issued two recalls in 2006 and one in 2009 for the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer. All three recalls were for faulty headlights that did not have amber side reflectors in accordance with federal motor vehicle safety standard, number 108.

Eclipse

On March 23, 2006, Mitsubishi recalled 2005 Eclipse models that were fitted with after-market exterior lighting from Pro-A Motors. Headlight lamps, corner lamps and turn indicators were sold without amber side reflectors in violation of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 108.

The Chevrolet 7.4-liter engine is primarily used in Suburbans. When having problems with your 7.4, there are several things to do before taking it to a repair shop. Common issues include the battery, fuel and starter problems. You can diagnose these minor problems. However, a qualified mechanic should always perform major repairs.

Instructions

1

Turn the key in the ignition and listen for any sounds coming from the engine. If you hear "clicking" then a technician should test the alternator on a diagnostic machine.

2

Turn the ignition halfway to turn on the instrument panel. Look over the instrument panel to make sure you have enough fuel to start the engine (if not, add about 1 gallon of gas).

3

Open the hood of the vehicle and look over the battery connections. If you find the battery connections loose, tighten them with a pair of channel locks or pliers. Try to restart the car. If the car will not start, the charge might be low.

4

Use a voltmeter to test the battery. Connect the positive and negative leads of the voltmeter to the positive and negative leads on your battery. Look over the reading. If the reading is under 11 to 12 volts, you need to charge the battery.

5

Connect a battery charger to the positive and negative terminals on the battery. Plug the battery charger into an electrical outlet and let the unit sit for about 12 hours. Try to restart the vehicle after 12 hours. If the vehicle does not start, you need to replace the battery.

6

Get under the vehicle and look for the starter. The starter is a small black box on the right side of the engine. With the emergency brake engaged and the car in "Park," have a friend turn the ignition and listen for a "buzzing" noise coming from the starter. If you hear the buzzing, you need to have the starter replaced by a service technician.

The C5 Corvette encompasses the 1997 through 2004 model years. All of the C5 models are equipped with four-wheel disc brakes. Removal of a rear rotor is required forits replacement or when you need to work on the rear hub assembly. Warping, cracking or structural failure may necessitate brake rotor replacement. Brake pads wear the rotor over time, requiring their replacement when the rotor thickness no longer meets minimal standards.

Instructions

1

Place wheel chocks behind and in front of the front wheels to secure the vehicle. Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheel one turn with the breaker bar and socket.

2

Raise the rear of the Corvette using the floor jack and secure with a jack stand on each side of the automobile.

3

Remove the five lug nuts using a ratchet and socket. Pull the wheel away from the hub assembly and store the wheel in a safe location.

4

Use a 22 mm socket and ratchet to remove the two bolts securing the caliper bracket to the rear hub assembly.

5

Slide the caliper assembly off the rotor and use a short length of bailing wire to hang the assembly in the wheel well. This will prevent damage to the hydraulic hose attached to the caliper.

6

Use both hands to pull the rotor away from the vehicle until it is clear of the wheel studs.

Aftermarket exhaust systems are installed on vehicles for a variety of reasons, including reducing emissions, improving exhaust sound and appearance as well as improving overall vehicle performance. Upgrading a vehicles exhaust can improve both its overall horsepower and torque. There are several different factors that will affect your decision about which aftermarket exhaust system is right for your car or truck.

Instructions

1

Determine what you want your aftermarket exhaust system to accomplish. Exhaust systems can serve a variety of purposes, so it is important to figure out what exactly your goal is for your exhaust upgrade. If your primary concern is performance, you will need to go with a higher end exhaust upgrade than someone who only wants to improve the appearance of their vehicles exhaust tips. In the case of appearance improvements, you may be able to just add a new exhaust tip to your existing exhaust system to achieve the look you are going for.

2

Go to a mechanic shop that specializes in custom exhaust work and discuss what systems would be the best for your specific car or truck. Different exhaust systems offer different benefits, depending on the type of system and the particular make and model of car you are planning on in installing it on.

3

Check local emissions laws to make sure you are aware of any potential qualities that would cause your vehicle to fail local or state emissions testing. Exhaust upgrades need to be able to pass standard emissions testing or you will have problems when your vehicle needs to be reregistered if you live in an area of the country with strict emissions laws.

4

Select the exhaust system that meets both your performance and price requirements. Exhaust upgrades can range from relatively simple changes to thousand dollar overhauls. The more the exhaust system is advertised to accomplish, the more expensive it will be.

Your cars AC belt pulley keeps the drive belt tight. Once it becomes loose or comes off, your vehicle will instantly stop. A bad tensioner must be replaced, and you might be able to do this yourself. The only thing you must take into consideration is how many other parts you have to remove to reach the tensioner. Doing this yourself is possible, but it requires the drive belt be fastened with precise tension.

Instructions

1

Check the position of the engines piston on the front. It should be at the highest point, known as the top dead center. Turn the crankshaft with a socket to move the piston to this position.

2

Disconnect your cars negative battery cable. Block the rear wheels, and use a jack to raise the front wheels. Support the vehicle with jack stands.

3

Remove any engine parts that block access to the tensioner and timing belt. This might vary depending on the make and model of your car.

4

Remove the timing belts cover, if necessary, by taking off the mounting bolts. Use your Allen wrench to relieve tension on the belt. Take the belt off the tensioner and pulley.

5

Disconnect the bolts mounting the pulley, and remove it from the engine.

6

Insert the new tensioner into place, and fasten the bolts to the torque required for your car. Tighten the tensioner by turning using a wrench.

7

Replace every engine part that had to be removed to reach the belt. Lower the vehicle from the jack stand, and reconnect the battery cable.