Let’s face it: when something goes wrong with your car’s electrical system, it can be a scary situation. After all, you rely on your vehicle for transportation to work and school, and if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere, you could be stuck there for hours—or even days! While electrical problems happen to everyone at some point or another, there are some simple ways to avoid getting stranded by paying attention to basic maintenance items on your car’s electrical system.
Before calling for electrical car repair, check the battery.
Before you call for a car electrical repair, check the battery. The first thing to do is make sure it’s charged up! If the battery is low on juice, there’s not much more you can do until it’s been recharged. You can test this by connecting a voltmeter to the positive and negative terminals of your battery; if the voltage reading is less than 12 volts, charge up or replace it immediately.
Next, check over all of your cables and connectors for signs of wear or damage—especially between your alternator and starter motor or in any terminal under pressure from another connection (like when you’re trying to start your vehicle). Look out for corrosion at these points as well—if there are any signs that a wire might be damaged or broken internally due to corrosion, call an electrician right away so they can fix them while they’re still connected properly.
Check your fuses.
If you have a dead battery, check your fuses first. You can do this by installing a fuse tester, but if you don’t have one handy, use a test light instead. Then check the fuse box for blown fuses.
Next, inspect the fuse panel for corrosion or loose connections that may be causing bad power flow from one part of your car to another. If you find any corrosion or loose connections in your fuse box, replace them with new ones and make sure they’re securely fastened into place.
Monitor all your lights regularly.
You should also regularly check all of your lights. This includes headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals. You can test them by pushing the headlight switch on and off while looking at each light in turn. Make sure that every light works when you cycle through them in this way. Also, check to see if there is any visible damage to any of the wiring harnesses (the wires used to connect electrical components).
Inspect your spark plugs and wires.
The first thing you should check is the spark plug gap. You can do this by using a proper gauge and setting it to 0.025 inches (0.64 mm). If the gap needs to be adjusted, use a feeler gauge between the outer edge of your new plug and its firing tip until it feels snug. Next, inspect each wire for signs of damage, corrosion, or breakage by gently pulling on them with your fingers or a pair of pliers.
If there are any issues with your wires, replace them immediately since they’re responsible for supplying power from your battery to your alternator, which in turn powers up other car parts like headlights, dials, etc. Make sure that you fit tight connectors between each wire and its respective terminal so as not to cause an electrical short circuit later on down the line!
You can avoid getting stranded by paying attention to simple maintenance items on your car’s electrical system.
You can avoid getting stranded by paying attention to simple maintenance items on your car’s electrical system.
- Check the battery for signs of corrosion or damage, and have it tested yearly. If you don’t know how to do this, take your car to a mechanic or auto store at least once per year for an annual checkup that will include batteries and lights, among other things.
- Check the fuses regularly (they’re usually found under your hood), as they could be blown out from overuse or because they’ve simply expired on their own accord; replace any that appear damaged or worn. If you aren’t sure which fuse goes where, look at the diagram inside of your fuse box—it’ll tell you exactly what each one does!
- Monitor all of the light bulbs in your vehicle regularly; if any seem dimmer than usual or don’t turn on when switched on, get them replaced immediately—your mechanic should be able to do this without much trouble! They could be defective due to age, so replacing them may save time and money later down the line if something else goes wrong as well – especially if those same lights are used frequently (for instance: headlights).
If you want to experience complete auto care, Accurate Service is always here for your auto electrical repairs!
If your car is experiencing electrical problems and you need some help, head over to Accurate Service in Tucson, Arizona. As a full-service auto repair shop, they are able to handle any type of auto electrical repairs. They have been serving the community for over 26 years and are known for their state-of-the-art facility as well as friendly staff who will get you where you need to go in no time.