Helpful Driving Information

CONSTRUCTION OF THE AUTOMOBILE

Modern vehicles are made up of many different parts. Learning how these parts work together may seem challenging. However, maintaining and operating your car economically and safely is not as difficult as you think.

INSTRUMENTATION

In order to be able to operate your vehicle safely, you must know the functions and locations of all the interior mechanisms of your car.

INSTRUMENTATION

The instrument panel contains gauges which include the following:

• Speedometer, which indicates speed in both miles and kilometers per hour
• Tachometer, which indicates rotations in the engine in revolutions per minute (RPMs)

INSTRUMENTATION

• Odometer, which indicates the total number of miles your car has been driven since it was manufactured
• Fuel gauge, which shows the fuel level in your car's fuel tank
• Oil gauge, which shows oil level

INSTRUMENTATION

Warning lights are provided on your car's instrument panel. They light up in case of a serious problem. There are three kinds of warning lights:

• Oil Pressure Warning Light
• Temperature Warning Light
• Battery Low Warning Light

INSTRUMENTATION

Temperature Warning Light/Gauge: this light goes on when the engine temperature or the radiator's coolant is too hot. In some vehicles, a gauge is used that would show the needle in the warning zone of HOT.
If this warning light comes on while driving, STOP as soon as you can at a safe place and shut the engine off.
Never remove the radiator cap to check the coolant level when the engine is hot. The coolant is at boiling temperature and under pressure. If the cap is released, the hot coolant will release with pressure and can cause severe burns if you are standing too close.

INSTRUMENTATION

Oil Pressure Warning Light: this light goes on when the engine oil is not circulating at the required pressure. Some vehicles have an oil pressure gauge that reads LOW when the engine's oil pressure is too low. If you see an oil pressure warning while driving, STOP immediately at a safe place and turn off the engine.

INSTRUMENTATION

Battery Low Warning Light: when this light goes on or the battery gauge reads LOW, this means that the battery power is running out.

STEERING WHEEL

The steering wheel is located directly in front of the drivers seat. Turning the steering wheel transmits force, which turns the wheels to determine the direction of travel.

STEERING WHEEL

Most vehicles today have power steering, which makes turning the wheel relatively easy. If you have power steering and find it necessary to exert a lot of physical force to turn your wheel, you should probably take your car to a mechanic.

IGNITION

The ignition is located either on the side of the steering column or on the dashboard. It is a multifunction switch, into which you insert your key, in order to energize the electrical circuits and activate your starter motor.

IGNITION

Ignitions usually have three positions which serve different purposes. You turn your key clockwise to go to a higher position and counter-clockwise to deactivate it. The first position is the off position when your car is in park. The second position causes the dashboard instruments to activate. The final position causes your engine to start.

ACCELERATOR

The accelerator is also known as gas pedal. It is the pedal located on the floor on the far-right. This pedal controls the amount of gas being fed into the engine and thereby controls the speed of the vehicle.
You push the accelerator with your right foot with your heel resting on the ground. Do not be jerky with the accelerator. Rather, push it gradually while your car speeds up.

BRAKES

The brake pedal is located on the floor to the left of the accelerator. When pressed, it applies the brakes, causing the vehicle to slow down and/or stop. You must use your right foot (with your heel on ground) to exert force on the pedal to cause the brakes to engage.
If your vehicle has standard brakes, the pedal will move a little bit before it resists. If you have power brakes, you do not need to exert as much pressure on the pedal to use the brakes.

BRAKES

The parking brake can be either a pedal operated by your left foot, a lever under the dashboard, or a lever to the right on the floor.
It applies brakes to keep the car from moving when parked or to slow the car down if the regular brakes fail.

GEARSHIFT

If your car has an automatic transmission, the gearshift is located either on the steering column or on the console between the front seats. The gearshift is used to move a vehicle forward, in reverse, or remain in neutral.

GEARSHIFT

On cars with a manual transmission, the gearshift is actually a stick shift. You must learn to synchronize your gear shifting with pushing the clutch pedal.

CLUTCH

The clutch pedal is found only in cars with manual transmission. The clutch pedal is located on the floor to the left of the brake pedal. When pressed, it disengages the clutch which eliminates the transmission of power from the engine to the transmission. When released, it smoothly applies power through to the transmission. The clutch must be operated with your left foot, again, with your heel resting on the ground.

HORN

The horn is usually located in the center of your steering wheel. Make sure your horn is fully functioning and can be heard at a distance of 100-200 ft.
Do not use your horn excessively. Only use it to communicate with other drivers when necessary or as a warning to others.

MIRRORS

Your car is equipped with both rearview and side mirrors. Make sure that your mirrors are properly adjusted before you begin driving.
The rearview mirror is located at the top center of your windshield. It is shaped like a rectangle and allows you to see what is happening behind you.

MIRRORS

The side mirrors are located on the exterior side of your vehicle and allow you to view periphery traffic.

LIGHTS

Lights are significant because they allow you to see your surroundings, give others a way to see you, and give other drivers indications of your future actions. Cars are required to have certain lighting fixtures, and these generally have luminosity regulations. Make sure that your vehicle has these fixtures in place and that they are fully functioning.

LIGHTS

High-beams are also located at the front of your vehicle and have a higher luminosity that covers greater distance. High-beams are to be used in times of very low visibility. However, you are not to use high-beams in fog, for they will only reflect the dampened air and blind other drivers.

LIGHTS

High-beams are to be turned off when another vehicle is in front of you or approaching on the opposite side of the road.
Most of the states require that you switch to low-beams 500 ft or more from oncoming vehicles. Consult your state's Drivers Handbook for details.
The switch for headlights varies between vehicles. Consult your car's owner manual to make sure you know exactly how to turn your headlights on.

LIGHTS

Each vehicle must also have taillights and brake lights. Most of the states require that the taillights be visible from 500 ft. Taillights are red and are located on the back of your vehicle. Brake lights light up when you hit brakes to signal the drivers behind you to stop.

LIGHTS

Parking lights are located at the front and back of your vehicles; they are white or amber in the front and red on the back. All of them must be visible for 500 ft. It is never legal to drive with your parking lights on; they are only to be used during parking.

LIGHTS

Your car is also equipped with two white or amber colored lights in the rear of your vehicle which indicate when your car is backing up. These lights are called backup lights.

Your car is equipped with turn signal lights on its four corners. On the inside of your car, these turn signals usually appear as green arrows facing the direction of the intended turn.

TURN SIGNALS

On most cars, the turn signal lever is located to the left of the steering wheel. Shifting the lever up indicates a right turn and shifting it down indicates a left turn. Your turn signal should turn off after a turn or a lane change, but if it does not, you should turn it off manually, as soon as possible.

HAZARD LIGHTS

Your hazard lights warn other drivers of an emergency situation you may be encountering. All four turn signal lights come on when you activate your hazard lights. Again, consult your car owner's manual for the exact location of the hazard lights switch/button in your vehicle.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS

On most vehicles, the windshield wipers can be activated by a lever located to the right of the steering wheel. Usually, you can adjust the speed of your wipers to optimize performance for specific driving conditions.