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Driving tip archive:
This section is updated every month.
FEATURING
THIS MONTH
INSPECTION
AND MAINTENANCE
PART I
These tasks should be performed by a qualified
technician, I'm listing them here for educational purposes, just for you to
understand what is going on.
WARNINGS:
Take extreme care when working on
your vehicle to prevent accidental injury. Here are a few precautions that you
should observe:
-
To prevent damage or accidental
activation of the air bag system and seatbelt pretensioner system, make sure the
battery is disconnected and the ignition switch has been in the 'lock' position
for at least 90secs. Do not touch air bag system components or wires. The wires
are wrapped with yellow tape or yellow tubing for easy identification.
-
Do not leave the garage running in
a garage or other confined area.
-
When the engine is running keep
hands, clothing, hair, tools and other objects away from the belts. Even though
the fan may not be moving it may automatically run without warning.
-
Do not touch ignition wires or
other ignition system parts when starting the engine, or you could receive a
potentially lethal electric shock.
AIR FILTER
If the air cleaner is clogged with
dust, air intake resistance will increase, resulting in decreased power output
and increased fuel consumption (see
Improving fuel economy).
Unclamp side clamps and remove the
element from the air cleaner case. If it appears to be dirty, blow it with high
pressure air or replace it with a new one (recommended).
BRAKES
Brake fluid:
Check the brake fluid level by looking at
the reservoir in the engine compartment. Check that the fluid is between the
'MAX' and 'MIN' levels.
Brake Pedal:
With the engine running, measure the
distance between the brake pedal and floor wall when the pedal is depressed with
approximately 30kg (66lbs) of force. The minimum distance required is 80mm~95mm.
The pedal is self adjusting but if the distance is less than the minimum
distance, have your car checked by an authorized dealer.
Parking brake:
Check the parking brake for proper adjustment by
checking the number of clicks made by the ratchet teeth as you slowly pull up
on the brake lever to the point of full engagement. The lever should stop
between the 3rd and the 5th ratchet tooth and the rear wheels should be
securely locked. If the parking brake is not properly adjusted or the brakes
drag after after the lever has been fully released, have the parking brake
adjusted by your dealer.
STEERING
Check the play of the steering wheel by gently
turning it from left to right and measuring the distance that it moves before
you feel a slight resistance. The play should be between 0-30mm (0-1.2in).
Check that the steering wheel turns easily and smoothly without rattling by
turning it all the way to the right and to the left while driving very slowly
in an open area. If the amount of free play is outside the the specification
or you find anything else to be wrong, an inspection must be performed by your
dealer.
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