How to jump a dead car battery

So you are set for that appointment early in the morning and you try to start your car only to find out that it wont come up because of a dead battery. Confused and disappointed, what do you do next.

It is a necessity for car owners to have jump cables in their trunk, if you don't ensure you get one today, it is a real life saver. 

OK you have a jump cable, what else do you need, you need a donor car battery so if you have just one car and you're still being mean to your neighbor better change for good because they come in really handy on days like this.

listed below are the steps to properly jump start a dead battery.

1. Connect the red clamp from one end of the jumper cables to the positive post on your dead car.

2. Connect the red clamp from the other end of the jumper cables to the positive post on your donor car.

3. Connect a black clamp from your jumper cables to the negative post on your donor car.

4. Connect the other black clamp to the negative post on your dead car.

5. Start the charged car and let it run for about 2-4 minutes.

6. Try to turn your dead car on. If it starts, perfect! If not, let the battery charge more.

7. Once your dead car is running, remove the clamps in order of 4, 3, 2, 1. Never let the clamps touch though!

8. Drive your (once) dead car for at least 30 minutes so the battery fully charges.

Can driver-less/autonomous vehicles work in Nigeria

Have you ever imagined the possibility of Self Driving cars in Nigeria?

I just did, and the thoughts of it as an average car user in Nigeria scares me, not just because of fear of witches taking over the car and driving me into a ditch, Lol, but also because of every other non-existent enabling factors that seem to show how unprepared we are for it, this level of unpreparedness kind of show how far from the rest of the world we are in term of being carried along with Innovative revolution sweeping the automotive industry across the world.

Some may even argue that we have a lot more indigenous issues to deal with than talking about autonomous cars. Sounds true but, if the world is evolving, Nigeria too should try to align at least.

Over the last few years, artificial intelligence and automation have affected the way we live as humans—from the way we work to the structure of our homes, self driving cars and the possibilities of an endless list only limited by our imagination. Robots and machines are taking the place of human labor in processes like food production, car assembly, security and in driving too as autonomous cars look like the next phase for automakers.

Self-driving or autonomous cars are cars that can drive themselves; drivers are not needed for their functionality and mobility. As defined by Wikipedia, “an autonomous car is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input”.  But it is argued that what we have now are ‘automated’ self-driving cars that still need human interventions or drivers to function and not ‘fully autonomous’ cars.

Would you believe if I told you that the idea of autonomous cars is dated back to 1920s?

Francis Houdina made the first attempt to use radio-controls to start a car, shift gear and blare horns. There were numerous experimental trials in the 1930s through 1980s (a time when the first true closest-to-autonomous prototype car appeared) and till date scientist are not relentless. Some notable researchers in this era were John McCarthy and Dean Pomerleau.

These driverless vehicles are built with the capabilities to sense their environments and navigate around without human intervention.

According to SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), self- driving cars are classified into five levels; levels 0-3 are automated cars with human driver and drive assistance sharing some responsibilities while level 4 cars are highly automated with human assistance only on request. Finally, level 5 cars fully autonomous with no human intervention.

Audi claims its next-generation A8 luxury sedan will be the first production car with SAE Level 3 autonomy. The A8’s Traffic Jam Pilot allows the car to drive itself without any human intervention, but only under certain conditions. The system only works in traffic at speeds up to 37 mph, in divided highways with clearly-marked entrance and exit lanes.

But Audi’s quest to free commuters from the drudgery of traffic jams faces more than just technological hurdles. While we can confirm that Traffic Jam Pilot works, it’s still unclear whether regulators will approve the use of the system in cars sold to the general public. It’s just one facet of a bigger debate over self-driving car regulations that is just getting started.

It is fascinating that these cars evolve in newer trends faster than expected as some of the world's biggest automakers like BMW, General Motors, Volvo, Tesla Autopilot, etc. are already testing prototypes. The good thing about these autonomous cars is we might not even need driver’s license to use the cars, as it will be controlled using mobile devices to detect location and destination.

While everyone is excited about this innovation, some countries making some legislation to incorporate it and allow testing of these cars on public roads, the question is how ready is Nigeria to embrace this too? But before we even think autonomous cars in this country, some things have to be put in place.

 Good road networks:  The truth is, in Nigeria, a good road network is still a luxury. With the majority of our current road network, you will be taking a huge faith leap to bring a car and not have fears that it could have issues due to bad roads. The roads still lack clear markings; road signage is inconsistent or non-existent and in some instances, a well-marked, two-way tarred road can suddenly squeeze down into a narrow, winding and dusty track.

According to the World Bank transport infrastructure benchmarking index, more than half (13) of the top 25 countries with poorest roads conditions are African.

Electricity and Internet:  These driverless cars are usually designed to connect with one another via Vehicular Communication System (which uses vehicles and roadside units as a node of communication) which enables them to share information about traffic, weather, road conditions etc. obtain from vehicles within the same vicinity so as to avoid road danger. For this, the country needs a workable and accessible internet and electricity.For now, stable power is still a major issue in the country. Fully autonomous cars may not be feasible until important infrastructures like this are put in place.

 Functional Traffic Lights: Driverless cars have built-in sensors like light/radio detection ranging (ridar/radar), computer vision, preloaded map, GPS, Ultrasonic sensor, etc. that enable them to learn and navigate its environment. The connectivity enables the vehicle to get access to the cloud for information sharing and a control Algorithm which enables the vehicles to interpret the information gathered by the sensor and connectivity—this guides the vehicle in decision making process. Hence, there shouldn’t be a case of malfunctioning traffic lights because it aids autonomous vehicle in knowing when to stop at junctions and when to move.

Well trained Auto Engineers:  for the maintenance of such vehicles, engineers with adequate technical-know-how are needed and here in Nigeria. It is arguable that we still have a dearth of self driving cars engineers with good knowledge of the technologies and equipment for fixing and maintaining these vehicles. Maintenance of the car is not a job for a roadside mechnanic.

Cost: Self driving cars are not cheap. It will be quite expensive. However, this may not be an issue in the long run because some of the most expensive cars have found their way to the streets of  Lagos.

Insecurity/ Unemployment:  Adoption of the driverless car technology in Nigeria will take a lot of time. It will need a lot of education and advocacy.Even in the advanced countries where tests have been carried out, people are still skeptical about driverless cars and how safe it is/can be.  The question of job loss is also another main issue that will always come up when conversations about the evolution of Machine learning and artificial intelligence come up.

So what do you think about self driving cars in Nigeria....

Share your thoughts!!!

Common Auto-shop lingos in Nigeria

Driving in Nigeria is extreme sport, what is more extreme is trying to understand the street terminologies used by the mechanics that fix our cars for tools and parts. Sometimes it’s really funny some other times it just makes buying replacement parts very tiresome. Here you are being a sharp person having used Google to give yourself a clue of what may be wrong with your vehicle hoping that it’ll correlate with what the mechanic would tell you when you analyze the symptoms to him and boom he comes at you with a part that does not in any way sound like all you read online, it takes patience and a lot of arguments before you guys can eventually reach an agreement about what needs to be replaced on the vehicle.

Over the years having been around workshops and mechanics for long, I have compiled a list of slangs and lingos used by our beloved technicians in Nigeria, this slangs are in no particular order as they are just basic languages in the workshop.

·         Boris (Bearing) - a part of a machine that allows one part to rotate or move in contact with another part with as little friction as possible.

·         Aksofa(Damper) - A friction device sometimes called a shock absorber . Used for controlling and damping spring oscillations.

·         Indomie (catalytic converter) - A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction (an oxidation and a reduction reaction).

·         L & K (Allen key) - a tool used to drive bolts and screws with hexagonal sockets in their heads.

·         V4 (straight engine or I4) – Engine configuration based on cylinder arrangement most 4 cylinder engines have their cylinders arranged in a straight line some BMW arrange 6 cylinder engines on a straight but it is most common to see 6-8 cylinder engines arranged in a V-shaped configuration.

·         Sensors – A sensor is a device, module, or subsystem whose purpose is to detect events or changes in its environment and send the information to other electronics, frequently a computer processor. You must understand however that all sensors no matter their functions are called sensor by our mechanics, to get the specific name for the sensor he is referring tto might be rocket science.

There are lot more street lingos used by our beloved mechanics, so next time you are in a workshop, take time to pay attention to all that is being said and discussed, they would crack your ribs as well as educate you on their understanding of parts and tool. BE MOTOSMART.

common car maintenance errors.

It’s true – car maintenance can sometimes get in the way of life. However, making sure that your vehicle is properly maintained when it needs to be will help to ensure that you don’t spend precious time stuck on the side of the road when you could be spending it on things you cherish. Being aware of these 12 common car maintenance mistakes will help you in the long run.

Ignoring check engine light

It can be easy to ignore the Check Engine light. The light comes on and your car seems to be operating as it normally would and you might figure, “Well, everything seems fine, I’ll take care of it soon.” But other things come up, it gets put off, and one day your car could breakdown. As difficult as it might be to find the time to have your vehicle seen by a mechanic when that dashboard light first comes on, it really is best to have it seen as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the higher the costs could be for repairs. In other words, a little time spent having it fixed right away could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Not checking your tyre pressure

It is a common mistake to forget to check the air pressure in one’s tyres because, from the looks of it, the tyres are properly inflated. Looks can be deceiving. Even when tyres appear to be properly inflated, they could be low on air. While the tyres may not blow out, low tyre pressure could lead to poor fuel economy, so your wallet could still be affected. It is also easy for tyres to lose air pressure – as easy as running over a pothole. The weather outside has a big effect on your tyre pressure. Tyres lose 1 to 2 lbs. of air pressure for every 10 degrees the temperature drops outside. Therefore, it is best to check your tyre pressure regularly because you never know when it might be low. After all, the last thing you want is a flat tyre and/or poor gas mileage.

Ignoring your TPMS light

If your Tyre Pressure Monitoring System light activates, check your tyre pressure. Your TPMS light serves as a warning system informing you when one or more of your tyres are deflated beyond what is considered safe by your vehicle’s manufacturer. If this light comes on while you are driving, pull over somewhere safe, preferably your closest open gas station, and verify whether your tyre is losing air. If applicable, add air. Occasionally your TPMS sensor may require replacement. If your TPMS is indicating a loss of air pressure, but when you check your tyre, all is well, consider TMPS sensor replacement. In addition to the aforementioned benefits of checking your tyre pressure, balanced tyres promote even tyre wear, resulting in a longer tyre life and better fuel economy.

Skipping oil changes

Motor oil and car engine technology has advanced so much over the years that, depending on the recommendations of your vehicle’s manufacturers, it may no longer be necessary to get an oil change every 3,000 miles – the average oil change interval is around 7,800 miles for today’s cars. This is great news because it means less time and money spent taking your vehicle for an oil change. However, this does not mean that oil changes can be skipped. Your vehicle’s engine needs motor oil to operate properly and without it, the engine seizes up and dies. In order for motor oil to keep your engine running, it can’t be too old. Case in point: if motor oil is left in an engine for too long, the oil begins to break down, which can lead to nasty deposits of sludge in your engine. Instead of lubricating and cooling the engine parts, the oil sludge can damage the parts, which is something you want to avoid at all costs. Getting regular oil changes will help to ensure a long engine life.

Neglecting fluid checks

It is a common misconception that motor oil is the only fluid in the car that needs to be checked and changed. It’s true that motor oil is one of the more critical fluids in your vehicle but there are many other fluids in the car that should be checked, exchanged, and/or topped off. Brake fluid, transmission fluid, engine coolant, and power steering fluid should all be checked and serviced as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Doing this helps to avoid leaks and keep your vehicle operating properly.

Still driving when the engine is overheating

Even automotive experts have admitted to being guilty of this. They also say that this is not the wisest thing to do. An engine, by nature, gets extremely hot when it runs, requiring a cooling system to avoid overheating. When that system fails (and it can happen to anyone), the vehicle needs to be stopped immediately. In this situation, the best idea is to turn the car off and call for a tow.

Not using filters as recommended

Filters need to be as clean as possible in order to work optimally. Clean filters keep dirt particles and other contaminants from entering your vehicle’s fuel, engine or air conditioning systems. Dirty air filters can lead to a host of issues ranging from causing poor gas mileage to making your engine seize or wearing out system components. Have your filters changed as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer, and you’ll be glad you did.

Not inspecting the brakes

It is easy to ignore that squealing noise that comes from worn-down brakes. It is easy to convince yourself that the noise is coming from another car or that there is time to spare before you check. The truth is that the brakes are one of the most important components of your car. If they are worn down or are not working properly, your vehicle becomes unsafe for you and your passengers. So if you hear a squealing or grinding noise when you brake, have your brake system evaluated as soon as possible.

Not rotating tyres/neglecting to get a wheel alignment

This can be a simple thing to overlook because you can drive for quite a while without getting an alignment or rotating your tyres. Although it might seem like everything is fine, having misaligned wheels can result in real issues. There is only one way to be positive that your tyres are properly aligned and that is to have your vehicle’s alignment checked. If a wheel alignment is recommended, it is in your best interest to have it performed. As for tyre rotation, most manufacturers recommend that tyres be rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 miles; but check your owner’s manual to make sure.

Servicing your own vehicle without the proper know-how

The cool thing about cars these days is that they are well computerised. There is a computer that monitors various sensors inside the car and uses those sensors to regulate things like idle speed, spark plugs, and fuel injectors, to name a few. If something goes wrong, the computer can sense it and will activate your vehicle’s Check Engine light to alert you to the fact that there is an issue. Since your vehicle is computerised (i.e. complicated), it can be tremendously difficult to fix something yourself if you don’t have the proper tools, knowledge, and diagnostic equipment. As much as it might cost to have a professional technician take a look at your car, you can rest assured that your vehicle will get serviced and/or repaired correctly.

Not changing your windshield wipers

Windshield wipers degrade over time. They chatter, tear and, as a result, leave a streaky wipe behind. The trick is changing your wipers as soon as they don’t clear the windshield well. As they age, wiper blades will leave behind streaks, indicating that it is time to change them. Rain, dew and other precipitation can severely cut down on your ability to see the road and other vehicles clearly so changing your wipers when they wear out is very important. Take the wiper blade challenge to determine whether it’s time to replace your windshield wipers.

Using home glass cleaner to clean your rear windshield

This is a big no-no. Most home glass cleaners use ammonia as a chief cleaning agent. Over time, ammonia will break down the heating elements in your rear windshield. The thin red lines you see are actually small wires designed to bring heat to your windshield to assist with defrosting. It is much safer to use window cleaner designed for automotive glass

Written by: 'Kunle Shonaike

How you should drive when its raining.

Slow down

While it might be obvious, it’s not usually practiced – but the easiest and safest thing to do while driving in rain is slow down. Not just because visibility is reduced, therefore making it harder to detect hazards, but because stopping, braking and turning in the wet requires more distance due to reduced friction between your tires and the road.

Even with good tires, braking in the wet is about half as effective as in the dry. So, if a child darts out between cars in a residential zone, or a car or pedestrian cuts across your path, a vehicle travelling at 48 km/h will require 37 metres to stop in the wet — about the length of three school buses; that includes the driver’s split-second reaction time, plus the needed distance to halt the vehicle. Reducing that 48 km/h to 32 km/h cuts the stopping distance by more than half, to just 18 metres. Even a little slower is a lot safer. “Speed limits are set for ideal conditions, and since driving in the rain isn’t ideal, drivers need to adjust their speed and brake sooner,” says Scott Marshall 

The art of driving in the rain

Out on the road, keep more distance than normal between other vehicles when it’s raining. Stay well back, or overtake, big trucks and buses so as not to get stuck in their spray. In heavy rain, follow the tracks of the vehicle in front, which will have pushed some of the water away. On roads where heavy truck traffic has left sags in the pavement, keep the left tires closer to the road’s crown, where the chances of standing water are less. Remember, too, that roads get covered in lubricants when dry, and in rain these oils come to the surface of the water on the road, making them especially greasy.

Dry the brakes

Wet roads mean wet brakes, and the four wheel discs on most cars can be coated with water just when you need them most. Some cars automatically touch the pads to the rotors to scrub water, and add heat to the rotor to remove water, but you can do this too by gently touching the brakes after splashing through a wet spot.

Dry the interior

Rainy days bring 100 percent humidity, all of which flows into your interior, easily fogging the inside glass. Turn on your AC to dry the incoming cabin air, and set the airflow to the dash vents, not defrost, which will only make the front glass sweat in warm weather. Avoid using the “re-circ” button unless the AC is on.

Use technology wisely

Today’s cars come with more driver assist functions than ever before, but many can’t adapt to rainy weather. Cruise control, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist and forward collision warning systems can create a false sense of control. If cruise control is engaged and your car starts to hydroplane, there will be no weight transfer to the front wheels as there would be if you lifted off the gas – and adaptive cruise control might not keep the correct distance needed in the rain. ABS systems, however, are excellent in the rain, as are traction control and stability control. Use your car’s technology when it makes sense to do so.

Wash your car!!

Some of us!! Do not wash our cars during the rainy season saying oh well let the rain do the washing. Well there's this shocker that sometimes we have acidic rain, when the residue for acidic rain remains too long on your car, it could ruin the paint on the car as well as cause quicker corrosion to the exposed metal parts of the car.

The same way you wash your car when you come back from a dusty road, you should wash the car after driving in the rain.

Driving quickly through a pond of water

Oh well we all have this temptation of driving quickly through water ponds on the road or a deposit of water, either for the fun of the side flash or for the fear what's in the water.

The best way to drive through a water deposit is slowly, this would prevent water from rushing into the engine bay from beneath the car, increasing the chance of ruining a component, and then there is the risk of deployment of the airbags if the sensors feel too much pressure from the wave of water hitting it. So please guys just drive slowly through that pond.

As tempting as it is to charge through that puddle at high speed, it’s usually a bad idea. Water can shoot up into the engine bay and fault or short-circuit sensitive electronics or processors. It can also cause the steering wheel to pull hard to one side, potentially creating an accident. And if confronted with deep water that looks shallow enough to cross, do not attempt, because if water seeps through the door seals into your interior, it will become a greenhouse for mould and potentially stink forever after. If your car does get submerged, do not attempt to start the vehicle right away as the water could potentially trigger the airbags.

Be safe, be Motosmart.....

Car components and vehicle aesthetics for rainy season

Windshield wiper

The wiper has to be one of the most important component in the rainy season, this is used for remove rain streams from the windshield,

 

we see just the wiper blades but it consists of other components that make up it's working, so going into the rainy season you must be sure that all the components that allow for the proper functioning of the wiper blades are in place the motor, the wiper arms, washer reservoir, washer fluid, nozzles. It is important that the wiper blades wipe the windshield clean, not leaving gaps or just smearing the rain water off the windshield, so ensure that the blades are in perfect condition.

 All vehicle lights

The headlamp, the tail lights, indicator light, reverse light, invariably all the external light of the car should be functioning properly during the rainy season and always, because this aids the other drivers to know that you are on the road, it allows for your safety and the safety of other road users.

The road tar/pavement is usually darker and requires brighter lights for visibility therefore the head lamp must be bright and sharp, set to the road use specified angle.

The tail light helps drivers behind you keep a safe distance and the brake light also notified them when you apply the brakes. It is a necessity to ensure that all this lights are working properly.

 Brake pads

In preparation for the season ensure that the brake pads are in good condition, during a wet day, water gets between the brake pads and the brake rotors, reducing the effectiveness of the braking system. Even though there are technologies in modern vehicles that aid braking, it is pertinent that the brake pads are in prime condition, it is therefore advised that if you've not changed your brake pads in a long time, going into the season, you should invest in quality brake pads.

Air conditioner

As a car owner, you should ensure that your vehicle's air conditioning system is in prime shape for the season, this is important to defog the windshield, removing/drying up moisture from the cabin.

This increases the visibility of the driver and makes the vehicle comfortable for the occupants.

Remember preventive maintenance is cheaper that corrective maintenance.

 Be motosmart and be safe!!!

Is your car ready for rainy season?

The rainy season is upon us again, another good time to be alive but it’s also one of the most dreaded seasons for vehicle drivers, especially because the roads become so slippery, the roads become so dark, there is pressure on the vehicle headlight, the wiper blades work so hard and then there are those days when the wiper wont just work, so much frustration comes with this season. But then there is a saying that he/she who fails to plan, plans to fail.  The solution to all the challenges faced by the vehicle and the car owner is adequate preparation; this would be a 3 part series write up that would help you prepare for the dreaded season

Part 1 would deal with tires and its effect on traction.

Part 2 would cover vehicle aesthetics that aid smooth ride driving through rain.

Part 3 would tackle driver’s habit during raining season.

Part 1

Tires

For those who don’t know yet, tires are the component of the car that makes contact with the ground/pavement/tar, the tire is a very vital part of the car, well the vehicle cannot move without tires, so it is a necessity for a functioning car.

There are four different types of tire based on their tread functionality,

a.      Directional tires. (unidirectional)

b.      Symmetrical tires.

/

c.       Asymmetrical tires.

d.      Directional/asymmetrical.

For the purpose of this study, we would be concentrating on the type of tire that is best suited for the rainy season, this is the type of tire that’s marked in such a way that water is from between the tire and pavement is drawn out of the centre of the tire reducing to the barest minimum the occurrence of hydroplaning while keeping a firm grip between the tire and the road. (Hydroplaning occurs when water build between the wheels of the vehicle and the road surface, leading to a loss of traction that prevents the vehicle from responding to control input).

As a car driver driving in the rain you must have seen a vehicle skidding off road, yes that’s the situation of control being lost usually caused by hydroplaning, it is a horrible situation to be in or even imagine.

The best tire for rain is the directional and directional/asymmetric tires; the tire treads are designed in such a way that water in between the tire and the pavement is eliminated to the barest minimum allowing for better traction and handling, they are also good for other seasons that we experience in Nigeria, so if you are thinking of changing your tires soon especially going into the season we advise that you invest in one of these tires for your safety and to give you smooth stress-free ride during this rainy season.