4. Electrical Battery Safety - Batteries are dangerous if you "arc" or make sparks because the sparks can start a fire.  The electricity from the battery itself is not enough to hurt you, although if you arc the battery, you will probably jump back and bang your head on the hood, which will hurt.....A LOT!  Electricity needs a circuit, or circle flow.  You will arc the battery if you complete the electrical circuit by touching the positive battery post to the negative battery post. (battery posts are the 2 small round metal parts that protrude from the top of the battery) This is why the positive battery post generally has a rubber or plastic cap over it.  You can also arc the battery by touching the positive post to any other metal part of the engine or frame.

5. Under the Car, Jack Safety - Only us the jack that comes with your car for changing tires, never get underneath a car that is supported only by a tire-changing jack.  Also, it is a very good idea to "chock" the wheels.....basically, put a brick or piece of wood or something behind both back wheels to keep the vehicle from rocking, as an extra percaution.

We have a couple more safety tips to post in this little sub-series.  We hope you are getting some cool tips from us.  Feel free to look at our blog history for other car-care information.

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1. Tie back long hair and any dangling clothing or jewelry as they could get caught in the fan or belts. (Some fans come on even when the ignition is off).

2. Cooling system - Never take the radiator cap off when the engine is hot.  The radiator is pressurized, and the coolant could spray out and scald you.  When the car is hot and you must add coolant to the radiator, you can add coolant to the plastic reservoir/overflow tank.  If you must add coolant to the radiator when the engine is warm, use a few rags between your hand and the radiator cap.  Open it slowly, as if you were opening a bottle of pop that someone had shaken up.  If you have a German car (VW, Audi, etc.) or a Volvo, the plastic overflow tank is also under pressure, so take special care when adding coolant.

3. Exhaust System - The exhaust system on your car is very hot.  If you are unsure as to whether something is too hot, check the air temperature a few inches away before touching it with your hand.  Don't run your car in an enclosed area or garage, as carbon monoxide is odorless and poisonous and can kill you if you breathe enough of it.

(More tips to come! Stay tuned and check back for the next post.)

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If you've stumbled upon this blog (or come here deliberately), you can see that we post every so often on some sort of car tip or maintenance.  We understand that you probably don't come here all of the time, but if you look at our past posts, you can see there is plenty of wisdom that can help you with maintaining your Volvo.

The underlying principle of our business is that we become someone you can trust when it comes to your vehicle.  Regular maintenance is FAR LESS costly than waiting until something breaks to bring your car in.  Anything that we put in these blogs or anywhere on our site, we are happy to do FOR YOU. 

When you bring your car to us, we look to find ANYTHING that could run more optimally and we make those suggestions to you.  NO scare tactics, but also, NO avoiding the issues.  We focus on Volvos, of course, and we are glad that Volvo owners tend to value their vehicle and car care a little more than the average car owner.  Our hope is that by putting out some helpful car tips and lessons, you will feel more and more comfortable leaving your vehicle with us for the big or small needs that you may have with your Volvo.

Remember, that Regular Maintenance and Preventative Care are the most important things for your Volvo and its longevity.  Whether you can take care of some of these things or not, it's important to us that people understand that the old saying "a stitch in time, saves nine" DOES hold true.

Take a look over our blog history.  See if there is anything of assistance to you, and if you have ANY needs at all, feel free to call or email us.  We are ALWAYS glad to help.  Thanks for reading!!!

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