Car Maintenance Guides from The Car Doctor
Most breakdowns start as a small job that got skipped. These guides walk through the maintenance you can understand, check or do yourself: what the numbers on an oil bottle mean, how to read and replace a battery, which headlight bulb fits, and how to change a cabin air filter.
When a job is better left to a technician, the guide says so. And every CDD6 deal comes with the lifetime oil change*.
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Car Battery Specs Explained: Types, CCA and Group Size
CCA is the number that matters most in a Canadian winter. Here is what every rating on a battery label means, which battery type your car needs and where to find the right specs for your vehicle.
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Changing Your Oil at Home: Cost, Savings, Risks and Benefits
Doing your own oil change trades a shop visit for your time, a few tools you buy once and a trip to drop off the old oil. Here is the kit, the safe way to get under the car, the steps, the common mistakes and Ontario disposal rules.
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Engine Oil Grades Explained: What 0W-20 and 5W-30 Mean
The W stands for winter, the first number is a cold-start test and the second is how thick the oil stays when the engine is hot. Here is how to read the grade, the API symbols on the bottle, and when synthetic is worth it.
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Headlight Bulb Sizes Explained: H11, 9005, 9006, H13
A headlight bulb code tells you the bulb's shape, plug and whether it does one beam or two. Here is how to read H11, 9005, 9006 and H13, how to find yours, and what Canadian sources say about swapping in LED bulbs.
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How to Change a Car Battery: Step by Step
Negative off first, negative on last. Here is the full swap, from the tools you need to battery registration on newer vehicles, plus when to leave it to a shop and where the old battery goes in Toronto.
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How to Change a Cabin Air Filter, Step by Step
Weak vents, a bad smell, or a windshield that will not clear in January? Your cabin air filter may be due. Here is how often to change it, where it lives, and the glovebox swap step by step.
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How to Change Windshield Wiper Blades, Step by Step
Streaks, chatter and hard, cracked rubber mean it is time. Here is how to find the right length for each side, which blade type to buy, and how to swap a J-hook blade without cracking the windshield.
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Types of Car Fluids: What Each One Does and How to Check It
Your vehicle runs on more than gas. Here is every fluid under the hood and underneath, what each one does, the ones you can check in your own driveway, the ones to leave to a technician, and what the colour of a puddle can tell you.
