5 Things Every Car Owner Needs

Whether you’re commuting in Cleveland, Ohio, or hitting the open road, an unforeseen problem can happen to you. A flat tire, dead battery, or an empty fuel tank can leave you stranded on the side of the road with a vehicle that won’t start. Instead of waiting for a good Samaritan to come to the rescue, you may be able to get yourself out of the situation by having certain items with you. The following is a list of essential things you should always keep in your vehicle. 

Tire Repair Tools

Sunday Morning Suckiness licensed under CC BY 2.0 by Kurt Nordstrom

A flat tire is one of the most frustrating issues to encounter on the road, and it can happen when you least expect it. To replace a flat tire, you need a spare tire, jack, and lug wrench. These three items go together, so it’s useless if you have only two of them and not the third. When you have all these tools, you don’t need to rely on road assistance services to help you get your car back on the road, which can take a long time if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere. 

If you have a punctured tire and don’t want to deal with the hassle of changing it, you can use a tire repair kit instead. This kit includes a can of sealant, an air compressor, and a speed limit sticker. All you need to do is connect the sealant container to the air compressor and pump the sealant into the tire through the valve. Note that a tire repair kit is only a temporary fix that enables you to drive your car to the nearest auto repair facility. Also, be careful not to exceed the speed limit indicated on the sticker. 

Jumper Cables

Many drivers have experienced a dead battery at some point. This can easily occur if you forget to turn off the headlights or have a faulty battery due for a replacement. Regardless, you’ll need jumper cables to get your vehicle back up and running. These electrical cables come in pairs and have clips that either connect to the flat battery or another that works. To perform a jump-start, you’ll also have to look for a fellow driver nearby who has a running engine and doesn’t mind lending a helping hand. 

When shopping for jumper cables, choose a set that provides enough power to jump-start your vehicle. If you’re driving a sedan or hatchback, cables rated at 400 amps should suffice. A more powerful vehicle, such as an SUV or truck, will need 800 to 1,000 amps to turn on the engine. 

Getting a battery jump-starter kit with an emergency battery booster is a good idea if you frequently drive on remote roads, where help is harder to come by. Nowadays, you can find a compact jump-starter kit with USB connections for charging your devices. It’s a great item to keep in your car, especially if you enjoy going on road trips. 

Tire Pressure Gauge

Even if you’re an experienced driver, you can’t know exactly how much air a tire has lost by visually inspecting it. Fortunately, you can easily find out the exact amount of air pressure in your tires if you have a tire pressure gauge. This small gadget takes up very little space in your car, and it can help you avoid the hassle of checking your tire pressure at a gas station.

It’s essential to perform frequent checks on all four tires, even if none appear particularly low. Properly inflated tires not only make your vehicle easier and safer to drive, but they can also increase your gas mileage and the lifespan of your tires. 

Extra Windshield Wiper Fluid

Driving in Northeast Ohio can sometimes be challenging and dangerous when winter comes around. Snow, ice, rain, and fog can significantly reduce visibility and increase your chances of getting into an accident. To ensure you’ll see the road and your surroundings clearly, you must use your windshield wiper more often than usual, leading to the windshield washer running out more quickly and, as such, keeping extra windshield wiper fluid in your vehicle is wise. 

At the height of winter, it’s recommended that you purchase a type of windshield washer fluid especially made for extremely low temperatures. Such a fluid contains more methyl alcohol than the regular fluid in your reservoir, making it more resistant to freezing in winter. When selecting a winter windshield wiper fluid, look at the lowest temperature at which the product is designed to work, which is specified on the label. Some solutions have a freezing point of 20 degrees below zero, while others are good for temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees. 

First Aid Kit

You never know when a first aid kit will come in handy. If you’re injured in an accident while driving on a lonely road, you may have to wait a long time before help arrives. In this case, a first-aid kit can be a life-saver. Having some medical supplies in your car is essential if you’re a physically active person or have children. 

An excellent first aid kit includes gauze pads, ointment, Band-Aids, gloves, and scissors. You can purchase a pre-made first aid kit to ensure you won’t leave anything out. Such a kit has enough supplies for treating and patching up most types of minor injuries and doesn’t cost a lot. 

So, that’s the list of top five essential items every car owner needs from our North Coast Auto Mall of Cleveland staff. If you need more advice on what to keep in your vehicle, contact us via phone or email. We’ll be happy to help you properly prepare for unexpected events on the road.