[numb41]

also when to toss in the towel on repairs ...

AKA .. when the cost of repairs exceed the value of the car today ... say NO to the repairs , sell for what you can get and buy a better car.

how to boost a car battery ( safely )
change a tire (properly and in a safe place)
check fuses / relays
change wiper blades
how to adjust mirrors correctly
how to check tire pressures
how to add oil / fluids to proper levels.

I think this is a good list.

 

[fretzel]

My youngest is just starting his online auto class today. Tough go as it is such a hands on subject. He has this and another similar class this quadmester. Should be interesting. At least I have a better chance of helping him than math. LOL

 

[allthumbs56]

I think the best thing you could do for them is give them the basic theory behind how everything works, mechanical & electrical.

If they get interested and take it further, you've given them a huge head start. If they don't have an interest in it, they will at least have an idea of what's going on when their vehicles act up or need to go in for repair. Give them a fighting chance.
Info about lubricating oils, tires and what all those numbers mean, stuff like that.

People would be better, safer drivers if they understood the basic principles of how a vehicle operates - how much rubber is actually on the road, how brakes actually stop you, what happens when you press on the gas pedal from the fuel injection/carb right through to the differential. My dad (a mechanic) was sure to let his customers know the demands they placed on their machines - hoping that they would treat the machinery and the physics with a little more respect. I remember visuals like pinching fingers (calipers) explaining how I made a request to bring thousands of pounds of metal to a stop using a few square inches of rubber under friction with a road surface. Clutch plate surfaces grinding down while you held on to that pedal too long, and tappets flying thousands of times a minute when I put my foot on the gas.

Oh, and basic maintenance and "listening" to your car.

 

[Alan Small]

efficiency and the future of power systems: hydrogen, oxygen, solar, battery....when students know about tomorrow then the teacher did a great job

 

[SWLABR]

With cars being run by more and more computers, there are fewer and fewer things the "Average Joe (& Jo)" can do these days. Show them what's still totally within their capabilities instead of believing the whole lot is beyond them. If it's all overwhelming, chances are they'll hand even the simplest jobs over to someone who will overcharge regardless of simplicity.

....then teach them how to make it look like they know what they're doing when talking to a mechanic!

 

[Wardo]

How to spot simple problems:

 

[SWLABR]

WOW!! That's been there a while. Like the Dr who left his wristwatch in the chest cavity. (or a Junior Mint)

 

[1SweetRide]

Hey all, just putting together curriculum for highschool auto class' and looking for input. I do not want to waste my time teaching things that will not be useful to my students, they get enough of that in other classes. So my question to you is:

What do you wish you knew as a vehicle owner?

I want to know why they don't yet fly.

 

[Lincoln]

How to spot simple problems:

View attachment 348873

I found a 3/8" Snap-on ratchet with a 9/16 shallow socket on it, under the intake on a 350 chevy once. That was my big score

 

[Doug Gifford]

How much yearly expected and unexpected maintenance will cost you. Plus gas, insurance, parking… Versus alternate transit if it's available.

 

[vadsy]

You're not but I'd rather I go to someone who wasn't trying to deceive me. Wouldn't you?

I don't feel like they're trying to deceive me. I feel like they're trying to upsell me, in which case I just say no. It is part of their job, I understand. Nobody has told me my blinker fluid was low and that ruined my flux capacitor or my tires were dry and I needed new ones. Otherwise, about the deceive part, I agree with you.

 

[Budda]

You're not but I'd rather I go to someone who wasn't trying to deceive me. Wouldn't you?

That's why I go to my dealer. They let me know if theres something else to consider, but I dont feel any pressure to agree. Oil changes and tire swaps with the odd detailing.

Just dont go to pushy dealers?

 

[hondamatic]

Great feedback so far.

A few ideas...

-bad sounds, and what they are (tappers, bottom ends, clutch throw out, brakes that are worn out, fan belt slipping, exhaust leak, relays clicking). Smells too (dragging brake, clutch, head gasket leak stench, running rich).

-why checking oil at intervals is important (and the effect of running low)

-why a torque wrench is so important, especially on lug nuts

-to the point of walking away, express that parts (and labor) on repairs on a car add up to several times it’s new cost

 

[MarkM]

How to change tire
How to change STUCK tire.
And how to look for help on YouTube but also have common sense to distinguish between good and bad advice.

Those are all practical questions. Now I don't know if you want to teach them the real mechanics of how engine works? Gear box etc?

Just read the comments on YouTube and they will let you know whether it's good or bad advise,

 

[vokey design]

Great feedback so far.

A few ideas...

-bad sounds, and what they are (tappers, bottom ends, clutch throw out, brakes that are worn out, fan belt slipping, exhaust leak, relays clicking). Smells too (dragging brake, clutch, head gasket leak stench, running rich).

-why checking oil at intervals is important (and the effect of running low)

-why a torque wrench is so important, especially on lug nuts

-to the point of walking away, express that parts (and labor) on repairs on a car add up to several times it’s new cost

Ahh remember those old Midas commercials where the mechanic would make all the noises? Lol.

 

[hondamatic]

Onomatopoeia is encouraged, of course!

 

[Diablo]

Which mods are a waste of money.
I have a pretty good idea myself, but my teenage self could have benefited from that.

 

[Lincoln]

I don't feel like they're trying to deceive me. I feel like they're trying to upsell me, in which case I just say no. It is part of their job, I understand. Nobody has told me my blinker fluid was low and that ruined my flux capacitor or my tires were dry and I needed new ones. Otherwise, about the deceive part, I agree with you.

That's exactly it. No matter where you go, dealer, Mr Lube, or a little shop, they will try and sell you more than you need. You have to know when to say NO. And that's pretty hard to do unless you have a clue what you're talking about.

 

[tomee2]

Change an air filter, and why you should do it before going for service at the dealer.
How to boost a car with a dead battery from another car.
How to remove a battery for replacement.
How to safely change a tires, including jacking up a car safely and supporting it with jack stands.
How to change oil and filter and why it's not worth doing it yourself on some cars (filter in a bad spot needing the car on a lift for example.)
How brakes work. How to change pads and rotors.

Understand a CV joint and why it is needed. The noise it makes when they fail. VW owners can demo the sound if needed.

To never trust a car jack.

Why oil changes are important for modern cars especially those with timing chains that use engine oil, and variable valve timing that also uses engine oil.

How air bags and seat belts save lives.
How little speed is needed to kill someone if you leave the road or hit a pedestrian.

 

[Stephenlouis]

I worked with GM field engineering for years as a drivability and electrical technician. I know everything about cars. I would tell them a flashing ses light means to pay attention to the car, should be obvious, and stop as soon as possible. solid light is small-time worries. If it is not a designed to wear out part, leave it alone it is beyond your equipment to diagnose. I think basic electricity for battery charging systems is good to know, everyone has access to a DVOM or test light nowadays, bulb replacement and why we have grounds and their real function and effect. Brake systems, the mechanical hydraulic side. cooling systems, tires safety, tread wear, load ratings, tire ratings, air pressure vs load, speed ratings, and how to change safely. Practical for hands-on, still can do at home, but theory for understanding system operations without necessarily working on them but to be educated as to what is going on within the system so you have a foundation when you get to the garage. Break the car down into sub groups.

EDIT The guy above me has a bunch of great points.