| Do-It-Yourself Car Repair: Safety Tips and Tricks |
|---|
| Take off rings, watches, necklaces and other jewelry first so nothing snags on parts under the hood. |
| Skip loose clothing and tie long hair back when you work on a car. Besides getting filthy, both can be grabbed by moving parts. |
| If the engine has to run, do the work outside. Exhaust fumes can be deadly when you're inside a closed garage. |
| Never smoke while working on your car — plenty of fluids and materials around it are flammable and can ignite. |
| Leave the radiator cap alone while the engine is hot, such as right after a drive. The fluid inside is under heavy pressure and can spray out and burn you. |
| Before crawling under the car, support it with jack stands or drive-up ramps. The jack that came with your car is meant only for tire changes. |
| Many automotive fluids are toxic, so keep children and pets clear of your work area to prevent accidental poisoning. |
| Radiator-mounted electric cooling fans can kick on without warning (a thermostat switch controls them). Keep your hands away from the fan, or unplug the fan motor from its power source first. |