The owner of a chain of auto dealerships remarked to a customer that he has always had battles with mechanics concerning preventative maintenance on vehicles. Overall prevention is preferable when it comes to automotive maintenance and upkeep. Once the damage is done, parts repair and labor are more extensive than if the work or driving wear and tear is caught in the bud. To the credit of the repair shops of this auto dealership group, “customers just love these shops” and bookings are often some time into the future. Yet if a person goes to a small shop or even prefers to do the auto maintenance and repair work themselves – either for cost savings or simple enjoyment of a hobby one factor often forgotten or certainly not emphasized is “safety on the job”.
While it is true that vehicles are more trouble free, requiring less maintenance, and with more electronic and automated systems today does not mean “no maintenance” ever. Auto dealership service departments still do a roaring business. Even though some avid auto owners may insist that their cars, trucks or SUVs never ever “break down” , Toyota and other Japanese auto dealership service departments are still in business with plenty of repairs on hand, and a long queue if you wish to book your automobile for service.
What are some safety precautions that backyard and do-it-yourself mechanics and budding service technicians should employ as a matter of standard procedure and course?
It has to be said and driven home to never ever run an engine inside a closed garage. You would think that this would be the first rule of auto maintenance and repair. Yet many try to get away with -”I will just run the motor for a second” is sometimes the refrain and excuse. . Buildup of dangerous and deadly CO, (that is Carbon Monoxide gas), and gas fumes are odorless and color and can be lethal. If you must run the engine, simply open the garage door or alternately vent the fumes outside with a length of tubing or hose.
Lastly when doing any kind of electrical work such as replacing a starter, ignition switch, alternator, voltage regulator, radio etc, it is always a wise and safe idea and practice to disconnect the battery ground cable entirely. This will eliminate the possibility and possibilities of accidentally grounding the electrical circuit which could well start a fire or alternatively damaging some component in the now very delicate electrical and electronic systems of modern cars. The component of modern hybrid vehicles even come now in shielding electrostatic bags alone just to shield the sensitive electronic components of these hybrid gas / electric vehicles from the ravages of simple static electricity