Motoring Tips
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Importance of maintaining your vehicle:-
For safetys' sake, it cannot be stressed enough, keep your vehicles regularly
maintained to help minimise the risk of breakdown, or worse!
More often than not, breakdown service providers are called out to fix minor
problems such as a flat battery, faulty belts or hoses, lighting system
malfunctions, lack of fuel!
It is important, that even after the warranty period on your vehicle has
expired, regular servicing be maintained by a certified technician. Apart
from oil changes, spark plug replacements etc, a good mechanic will examine,
brake pads, power steering, coolant levels, airconditioning systems, tyres,
hoses and belts, etc. and multitudinal other parts which, if they do not
last until the next service, could see you waiting on the side of the road!
If required, replacement could ensure that you have no worries with your
vehicle until the next service is due.
Maintaining your vehicles' paintwork
Once you drive your car off the showroom floor, factors beyond your control
can conspire against keeping that 'new car' gleam.
Unfortunately there is not a lot that can be done to prevent the accumulation
of a certain amount of grit and grime, but we can do a lot to maintain our
car and to keep that paintwork looking like new. It is possible to bring
faded paintwork back to life .. with a little elbow grease and using the
right products.
Wash your car regularly - once a week is the single best and simplest method
of preserving the paintwork from road tar, grit and bird droppings before
they have time to cause damage.The longer you leave contaminants such as
these in contact with the paintwork, the more time they have to eat into
the surface.
Use a car wash that is designed specifically for that purpose - other detergents
can scratch the paintwork. Also try not to wash your car under hot direct
sunlight, because the wash solution will dry before it is washed off and
cause streaking.
Some paint finishes are prone to scratching when they are hot, especially
darker colours. Use a clean soft sponge, wash off with a flow of water,
not a hard spray and use a different sponge or brush to wash the wheels.Wipe
dry with a good quality chamois - one that doesn't feel like it wants to
stick to the duco.
Metro Ford's Spare Parts Department stocks an excellent quality range of
car care products, manufactured in Australia by Series 500TM. Their product
range includes a car shampoo that will not lift wax and leaves the paintwork
'in showroom condition'. Just come in to our parts department or phone them
on 3834 3155 and our trained parts specialists will assist you in choosing
the right products for your car's paintwork and upholstery.
What items should you keep in the boot in case
of emergency?
Firstly, the size of the boot needs to come into consideration, and then
whether you drive a sedan, wagon or hatchback!
We can only provide you with an idea of what could come in handy should
you be left stranded by the side of the road, and a breakdown service vehicle
is hours away!
Bottled drinking water - preferably
a large container ( a funnel could also come in handy!)
Torch and spare batteries
first aid kit (check on a regular
basis to ensure that any creams, paracetamol etc have not expired)
fire extinguisher/blanket
mobile phone (if you can afford
one!)
Spare Tyre ( ensuring that the
tread is adequate) and jack
Hat and sunscreen (and even sandshoes
in case you're wearing stilettoes and need to walk a few kilometres)
A map of the area you are in
These are merely suggestions, however, should you breakdown on a Sunday
drive up behind Beaudesert somewhere in the middle of Summer they could
help you from panicing en masse! It is also important that all objects in
the boot, particularly in either a wagon or a hatchback be secured properly,
so that they don't turn into dangerous projectiles in the event of braking.
Please always consider your own safety - have a back up plan of what to
do in case you breakdown and you are alone - especially if you are in an
isolated area and on your own.... it might be wiser to wait until morning.
Air Bag Safety
in Australia
There have been several reports recently from the United States which have
raised concerns about the possibility of severe, or even fatal, injuries
arising from the deployment of airbags.
Fortunately, those concerns are generally not relevant to Australia as they
stem from the fact that seat belt wearing is not compulsory in some parts
of the USA. As a result the actual wearing rate of seatbelts is much lower
than here which means that in the United States, airbags are set to deploy
at half the deceleration force required in Australia and at twice the speed.
Also of important note, placing children in the front seat, even with a
seat belt or rear facing child restraint of a vehicle fitted with dual airbags
places them at risk.
IN AUSTRALIA - it is illegal to place children under the age of 8 years
in the front passenger seat and most infant restraints cannot be fitted
correctly in the front passenger seat.. Where this is not possible, i.e.,
in a ute, an infant restrain should only be fitted following expert advice.
Which leads us to the most important factor regarding Airbag safety:-
The Supplemental Restraint System (Airbag System) is designed to provide
increased protection to the driver, in addition to that provided
by the 3 point safety belt. When used in conjunction with a 3 point safety
belt system and an energy absorbing steering column, the airbag system should
provide the most effective passive safety system currently available.
The Airbag system is a passive vehicle safety system, whose purpose is to
reduce the likelihood of the occupant from impacting with interior vehicle
components in the event of a collision.
Furthermore, because seat belts are required by law in Australia, the minimum
force required to fire the air bag is a pressure equal to double gravity..
In simple terms that is equivalent to driving into a cliff face at 25km/h
or a moving vehicle hitting a stationary vehicle at 40km/h - hardly the
typical parking lot accident. This is approximately half the ratio at which
vehicles manufactured in the United States set their airbags to deploy.
Imported Ford vehicles, prior to export from the United States are fitted
with an Export pack, ensuring that vehicles comply withAustralian ADR standards
and regulations.
Records of any drivers seriously injured by Airbags are not available in
Australia but it is not thought to be a serious problem, i.e., such injuries
would be less severe than those which would be expected without an airbag.
However, people in Australia who drive in a position very close to the steering
wheel must be at some risk, even with seat belts fitted. Consequently, prudence
suggests adopting a position such that:
* the chest is at least 30cms from the steering wheel;
* the chin is above the top of the steering wheel'
* the hands are kept away from the centre of the steering wheel in the conventional
10 to 2 position.
Airbag System Operation
The FORDair bag system uses a set of sensors to monitor the deceleration
rate of the vehicle. The minimum force require to activate the system is
equivalent to impacting a stationary vehicle of similar size and weight
at 40km/h. In this situation, the system
sensors will register the collision and the air bag will deploy in about
40-50 milliseconds after the signal from the vehicle crash sensors.. For
the air bag to deploy, the frontal impact must occur within a 60° window
at the front of the vehicle. Deployment is NOT designed to occur during
roll-overs, side impacts or rear- end collisions.
Sequence of Operation
In a major frontal impact, the crash sensors in the vehicle detect the sudden
deceleration. When one of the crash sensors and the safing sensor close
at the same time, electricity flows to the inflator and causes the ignition
of the gas generant.. The gas generant then rapidly burns in the metal chamber.
The rapid burning produces nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas is cooled and
filtered as it passes out of the inflator and into the bag.
The inflating air bag forces open the trim cover. The air bag then rapidly
unfolds and inflates in front of the occupant to produce a cushioning effect
- all these steps take a fraction of a second. After inflation the gas is
vented through openings in the air bag. Air bags deflate at once and may
be pushed aside for occupant removal
If your vehicle is fitted with either drivers side or dual airbags - read
your owners manual.for instructions.
Always wear seat belts, even if you are only driving to the corner shop.
Always place children in the correct child restraints according to their
weight in the rear seat. - even if you are driving in a car park!
Airbags can only help you if you are wearing your seatbelt - and this is
required by law.
All information supplied herein has been taken from extracts from RACQ and
the Ford Motor Company of Australia Limited.
E. & O.E.
