From the Book - First Touchstone trade paperback edition.
Pop quiz: check your auto care IQ --
Part I. Get to know your vehicle --
Changing your vehicular relationship status --
Must-know facts about your car --
Your primary care technician --
DIY #1: Under the hood --
DIY #2: Check and add windshield washer fluid --
Part II. Everything you need to know about how cars work --
Anatomy of a modern car --
The "three E's": engines, exhaust, emissions --
DIY #3: How to check and add oil --
DIY #4: How to check and add coolant --
Motion electric: the electrical systems and computers inside your car --
Transmission: an orderly transfer of power --
Brakes: the most important system in your car --
DIY #5: How to check brake fluid and power steering fluid --
Keep 'em rolling: tires and wheels --
DIY #6: How to check air pressure and tire tread --
DIY #7: How to change a tire --
Steering: navigating your chariot --
Suspension: giving you that smooth ride --
Heating and air conditioning: keeping it cozy --
Gas: the joys and pains --
Part III. Common roadside problems (and a mini buyer's guide) --
Buy, sell, ditch: how to avoid a clunker (or tell when your car has become one) and buy a car you can afford --
What to do in an emergency --
DIY #8: How to jump-start a car.