If you have electric (power) windows in your car, there may come a time that you push the button and the window doesn't respond the way it used to. If the window suddenly stops moving at all, the problem could be as simple as a blown fuse or a loose connection. It is also possible that you have a faulty switch, especially if the window works on a hit and miss basis. Window motors go down sometimes as well. This is usually characterized by a gradual decrease in how well the window responds to the switch, but a slow window could also be getting stuck on the gaskets. Once you identify the problem, you may be able to repair it with some basic tools.
Locate and open the fuse box. It should be located inside the car as a part of, or near, the dash.
2
Check your owner's manual to locate that operates the windows. It is not uncommon that the only thing wrong with electrical components in a vehicle is a blown fuse. If this is the case with your windows you will need to replace the window fuse.[1]
3
Pull the fuse straight out of its cradle.Be careful not to twist or otherwise force it. You do not want to damage the cradle or break a piece of the fuse off in the cradle. There are fuse tongs available at part supply stores that can help with this.
4
Locate a replacement fuse. It must be the rated for the same amperage as the original fuse that operated the window mechanism. The amp rating should be printed on the fuse, and it should also be listed in your owner’s manual. Do not use a fuse with a higher amp rating, as this may lead damaging the electrical components of your vehicle.
5
Push the new fuse straight down into the cradle. The fuse must be “set”. This means that it does not move or wobble.
6
Turn your car key to the "on" position.This provides power to your windows and allows you to test them. You need not start your car.
7
Test your windows. Confirm that they go up and down without restriction.
You might have pondered (while stuck on the M60) how the air conditioning actually works, or perhaps you have never given it a moment's thought. Just in case you are curious, let us explain it to you. Air conditioning like it says 'conditions' the air. It not only cools it down, but also reduces the moisture content, or humidity. All air conditioners work the same way whether they are installed in a building, or in a car. The fridge or freezer is in a way an air conditioner as well. Air conditioning is a field in it's own right, but we'll stick to the main points or a car's air conditioning and the main parts used and a few hints to keep the air-con system running properly.
A number of people don't realise that turning on the air conditioning actually reduces the number of miles per gallon of your car. There is energy used in removing the heat and moisture from the air in the car, and this consumes petrol because of the extra engine load.
Air conditioning's main principles are Evaporation and Condensation, then Compression and Expansion. To the engineer and physicists they talk of thermodynamics - but we'll explain it in our own way here:
Evaporation: You may have noticed that if you rub a little surgical spirits on the back of your hand, then your hand will feel cold. Why is that? It's evaporation. It is because the spirits on the back of your hand start to evaporate. As the spirit evaporates, it takes away heat from the surface of your skin.
Condensation: Have you ever noticed when somebody walks in from the cold into a take-away wearing glasses, their glasses steam up? Why is that? It's condensation. The moist air of the take-away cools as it contacts the cold surface of the glasses and the air has less capacity to hold moisture, so it condenses into water on the glasses.
Heat of Compression: Have you ever noticed when you pump up a bicycle tyre with a hand pump, that the end of the pump gets hot? This is because the energy that you have put into the air by pumping it has not only compressed it, but has also caused the air molecules to push closer together so giving off heat with the friction.
Compression: At some point all gases will eventually become liquid. An example of that would be a can of deodorant - it's liquid inside the can (because you can hear it when you shake it) but is a gas when it comes out and hits your underarm. The pressure inside the can is higher, so the propellant inside is liquid.
Cooling by Expansion: Going back to the deodorant, you will notice also how cold it feels that's because the propellant has just expanded in volume quickly.
Anyway, enough about takeaways, armpits and surgical spirits, but those are the basic ideas that are easy enough to explain. The important question is how does all this fit into making your car's vents blow cold?
Hard tubing and flexible hoses connect all the actual components of the air conditioning in your car. Evaporation and condensation, expansion and compression are the physics of why it works. There are five main components to the whole system, namely the Compressor, Condenser, Receiver-dryer, Expansion valve, and the Evaporator.
The fluid that passes around the whole system is the refrigerant. The refrigerant can evaporate at a low temperature, and then condense again at a higher pressure. In the bad old days, R-12 was the refrigerant used in almost all cars. It was widely available, however it was found to be a contributor to the hole in the earth's ozone layer as it was a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). These refrigerants were discontinued, and all cars after 1996 use a non-CFC fluid called R-134A which is kinder to the environment.
So, here is how all the various parts of a car's air conditioning works:
Compressor: The compressor is the work horse of the air conditioning system, powered by a drive belt connected to the crankshaft of the engine. When the aircon system is turned on, the compressor pumps refrigerant vapour under high pressure to the condenser.
Condenser: The condenser is a device used to change the high-pressure refrigerant vapor to a liquid. It is mounted in front of the engine's radiator, and it looks very similar to a radiator. The vapour is condensed to a liquid because of the high pressure that is driving it in, and this generates a great deal of heat. The heat is then in turn removed from the condenser by air flowing through the condenser on the outside.
Receiver: The now liquid refrigerant moves to the receiver-dryer. This is a small reservoir vessel for the liquid refrigerant, and removes any moisture that may have leaked into the refrigerant. Moisture in the system causes havoc, with ice crystals causing blockages and mechanical damage.
Expansion Valve: The pressurised refrigerant flows from the receiver-drier to the expansion valve. The valve removes pressure from the liquid refrigerant so that it can expand and become refrigerant vapour in the evaporator.
Evaporator: The evaporator is another device that looks similar to a car radiator. It has tubes and fins and is usually mounted inside the passenger compartment behind the fascia above the footwell. As the cold low-pressure refrigerant is passed into the evaporator, it vaporises and absorbs heat from the air in the passenger compartment. The blower fan inside the passenger compartment pushes air over the outside of the evaporator, so cold air is circulated inside the car. On the 'air-side' of the evaporator, the moisture in the air is reduced, and the 'condensate' is collected and drained away.
Compressor: The compressor then draws in the low-pressure refrigerant vapour to start another refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle then runs continuously, and is regulated by the setting of the expansion valve.
The whole process is reasonably simple when explained like that. All air conditioning systems work on the same principle, even if the exact components used may vary slightly between car manufacturers.
We hope that explains a little as to how that little 'A/C' button works on your car, if you want it explained a little more in depth then if you roll up your sleeves we can show you the components in your car next time you bring it infor a check or service here at AirconCars.
Rack-and-pinion steering is quickly becoming the most common type of steering on cars, small trucks and SUVs. It is actually a pretty simple mechanism. A rack-and-pinion gearset is enclosed in a metal tube, with each end of the rack protruding from the tube. A rod, called atie rod, connects to each end of the rack.
The pinion gear is attached to thesteering shaft. When you turn the steering wheel, the gear spins, moving the rack. The tie rod at each end of the rack connects to the steering arm on the spindle (see diagram above).
Recirculating-ball steering is used on many trucks and SUVs today. The linkage that turns the wheels is slightly different than on a rack-and-pinion system.
The recirculating-ball steering gear contains a worm gear. You can image the gear in two parts. The first part is a block of metal with a threaded hole in it. This block has gear teeth cut into the outside of it, which engage a gear that moves thepitman arm (see diagram above). The steering wheel connects to a threaded rod, similar to a bolt, that sticks into the hole in the block. When the steering wheel turns, it turns the bolt. Instead of twisting further into the block the way a regular bolt would, this bolt is held fixed so that when it spins, it moves the block, which moves the gear that turns the wheels.
You know that when you turn the steering wheel in your car, the wheels turn. Cause and effect, right? But a lot of interesting stuff goes on between the steering wheel and the tires to make this happen.
In this article, we'll see how the two most common types of car steering systems work: rack-and-pinion and recirculating-ball steering. Then we'll examine power steering and find out about some interesting future developments in steering systems, driven mostly by the need to increase the fuel efficiency of cars. But first, let's see what you have to do turn a car. It's not quite as simple as you might think!
Turning the Car
You might be surprised to learn that when you turn your car, your front wheels are not pointing in the same direction.
For a car to turn smoothly, each wheel must follow a different circle. Since the inside wheel is following a circle with a smaller radius, it is actually making a tighter turn than the outside wheel. If you draw a line perpendicular to each wheel, the lines will intersect at the center point of the turn. The geometry of the steering linkage makes the inside wheel turn more than the outside wheel.
For a car to run smoothly, it needs the proper mixture of air and fuel. The amount of air in the engine is controlled by the air intake system. A throttle body is part of the air intake system that helps control the amount of air that gets into the engine. If the throttle body fails, the engine will not get the proper mixture of air and fuel and the engine may lose power.
Keep in mind:
If a throttle body is damaged, it will need to be replaced. Sometimes a throttle body is malfunctioning because it is dirty, in which case it can be cleaned and repaired.
How it's done:
Scan the computer system for codes.
Check wiring and connections to throttle body.
Clean any carbon build-up around intake inlet.
Install new gasket and throttle body.
Clear the codes.
Test drive the vehicle and check for proper operation of the throttle body.
Our recommendation:
When you are getting a major tune up, you may want to get an air induction service and fuel injection flush. The air induction service will clean the throttle plate and remove carbon from the air-intake system. This will prolong the life of the throttle body.
What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Throttle Body?
Check Engine light is on.
Warning message on dashboard for "Reduced Power."
Poor car performance.
Lack of power.
Vehicle does not idle properly or engine does not run smoothly.
Poor shifting of transmission.
How important is this service?
In order to operate optimally, your engine needs a perfect ratio of fuel and air. It achieves this through the air intake system, which sends air into the engine. The throttle body is a key part of the air intake system. It controls exactly how much air is allowed to enter the engine.
When the throttle body malfunctions or breaks, the incorrect amount of air will enter the engine, and the engine will not run well. When this happens you will likely experience a loss of power or a sputtering engine.
How do turbos work, and how do they differ from superchargers Turbocharging makes everything better, right?
Any survivors from the 1980s will remember the term could be loosely applied to anything – turbo razors, turbo sunglasses and turbo skateboards to name but a handful. But what are (real) turbos?
The simplest way to understand them is to consider that an engine needs to mix fuel and air to run. Turbos force more air into the cylinder, which can be mixed with more fuel to create more power. Turbos use the energy of the engine’s exhaust gasses to compress air into the engine.

How do they work?
Turbos are formed of two main parts – a turbine and a compressor. These are linked so, when the one spins, the other spins with it. As fuel in the engine is burnt, exhaust gasses are forced out of the engine at high pressure, down a snail-shaped tube to spin the turbine. This turbine spins at incredibly high speeds (up to 250,000rpm) and causes the compressor (effectively a reversed turbine) to spin. This sucks significantly more air into the engine than a normally-aspirated (non-turbo) unit, making more power.
Turbos run at immense speeds which means they operate under huge pressures and temperatures. Typically, an intercooler is paired with the turbocharger to cool the hot air coming out of it and an oil cooling system ensures the turbo itself doesn’t run too hot. Diesels, having tougher engine blocks and simpler intakes, are ideally suited to being turbocharged so all modern diesels have them.
What are the benefits?
More power is the glaring headline here, but it’s far from the only advantage. Turbo engines can make the same power as a normally-aspirated engine while using less fuel. Hence why Ford, for example, has replaced the old 1.6-litre petrol engine with a new 1.0-litre turbo – it makes the same power but uses much less fuel.
Turbos also give engines more torque – often lower down in the rev range. This means they feel much stronger around town where the extra torque makes nipping into gaps easier. Another, unexpected, advantage is that turbos actually make for a quieter engine as they muffle the sound of the intake.
Any downsides?
Not many, which is why they’re so common in engines now. Mainly, they add cost and complexity to an engine – becoming just another part to go wrong – and, with the high temperatures and pressures they operate at, when they do, it’s often in quite a spectacularly expensive fashion.
There’s another thing. Reviewers often talk of turbo lag – a brief delay between pressing the throttle and the engine making power. This is caused when the exhaust gasses are not at the required pressure to spin the turbine optimally, hence the delay as the turbo comes ‘on boost’. Car makers try to mitigate this by using more smaller turbos instead of one big one, turbos with multiple optimum operating speeds or, for some race cars, a fearsome anti-lag system that causes 10ft flames to shoot out the back of the car!
Careful control of the throttle in a turbo car is required if you want to get close to the claimed efficiency figure – turbos are efficient when cruising ‘off boost’ (ie when the turbo isn’t really working) but very inefficient when ‘on boost’. This means that you may need to alter your driving style if you’re coming from a non-turbo car.
What about superchargers?
Superchargers do the same job as a turbocharger – they force more air into the cylinder to make more power. The difference lies in how each device is powered. Turbos rely on the pressure of exhaust gasses to compress the air, whereas superchargers are mechanically driven by the engine’s crankshaft.
Superchargers boost power and are said to have better throttle response than turbos because the mechanical connection between the supercharger and the engine eliminates the lag. They do, however, cause parasitic power losses by being connected to the engine and therefore can’t match the efficiency of turbos.
Some history…
Superchargers were dreamed up by Gottlieb Daimler in the late 19th century but turbos weren’t patented until 1905. They didn’t become commonplace until the end of World War I, when pilots found they were the ideal way to combat the lower oxygen density at the higher altitudes they were achieving. Turbos improved through aviation, using better materials, built to finer tolerances to create more boost.
The first turbo passenger car was the Oldsmobile Cutlass in the USA which strapped a turbo to its 3.5-litre V8 in 1961 to make 215hp – this engine (without turbo) went on to become the famed Rover V8. Their complexity took them out of market favour until Saab reinvented the tech with its 99 Turbo in 1984 pushing them back where they have stayed ever since. With tighter modern legislation – they’re here to stay.
What models can I get turbos in?
Almost all manufacturers offer a turbocharged model of one sort or another. Volkswagen-group models are badged TSI for turbo-petrols and TDI for turbodiesels. Ford’s are called Ecoboost for petrol and TDCI for diesel. Renault-Nissan alliance vehicles are badged TCi and diesels are dCi. To name a few.
1Locate and open the fuse box. It should be located inside the car as a part of, or near, the dash.
2Check your owner's manual to locate that operates the windows. It is not uncommon that the only thing wrong with electrical components in a vehicle is a blown fuse. If this is the case with your windows you will need to replace the window fuse.[1]
3Pull the fuse straight out of its cradle.Be careful not to twist or otherwise force it. You do not want to damage the cradle or break a piece of the fuse off in the cradle. There are fuse tongs available at part supply stores that can help with this.
4Locate a replacement fuse. It must be the rated for the same amperage as the original fuse that operated the window mechanism. The amp rating should be printed on the fuse, and it should also be listed in your owner’s manual. Do not use a fuse with a higher amp rating, as this may lead damaging the electrical components of your vehicle.
5Push the new fuse straight down into the cradle. The fuse must be “set”. This means that it does not move or wobble.
6Turn your car key to the "on" position.This provides power to your windows and allows you to test them. You need not start your car.
