10 Essential items for the Ultimate Car Emergency Kit if you live in Southern California

Do you have an emergency kit in the trunk of your car? If so, what’s in it? Here are some essential items for every roadside emergency kit:

Jumper cables: they should be 10ft long and coated in rubber

First-aid Kit: your kit should include bandages, adhesive tape, gauze, aspirin, antiseptic cream/ointment, and any personal items that you or family members may require

Hazard Triangles or flares: Flares, cones, or hazard triangles provide warning to other drivers to your distress

Foam tire Sealant: A cheap and fast way to fix a flat without changing the tire

Spare fuses: Spare fuses and a tool to pull them are cheap and may provide a solution to common car issues

Flashlight and extra batteries: A flashlight is necessary as you may find yourself on the side of the road at night or need light to check in the engine or under the vehicle

Nonperishable snacks: Granola or energy bars are good choices as they are high in protein and take up little space

Drinking water:  The southern California sun is no joke, stay hydrated, and be prepared especially in an emergency situation.

Tool kit: the kit should include a variety of basic hand tools, such as: screwdrivers (phillips and flathead), pliers, an adjustable wrench

Duct tape: Duct tape is universal and can help to solve a variety of issues that may occur

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Why it’s important to check your car’s air filter if you’re in the proximity of a wildfire?

Residents in the path of smoke and ash pouring from wildfires in Santa Clarita have been asked to avoid being outdoors due to the health risks from the ultra-fine particles in the air. But what many of us fail to realize, driving through that same smoky air, our cars or trucks can also suffer some serious damage.

But simply checking and changing your vehicle’s air filter and oil after the smoke has cleared will prevent air filters from clogging, having O2 sensor errors, having possible fuel-injection problems and can prevent the reduction of gas mileage by 10-20%.

Driving in smoke for as little as 50 miles in 1 day’s commute can foul an air filter enough to warrant replacing it.

And to all the Do-it-yourselfers out there, be careful knocking an air filter against any solid object, washing or blowing one out with compressed air. High pressure air or jarring the filter can break fragile filaments of an air filter loose if you are not careful.

Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by the sand fires in the Santa Clarita area. Please be safe!

#BREAKING: #LACounty Board officially proclaims state of local emergency due to #SandFire http://pic.twitter.com/Jv0Wl7VlA6

— Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) July 26, 2016

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How To Check and Add Transmission Fluid

Jumping your cars battery can be intimidating enough, but checking and adding transmission fluid? That’s expert level veteran mechanic territory right? WRONG!
Our friendly Jiffy Lube So Cal experts are here to put an end to the mystery that is proper car maintenance.

Check out the latest video from the Check and Change series.

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