Woman in the Driver's Seat

Ever park your car on an incline, then walk away only to have some sixth sense turn you around just in time to see your vehicle rolling back into traffic because the parking brake failed?

The embarrassment we, women drivers, feel under such circumstances! It's intensified by the realization that we probably brought it all on ourselves, and that it resulted from nothing more than a female inclination to rely on the men in our lives to look after regular maintenance to our vehicles and to spot danger signals in the car's performance.

Few of us really want to match men's mastery of things mechanical. It's just plain common sense, though, to build some awareness of the symptoms of trouble in a car we drive. So let's step off on a brisk tour of the never-never land of car maintenance.

First stop-a quiet evening or two reading the owner's guide for your car. Manufacturers provide this guide for our benefit. But it's a rare woman who removes it from the glove compartment. Dig it out-- even though it means a raised eyebrow from the gent sitting across the living room from you-and dig in. You may be as happily surprised as I was to discover such tidbits as the right grade of oil to ask for in warm or cold weather (no more guesswork, now that it's almost winter) ; how to read your dashboard gauges for warning signals ; how much air your tires need (my front and back ones, I learned, need different inflation pressures) ; how often to change the oil and oil filter ; when to instruct the service garage to lubricate the car's chassis and other body parts ; the proper interval for battering checks ; and a treasure-trove of similar information.

GIVE YOUR BRAKES A BREAK

For us nervous Nellies, there's probably no part of our car that gives us greater concern than our brakes. How can you tell when they need attention? Quite easily. Brakes need attention if the car swerves noticeably to the right or left in stopping, if the pedal begins to feel cushiony or spongy when you step on it, or if the pedal can be pushed to within an inch and a half or two inches of the floor board.

Continuous hard application of the brakes should not gradually lower their gripping level. Squealing brakes, I've found, are an "iffy" matter. They could, for example, signify trouble. On the other hand, the squealing may possibly result from slight overheating of the tires or brake drums-a temporary condition. I prefer to play it safe and have my brakes checked if they continue to squeal for several days.

TIRE NEGLECT IS A SAFETY THREAT

Tire neglect, too, can present ugly threats to the safety-conscious driver. Correct tire pressure is our best insurance, next to turning a sharp appraising eye now and then to the condition of the treads. Tire pressure should be checked at least once a week, because under inflation can cause hard steering, blowouts, or loss of control on curves; too much air causes uneven and excessive wear on the treads, less traction, and more danger of blowouts in weak tires. And it's a good idea to check tires before going on a long trip and on your return home.

The steering wheel, aside from keeping us headed in the right direction, can tip us off to a Pandora's box of car ailments. Any noticeable change in the way the steering wheel handles should be checked by an expert mechanic. If you feel too much free movement or play in the wheel itself, it needs adjustment. If you find the wheel is harder to control than normally, the diagnosis might be unevenly or under inflated tires, poor wheel alignment, badly adjusted or worn steering parts, or insufficient lubrication.

If the car seems to pull consistently to one side on straight stretches of the road, or to wander from left to right despite your best efforts to control it, tire wear or pressure and wheel alignment should all be rechecked.

"Shimmying" - when the steering wheel feels as if it's having a nervous breakdown-also should head you straight for a service garage. In most cases of " the shakes," shock absorbers need attention or replacement.

PERIODIC INSPECTION OF EQUIPMENT

Safety equipment, including lights, windshield wipers, rear-view mirror, and defroster, as well as the horn you might just need in an emergency, should be inspected a couple of times a year. This is a precaution guaranteed to give you extra peace of mind.

You usually can tell that you're getting a flat tire when the car begins to feel as if you're driving with the brakes slightly on. It's a sort of dragging sensation, even in the early stages. The sooner you stop and tend to it, the better. Is the engine starting to knock-knock? This would indicate an overheated engine or dirty or overheated spark plugs, or your gasoline's anti-knock content is insufficient.

Knocks, which sound like someone's tapping or banging the metal with a little hammer, shouldn't be confused with "misses." The latter, though relatively soundless, can usually be detected by the uneven action of the engine. The action actually causes the car to buck a little. You've probably experienced slight misses on cold mornings. They disappeared after the car was warmed up. If this action occurs regularly over several days, look for the trouble in the electrical system-spark plugs, coil, or condenser-- or for a defect in the carburetor, which mixes the gasoline and air your car uses in the right proportion to make the engine run.

Is your car hard to start? This could be because of a weak battery, defective battery cables, or other connections. Also, difficult starting may result from dirty or worn out spark plugs, accumulation of moisture where it doesn't belong in the engine, or other ills. While a simple battery charge often will get the motor rolling on a cold morning, the basic trouble will recur unless corrected. Take no chances.

DON'T CRACK THE BLOCK

If you value your car (and pocketbook), resist the temptation to fill the radiator with water while the motor is overheated. You could wind up busting the whole shebang. And if, after the motor has cooled, you begin to fill the radiator, keep the motor running. The reason is that the engine block (the house the engine lives in) is more than likely to crack when suddenly filled with cold water. This calls for major and costly repairs.

Gas bill way out of proportion to mileage? Your car's big appetite could come from a defective carburetor, misfiring spark plugs, or engine valves badly in need of grinding. These are symptoms you'd best let Dr. Repairman analyze.

Getting backfire or a puff of smoke from the tailpipe when starting? This suggests a check of the ignition system. Or possibly your car is burning oil or has badly worn engine parts.

Speaking of oil, if you've noticed even the tiniest puddle of oil on the ground where you park your car, don't delay in getting the car on the rack. Leaking oil is virtually money down the drain- "black gold" that's as costly as it sounds. It may be that the dripping oil results from overfilling. Then you have nothing to worry about. Usually the leakage is from a defective hose line or gasket.

Our car, probably the largest single investment most of us make aside from our home, needs a regular and well rounded diet of gasoline, water, air, electricity, and oil. The engine's working parts depend on their supply of these essentials; the rest of the car needs the frequent tender-loving care of generous lubrication and proper adjustment for best performance.

Give your car a fair shake, and you'll be keeping it in healthier condition to do its best job for you.