15 Car Hacks Every Driver Needs To Know

Even if you’ve been driving for many years, do you really know everything about your vehicle? Here are 15 ‘car hacks’ that are useful for all drivers. From money-saving tips to knowledge that can help during an emergency situation, check out the following hacks.

1. Use A Plunger to Remove Small Dents

Don’t waste your money taking your car to the mechanic to fix a small dent, you could be left thousands of dollars out of pocket. Instead, use a plunger to remove small dents in your vehicle. Simply place a plunger over the area of the dent and make a pumping motion to tighten the air pressure. Then, pull on the plunger and the dent should disappear! This works for most small and medium sized dents.

2. Use Toothpaste To Clear Cloudy Headlights

Keep your car headlights shiny by cleaning them with something you already have in your home: toothpaste. Even though dirt might not affect performance, it definitely doesn’t look good. Simply smear a little toothpaste onto each headlight and rub it in with a rag. Toothpaste contains a mild abrasive that can remove a thin layer from the headlight as well as fill in any tiny scratches.

3. No Tickets? Get A Lower Auto Insurance Rate

Did you know that if you have no tickets in the last 2 years or drive less than 50 miles per day you could get a huge discount on car insurance? Recent studies indicate that only 5% of American drivers are paying less than $50 per month for car insurance. That is probably because they are not taking advantage of the multiple discounts available to them. Click here to learn how you can save $400+ on car insurance.

4. Save $1,000s In Costly Car Repairs with FIXD

If you’ve ever gone to your local auto repair shop for an oil change, but instead left with a huge bill for god knows what then this is the device for you. Often mechanics can take advantage of car owners, especially elderly and women, for their lack of knowledge by tricking them into changing parts and making ‘fixes’ that are not needed.

But, by using Fixd, you’ll never pay more for car maintenance than you need to again. If you see the mysterious “check engine” light come on, Fixd will be able to tell you exactly what’s wrong with your car.

If your car was built after 1996, then Fixd can instantly diagnose any problems it might have. This means that next time something goes wrong, the mechanic won’t be able to trick you. It’s super-easy to use that even the least tech-savvy people can do it.

5. Change Your Air Filter Every 6 Months

Have you noticed that your car isn’t as fuel efficient as it used to be? Chances are, you’ve been neglecting your air filter. To boost your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, change your air filter every 6-months or as recommended in your car owner’s manual. This simple trick can save you $100s every year.

6. The Device that Could Save Your Life

If you do a lot of driving, you need to get acquainted with the CrashSafe. It’s a potentially life-saving 6-in-1 multi-functioning emergency tool that you can use as belt/rope cutter, glass breaker, car charger, flashight, red flashlight and powerbank – something that deserves a place in every vehicle. With almost 40,000 people killed in car accidents in the United States every year, this tool could make the difference between life or death in a traffic accident.

7. Free Frozen Locks With Hand Sanitizer

Ever fought your way through a blizzard to find your car lock completely frozen? Luckily, there is one item that’ll defrost your lock; hand sanitizer! The alcohol content inside the sanitizer works to thaw the ice, so you can jump inside and turn the heater on high!

8. Get a Portable Handheld Car Starter

There’s nothing more annoying than when your car won’t start – especially when you are in a rush. But, with a portable car starter you can forget expensive towing services or relying on strangers with jump cables.

This efficient tool is the next-generation of rechargeable 4-in-1 power banks. It’s small enough to store inside your glove box or under the seat and provides drivers everywhere with a quick and easy solution next time your car won’t start.

9. Often Drive After Hours? Watch These Amazing Glasses Turn Night Into Day!

Calling all commuters! Increase your safety when you are driving at night with a pair of light-weight anti-glare glasses. If you often drive at night you’ll know how it feels to be blinded by the lights of other cars. Now, DaySight is offering a solution to get you home safely.

The anti-reflective glasses will cut out glare and fit perfectly over prescription frames you already wear. The tinted lenses block out blinding lights and enhance clarity and contrast so neon lights, street signs, and car lights won’t bother you anymore.

10. Fill Window Damage With Nail Polish

There’s nothing more frustrating than tiny stones that fly up and leave cracks and chips in your windscreen. Usually cracks grow, which means you’ll eventually need to pay out for a replacement window. However, by applying clear nail polish to the damaged area you can potentially prevent the crack from growing. It’ll be almost invisible, and you’ll save a ton of cash, but use this advice with caution.

11. Transform Your Smartphone into a Heads-Up Driving Display

Are you tired of holding your phone and looking at it to navigate or see what traffic looked like ahead? This awesome device turns your phone into a smart head-up display for your car. It’s called VIZR. You can check your speed on it, maps, traffic conditions and more. It works with any car or truck, day or night, rain or shine. It’s very easy to setup and works right out of the box – no wires and no installation needed.

Did you know that fighter pilots use this same technology to stay focused on their flight path while navigating? VIZR can help reduce your accident risk by up to 300%!

12. Know When Your Oil Needs Changing

As a general rule of thumb, car owners should change their car’s oil every 3-months or 5,000 miles. But, this rule is no longer true for newer cars. To find out the best time to change your oil, read your car’s manual and make a mark on your calendar so you won’t forget.

If you’re not sure when to change the oil, notice if it looks black and gritty or if your engine sounds louder than usual. Some luxury cars will alert you when your car is ready for an oil change.

13. Extend Your Car Warranty

Car warranties usually last whichever comes first; 3 years or 36,000 miles. If your car’s warranty has expired, you can still get all the same benefits without the restrictions by purchasing extended auto coverage. So, if your car breaks down, malfunctions or needs a new part, you can save lots of money on repairs without the usual expense. Be sure to shop around to get the best rate.

14. Park Your Car Facing East to Defrost Windscreen in the Morning.

If you live in place where the weather is cold, a great idea is to park your car facing east. When the sun rises in the morning, the warmth of the sun will help to defrost the ice which can save you precious time. With this hack, you should be able to let your windscreen wipers do the hard work for you.

15. Get A Roadside Emergency Flare

If you’ve ever been stuck on the side of the highway, you’ll know that it’s not only annoying but also dangerous – especially at night. But, by using The Haylo Safety Flare as an emergency beacon you can alert all other vehicles of your presence. With this super bright light, you can be seen from 1 mile away at night and during the daytime.

It’s easy to use too, just press one button to turn it on and decide on the different light options. The flare’s magnetic backing allows the Haylo to stick to your vehicles hood, side, or trunk. Perfect for use during all emergency situations.

Bonus #1: How To Escape A Sinking Car

If you will ever face the nightmare scenario of being inside a sinking car, the first thing you should do is to roll down at least one window before the car ends up below the water’s surface, this will allow you to climb out of the windows or open the door. After this, it’s important to take off your seat belt. At this point, if you aren’t able to open the window, you can use the CrashSafe as a hammer to break it. However, if you don’t have CrashSafe, you can remove the head rest from your seat and use the metal prongs to smash the window. Be sure to hit the corners of the window rather than the center to get the fastest result. It’ll be extremely difficult to open the doors without opening or breaking the window, due to the increased air pressure outside of the car. Something you can do if you are trapped is to start a leak by opening the air vents to allow some water into the vehicle. This will allow the air pressure to even out, and once it’s equal then you can open the car door. Remember to breathe deeply and take a long final breath before the car fills entirely with water. Hopefully, you’ll never need to use this advice, but in the event that you do it could save your life.

Bonus #2: Record The Unexpected With DashCam

Imagine you’re peacefully driving your car with your family. Suddenly out of nowhere the driver in front of you just hits the breaks and stops for no reason. He gets out of his car, starts yelling and cursing at your spouse and kids. He claims that you damaged his car and demands you to pay hundreds of dollars for fixing it. Sounds awful and unfair, right?

The DashCam has your back. And front! This amazing camera will automatically turn on and start filming whenever there are objects nearby. So if you get into an accident you will have no trouble defending yourself. A DashCam can save you thousands of dollars in legal fees and lawsuits when it proves the other driver was wrong—in vivid color.

Bonus #3: Make a Temporary Car Smartphone Holder Using Only a Rubber Band

Next time you need to figure out a fast way to see your GPS, try this awesome rubber band hack – you can make a smartphone mount in seconds! You’ll also need to grab a pen or other object that will fit inside your car’s air conditioning vent.

Simply, thread the rubber band through the top of the vent, then feed it inside and use the pen to pull the band out through bottom. Next, slip both ends around your phone, so that’s in held in place at the top and bottom. Now, you can see view your screen and be hands-free!

Cleary, this isn’t a permanent solution, but it’s a great hack to use until you can get your hands on a quality smartphone mount.