Every time I get out of the car, I get an electric shock when I touch the driver's door. Is there anything I can do to stop this?

This is usually caused by a build-up of static electricity generated by your clothes rubbing against your car seat fabric. It is rare in a humid place such as Singapore, but it can happen.

Certain types of fabric cause more static electricity than others.

To avoid it, keep your hand on the metal doorframe as you are getting out, until you are fully out of the car. You may also hold your metal car key in your hand to let the electricity discharge through the keys.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

When I switch on the air-con in my two-year-old Korean car, water drips onto the floor of the front passenger seat. Although my mechanic blew compressed air through the evaporator drain to clear any clogs, the problem still persists. What could be wrong?

As water condensation from the humid air outside passes through the air-con system's evaporator core, which is within the dashboard, water drips off the evaporator to the bottom of the plastic evaporator housing. The water droplets then exit via the evaporator drainage tube.

Your problem is due to a leakage of moisture-rich air around the evaporator core. The air thus delivers condensation further into the ductwork, which is not designed to drain off the condensed liquid, leading to water dripping onto the floor.

To repair this, you have to remove the evaporator and reposition or replace the evaporator seal. This is to ensure that all incoming air passes through the cooling fins of the evaporator core, leaving no pathway for air to bypass the core and reach the ductwork.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

My car and tyres are in good condition, yet the car's rear end feels "loose" when I drive over humps. Could the rear stabiliser bar be damaged?

It is unlikely that the stabiliser bar is the cause of the problem, as its function is to stabilise your car during cornering.

The fault is likely to be worn rear-shock absorbers. You could also check your car's suspension joints and bushings for damage or wear.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Why do most modern cars use disc brakes instead of drum brakes?

Disc brakes are safer than drum brakes, especially for stability when driving in wet weather.

Generally, when drum brakes get wet, they require far longer stopping distances than disc brakes.

And if one of the front brakes is wet when you brake, the vehicle tends to veer to one side.

Disc brakes, however, are costlier than drum brakes. Which is why rear brakes in most budget cars are still drums.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Whenever I start my car, it makes a loud squealing noise that stops after a while.

I had the air-conditioning belt checked and, as it wasn't worn, the workshop put some belt dressing on it.

Although the squealing sound stopped for a while, it is back now and is worse than before. What should I do?

It is likely that your car's air-conditioning belt needs to be replaced.

Once it begins to make squealing noises and the side of the belt is glazed, no adjustment or treatment can stop the noise.

Also, check the air-con belt pulley surface for excessive wear.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Every time I drive over a bump, I hear banging and knocking sounds from my car's front suspension. Why is this so?

This is most likely caused by the rubber bushes at the top of the front suspension mounts. When they are worn out, the top of the suspension knocks against the inside of the suspension strut tower. You will need to have them replaced.

Automobile Association of Singapore

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Whenever you're always working on the go, the last thing you want is for your laptop to go dead at the moment you need it most and there's no power outlet in sight. So how do you keep your laptop running for as long as possible?

Control the brightness
Adjust the screen brightness to the lowest level you can tolerate. You can also configure the display to be turned off when it's not in use. This is different from using a screensaver, which still requires the display's backlight to be on.

Cut down external devices
Disconnect all external devices, like USB gadgets, optical drives, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. Remove or shut them down when not in use.

Work from the hard drive
Although you may not be actively using them, the CD and DVD drives still consume power. Programs that are run from a CD or DVD can be copied to and run from the hard drive instead, which consumes less power than an optical drive.

Go easy on the PC
The more things you do, the more battery power you consume. Passive activities like email and word processing consume much less power than playing a game or DVD.

Stay out of extreme temperatures
Don't expose the battery to heat or freezing temperatures; don't leave it baking in the car boot while you go out for lunch. Temperatures can affect battery performance. It's best to keep at room temperature.

Take care of your battery
Don't leave a charged battery unused for long periods of time. Once charged, you should at least use the battery at least once every two to three weeks. If you're not using it, remove the battery pack from the laptop.

Carry a spare power source
Invest in a spare battery pack like the Arigo Mobile Power marketed by Fesv International. This universal extended battery pack can present a new lease of life for your laptop and other digital devices. There's a new version that comes with a built-in USB port as well as eight DC connectors; it works with most portable electronics in the market.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Step 1: Find your preference. Sleep on a thin mat on the floor for about a week or two. If your back feels fine, your preference is for a hard mattress. If you experience pain and discomfort, you need a softer one.

Step 2: Switch to a softer mattress. However, it shouldn't be so soft that it sags in the middle and does not provide adequate support, which may also cause pain.

Step 3: Place the soft mattress directly on the floor to increase the support if you find it too soft (this is usually the case if it is more than 15 years old).

Step 4: Change to a firm mattress that is made of visco-elastic material if both the soft and hard mattress don't work out. Do try the mattress before buying.

Tempur mattresses are made from visco-elastic material, which offers optimal support and comfort.

Extracted from: Simply Her magazine (Jul 2007) - Ad by Tempur

Step 1: Find your preference. Sleep on a thin mat on the floor for about a week or two. If your back feels fine, your preference is for a hard mattress. If you experience pain and discomfort, you need a softer one.

Step 2: Switch to a softer mattress. However, it shouldn't be so soft that it sags in the middle and does not provide adequate support, which may also cause pain.

Step 3: Place the soft mattress directly on the floor to increase the support if you find it too soft (this is usually the case if it is more than 15 years old).

Step 4: Change to a firm mattress that is made of visco-elastic material if both the soft and hard mattress don't work out. Do try the mattress before buying.

Tempur mattresses are made from visco-elastic material, which offers optimal support and comfort.

Extracted from: Simply Her magazine (Jul 2007) - Ad by Tempur

Your hair can be your crowning glory if you treat it right!

1. Healthy hair, like healthy skin, starts from within. Begin with your diet. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables and juicy fruits, plus dairy products like milk and fresh yogurt. In Ayurveda, fresh coconut is also considered excellent "hair food". Indian women like to sprinkle grated coconut over salads, diced fresh fruit and rice.

2. Use hair-friendly spices in your cooking, like cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Besides adding flavour to food, they nourish hair.

3. Everyday stress is said to have a negative effect on hair health and colour. Minimise work and home pressures, and relax and sleep well to help the natural process of rejuvenation.

4. Never use a brush on wet hair, no matter how rushed for time you are. Remove tangles with a wide-toothed comb. Excessive blow-drying leads to brittleness and split ends. When possible, let hair dry naturally.

5. Once a week, massage the scalp with Rene Furterer Complexe 5 Regenerating Extract to regenerate the scalp and strengthen hair for more body and shine.

Extracted from: Simply Her magazine (Jul 2007) - Ad by Rene Furterer

Store loose tea in airtight opaque containers like tea tins or ceramic canisters, not in the fridge.

Use boiling (100 deg C) water for black tea and cooler (70-85 deg C) water when brewing green tea. Using water that's too hot will burn fresh leaves, and leave a bitter aftertaste.

You should steep tea leaves for 20-30 seconds on the first infusion, adding about 5 seconds to subsequent infusions.

Make an exceptionally smooth tea using cold water. Add two tablespoons of tea leaves (or use the bottle tea bag) to a pitcher or pet bottle, and four cups of cold water. Leave overnight in the fridge, then strain the leaves.

Extracted from: Simply Her magazine (Jul 2007)

What happens when you drink?
Alcohol seriously impairs a driver's judgement, coordination and reactions. The more drink he consumes, the slower his reflexes and ability to maintain proper control of the vehicle.

There's no fixed yardstick as to how much you can drink before you're over the limit. Different drinks contain different alcohol content by volume. Other factors depend on your body size, gender, metabolic rate and how well you tolerate alcohol.

When alcohol-enriched blood passes through the lungs, some of the alcohol diffuses into the air in the lungs. A breath sample taken from deep-lung air therefore has a certain alcohol content, which can be analysed by a breathalyser. A breathalyser's readings give microgrammes of alcohol (ug) per 100ml of air.

What's the law?
According to the Traffic Police, under the Road Traffic Act, a person can be convicted of drink driving in two instances.

If the driver is found with more than the legal limit of 35ug of alcohol per 100ml of breath, or more than 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, the driver is deemed to have broken the law, and it does not matter whether he has control of the vehicle or not, when caught.

Even when the alcohol level is under the legal limit, the driver can still be convicted if he gets into an accident because he doesn't have proper control of the vehicle.

What's the penalty?
First offence: Fine of between $1,000 and $5,000 or up to 6 months' imprisonment.

Second offence: Fine of between $3,000 and $10,000 and up to 12 months' imprisonment.

Third and subsequent offence: Fine of up to $30,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.

Anyone convicted of drink driving will also be disqualified from driving for at least one year, even if he or she has not caused any traffic accidents.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

One way to protect your car interior and upholstery while easing the load on the air-conditioner is to put up heat and UV-resistant window film. Check that the film is compliant with Land Transport Authority (LTA) guidelines.

Send your car for a professional grooming package that takes care of the interior as well. It saves you the hassle of getting your hands dirty. Some vehicle workshops even offer deodorising and sterilising treatments that get rid of germs and odours.

If you can feel every bump and hump your car is going over, the shock absorbers might be worn out and need to be replaced. Not only will the ride be more comfortable with new shock absorbers, but the better handling response also means that your car is able to react more quickly in an emergency.

Car spoilers are aerodynamic additions that are normally mounted on top of a car's trunk or positioned under the front bumper. Spoilers can make a car stand out and also improve the car's performance. The rear spoiler provides a downforce for better stability at higher speeds.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Even if you have many years of experience behind the wheel, it always pays to be extra careful while driving.

Drive at a moderate, steady speed for optimal reaction time. Reaction time to changing road conditions decreases at higher speeds.

Observe the speed limit in school zones and be extra careful especially during peak hours when there is much more human and vehicle traffic.

Taligating is a dangerous habit as it reduces the reaction time a driver has if the car in front of you brakes suddenly.

Don't road hog - This refers to driving slowly on a lane meant for faster traffic and thus causing a slow-down in traffic movement.

Defensive driving will prepare you to react to other drivers' actions. It involves looking out for brake lights, sudden lane changes and merging traffic. It also allows you to pre-empt the unexpected.

If the steering wheel veers right or left when the car is travelling in a straight line, the wheels may be misaligned. Get them checked as soon as possible.

Avoid changing radio stations or CD tracks while driving. Have all these properly set up before you start the journey.

When driving, put your focus on the road conditions. Never drink and drive, or use your handphone while driving.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Take time to read the manufacturer's manual to get a better understanding of your car's unique requirements, such as the optimum level of tyre pressure.

It may be worthwhile sending your car to a grooming centre for a good polish job as this will help preserve the life of its paint work.

Replace worn-out wiper blades regularly as they are likely to scratch the windscreen if they are structurally damaged.

Keep leather seats well-maintained: Wipe with a damp cloth and moisturise the leather once every three months. Do not use cleaning detergents that are abrasive or contain chemical components.

Try to fill up the petrol tank completely to prevent it from being corroded.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Take a look at your lifestyle habits and find the vehicle that suits you best.

Saloon - At its most basic, the saloon is a passenger car with two rows of seats and adequate passenger space in the rear compartment for adult passengers. That's suitable for most families.

Coupe - Coupes are often hard-top sports cars or sporty variants of saloon cars, with doors commonly reduced from four to two, and a close-coupled interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating (space for two passengers in the front and two occasional passengers or children in the rear).

Four-wheel drive - This is a vehicle with a transmission system where engine torque is applied to all four wheels of the vehicle. This increases traction, and is useful for off-road driving or during bad weather.

Hatchback - This is a car design where the whole rear panel (trunk, lid and back windows) are replaced by a rear hatch. Usually the rear seat can be folded down to accommodate luggage.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Wash your car at least once a week to remove surface dirt like dust, mud, grease spots and bird droppings. If the comtaminants are not removed quickly, they can stick to the paintwork permanently. Wash and rinse one section at a time, working from top to bottom.

Never substitute car-washing products for dishwashing liquid or household cleaners. The latter are likely to be too harsh and contain harmful detergents, abrasives and additives that can strip off the wax and damage the paintwork.

Wash your car in a shaded area or in the cooler parts of the day. Washing in the hot sun may cause uneven drying, which can leave residue and streaks on your car. After the final rinse, wipe away excess water with a clean terry cloth to prevent watermarks from forming.

Wax your car at least twice a year to protect it from damage and to maintain colour and shine. Waxing helps remove paint oxidation and surface dirt, while adding a protective coating. It can play down or remove minor damage such as surface scratches and light contamination, and provide a high-lustre finish.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Check for reddish oil puddles under the car as they could mean a leak from either the automatic transmission or power steering system. The automatic fluid level should not drop below the minimum mark. It should also be clear without any metal filings or black flakes and no burning smell.

Auto transmission fluid should be changed on schedule, otherwise you will be lubricating your transmission with contaminants. Transmission fluid doesn't burn up, so if you find the level dropping, it is quite certain there is a leak somewhere.

To check the level of engine oil, park your car on level ground and wait for at least five minutes after switching off the car engine. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean, then replace it and pull it out again. The oil level should be between the maximum and minimum mark. If the oil is very black, a complete change may be needed.

Brake fluid should be replaced at intervals, using the formula recommended by the manufacturer. The fluid must maintain a stable viscosity throughout its operating temperature range. If it is too thick or too thin, braking action is impaired.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Inspect the windscreen wiper blades whenever you clean your windshield. Don't wait until the rubber is worn or brittle to replace them. You need them in good working condition in a heavy downpour. Make sure the windshield washer fluid reservoir is filled.

Give the floor mats a good shake regularly to remove dried mud, leaves or sand that may be picked up by passengers' feet. Vacuum frequently to remove dirt from floor carpets and upholstery.

Spills and stains should be cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent stains from setting. Keep a stash of tissue paper and wet wipes to clean dirty spots before carrying out serious cleaning later with the right equipment.

For leather seats, use a leather cleaner and conditioner regularly to prevent the leather from cracking. For upholstered seats, use an appropriate cleaning foam or shampoo, followed by a protective leayer. Always check for colourfastness first by testing a small patch in an inconspicuous area.

Keep loose items in a secure place like the glove compartment, side pockets and other cubby holes. If you have ornaments on the dashboard, make sure they are properly secured.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

The car battery starts the engine when you turn on the ignition. Once the engine is running, the alternator takes over to supply the car's electrical needs while restoring the charge to the battery. Prolong the life of your battery by getting into the habit of turning off all the lights, heated rear window and radio before you switch off the car engine.

To check the condition of your car battery, look for signs of cracks and other physical damage on the battery case and corrosion at the connections of large battery cables. A cracked battery needs to be changed immediately as the electrolyte leaking out is a mixture of sulphuric acid and water.

Top up the battery with distilled water whenever necessary to ensure that the acid level in each cell is above the plates. If you have a maintenance-free battery, you can skip the battery water, but you still have to check that the battery is secured and the terminals are corrosion-free.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Engine oil lubricates the moving parts of the engine, reducing wear and tear. It helps keep the engine cool by dispersing heat that arises from the friction of moving parts. It also keeps dirt and deposits away from the engine, absorbing dust and other particles, and coating the engine parts to prevent rust and corrosion.

Engine oil has to be changed at intervals recommended by the manufacturer. The intervals also depend on your driving patterns. Constant stop-and-go driving and dusty conditions may require more frequent oil changes.

Mineral oils are refined natural oils; synthetic oil is manufactured; and semi-synthetic oils are a blend of the two.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Always wash and dry your car before waxing it. The paintwork must be clean and free of dust and dirt.

Wax your car in the shade.

Read the instructions on the wax product you are using to avoid making mistakes. Some brands work better when you let the wax dry a little before wiping it off; others require immediate wiping.

Avoid using too much wax in one go to prevent gobs from forming.

Apply wax in small, circular motions to one panel of the car at a time.

Use one towel to wipe away the wax residue, and another to polish the surface to a shiny finish.

Waxing is a process that requires time, patience and stamina.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

Keep your tyres properly inflated. Under-inflation increases heat build-up in the tyres, causing them to wear out more on the outside and shorten their lifespan. It also reduces fuel efficiency and makes steering unresponsive. Over-inflation causes tyres to expand more than needed, and also wear them out in the centre.

Each tyre wears out at a different rate as each supports a different weight. Tyre rotation should be done every 7,000 to 8,000 km to achieve even tread wear and maximise tread life. Tyres should be balanced whenever they are remounted.

Look out for the tread wear indicator which shows up as a continuous line running across the entire tread when the tyres begin to wear out. These lines become visible at approximately 1.5mm below the tyre surface - a sign that it's time to change tyres.

Maintain car tyres at the manufacturer's recommended pressure. Some marques will even advise a different level for front and back tyres, and if the car is carrying a heavy load or doing a long distance journey. The spare tyre has a lower recommended pressure than the main tyres.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper

The car engine's cooling system removes excess heat from the engine, keeps the engine operating at the most efficient temperture, and allows it to reach its optimum temperature in the shortest time possible.

It is important for the cooling system to work well so that the engine won't overheat and be damaged.

Parts of the cooling system

Most cars have liquid-cooled engines. That means a fluid flows through hoses and pipes in the engine to dissipate heat.

Water alone cannot cool the engine. Coolant, a mixture of ethylene glycol and water, is added to raise the boiling point. This is still not sufficient, so to further increase the boiling point of the coolant, the pressure of the cooling system is raised, using the same principles as a pressure cooker.

A water pump drives the coolant mixture through the engine to a radiator, which is a type of heat exchanger. The radiator consists of a series of tubes with many tiny metal fins attached to it. These fins increase the surface area of the radiator, exposing the heated liquid to the cooler surrounding air. An electric fan is bolted to the inside of the radiator and kicks in when it is needed.

The cooling system also includes a thermostat to sense temperature and control fluid flow within the system. The thermostat's main job is to allow the engine to heat up quickly, and then to keep the engine at a constant temperature by regulating the amount of coolant mixture that goes through the radiator.

Extracted from: The Straits Times newspaper