Description: Bumpers are located at the front and back of the vehicle and may be chrome, black, matched or coordinated with the rest of the vehicle's colours. Bumpers usually incorporate a plastic cover and lower panel, and a reinforcement bar. Bumpers on 1983 and newer cars are required to withstand a 2.5 mph impact. This safety standard does not apply to vans, pickups and SUVs.    

   

Purpose: Bumpers used to serve a largely ornamental function and were almost exclusively chrome. Today, automobile bumpers complement vehicle appearance, but are also designed to minimize damage from low-speed collisions by absorbing crash energy.    

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: Your car's bumpers are not designed to absorb unlimited low speed collisions. During an impact, the energy absorbing material will likely be damaged and need replacement. Just because the bumper looks fine on the outside doesn't mean that it still can absorb additional impacts. If your car is involved in a collision -- no matter how minor -- have the bumper damage evaluated by a qualified collision repair professional.  

 

 

Description: Safety glass is a critical safety element of your car. The windshield is made of laminated safety glass, made by sandwiching a sheet of plastic between two or more layers of glass. The side windows are made of tempered safety glass, which is made by heating, then a rapid cooling process.       

 

Purpose: Safety glass performs several crucial tasks:

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: Keep the glass clean at all times. Insects and other debris can be removed with the use of a "bug sponge" and a proper cleaner, but be careful not to use strong abrasives that may scratch the glass.

 

Make sure that the windshield washer solvent reservoir is full so you can use your windshield wipers to clear your view when driving. This is critical during the winter months. Inspect your wiper blades frequently. If worn or damaged, bad wipers can damage the windshield. To help improve visibility further, consider a dirt and water repellent that you apply directly to the windshield.

 

Minor windshield damage such as chips and cracks can be repaired using methods now accepted by insurance companies. If complete windshield replacement is needed, it must be installed properly to yield all its safety capabilities. If you're in doubt about the condition of any glass on your car, consult a qualified automotive glass professional.   

 

Description: The horn system usually includes a horn switch, horn or pair of horns, fuse, relay and related wiring.       

 

Purpose: The horn is used to alert other drivers of sudden situations. The horn system is also used as a signalling device for anti-theft systems.   

   

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: The horn is an important safety device and should be checked out immediately if it doesn't work. First, check the horn fuse (refer to your car's owner's manual for the fuse locations and assignments) and replace it if needed. If the fuse is OK, check the connection at the horn to make sure it's secure. If the connection at the horn is OK, make sure the horn relay is located securely in its socket (this location is also specified in the owner's manual). If everything seems OK and the horn still doesn't work, have the system checked by a professional technician. 

  

Description: Your car's lighting system consists of several different systems integrated together: Headlights (high and low beams), fog lights (optional), parking, tail and marker lights, instrumentation lighting, turn signals, emergency flashers, stoplights, backup lights and interior lights.        

 

Purpose: The lighting system provides nighttime visibility under different driving conditions, signals and alerts other drivers, and supplies light for viewing instruments and the interior.      

 

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: During normal driving, you may not notice a light that isn't working. That's why it's best to have your car's lights inspected at every oil change. Most often, the cause of a faulty light is a bad bulb. If a whole portion of the lighting circuit doesn't work, such as the taillights, check the fuses. Refer to your car's owner's manual for recommended bulb and fuse types, their locations and for information on how to change them. Most bulbs and fuses on today's cars are easy to change.

 

If you're changing a halogen headlight bulb, do not touch the bulb with your bare hands. Oil from your skin can cause the bulb to fail prematurely. A turn signal that flashes in one direction, but not in the other direction, usually means there's a bad bulb on the side that does not flash. If the bulbs and fuses seem OK, but the lighting problem persists, have the lighting system looked at by a qualified service professional.  

 

Description: Your car's lighting system consists of several different systems integrated together: Headlights (high and low beams), fog lights (optional), parking, tail and marker lights, instrumentation lighting, turn signals, emergency flashers, stoplights, backup lights and interior lights.        

 

Purpose: The lighting system provides night time visibility under different driving conditions, signals and alerts other drivers, and supplies light for viewing instruments and the interior.      

 

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: During normal driving, you may not notice a light that isn't working. That's why it's best to have your car's lights inspected at every oil change. Most often, the cause of a faulty light is a bad bulb. If a whole portion of the lighting circuit doesn't work, such as the taillights, check the fuses. Refer to your car's owner's manual for recommended bulb and fuse types, their locations and for information on how to change them. Most bulbs and fuses on today's cars are easy to change.

 

If you're changing a halogen headlight bulb, do not touch the bulb with your bare hands. Oil from your skin can cause the bulb to fail prematurely. A turn signal that flashes in one direction, but not in the other direction, usually means there's a bad bulb on the side that does not flash. If the bulbs and fuses seem OK, but the lighting problem persists, have the lighting system looked at by a qualified service professional.  

 

Description: High-tensile strength belts and harnesses, connected to high-strength buckles, make up today's seat belts. Once an option in the 1950s, seat belts are one of the most important standard safety features of your car.  

      

Purpose: Seat belts have been statistically proven at preventing injuries and saving lives. Seat belts save over hundreds of lives each year. Safety belts and harnesses play the primary role in passenger protection. They provide protection during accidents from all directions, security during a rollover and proper passenger positioning when an air bag deploys. They can also prevent the passenger from being hurled forward during mild front collisions.    

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: Keep your car's seat belts in good operating condition. Replace any belt that is cut, frayed or shows signs of weakness. Make sure that the buckles engage completely and don’t separate when pulled. Seat belts sometimes have defects that are covered under a recall from the manufacturer. To see if your vehicle is covered, visit the Transport Canada website http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/recalls/recintro_e.htm.

 

Description: Some cars have just an airbag on the driver's side; others have both passenger and driver's side airbags. During a front collision of sufficient force, impact sensors close. This triggers an electrical signal that travels to the air bag module. Upon receipt of this signal, current arcs across both pins of an igniter and starts a chemical chain reaction. This arc ignites a canister of gas that ignites sodium azide pellets. The pellets burn rapidly and change to nitrogen gas. The rapid build-up of nitrogen fills the bag quickly. The rapid expansion of the air bag tears the steering wheel cover open at specific locations. The bag reaches full deployment shortly thereafter.       

 

Purpose: During a severe frontal collision, the air bag deploys and absorbs the forward force of the driver's or passenger's upper body as it spreads out over the large surface area of the bag. Air bags and safety belts make a team. Air bags don't replace belts. They only supplement them during severe front collisions.     

 

Air Bag Switch

Description: Safety inspections consist of a series of safety-related checks for various systems and areas of the vehicle. For example, some common checks include glass, horn, tires, wipers, lights, turn signals, brakes, mirrors, steering, suspension, and restraint systems. Some Canadian provinces require safety inspections at different times, such as when selling your vehicles. 

 

Purpose:  Many other countries often adopt safety inspections as a means of regulating improved safety for motorists. Research shows that jurisdictions with annual safety inspection programs have accident rates that are 20 percent lower than in jurisdictions without safety inspections. Safety inspections represent a good opportunity to have minor problems corrected before they become major problems or hazards.    

  

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: If you live in an area that requires a safety inspection, welcome it as an opportunity to have your car looked over thoroughly. There's more at stake here than just safety; an inspection can also detect problems that could cause major breakdown headaches in the near future. Plan your inspection into your schedule at a time when the inspection facility isn't backed up with other work. This often happens at the end of the month when everyone suddenly rushes at the last minute to schedule an inspection. Planning ahead gives you time to make better choices about different repairs or services that may be needed as determined during the inspection.