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First
and foremost, do not attempt repairs that are beyond your
ability. If you feel unsure
about
a repair, you should seek out a competent professional to
do the work for you. Better to pay someone who knows what
they're doing than to attempt to fix it yourself and screw
it up. Many systems on vehicles today are very complex. Repairs
often require considerable skill and expertise, not to mention
special tools and equipment. A simple mistake could ruin sensitive
(and expensive!) electronic components. So don't tackle jobs
that are beyond your abilities.
Know your physical limits, too. Don't attempt repairs
yourself if you're not physically able to do the work. Replacing
certain components may require heavy lifting (changing or
removing tyres, pulling a cylinder head, etc.), crawling under
the vehicle, laying or working in an awkward position, reaching,
bending, twisting, pulling, tugging, straining, jerking and
motions you may not be accustomed to making. Use common sense.
If you have a bad back, joint problems or lack the physical
strength to do something, then don't. Hire someone to do it
for you.
Also, do not attempt to undertake any maintenance or repair
work on your vehicle if you're tired, not feeling well, tipsy,
on medication or otherwise impaired. Exhaustion, illness,
alcoholic beverages and even some medications may affect your
judgment and perception creating a potential for injury or
error.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
  Fire
Don't smoke when working on any fuel related components
(fuel filter, carburetor, fuel injectors, fuel pump, fuel
tank or fuel lines). Better yet, don't smoke at all. It's
bad for your health!
Have a fire extinguisher nearby just in case. The fire
extinguisher should have a "B" (liquids & grease
fires) and "C" (electrical fires) rating.
Don't smoke or get any sparks near the battery. Batteries
contain hydrogen gas which is very explosive.
Jack
Never crawl under an improperly supported vehicle.
In other words, don't trust a jack alone to hold the vehicle
up.
Always use a pair of support stands positioned underneath
the vehicle to keep it from falling on you. Make sure the
support stands are of sufficient strength to hold up the vehicle's
weight, too.
Don't use blocks of wood, boxes, wheels or bricks for supports
because these may slip or collapse and allow the vehicle to
fall.
 Electrical
Always disconnect one of the battery cables when doing
electrical repair work (as when replacing a starter, installing
a radio, fixing a broken switch or wiring, etc.). This will
prevent accidental shorts that could damage the wiring or
start a fire. This is also a very important precaution to
heed when working under the dash of any vehicle equipped with
an air bag. Crossing the wrong wires might set off the air
bag (which could cause injury and is very expensive to replace).
Never disconnect or unplug any electrical connector while
the engine is running or the key is in the "on"
position (unless specifically instructed to do so as part
of a diagnostic procedure in a shop manual). Unplugging connectors
while current is flowing through them creates a voltage spike
that can damage sensitive and expensive electronic components.
Clothing
Do not wear loose clothing, jewelry, rings, neckties,
scarves or bulky gloves when working on your vehicle. If you
have long hair, tie it back or cover it. These items may become
entangled in pulleys or moving parts causing serious injury,
dismemberment or death!
Watch out for the drive belts, pulleys, fan and other moving
parts when working under the hood if the engine is running.
Engine
Watch out for hot stuff, too. If the engine is running
or the vehicle has been driven within the past half hour or
so, the engine, radiator, exhaust manifolds, catalytic converter,
muffler and pipes will be hot.
Never open the radiator cap on a hot engine. Always allow
the engine to cool for at least an hour before attempting
to open the cap. Even then, use extreme caution. Place a rag
over the cap, then loosen it slowly to the first detent or
stop. At this point any residual pressure and steam should
be released. Wait until all pressure has escaped before removing
the cap the rest of the way.
Ignition
Avoid electrical shocks when working around the ignition
system. The normal battery voltage in passenger car and light
truck electrical systems is only 12 volts and will not harm
you. But the ignition system bumps the primary voltage up
to 25,000 to 40,000 volts which can give you a nasty shock
if you touch a spark plug wire, the ignition coil or distributor
cap while the engine is running.
Eye
Protection
Wear eye protection when working under the vehicle
(to keep dirt and debris from falling into your eyes), when
pounding or grinding on anything (to keep metal chips out
of your eyes), when jump starting the battery (to keep acid
out of your eyes should the battery explode), when working
on air conditioning components (to keep refrigerant out of
your eyes), and/or when doing anything that might pose a risk
to your sight.
 Brakes
Do not open up any brake lines or replace any components
in a vehicle equipped with an "integral" ABS system
(one where the master cylinder is combined with the ABS modulator,
pump and pressure accumulator) without first depressurizing
the system. This can usually be done by depressing the brake
pedal 24 to 40 times while the key is off.
Fuel
Lines
Use caution when opening any fuel lines on a fuel injected
vehicle. The pressure in some systems may be as high as 80
to 90 psi when the engine is running. So do not open any fuel
line while the engine is running unless your fire insurance
and life insurance are both paid up. Residual fuel pressure
can remain in the lines for many hours after the engine has
been shut off. To minimize fuel spray, wrap a rag around the
hose or line before loosening it, or relieve pressure in the
line using a procedure approved by the vehicle manufacturer
(refer to a shop manual for details).
Distractions
Minimize distractions while working on your vehicle.
This includes small children, pets, friends, spouses, in-laws
or others who may distract you from your work. This will go
a long ways towards reducing the risk of injury and making
a mistake.
Inform
Tell someone if you're going to be working on your
vehicle outdoors or if you're going to be working underneath
your vehicle. Hopefully, they'll know how to dial 101 should
the need arise.
Power
Tools
If you're working outdoors and using power tools, make sure
the extension cord you're using is rated for outdoor use,
that the extension cord and tools are properly grounded (a
"ground fault interrupt" outlet is recommended),
and that the cord has the proper amp rating for the tools
you're using.
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