When you’re on the road, whether you’re on a road trip or running errands, the last thing you want is to be stuck without provisions during an emergency. While you hope it never happens, these things are unpredictable and you want to be as prepared as possible for the various situations that can occur. Here’s what you need to create your own emergency kit for your car.

First-Aid Kit

You should have a first aid kit in your car at all time. Whenever you use an item, be sure to replace it right away. Items that should be in your first-aid kit include: bandages and sterile dressing gauze in different sizes, tweezers, antiseptic wipes, adhesive tape, a list of emergency numbers, and an up-to-date first-aid manual. If you’re on the road and someone has an accident, you want these items on hand.

Food and Water

In the event you become stranded in the middle of nowhere and have to wait for help to arrive, it’s a good idea to have food and bottled water in your emergency kit. Granola and energy bars are a good choice as they will last a while. Sealed jerky is another food item that will keep for a number of months. Food and bottled water should be swapped out for fresh ones every six months.

Extra Clothes

In the event you’re stuck in the car late at night or during winter and without heat in the car, you’ll want to have extra clothes and a couple blankets to help keep warm. Don’t forget to include gloves, hats, scarves and wool socks during the winter months. It wouldn’t hurt to also keep an umbrella with your emergency supplies. If you have a baby or toddler, keep a few extra diapers in your emergency kit as well.

Car Tools

If your car has trouble, you’ll want to be able to deal with the issue yourself if possible rather than waiting for help to arrive. You should keep a gas can in your car if you run out of gas and can walk to get some. Other items to keep in your car include: a spare tire and jack, jumper cables, a small tool kit, antifreeze, and oil. To be able to successfully help yourself, it’s a good idea to learn how to replace a tire, patch a tire with a hold in it, and top up oils.

Miscellaneous Items

Other items that will come in handy during an emergency include: a flashlight, extra batteries, roadside flares or glow sticks, paper towels or rags, and pen and paper. If you’re caught in the dark or hard to see area, a flashlight or flares will help people find you more easily.

You can keep the clothes, first aid kit, food and water, and miscellaneous items together in a duffel bag so they don’t get misplaced or used during non-emergency situations. Creating an emergency kit for your car will help you to feel more in control and less helpless during any situation you may face. It might seem like a lot of items, but you’d rather be over-prepared than under-prepared.

Within the anti-lock braking system, there are ABS pumps. Anti-lock brakes prevent your wheels from locking up during breaking. ABS pumps play an important role in the system. Here’s what you should know about what ABS pumps are, how they work, and what happens if they go bad.

What is an ABS pump?

An anti-lock braking system is made up of a few components: a controller, speed sensor, valve, and pump. The ABS pump is considered to be the heart of the anti-lock braking system. The ABS pump helps to boost braking performance and is what will help you to avoid losing control of your vehicle on slippery roads, such as when you’re driving on icy, snowy, or rainy roads.

What is the role of the ABS pump?

The ABS pump is used to restore pressure to the hydraulic brakes after the valves have released them. Signals from the wheel speed sensors are processed by the ABS module. If a wheel slip is detected, a valve will be released to avoid this. When the valve is released and pressure is lost, the ABS pump will restore the lost pressure. In vehicles that are not equipped with an anti-lock braking system, the driver has to manually pump the breaks in order to prevent wheel lockup. With an ABS system, there is a four-chambered pump that feeds each brake individually and as needed.

Signs of ABS Pumps Going Bad

There are a few ways an ABS pump may go bad. If the pump leaks brake fluid, it means it’s not able to do its job effectively. Brake fluid plays a crucial role in the braking system as it transfers the force created directly onto the wheel hub when the brake is pressed. Another symptom of an ABS pump going bad is that the brake pads will require more force to push. The brakes may also lock up or be completely unresponsive if the ABS pump is going bad or already in need of repair or replacement. Of course, if your ABS light is on, you’ll want to check to see which part might be malfunctioning.

How to Deal with Bad ABS Pumps

If the ABS pump is leaking, you will likely need to replace the seals and/or o-rings. You can get these replacement parts at a local parts shop. If you have to replace the entire pump, that’s an option as well and can be found new or used at a parts shop. If you purchase used parts, make sure to inspect them carefully and buy from a trusted seller. Buying used parts that are in good condition will save you money. If you’re handy with car repairs, an ABS pump is something you can do yourself to save more money.

The pump plays an important role in the anti-lock braking system and overall performance and safety of your car. If you notice any of the warning signs that your ABS pump is going bad, it’s a good idea to have it checked and repaired as soon as possible.

This is the first of many old car commercials we’ll be posting over the upcoming weeks. For whatever reason these old ads are memorizing. Maybe its a sign of the times or a look back into what life once was. Sometimes just thinking about how grainy the TV looked is interesting. Today’s old car ad is for the 1982 Nissan Sentra. This was right in the middle of the name transition from Datsun to Nissan where people would shop the Datsun dealer for the newest Nissan models. 

The Sentra was released in 1982 as a replacement for the Datsun 210 model. The US base price for a base model 1982 Sentra was just $4949 with an EPA mileage rating of 43 mpg! In 1982 this little econo-box got 43 mpg and and estimated 58 mpg on the highway. What gives Nissan? Where are these fuel mileage numbers now? The assumption can be made that increased safety and emissions regulations have made it more difficult to hit these numbers but still. They’ve had 34+ years to figure it out!

While the 1982 Sentra had excellent mileage on paper I don’t think many would spend 58 miles in one of these cars today. There’s no bluetooth, wifi, navigation, bose audio, panoramic sunroof, butt heaters and all the other do-dads people expect in their cars today. Still this early 80’s Nissan Sentra represents a time in Automotive history when one of the great Japanese car brands was reborn. Almost 35 years later and Nissan remains a top brand in the US and even outliving some of the classic American brands. That in itself is something special. 

Honda has revealed the 10th generation Civic Si prototype to show off the performance direction of the 2017 Si coupe and sedan. Honda has a long history with its Si name plate and hopes to come out swinging with what they claim to be the most powerful Civic Si they’ve ever produced. The Si will be at the 2016 LA Auto show in coupe, sedan and hatchback variations. Even bigger news is that Honda will finally be bringing a Civic Type R to the US. It’s been something import tuners have lusted after for years and Honda is finally making it happen. Details about the new Type R haven’t been fully released but Honda will have a prototype of it on display along side the new Civic Si. 

Powering this new Civic Si will be a high-performance and high-torque 1.5 liter direct injected turbo engine mated to a 6 speed manual transmission. Additionally this Civic will offer a new active damper system, active steering, limited slip differential, and high performance tires. These are all things people have been modding onto Civics for years in the aftermarket. Limited slip differential, turbo, high torque engines, appearance kits; it’s as if Honda finally opened up a Honda Tuning magazine and saw what all the fuss has been about all these years. This car should make for a great base platform for further tuning or an excellent platform for those that wanted all these things in the past but didn’t want to modify their factory cars. Well done Honda, well done. 

The Civic Si will be on dealer lots next year as Honda rolls out all models of the Civic lineup for 2017. The roll out with finish with the Type R Civic later in 2017.

Audi of America has just introduced 2 new models with the 2018 A5 and S5 Sportback models. This is a revitalized hatchback sedan trend started by cars like the Honda Crosstour and BMW X6. Audi enters this game with two new offerings based on its most popular sedan platform. In Audi fashion, both models are essential the same car with the S model offering a beefier engine and a sportier driving dynamic. The new A5 and S5 models will come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive with front a front to rear ratio of 40:60.

The A5 sport back will be powered by a 2.0L Turbo engine mated to a 7 speed dual clutch automatic to create 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Audi estimates this power plant to push the A5 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The S5 will come with a turbo 3.0L V6 the puts out 354 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Audi estimates a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds for the S5 thanks to a new 8 speed automatic. One thing to note is that the S5 will only come with an automatic while the A5 will still offer a manual transmission option.

Audi is hoping to appeal to the luxury sedan buyer that wants a little more utility. While this segment of car is still very unique and sometimes even a little odd; Audis take on a hatch back sedan looks very attractive. This might just be the best looking 4 door sedan hatchback out there. Buyers can expect to see the A5 and S5 hit dealer lots in spring of 2017 as 2018 models.

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The internet is buzzing today with the news of a new Kia Soul model. Ok maybe not buzzing. You might be saying “It’s just a Kia Soul” which is completely reasonable however anytime you add a turbo to something people start to pay attention. The 2017 Kia Soul Exclaim is boasting 201 horsepower from a 1.6L 4 cylinder engine. What’s more is that Kia is claiming slightly better fuel efficiency than its base model engines. Mated to a 7 speed dual clutch transmission the Soul is shaping up to be a very fun and nimble little daily driver.

It will be interesting to see if Kia has made improvements to their 7 speed dual clutch after owner complaints about the similar unit in the Hyundai Tucson. Tucson owners have complained about dead spots in the cars acceleration that have come close to being dangerous. Many state that poor drivability ruins and otherwise excellent vehicle. Hopefully Hyundai and Kia can get that worked out before the new Soul Exclaim gets released.

Aside from performance updates the Exclaim model comes decked out with 18 inch wheels, unique badges, dual chrome exhaust tips, body trim enhancements and some mild interior tweaks. No specific release dates have been announced, but expect it to hit dealers soon as a 2017 model.