Kids playing in cars can do things to your auto electrical system and auto aircon that you just might not think to check, prior to calling an auto electrician. The following are a few of their favourite activities and some remedies.
Whist Terry‘s Mobile Auto Electrical & Auto Air Conditioning in no way encourages children to play in cars and recommends children are never in or around cars alone, I have learned from being a parent & grandparent and from jobs I have been called to, that kids sometimes get into cars and when they do they play with every button, knob, slide or slot, especially those that operate your auto electrical system, auto air conditioner and auto accessories. I have learnt that any opening or slot in your car is just the place for posting things into.
Here are some common things kids do in cars and some remedies.
- Swinging on the steering wheel, this then activates the steering wheel lock and when mum gets into drive the car she can’t turn the key.
Remedy – turn the steering wheel full lock until you hear a click, the steering wheel lock will now allow the key to turn. If turning the steering wheel full lock in one direction doesn’t free the lock you may have to turn the steering wheel full lock in the opposite direction.
- Stereo. Posting coins or a couple of extra cds into the CD player slot of your car stereo, oh what fun.
Remedy – If you have a stereo that can be pulled apart then your auto electrician may be able to remove the stereo and retrieve the coins and cds. Unfortunately more and more stereos are sealed units and the only remedy is a new stereo.
I once removed seven cd’s and $6.35 in coins from a stereo that a couple of kids had played with. Won’t mention their names hey boys.
A Katherine Auto Electrician removed all this from a car stereo that kids had played with
Auto aircon. What a lovely lot of buttons, knobs and slides to play with.
Remedy – If the auto aircon doesn’t work as it should, check all the settings are turned on, the fan switch is on, the auto aircon is turned on, check the aircon vents are open.
If there is hot air blowing from the aircon, check the heater hasn’t been turned on.
- Car won’t start,
have the light switches or the blinkers been turned on and left on thus flattening your battery. (dealing with a flat battery is covered in an earlier blog). https://terrysautoelectrical.com.au/2015/02/adventures-katherine-auto-electrician-chook-eating-python-flattened-car-battery/
check the automatic gear is in park.
It is not only the auto electrical and auto air conditioning systems that kids get into. My grandson (who aspires to become a mechanic) whilst pretending to repair his mother’s car, dropped a socket (spanner) into the wheel hub, when she next drove the car the socket jammed between the brake pad and brake calliper causing the brake to lock on, fortunately she was only going slowly otherwise the results could have been very nasty.
If you find yourself in a position where you need an auto electrician then remember that Terry’s is a mobile service that will come to you. Contact details can be found on https://terrysautoelectrical.com.au/
Terry’s is Australian Refrigeration Council registered, AU 32253, License number L095095.
My steering wheel has been locked plenty of times from my nephew playing in the car. Good advice.
Hello Thanks for nice sharing 🙂
Ha ha I once called an auto electrician when my aircon was blowing hot air only to find the heater had been turned on. Wish I had read this blog back then.
A very informative article. Thanks for sharing!