General Maintenance Safety Tips

Do you fancy yourself a real automotive do-it-yourselfer?  That’s great!  Just be sure that you’re taking care of yourself while you take care of your car.  After all, you can always take your car into your Seattle body shop in a worst case scenario, but we won’t be able to do anything to fix you.

  • Protect Your Eyes: Sparks, sharp objects, even blasts of hot steam or splatters of toxic chemicals; all of these represent potential hazards to your fragile eyes.  Get a set of dark-lensed goggles, or even a pair of sunglasses that fit snugly on your face and attach to a strap around the back of your head.

  • Wear Gloves: It can sometimes be difficult to tell what is safe to touch inside your car.  You’ve got sharp edges, electrical systems, harsh chemicals, and metal surfaces that are prone to a lot of heat.  Get a heavy pair of gloves.

  • Work in an Open Area: Chemical vapors from your car can be dangerous to breathe over an extended period of time, and gasoline is still combustible in a vapor form.  Work on your car outdoors if you can, or at least leave your garage door open.

  • Secure Your Car: Set the parking brake, turn off the engine, and put the car in neutral.  Some exceptions can be made, if the particular repair you are doing requires the engine to be on, but these should be rare.