RACQ offers 92 fact sheets on a variety of motoring topics including engines and oils, maintenance and repairs and buying a car. Simply browse these fact sheets for information, or contact RACQ Technical Advice for further information on any related topics.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Buying or selling a car. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Of the thousands of vehicles affected by Eastern Australia’s recent floods, a large proportion will be declared ‘write offs’ by insurers. And while it may be reasonable to think that these vehicles will end up in wrecker’s yards, the reality is that after drying out and cleaning, many will be sold to unsuspecting buyers, either by used car dealers or private sellers. Used car buyers therefore need to exercise greater caution than ever before in their used vehicle purchases.
At some point most of us will need to dispose of a used car for one reason or another. The following guide looks at your options and provides some tips on how to get through the process.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Car accessories. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Fog lights are becoming an increasingly common feature of new vehicles. Fog lights may only be used when adverse weather conditions, such as fog or heavy rain, reduce visibility.
Whenever the price of fuel spikes all sorts of products that claim to produce dramatic improvements in fuel consumption appear on the market. While the benefits may sound impressive, the actual results achieved may not live up to expectations.
MicroDots have had a tremendous impact on vehicle professional theft rates wherever theyve been used, and are one of the most significant and effective anti-theft measures so far developed.
Research has shown that re-designing the front structure of a vehicle could increase the chance of a vulnerable road user, such as a pedestrian or a cyclist, surviving a collision with a vehicle.
Until a few years ago rust was a major enemy of the motorist, but today major rust problems in properly maintained later model cars are rarely heard of.
Queensland Transport regulations allow the use of tinting film on side and rear windows of motor vehicles provided at least 35 percent of light still makes its way through the tinted glass.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Cars and the environment. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Diesel Particulate Filters are an industry response to the ongoing tightening of exhaust emission standards for diesel vehicles. As their name suggests, they clean the particulate matter (soot) from exhaust gasses by passing them through a filter that traps the particles.
It seems the way of the world that the price of most goods just keeps heading skywards. And the cost of fuel for our motorcars is certainly no exception! Fortunately, there are a number of fairly simple ways of making your car go further between fills at the fuel bowser and, consequently, saving some of your hard earned cash.
A fundamental fuel saving strategy is to switch off the engine when it isn’t needed. The value of this advice is supported by an increasing number of vehicle manufacturers that are introducing Stop –Start technology to their new models. Quite simply, instead of relying on the driver to switch off the engine, the car now does it automatically – only restarting when it’s time to drive away, charge the battery or change cabin temperature by operating the air conditioning or heater.
As part of the National Fuel Standards in mid 2002, the Federal Government committed to introducing cleaner transport fuels to Australia. One of the key elements of this commitment is the reduction of the amount of sulphur in diesel fuel.
The amount of fuel a car uses is directly related to the amount of green house gas emissions it produces. Selecting the right car for your needs and using it wisely will reduce your fuel consumption and help you save money and the environment.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Fuels and oils. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Poorly maintained diesel fuel tanks are a perfect breeding ground for a variety of fuel loving 'bugs' that can cause no end of trouble to the operators of diesel powered vehicles and boats.
Octane is a measure of a fuel’s ability to resist a phenomenon known as “knocking”, which a driver may detect as a “pinging” or “knocking” noise coming from the engine. Knocking is the explosive burning of fuel in an engine’s combustion chamber that can very quickly destroy an engine.
Following trends established overseas, we are now seeing cars in the Australian marketplace that have low viscosity engine oils recommended by the manufacturer as their prime service recommendation.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas or LPG) is a hydrocarbon fuel comprising propane, butane or propylene, either separately or as a mixture of any of them.
Petrol sniffing has become a significant health and social issue in some areas and as a result, some remote communities in central and northern Australia have totally banned the sale and trade of normal petrol to try and kerb the problem.
Many vehicles built before 1986 were designed to operate on leaded fuel. However leaded fuel was withdrawn from the Australian market due to environmental and health concerns over lead pollution.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to General motoring topics. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
With new car prices skyrocketing, many people are holding onto their cars longer and find it an increasing challenge to keep their valuable asset looking good.
The concept of a Continuously Variable Transmission, CVT, is not new and has been credited to Leonardo Da Vinci in the late 1400’s. Dutch vehicle maker, DAF, used a CVT in the late fifties.
Drive-by-wire refers to systems that use electronically controlled actuators to perform functions such as throttle and brake control that traditionally have been done by systems with a direct 'mechanical' style connection.
Better vehicle lighting can improve driver recognition of objects and therefore increase vehicle safety. Vehicle manufacturers have addressed this issue by fitting new vehicles with higher output headlights, as well as new lighting technology such as high intensity discharge lamps...However some drivers continue to raise concerns about the blue coloured headlights that appear to be becoming more common.
The term hybrid vehicle is becoming increasingly common. In car speak; hybrid refers to the use of more than one type of technology to provide motion. Typically this means an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that can power the vehicle alone, or assist the internal combustion engine.
Most vehicle handbooks provide a procedure for jump-starting, however we consider that these procedures are for use in the situation where the battery is discharged.
To allow consumers to compare one vehicles fuel consumption against another, vehicle manufacturers are required by law to provide fuel consumption figures for the vehicles they produce.
Every year violent storms, flooding and large hail damage thousands of vehicles in Northern NSW and Queensland, with many being ‘written off’ because they are considered uneconomical to repair.This information sheet looks at the measures you can take to protect your car from storm related damage.
Vehicle recovery straps, commonly referred to by off-road drivers as snatch straps, are one of the most commonly employed items of off-road recovery gear.
Snow chains are a ‘must have’ for trips above the snowline and are a legal requirement in many Alpine areas. You can be fined for not carrying or fitting them when directed. Chain requirements vary from area to area so get advice on local conditions and requirements.
The accuracy of vehicle speedos is covered by Australian Design Rule 18. Until July 2006 this rule specified an accuracy of +/- 10 percent of the vehicle’s true speed when the vehicle was travelling above 40km/h.
As we age it’s common to find that the things we find important change as well - and driving and our choice of vehicle are no different. This fact sheet provides some useful information to consider when selecting your next vehicle.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Repairs and maintenance. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Brake fluid is one of the most important but least considered fluids in the car. It transfers the effort applied to the brake pedal by the driver’s foot to the components that stop the vehicle.
The subject of dealer v non-dealer servicing is a regular topic of radio and television advertisements with both sides of the argument regularly putting their respective cases.
It's a common enough sight and we've all seen it many times. A car stopped on the roadside, the bonnet is up, with steam and water pouring forth - just another overheated engine and another hot and bothered motorist.
First appearing in Australian vehicles in the late 1980s, engine sludge is a phenomenon that can affect almost any make of later model petrol engine and can cause extensive engine damage.
Many parts of Queensland are flood prone, providing a challenging environment for motorists and their vehicles. The following advice applies to any car that has been caught in flood waters.
A guide to the type of repairs a flood affected vehicle is likely to require. It also outlines the possible longer term effects inundation can have on a motor vehicle. It is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all vehicle components, rather it is intended to provide guidance about the most commonly affected parts.
The subject of using nitrogen to inflate car tyres has received considerable publicity over the past few years; particularly since some tyre retailers have begun promoting its supposed benefits.
The difference between a repair quote and an estimate causes no end of conflict between repairers and customers. The common scenario is that the customer claims the final repair cost is higher than was “quoted” and the repairer is equally adamant that only an estimate was provided.
Motor vehicles are made up of literally thousands of individual parts and vehicle manufacturers are in the unenviable position of having to be able to supply virtually every one of them, not only for the vehicles they are currently making, but for many past models as well.
The service life of spark plugs in modern engines is a lot longer than in the past. The service schedule for many vehicles these days won’t include a fresh set of plugs until 100,000km or more. Changes to fuels and improved plug materials have had a significant influence on plug life.
Front and rear tyres do different jobs so they usually wear at different rates. Some tyres transmit drive, others ‘steer’ and in some cases they do both. Their share of cornering and braking loads varies also. So regular tyre rotation is needed to ensure maximum life and help even out any uneven wear patterns.
For many motorists tyres barely rate a second thought, until one goes flat or they need to be replaced. With a little care and attention, tyre life can be maximised and overall vehicle performance and fuel consumption can be improved. Here are a few hints and tips..
Wheel alignment is one of those important but often-neglected regular maintenance items. Though in reality, it’s more about measuring and setting the car’s steering and suspension geometry than ‘aligning wheels’.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Safer cars. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Airbags are one of the better-known safety features on modern vehicles. However as airbags have been on locally available vehicles for over twenty years now, consumers should be aware that airbag system components have a lifespan like most other vehicle components.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Airbags. Airbags are used to supplement the effect of the seat belt and have proven to be very effective in reducing the likelihood of severe head injuries.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Anti-Lock Brakes. These days, ABS or ALB (the two common acronyms for anti-lock brakes) are offered as standard equipment on the majority of new cars.
Surveys indicate that car buyers rate vehicle safety as important when choosing a vehicle. However most people have limited understanding of what makes one car safer than another. This RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet provides information and advice on choosing a safer car.
The claimed benefit of convex mirrors is that they provided a greater field of view than would be allowed by a flat mirror. Negatives are that they provide a distorted perception of distance.
RACQ research has highlighted the risks of leaving babies and young children unattended in vehicles, even for a short time. This RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet examines the dangers of leaving children in hot cars.
Daytime running lights (DRL) are purpose specific white lights fitted to the front of vehicles. Their function is to make the vehicle more conspicuous against its background at times when headlights are not typically used. They are increasingly being fitted to premium brands such as Audi and HSV, however they have been used by Volvo since the 1970’s.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Jack Safety. Every year many Australians working underneath cars are killed or injured when jacks or other supporting structures collapse, or the vehicle rolls off jacks or stands.
The suggestion that mobile phone radiation can ignite vapours produced during vehicle refuelling has prompted considerable research by mobile phone manufacturers, the oil industry and academics.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Seatbelts. Compulsory seatbelt wearing has been credited with saving countless lives in crashes, yet seatbelts are one of the most overlooked of all motor vehicle safety features.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Stability Control Systems. Some safety experts rate Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as the most important vehicle safety innovation since the introduction of seat belts.
Unintended acceleration is a term that refers to a vehicle moving further or faster than the driver intends. Typically, drivers report that the vehicle accelerates or maintains speed of its own accord and cannot be controlled.
RACQ Car Safety Fact Sheet - Vehicle Over-Speed Warning Devices. These devices monitor vehicle speed and warn when a predetermined speed set by the driver has been exceeded.
For suppliers of vehicles, parts and accessories the Trade Practices Act 1974 and the relevant Voluntary Recall Code of Practice requires suppliers / manufacturers to recall a product or service that may have a safety related defect.
RACQ Car Fact Sheets relating to Towing. View our selection of fact sheets, or contact RACQ Technical Advice if you require further information and assistance.
Towing specifications are contained in the vehicle’s owner’s handbook, which will also specify any additional equipment that must be fitted, and any requirements that must be met.
Much of the information required for the selection process will be readily available. However some of the trailer specifications may not be easily found, in which case it may be necessary to have the fully loaded trailer weighed.
Featured fact sheet: Flood damaged vehicle – buyers alert
Featured fact sheet: Stop-Start technology 
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