Cars & Driving

Everything drivers need to know about owning, maintaining, and understanding vehicles.

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Car MaintenanceCar Maintenance

Car Maintenance

Squealing, grinding, or pulling to one side are signals your brakes are trying to tell you…

15 stories
Driving & SafetyDriving & Safety

Driving & Safety

Cover the essentials before you leave the driveway—vehicle condition, route awareness, rest, and…

15 stories
Understanding Your CarUnderstanding Your Car

Understanding Your Car

Torque, horsepower, GVWR, MSRP, OBD-II — plain-language definitions for the terms you'll meet at…

15 stories
Car Maintenance

Brake Pads: Recognizing Wear Before It Becomes a Safety Issue

Latest in Cars & Driving

Car Maintenance

Car Fluids and What Happens When Each One Runs Low

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Mar 22, 2026
Car Maintenance

Car Maintenance for New Drivers: Building Habits That Protect Your Vehicle

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Sep 24, 2023
Car Maintenance

Conventional vs. Synthetic Motor Oil: Understanding the Real Differences

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Dec 11, 2025
Car Maintenance

DIY Car Maintenance vs. Taking It to a Mechanic

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Nov 11, 2025
Car Maintenance

Everything Involved in Keeping a Car Roadworthy Over the Long Term

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Mar 13, 2024
Car Maintenance

High-Mileage Vehicles: What Changes About Their Maintenance Needs

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jun 23, 2025
Car Maintenance

Keeping Records of Vehicle Maintenance: Why It Matters More Than Most Drivers Realize

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jun 23, 2023
Car Maintenance

Oil Changes: What Actually Happens If You Skip One

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Oct 2, 2024
Car Maintenance

Reading Your Owner's Manual: The Most Underused Tool in Your Glove Box

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 4, 2024
Car Maintenance

The Myths Drivers Believe About Car Maintenance That Can Actually Hurt Their Vehicle

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Jun 26, 2026
Car Maintenance

The Seasonal Car Maintenance Checklist Every Driver Should Keep

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jul 18, 2023
Car Maintenance

Tire Pressure and Why Getting It Wrong Costs You

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Feb 23, 2024
Car Maintenance

Why Your Car Battery Dies Sooner Than It Should

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Apr 17, 2024
Car Maintenance

Your Car's Warning Lights, Decoded

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 30, 2023
Driving & Safety

Before Every Long Road Trip: A Driver's Readiness Checklist

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Jul 21, 2026
Driving & Safety

Blind Spots, Lane Changes, and the Habits That Prevent Sideswipe Crashes

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jul 31, 2023
Driving & Safety

Defensive Driving: The Core Principles That Reduce Your Risk on Any Road

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Sep 15, 2025
Driving & Safety

Distracted Driving Myths That Give Drivers a False Sense of Safety

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Aug 28, 2024
Driving & Safety

Driving in Rain, Fog, and Ice: How Conditions Change the Rules

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Dec 17, 2023
Driving & Safety

Fatigue at the Wheel: Recognizing When You're Too Tired to Drive Safely

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · May 24, 2025
Driving & Safety

Highway Driving vs. City Driving: How Your Habits Should Shift

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Jul 11, 2024
Driving & Safety

New to the Road: Building Confidence as a First-Year Driver

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Oct 2, 2023
Driving & Safety

Night Driving Demands More Than You Think

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Jan 14, 2023
Driving & Safety

Overconfidence Behind the Wheel: The Habit Patterns That Lead to Close Calls

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Jun 10, 2023
Driving & Safety

Road Signs Every Licensed Driver Should Still Be Able to Read

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Jun 26, 2025
Driving & Safety

Roundabouts, Four-Way Stops, and Yield Signs: Who Actually Goes First

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Jan 15, 2023
Driving & Safety

The Case for and Against Driving with Music or Podcasts

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Aug 11, 2024
Driving & Safety

What the Numbers on Speed Limit Signs Actually Mean Legally

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Feb 26, 2025
Driving & Safety

Why Tailgating Is More Dangerous Than Most Drivers Realize

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jun 11, 2024
Understanding Your Car

A Complete Glossary of Car Terms Drivers Actually Encounter

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Jul 3, 2024
Understanding Your Car

Before You Leave the Dealership's Service Lane: A Pre-Approval Checklist

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Apr 20, 2026
Understanding Your Car

Brake Pads, Rotors, and Calipers: What Each Part Does and When to Question Your Quote

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Jan 27, 2026
Understanding Your Car

Car Maintenance Myths That Cost Drivers Real Money

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Dec 2, 2025
Understanding Your Car

How a Car Engine Actually Works, Without the Engineering Degree

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 7 min · Jul 10, 2026
Understanding Your Car

Octane Ratings Explained: Why Higher Isn't Always Better

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Aug 3, 2024
Understanding Your Car

Reading a Mechanic's Estimate Without Feeling Lost

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Jul 2, 2024
Understanding Your Car

Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil: What Actually Changes Under the Hood

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · Oct 8, 2025
Understanding Your Car

The Car Ownership Habits That Lead to Expensive Repairs Down the Road

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · May 18, 2025
Understanding Your Car

The Check Engine Light Isn't Always an Emergency — Here's How to Tell the Difference

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Dec 9, 2023
Understanding Your Car

The Difference Between AWD and 4WD — and When It Actually Matters

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 17, 2023
Understanding Your Car

Tire Pressure, Tread Depth, and Load Rating: A Driver's Field Guide

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Dec 31, 2024
Understanding Your Car

Transmission Types Decoded: Manual, Automatic, CVT, and Dual-Clutch

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 5 min · May 15, 2025
Understanding Your Car

What Your Dashboard Warning Lights Are Actually Telling You

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 6 min · Nov 29, 2025
Understanding Your Car

Why Coolant Is as Critical as Oil — and Just as Easy to Neglect

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · 8 min · Aug 8, 2023

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