Cars & Driving

Practical guidance on owning, maintaining, and understanding your vehicle.

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Brake Wear: Reading the Warning Signs Before It Becomes Dangerous
Car Maintenance

Brake Wear: Reading the Warning Signs Before It Becomes Dangerous

Squealing, grinding, and pulling are all signals your brakes are telling you something. Here's how to interpret them and what to do next.

By Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Aug 19, 2024 · 8 min read

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Car Battery Life: What Drains It Faster Than You Think
Car Maintenance

Car Battery Life: What Drains It Faster Than You Think

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Aug 24, 2025 · 5 min read
Car Fluids Every Driver Should Recognize
Car Maintenance

Car Fluids Every Driver Should Recognize

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 13, 2023 · 5 min read
Car Maintenance for New Drivers: Where to Start
Car Maintenance

Car Maintenance for New Drivers: Where to Start

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Apr 26, 2025 · 8 min read
DIY vs. Professional Mechanic: Knowing Which Jobs Belong in Which Hands
Car Maintenance

DIY vs. Professional Mechanic: Knowing Which Jobs Belong in Which Hands

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jun 20, 2023 · 6 min read
Maintenance Habits That Separate High-Mileage Cars from Early Junkers
Car Maintenance

Maintenance Habits That Separate High-Mileage Cars from Early Junkers

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jul 8, 2025 · 6 min read
Maintenance Myths That Cost Drivers Unnecessary Money
Car Maintenance

Maintenance Myths That Cost Drivers Unnecessary Money

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 5, 2026 · 7 min read
Oil Change Intervals: What the Sticker in Your Windshield Isn't Telling You
Car Maintenance

Oil Change Intervals: What the Sticker in Your Windshield Isn't Telling You

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Apr 3, 2025 · 7 min read
Reading Your Owner's Manual: The Most Overlooked Tool in Your Glove Box
Car Maintenance

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

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Oct 28, 2023 · 7 min read
Seasonal Car Maintenance: Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter and Summer
Car Maintenance

Seasonal Car Maintenance: Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter and Summer

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Dec 4, 2025 · 6 min read
Skipping Routine Maintenance: The Hidden Costs That Add Up
Car Maintenance

Skipping Routine Maintenance: The Hidden Costs That Add Up

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Mar 13, 2023 · 5 min read
Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil: What Everyday Drivers Should Know
Car Maintenance

Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil: What Everyday Drivers Should Know

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Aug 19, 2025 · 5 min read
Tire Care From the Ground Up
Car Maintenance

Tire Care From the Ground Up

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Feb 28, 2025 · 7 min read
Warning Lights on Your Dashboard: A Plain-Language Reference Guide
Car Maintenance

Warning Lights on Your Dashboard: A Plain-Language Reference Guide

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Oct 1, 2024 · 6 min read
Why Your Check Engine Light Is On — and When to Act
Car Maintenance

Why Your Check Engine Light Is On — and When to Act

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Nov 17, 2024 · 8 min read
Your Car's Maintenance Schedule, Explained
Car Maintenance

Your Car's Maintenance Schedule, Explained

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jan 16, 2024 · 8 min read
Before You Pull Out of the Driveway: A Pre-Trip Safety Check
Driving & Safety

Before You Pull Out of the Driveway: A Pre-Trip Safety Check

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Apr 28, 2023 · 6 min read
Blind Spots, Mirrors, and the Geometry of What You Can't See
Driving & Safety

Blind Spots, Mirrors, and the Geometry of What You Can't See

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Nov 21, 2025 · 6 min read
Defensive Driving vs. Aggressive Driving: The Line Most People Don't See
Driving & Safety

Defensive Driving vs. Aggressive Driving: The Line Most People Don't See

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 20, 2024 · 6 min read
Distracted Driving: Separating Myth from What Research Actually Shows
Driving & Safety

Distracted Driving: Separating Myth from What Research Actually Shows

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Dec 11, 2024 · 6 min read
Driving Confidently at Night: Habits That Reduce Risk After Dark
Driving & Safety

Driving Confidently at Night: Habits That Reduce Risk After Dark

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Nov 9, 2023 · 7 min read
Driving Fatigue: The Warning Signs Most People Ignore Until It's Too Late
Driving & Safety

Driving Fatigue: The Warning Signs Most People Ignore Until It's Too Late

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Mar 10, 2026 · 6 min read
Driving in Bad Weather: A Practical Field Guide
Driving & Safety

Driving in Bad Weather: A Practical Field Guide

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Feb 11, 2026 · 8 min read
Getting Back Behind the Wheel After a Long Break
Driving & Safety

Getting Back Behind the Wheel After a Long Break

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jun 14, 2025 · 8 min read
Hydroplaning: What Causes It and How to Regain Control
Driving & Safety

Hydroplaning: What Causes It and How to Regain Control

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Mar 28, 2026 · 6 min read
Night Driving Is Harder Than You Think — Here's Why
Driving & Safety

Night Driving Is Harder Than You Think — Here's Why

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jul 19, 2024 · 8 min read
Road Rage: What's Happening in Your Brain and How to Break the Cycle
Driving & Safety

Road Rage: What's Happening in Your Brain and How to Break the Cycle

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jul 15, 2025 · 7 min read
Roundabouts vs. Traditional Intersections: Which Is Actually Safer?
Driving & Safety

Roundabouts vs. Traditional Intersections: Which Is Actually Safer?

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Mar 22, 2026 · 5 min read
Things Drivers Get Wrong About Merging onto a Highway
Driving & Safety

Things Drivers Get Wrong About Merging onto a Highway

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 4, 2023 · 5 min read
Tire Pressure, Tread Depth, and the Hidden Ways Your Tires Affect Safety
Driving & Safety

Tire Pressure, Tread Depth, and the Hidden Ways Your Tires Affect Safety

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 13, 2024 · 6 min read
What Road Signs in the U.S. Actually Mean — A Plain-Language Reference
Driving & Safety

What Road Signs in the U.S. Actually Mean — A Plain-Language Reference

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Sep 13, 2025 · 5 min read
What Your Following Distance Actually Says About Your Risk on the Road
Driving & Safety

What Your Following Distance Actually Says About Your Risk on the Road

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jun 18, 2026 · 9 min read
Annual Car Ownership Checklist: Registration, Insurance, and Maintenance
Car Ownership Basics

Annual Car Ownership Checklist: Registration, Insurance, and Maintenance

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Oct 3, 2025 · 6 min read
Buying a Used Car vs. a New Car: The Ownership Trade-Offs Nobody Mentions
Car Ownership Basics

Buying a Used Car vs. a New Car: The Ownership Trade-Offs Nobody Mentions

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Sep 17, 2023 · 6 min read
Car Insurance Explained: What Every Policy Actually Covers
Car Ownership Basics

Car Insurance Explained: What Every Policy Actually Covers

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · May 1, 2025 · 8 min read
Car Insurance Myths That Cost Drivers Money
Car Ownership Basics

Car Insurance Myths That Cost Drivers Money

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Dec 3, 2024 · 5 min read
Car Registration in the U.S.: A State-by-State Overview of What to Expect
Car Ownership Basics

Car Registration in the U.S.: A State-by-State Overview of What to Expect

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Nov 13, 2024 · 5 min read
Everything That Happens Between Buying a Car and Legally Driving It
Car Ownership Basics

Everything That Happens Between Buying a Car and Legally Driving It

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jul 7, 2024 · 6 min read
Financing a Car vs. Paying Cash: What Changes After You Drive Off the Lot
Car Ownership Basics

Financing a Car vs. Paying Cash: What Changes After You Drive Off the Lot

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jun 18, 2024 · 6 min read
How Depreciation Actually Works — and Why It Matters for Car Owners
Car Ownership Basics

How Depreciation Actually Works — and Why It Matters for Car Owners

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Nov 10, 2025 · 8 min read
Keeping Insurance Costs Manageable Over the Life of a Vehicle
Car Ownership Basics

Keeping Insurance Costs Manageable Over the Life of a Vehicle

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Oct 15, 2025 · 5 min read
Liability-Only vs. Full Coverage: When Each One Makes Financial Sense
Car Ownership Basics

Liability-Only vs. Full Coverage: When Each One Makes Financial Sense

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Feb 2, 2025 · 6 min read
Owning Your First Car: The Paperwork, Costs, and Responsibilities to Know
Car Ownership Basics

Owning Your First Car: The Paperwork, Costs, and Responsibilities to Know

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jul 20, 2025 · 8 min read
The Real Cost of Owning a Car in America
Car Ownership Basics

The Real Cost of Owning a Car in America

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Aug 2, 2026 · 8 min read
Things New Car Owners Overlook in the First Six Months
Car Ownership Basics

Things New Car Owners Overlook in the First Six Months

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Jun 26, 2026 · 5 min read
Transferring a Car Title: What Buyers and Sellers Each Need to Do
Car Ownership Basics

Transferring a Car Title: What Buyers and Sellers Each Need to Do

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Apr 18, 2026 · 7 min read
What the Fine Print in a Car Insurance Policy Is Actually Telling You
Car Ownership Basics

What the Fine Print in a Car Insurance Policy Is Actually Telling You

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Sep 24, 2025 · 6 min read
Why Your Insurance Premium Moves Up and Down
Car Ownership Basics

Why Your Insurance Premium Moves Up and Down

Cars & Driving Editorial Team · Mar 5, 2024 · 8 min read

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