Tools Every Car Owner Should Have

There are basic tools that are good to have for emergencies and normal upkeep — and many more if you intend to do actual maintenance and repairs.

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Below we start with items that are relatively inexpensive and can be used with little training, then we touch on a few for doing minor repairs.

Tools Every Car Owner Should Have

• Tire pressure gauge
• Tread-depth gauge
• Tire inflator
• Tire sealer
• Multimeter for checking battery voltage
• OBD II code reader
• LED trouble light
• Portable battery jump pack
• Tool kit (ratchet, sockets, multibit screwdriver)

Tire Pressure Gauge

• Takeaway: Don’t skip on a tire pressure gauge; we recommend a pistol-grip style.

Proper tire pressure is key to both safety and long tire life. Not only can tires naturally lose pressure over time, but if you live in an area of temperature extremes, tire pressures change from season to season. Ever have your tire pressure warning light go on at the first sign of cold weather? That’s likely why.

There are several types of tire pressure gauges available. The cheapest is the common “stick-type” gauge, which looks somewhat like a fat pencil. However, these are often both hard to read and difficult to seat properly on the valve stem to get an accurate reading, and any hissing you hear means you’re leaking out pressure.

Perhaps easier to use — and easier to read — is a larger dial-type gauge. These may have the same ball-shaped end that goes over the valve stem (with similar challenges), but some have better connectors, a few of which clamp onto the stem for a more secure fit.

My favorite is a rather large “pistol-grip” style that’s intended to be used with an air compressor, but with a gauge and valve-stem clamp at the end of its hose, it works great just as a tire gauge — and you’ll already have it if you later buy a compressor. Both analog and digital versions can be found for about $15, but note that the latter relies on a battery that can go dead over time. This is not a place to scrimp, so get one that’s easy to use — as you should be using it a lot.

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Tread-Depth Gauge

• Takeaway: Skip the penny method, and buy a dedicated tread depth gauge for around $5.

While you can use a coin or your finger to estimate tread depth, a more accurate tread-depth gauge can be bought online for about $5. Some are mechanical, others digital, but note that the latter won’t work if its battery goes dead.

Reading tread depth is valuable not only to determine when your tires are getting low on tread (2/32 of an inch is the legal minimum and the height of the cross-tread wear bars, but 4/32 is considered the minimum for safety — largely to prevent hydroplaning on standing water), it’s also useful for determining if your tires are wearing evenly and inflated properly.

Tire Inflator

• Takeaway: A battery-operated inflator with a built-in gauge is the most convenient way to inflate your tires.

To adjust the pressure (or at least to raise it), you’ll need a tire inflator. Electric ones are powered by their own battery or plug into a wall outlet or your car’s power outlet; some of the latter are combined with a larger battery that can also be used for jump-starting the car, though its effectiveness might be limited.

Battery-operated ones (ads will usually refer to them as “cordless”) are certainly the most convenient because you don’t have to mess with power cords. Small ones can be found online or at big-box stores (regular and hardware) for about $30 or less, while those with a jump-start battery vary widely in price, usually starting at about $60.

Make sure whatever you buy includes a built-in gauge; some even have an automatic shut-off feature for when the desired pressure is reached.

Tire Sealer

• Takeaway: Tire sealers, which come as an all-in-one can or a separate bottle of fluid, are useful for getting a flat tire to a repair shop.

While opinions vary, some folks swear by cans of tire sealer. Most contain their own compressed air to partially inflate the tire after the leak is sealed, while others are a bottle of thick fluid that is poured into the tire through the valve stem, but then you need a separate tire pump to fill the tire with air. While both are intended for use with a flat tire on the road — and thus best kept in your car’s trunk (along with the torque wrench/socket combo and tire pump) — they can also be useful if you go out to your car in the morning and find a flat tire, as they can perhaps get you to a tire store, if necessary. Note that using either type of sealer has the potential of ruining any tire pressure sensor that is inside your tire (though some cans specifically say they’re “sensor-safe”), so factor that risk in.

Multimeter for Checking Battery Voltage

• Takeaway: A multimeter can help determine if a 12-volt battery (which starts the car and powers accessories) needs to be charged.

A basic function of the multimeter is to check battery voltage. A fully charged “12-volt” automotive battery actually puts out about 12.6 volts. (It might be higher if the battery was just charged.) A voltmeter can tell you if it’s putting out the proper voltage. However, note that it’s possible for the battery to be putting out proper voltage but still not have enough power to start the engine, though testing for that requires a more sophisticated piece of equipment.

Also, when the engine is running, the alternator feeds back a higher voltage to keep the battery charged — typically about 13.5 volts to 14.5 volts. So if your battery keeps dying or the battery warning light is on, check its voltage with the engine running.

OBD II Code Reader

• Takeaway: For those interested in diagnosis and repair, an OBD II (which stands for onboard diagnostics, second generation) reader shows what triggered a check-engine light and allows you to reset it, too.

The second device is called an OBD II code reader. This is a system that has been fitted to all passenger vehicles since the 1996 model year, and it allows you to read trouble codes stored in the car’s computer when the dreaded check-engine light comes on. While many auto-parts stores will plug in their code reader to check your codes for free (and shops may have a more sophisticated version called a scan tool), a simple code reader can usually be purchased for about $30 or less — another diagnostic bargain.

Below are some low-cost gadgets that may only be used a few times, but when you need ‘em … you need ‘em.

LED Trouble Lights

• Takeaway: An LED light with a magnet, hook or strap lets you keep your hands free while working on the car.

You probably already have flashlights, but trouble lights usually add hooks (to hang them), magnetic bases or stands that allow you to point them directly where you need illumination. Depending on their brightness and versatility (and whether they’re on sale), count on these to start at around $5. Also in this category are headlamps, which are lights that strap around your head and point toward wherever you’re looking.

Portable Battery Jump-Starter

• Takeaway: Even new cars can slowly drain their battery when not driven, so it’s good to be prepared in case of a dead battery.

Modern versions are compact, light and contain lithium batteries with enough power to jump-start your car battery if it’s low on charge. Jumper packs can typically be recharged by either plugging them into a wall outlet or a power outlet in your car. Some also include a tire inflator (tire pump) that runs off the battery and USB outlets for charging a phone in an emergency. Great to keep in your trunk for emergencies, they start at about $50.

Note that any time you’re messing with the battery, you should wear gloves and eye protection, as well as avoid smoking.

Tool Kit

• Takeaway: Tool basics like a socket wrench, sockets, screwdrivers, an adjustable wrench and a quarter-inch driver with bits can tackle most light work, including changing an air filter or battery.

Socket Wrench

Now we’re getting into the fun stuff. Yes, you probably already have a socket wrench, also known as a ratchet wrench. But if not — or you’re open to buying another — these have their merits.

I will never again buy a regular socket wrench that doesn’t have a button on the back to release the socket and a flipper lever to change direction. They start at about $15, depending on drive size, and twice that could get you all three drive sizes or some sockets to go with it.

Sockets

My favorites are black-oxide-coated with white size markings, and some have ridges at their base to make them easier to pull off the wrench. Prices vary quite a bit, but you should be able to find a set that includes a good number of both inch and metric sockets (though these typically won’t include real small sizes) for about $40.

Adjustable Wrench

I’m a sucker for anything that claims to improve upon the original “one-size-fits-all” design — and have a toolbox full of them to prove it. But my favorite is one that has a vertical thumb-slide button that adjusts the width of the jaws (about $25). I also have one with a separate lever that clamps the jaws tight like lock-jaw pliers (though it’s really bulky), and there’s one I’ve seen that supposedly ratchets, which I’m kind of hoping Santa might bring.

Driver With Quarter-Inch Hex End

This is the screwdriver equivalent of an adjustable wrench. You can put about any bit into the hex end — screwdriver, Allen-head, Torx head, square drive — and one particularly useful one I have pivots in the middle to provide more leverage.

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