Hours spent in a hot, stifling vehicle can spoil a weekend getaway or vacation. Conducting a periodic under-hood inspection may help you spot air conditioning problems before they spoil your trip.

Here’s what to look for: Note: Always be extremely careful any time you’re under the hood while the engine is running. Stay away from all rotating components with your hands, clothing, and hair, and always wear eye protection around a running engine.

CARSON, Calif., June 24,2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Last month marked 'National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization' and, even though seatbelt use has been on the rise, concerns remain about lack of use, especially among younger drivers at night. To help get the word out, the experts at AutoMD.com are offering insight into the anatomy of seatbelts, how they work and why they're so effective.

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), the seatbelt and latch save around 13,000 lives in the United States each year(1) – with thousands more saved had victims buckled up.

New drivers love their cars, but they typically don’t realize what it takes to maintain them. The Car Care Council recommends having fun teaching children about the importance of car care long before they can drive so they know how routine maintenance impacts the safety and dependability of their vehicle.

“Many children love learning how cars operate, however, they don’t really understand the nuts and bolts of what it takes to properly maintain a car,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “By taking the time to teach your children the basics of car care, they will not only learn to appreciate the value of taking care of a car, but they will be more informed and better prepared for the day they become a car owner.”

(WASHINGTON, July 27, 2015) - The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has dropped for 12 days in a row, which is the longest consecutive decline since January. Today’s national average price is $2.71 per gallon, which is a nickel per gallon less than one week ago and seven cents less than one month ago. Most drivers are paying the lowest July prices since 2009 and are saving 82 cents per gallon at the pump compared to a year ago.

The slow decline in the national average is in stark contrast to regional price volatility that continues to characterize some markets, as a result of localized refinery issues and tight supplies. Pump prices have moved dramatically higher in California this month due unexpected drawdowns in supplies, shortages in the blending components used to make the state’s mandated boutique fuel and recent reports of several refineries dealing with production issues. On the other end of the spectrum, production at refineries in the Midwest is reported to have reached a 2015 high and prices have subsequently moved noticeably lower in much of the region.