Essential tools have car

This can be especially helpful with a loose battery terminal connection, a slipped hose clamp, or other simple and obvious problems under the hood. Even if you aren't an automotive whiz, popping the hood and looking for obvious problems like these is easy--just put eyes on the major systems and scan for loose or disconnected sections.

Get a set with multiple socket sizes and screwdriver tips for the most flexibility, and be sure to familiarize yourself with how they go together before stowing the box in your trunk. Duct tape. This might sound a bit too simple, but duct tape can fix a myriad of ills. From damaged body work after a fender bender to temporary emergency fixes on hoses and other parts, duct tape can patch your car back together long enough to limp it to a repair shop and keep you from being stranded--or spending for a tow truck.

It's also handy in a million other non-automotive situations. Be sure to get quality tape, as the more expensive stuff sticks better and in a wider range of temperatures and situations. Tow strap. This length of super-strong fabric can be used for a lot more than hauling your buddy's old truck from one weed-infested yard to another--though it's great for that too.

With a tow strap, you can move an otherwise disabled car short to medium distances think a few miles, rather than across town or to the next state with nothing more than the help of a passing stranger in a pickup.

If you're that stranger in a pickup, you can use it to offer the same help. But a tow strap's super-strong nature also makes it a good all-purpose length of tie-down or rescue rope, too. Be sure to read your owner's manual to find the proper tie-down and tow points for your car before you add it to your stash.

If you should need to use it, an improperly placed strap can quickly cause even more damage if it's attached to the wrong part of the car's structure. Jumper cables. A dead battery is frustrating, whatever the cause. Such a simple piece of equipment, and yet its failure can completely disable a car.

Even if the battery itself can no longer hold a charge, a set of jumper cables can get you back on the road and to the nearest parts shop. Choose heavy-gauge cables with durable, high-quality spring-loaded clamps on each end rather than the smaller, cheaper sort. A proper set of jumper cables is more useful and will work with a wider array of cars and trucks.

Sometimes it's not connections you need to make or re-secure, but things you need to separate or get rid of. That's where a knife comes in handy. Say you get a length of rope or other road debris wrapped around an axle, or a portion of your plastic bumper is broken in a fender-bender, but is rubbing against the tire, and can't be re-secured with duct tape--just cut off the offending part and get back on the road and be sure to have the car checked out for other, less-visible problems afterward.

The knife, like many other items in this kit, can also help if you do end up stranded somewhere. It's one of the most basic tools in the human experience, and its uses can be literally endless, from opening food containers to cutting tinder for an emergency fire. Be sure to get a knife that locks its blade in place securely if you opt for a folding knife fixed blade knives can be even more useful due to their inherent strength --you don't want the blade to collapse on your hand and make a bad situation even worse.

Many cars come with spare tires, but is your spare still inflated? Is it inflated to the proper pressure? What do you do if your spare tire fails? Each brand has its own specific instructions, but the basics are the same: hook it up to the tire's valve stem, and let the stuff inside the can go to work finding the tire's leak and filling it with enough pressure to let you drive to the nearest tire shop.

The sticky compound that does this magic isn't actually magical, however, and it shouldn't be relied on past one emergency use. Tire pressure gauge. This is the one tool in the kit you should use the most often--weekly, at the least. Keeping tabs on the pressure in your tires can prevent underinflation-related blow-outs from happening in the first place, as well as maximizing your gas mileage and the life of the tires' tread.

A snow brush will have both a bristle edge and an edge that will help remove ice from your windshield. Using the right tool for the job will save you time and frustration. A good socket and screwdriver set can help you take care of simple repairs no matter where you are.

A simple tightening of the loose part can often solve the problem. Choose a set with multiple socket sizes and screwdriver tips so that you can handle most jobs with ease. Take the time to familiarize yourself with how the tools work before stowing them in your trunk. From a damaged body to temporarily sealing hoses, duct tape can help put your car back together until you can get to a mechanic. Just make sure that you buy quality tape — it will stick better and last longer in a wider range of temperatures.

Also, you may want to keep a tow strap in your vehicle in case you need to move a disabled vehicle a short distance. Otherwise, you can cause even more damage to your vehicle.

If you ever find yourself stranded with a dead battery, a pair of jumper cables can help you get back up and running. Look for heavy-gauge cables that are highly durable with spring-loaded clamps on each side.

These are better than the cheaper, shorter cables. A simple yet versatile tool. You never know when you may need a knife. From cutting branches to opening a food container or cutting tinder for an emergency fire, it helps to have a good knife on hand in your vehicle.

If you choose a folding knife, make sure that it has a blade that locks securely in place. This piece hand tool set from Stanley should have everything you'll need for basic auto repairs at home—and for most home repairs, too. A handy on-the-go toolbox is essential for those unexpected roadside repairs. Load up this DeWalt item with the wrenches, sockets and screwdrivers you're most likely to need on the road.

There's only so much you can fix on a car that's resting on its wheels. That makes a floor jack essential. With its three-and-a-half-ton capacity, this is all the jack you'll need for most vehicles. A lighter aluminum jack makes a nice upgrade. Remember: A jack is for lifting and lowering, never for holding a car in the air. Unless you want to spend big money on a lift, you'll need two pairs of these guys for most under-car repairs. Just make sure to buy jack stands that are rated for the weight of your vehicle.

If you're working under your car, you need a creeper. This one's good because it doubles as a rolling stool. A workbench is great because you can't rebuild carburetors at the kitchen table.

Well, you can, but you probably shouldn't. Okay, so a Bluetooth speaker won't help you fix your car, but it'll keep you entertained while you work. Sometimes your project car can't make it to the gas station.

A good high-capacity fuel can makes fueling up your project a breeze. Just trust us on this one. It's better to have an extinguisher and never need it, than to need one and not have it. Spills happen, and while cat litter will work in a pinch, Oil Dri is made to absorb the stuff your car might leave on the ground. Working on cars is messy, and regular household paper towels won't do. These heavy-duty shop towels are what you need.

When you're up to your elbows in grease, normal hand soap won't cut it. You'll find Gojo hand soap in nearly every professional garage, for good reason. You don't need coveralls to work on your car, but they're definitely not a bad idea. Keep your clothes, and yourself, grease free. If you work on rusty old cars, or anything with stuck fasteners, PB Blaster will soon become your best friend. For dealing with nuts and bolts that refuse to move, a breaker bar is an absolute necessity.

You won't go far with a dead battery or flat tires. Kill two birds with one stone with this neat tool from Stanley.