General Motors just announced a new recall of 2011 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks built from September 22, 2010 to November 5, 2010. Apparently, the nut that holds the wiper link to the windshield wiper motor may not be torqued correctly. When the wipers are operated in heavy snow or on a dry windshield (or in any condition where the wiper might drag across the glass) the nut could come loose. If that happens, the motor will still turn, but the wipers won't move, resulting in poor visibility. The repair amounts to torquing the nut properly to make it secure. GM plans to begin sending out notices right away, so watch the mail if your pickup truck was built during that time period.

I've been involved in quite a few off-road events that were organized to show owners how to handle challenging situations. Some vehicles come equipped with the parts or accessories they need to keep liquids out of places where they shouldn't be, but others (like my F-150 truck) need some modifications. The good news is that it's not difficult -- or expensive -- to get your truck ready to drive through water and mud.

Some newer trucks have spares that are easy to get to, with tires lodged in high and dry areas (versus the traditional under-the-truck location). The newer layouts might not be super handy if you have to unload cargo to get to them, but at least you know the spare won't be surrounded by a rusty apparatus that's been exposed to rain, mud, snow and salt. Do you know how to change a flat in your truck? Are the tools all there and can you get the spare out of its home easily? You sure don't want to be stranded by the side of the road unless you have everything you need to change the tire safely.

There's never a good time for a battery to fail, and modern batteries usually don't give us any warning that they're on the way out. No one wants to be stranded, so when the battery finally goes you'll probably want to install a replacement asap. Learn a few battery facts now, to help you make buying and installation decisions before you're scrambling to get the truck running again.