A car is a pretty complicated piece of machinery that very few of us understand and many of us take for granted. The inner workings of an automobile are a mystery to most drivers, and there are plenty of people on the road who can't even change their tire if they need to, let alone figure out what to do when the radiator overheats or the wipers stop spraying fluid. With sophisticated fuel systems, cooling systems, exhaust systems and a computer keeping everything organized and running smoothly, there's a lot that could potentially go wrong inside your car. When you're not sure you can drive to the garage to get things fixed, what happens when things go wrong on the road in the middle of nowhere? When a radiator hose bursts, what can you do? When your fuel line is leaking, and you're miles from civilization, what's the solution? Now, none of these fixes are permanent - and some of them are a bit risky - but if it is your only hope in an emergency, then maybe using a pair of pantyhose as a fan belt is a good idea.

If you think you know your DIY roadside emergency fixes, then take the quiz and show us your stuff. Busted window? Which two simple items will keep you covered until you can get it replaced? It's not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but you can duct tape a trash bag over a busted window to stop the howl of the wind from making you go deaf and also to stop it from blowing the interior of your car into a mini tornado. Cut it to fit and tape it down tight. If the end of the hose is what blew out, you can cut the end off if there's enough length, and then reattach and clamp it down. Some silicone tape will help seal the deal to make it pretty solid after that. A coat hanger is a quick fix for a hanging exhaust system. It's usually help up by some form of rubber straps, but if those are missing or damaged, let the car cool off and use wire coat hangers.

Lug nuts stuck in place? Which of these might get them moving? Spray them with WD-40, place the lug wrench parallel to the ground, then stand on it. Twist a cord around the nut and turn for leverage. This is an emergency only type of tip, and there's no guarantee it'll work, but if you WD-40 the lugs and then position the leg wrench like a step and stand on it, your weight might be able to work up the force needed to get them moving. Be careful though, this could strip them, or worse, cause you to slip and injure yourself. It's best only done with someone to lend a hand. Add water to the radiator. Pop the hood and let it cool naturally. Shift to a lower gear. In an emergency situation, if your car starts visibly overheating, then it's good to have an emergency bottle of water in your roadside kit to pour into the radiator. It's also handy if you get stranded in the middle of nowhere and need a drink.

If there's water in your tank, it can cause some serious damage. Adding alcohol can fix the problem by sinking to the bottom of the gasoline and bonding with the water, allowing both to be burned off before it ruins the engine. This is potentially not the best solution if it's the wrong alcohol, though. You want as close to 100% isopropyl alcohol as possible. The lower the percentage, the more water it has in it. A bag of kitty litter is handy to keep in the trunk if you live or travel anyplace prone to winter storms. Getting stuck in slippery snow and ice can leave you stranded, but litter - the clay kind not the clumping kind - provides traction when you lay it under the wheels and may get you free. A flashlight is a necessary tool to handle any work you're doing at night. Ideally your best bet is a cranked flashlight, and if you can get a hands-free headlamp version, that's even better because it frees up both of your hands to work on getting your car running again.

Keep a few packs of glow sticks in the car in the event of emergencies. They're cheaper and safer to use than road flares, and they tend to last longer as well. There are lights you can get that cost a lot more, but for the sake of a random emergency, a glow stick will let other drivers see you in the dead of night when you have no lights. What can help you find a hole? If a tire is slowly but continually losing air, it may have a small, easily repairable hole. Finding it is a lot easier if you spread some dish soap on the tire and pump in a bit of air. Look for the tiny bubble to find the hole. If you got in some sort of accident that damaged your bumper so severely it's hanging down and about to come off, a couple of well-placed bungee cords will ensure it stays put until you can get it properly repaired.

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