FAQ #1: Protecting Your Automotive Investment
Checking your vehicle’s vital signs and being sensitive to any changes in it’s performance or handling can not only keep it running reliably, but possibly prevent a large repair bill. Prevention is always cheaper than repair. Here’s the items to check for the beginning signs of trouble. Consult your owner’s manual for detailed locations on your specific model.
The Vital Fluids
Fluids checked by a dipstick:
Oil – This is the lifeblood of your engine. Check your oil before driving, after the vehicle has sat overnight. Pull out the dipstick and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth or paper towel. If you regularly need to add oil, consult your service technician as to the cause. A milky color or a strong gasoline odor to the oil are other trouble signs. Check the owner’s manual for your dipstick location.
Transmission Fluid – Check your transmission fluid while the engine is running, In neutral, after the transmission is fully warmed up. The color should be a transparent red or pink. If the fluid appears dark brown or has a burnt or toasted smell, have it checked immediately. Note that many late model cars now do not have a dipstick to check the transmission fluid (BMW’s for one) so check the owner’s manual.
Power Steering – A small dipstick is usually made onto the bottom of the cap of the fluid reservoir. You should not have to add fluid. If you do, a leak is present somewhere in the system. Check your manual for the fluid type used, as several types of fluids are used as working fluids in steering systems.
Fluids checked visually:
Brake Fluid – This opaque reservoir is usually in the rear of the engine compartment on the driver’s side. The fluid lvel will gradually go down As the disc brake pads wear. If it drops below about two-thirds level, have the cause checked immediately. The fluid should have the color of a white wine: dark fluid is contaminated and should be changed before damaging hydraulic components like the calipers.
Coolant – Only check coolant with “cold to the touch” filler cap and hoses.coolant expansion tanks are usually opaque and have clearly marked points for minimum and maximum levels. Continually adding fluid means that there is a leak that needs to be diagnosed. Late model engines are lighter and more efficient, but more susceptible to damage from overheating.
Wiper Washer Fluid – This fluid is usually forgotten until needed. Keep filled with the proper fluid as water alone just will not do the job.
Where It All Starts: Your Battery
Most cars are still equipped with batteries that allows checking the water level. If water is needed, add distilled water. Even “maintenance free” batteries need to have their tops kept clean and dry and their terminals corrosion-free, and tight. Recurring signs of dampness or corrosion on your battery are signs of trouble and should be brought to your technician’s attention. Also remember that hot weather is at least as hard on your battery as winter is.
Rolling Down the Road: Tires and Alignment
Tire life is determined by the big four: tire pressure, balance, alignment and rotation. Attention to these areas assure you the maximum in tire life, ride quality and handling.
Check tire pressures regularly. Buy a tire gauge and keep in your car with the owner’s manual. Check pressures with cold tires, and remember to check the spare tire as well. A tip: tire pressures drop drastically with the first big dip in temperature at the onset of winter, as cold air contracts.
If your tire’s balance is off, you will feel a vibration through the steering or the seat over 40 mph. Specialized equipment and the correct balancing weights for the wheel type on your car are needed to correct this imbalance. Balanced wheels will return that smooth highway ride.
Misaligned wheels can cause uneven tire wear that can affect both handling and tire balance. Again, specialized equipment is required to do an alignment, along with qualified, trained personnel.
Front tires usually wear faster than rears, so regular tire rotations assure that you’ll get the maximum life from your tires. Rotations also help maximize the wet weather handling and braking of your vehicle.
Breathing Free: Filters
Dusty roads or high pollen levels can clog air filters, which reduces power and lowers fuel mileage. Check them annually at the very least.
Many newer cars are fitted with an interior air filter as well. Regular service of these interior filters assure you maximum performance from your climate control system, reduced strains on the fans and blowers in the system and cleaner air for you to breathe. Air filters let your car breath easy
Fuel filters and crankcase ventilation filters are important to protect vital engine components and assure maximum fuel efficiency and performance. It is suggested that these be checked and replaced by a qualified technician.
I Can See For Miles: Your Wiper Blades
Wiper blades generally warrant replacing every six months to a year. Clean your wiper blades each time you clean the windshield to assure maximum performance. A worn, sand-blasted windshield will greatly accelerate wiper blade wear as well. Not all wipers are created equal: we use Bosch wipers whenever possible for their superior quality and performance.
Time For A Bath?
We all know that a clean car runs better, don’t we? But seriously, a vehicle’s painted finish will last far longer if kept clean and waxed. A ten year car that has been kept clean and waxed regularly can shine like new. And nothing’s better for your ego than the casual admirer who says “That’s a new one, isn’t it?”
