Visual Vehicle Checks

Nearly everyone depends on their vehicle on a daily basis. This is why it is important to perform a routine checkup between trips to your mechanic. By doing so you are able to identify and repair problems before they worsen, which will help your vehicle last longer and perform at its best.  Some of your vehicle’s issues can be seen visually, which is why you should take a glimpse around the interior and exterior of your vehicle and note anything that looks out of the ordinary. You should begin by looking at the windshield for any chips or cracks, as well as making sure your interior mirrors are positioned in a spot that you are able to see in front and rear of your vehicle properly. Be sure to check your tire tread for any bumps, holes, cracks or unevenness, which can lead to a flat tire. Your windshield wipers should similarly be checked for any wear and improper functioning. In addition, check to make sure your seatbelts are working and clicking into place properly. Visual inspections are simple, do not take too much time and are a great way to notice any of your vehicle’s glitches.

Brakes and Steering Checks

Another part of your safety inspection that you should have our technicians check are your brakes. If your brake pedal is pressed all the way to the floorboard to stop, this typically indicates that they might need replacing. Listen for any grinding or shaking when trying to stop. Likewise, this can also signify you might need a new set of brakes. Your steering wheel is important too. Make sure your steering wheel has a smooth turning motion.

Light Checks

While starting your vehicle look for any lights on the dashboard that may indicate things such as low fuel, coolant or oil. Most cars will have an indicator light telling you when something under the hood needs to be attended to and those signs should not go ignored. Take a look at your headlights low and high beams for any broken bulbs as well as your taillights and signals. Not having your vehicle’s lights working properly can cause other drivers to not see you, especially in hazardous weather conditions such as fog. By doing an inspection of your lights you are saving yourself and others from a probable accident factor. 

Under the Hood and Under the Vehicle Checks

By checking under the hood and under your vehicle, you are able to check for small problems that could lead to a great deal of damage for your vehicle. Have our technicians check your car engine’s lines and hoses for holes and cracks.  The under part of your vehicle can also be checked for any leaks. See if all belts and spark plugs are free of crakes and wear.  Make sure that all filters are in proper place. Most importantly, check all fluids to make sure they are at their proper levels. Being too low of fluids can cause serious problems for your vehicle like overheating. Have our technicians make sure the muffler is securely fit and check for holes in the exhaust pipe. By taking a few minutes checking your vehicle over, you ensure driving safety as well as keep your vehicle running safely. 

Winter and Your Suspension System

Suspension systems are important because they provide a comfortable ride and stability on the road by absorbing the vibrations from the imperfections in the pavement. In its most basic form, it is comprised of two systems: springs and shock absorbers. Springs can be coil springs, torsion bars, or leaf springs. Coil springs are the most common in American cars. Shock absorbers provide insulation from the vertical motion that occurs when driving on imperfect surfaces. Winter can be cruel to your car and the suspension system is not immune. Taking care of your car will prevent any major car repairs and let you enjoy a comfortable ride.

How Winter Affects Your Suspension

The winter weather can affect your suspension by affecting the road on which you drive. When the temperature drops to freezing and below, the ground begins to freeze. The freezing causes cracks in the surface. As the ground contracts from the cold and creates the holes, water freezes in those cracks. The thawing and freezing cycles make the cracks and potholes wider and more numerous. These imperfections create a rough surface over which to drive. If the potholes are very large, they can cause the shock absorber to bottom out prematurely. The steering and suspension are compromised and the wheel alignment will be affected. Winter can also cause damage to over- or underinflated tires. Incorrect tire pressure can lead to damaged rims and ruptured tires when driving over potholes. If the tire alignment is compromised, you will not be able to completely control the car. If you hit a pothole hard enough, you can even cause damage to the undercarriage of your car because the suspension will not be able to dampen such a large jolt and the bottom of the car will actually hit the ground. 

Preparing Your Car for the Winter

You should make sure that you have a thorough inspection of your car by qualified ASE master technicians. They can perform a bumper-to-bumper inspection and alert you to any possible problems. They can let you know if you need to have a tire alignment, perform fluid checks, and even windshield wiper replacements. They can give you recommendations on when to perform general car maintenance and explain when those tasks need to be done. For your suspension system, they will check tire alignment, tire pressure, and make sure that your steering and suspension is going to be able to handle winter driving conditions. They can check your brakes, brake pads, and replace any worn or damaged parts. 

Driving in Winter Weather

One of the most important things you can do for your car in the winter is to slow down. Snow and ice on the road creates a dangerous situation as they reduce traction between your tires and the road. If you drive fast over ice, your tires will lose contact with the ground and you will hydroplane. In other words, your car will be propelled down the road with the tires not touching the ground. Drive slowly and give the car in front of you plenty of space to give you enough time to stop. Careful driving and proper general car maintenance will make sure that your suspension system will keep you safe and comfortable on the road. 

Check Engine Soon Light

It might present itself as a “Check Engine”, “Check Power Train”, “Service Engine Soon”, or just a little engine symbol – but whichever way your car presents the check engine light, it is important not to ignore it.  If a check engine light is ignored for a long period of time, there could be extensive damage done to your car.

Why Was the Check Engine Soon Light Invented?

The check engine soon light is part of your vehicle’s emissions system and it was designed to alert you about emissions problems monitored by the car’s computer.  It became standard on cars in the 1980’s.  Federal law actually mandates that all new cars sold in the United States have a check engine light.  In addition to turning on the check engine light in your car, the car’s computer also stores a code that identifies the source of the problem that allows the problem to later be identified by one of our technicians using a scanner.  This same computer also controls and monitors vehicle performance, fuel mixture, ignition timing, regulates engine speed (RPM), and in some cars it even tells the automatic transmission when to shift.  

What Causes the Check Engine Light to Come On?

There are some common things that cause your check engine soon to come on.  These things include a loose gas cap, faulty oxygen sensor, bad battery, alternator, baseline parts, and hose & wires.  Sometimes the cause of a check engine soon light is as simple as a gas cap that has not been properly secured. In this case, it is a simple fix to make the check engine soon light turn off.  A second cause might be a faulty oxygen sensor.  While a faulty oxygen sensor may be over diagnosed, it is still a common cause of the check engine soon light coming on in your car.  The main purpose of an oxygen sensor is to examine the amount of oxygen in your car’s exhaust system as compared to the oxygen outside of the system.   The third possible cause of the check engine soon light coming on is a bad car battery.  Our technicians can use an automotive computer to make sure that your battery isn’t causing problems with your car’s electrical system and electronic parts.   A forth cause of the check engine soon light coming on might be your car’s alternator.  Our technicians can test your alternator and diodes.   Your car’s alternator converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) though a series of diodes.  If these diodes fail to complete the conversion, then the AC current can pass into your car’s electrical system confusing your car’s computer and turning on the car’s check engine soon light.  The fifth possible cause of your check engine soon light coming on can be your car’s hoses and wires.  Thus, it is important to get your car’s hoses and wires inspected by our technicians.  If a bad battery and alternator are ruled out as the cause for your check engine light coming on, our technicians may do a visual inspection of your hoses and wires.  During a visual inspection we look for oil soaked wires and vacuum hoses.  We also keep an eye out for frayed wire and anything else that looks out of the ordinary.  Lastly, our technicians may check that your car’s baseline parts are properly controlling fuel delivery and producing high voltage to fire up your car’s spark plugs.  

What Is Tire Alignment and What Causes Improper Tire Alignment?

Improper tire alignment can create problems with your vehicle.  Simply put, tire alignment encompasses all components that make your vehicle go straight. Improper tire alignment can affect your cars driving performance as well as cost you money. When you get your car tires aligned by one of our professionals, all four wheels are positioned straight ahead and parallel. Your car tires can get out of alignment due to many factors, including simply driving your car.  Running over a pothole and driving on unpaved roads both can take your car suspension out of where it is set and cause tire alignment to be off.

Why Is Tire Alignment Important?

Tire alignment is important for many reasons.  The first reason is to make sure that your tires are aligned is that it improves your car’s gas mileage.  Especially when gas prices are very high, every adjustment that can be made to your car to save money is a good thing.  Having your tires aligned properly decreases the resistance your car gets from your tires and thus saves you money.  The second reason for good tire alignment is that it improves safety.  When wheels are properly aligned, it improves your car’s tracking and steering, making car driving safer.  The third reason for proper tire alignment is it reduces tire wear.  If your car tires are aligned and wear evenly, than your tires will last longer and you won’t spend as much money on tire replacement.  Improper tire alignment contributes to tire wear because your tires are either pulled in an awkward direction or not rolling straight, causing excessive wear.  The forth reason to maintain good tire alignment is that it improves vehicle handling.  If your car vibrates or shimmies, it is probably due to improper tire alignment.  When tires are not aligned properly, it can also cause your steering wheel to pull to one side or the other.  It could also make your vehicle feel as though it is loose or wanders.  Frankly put, tire alignment can drastically improve vehicle handling and driving enjoyment.  

What is Adjusted in Tire Alignment?

What actually is adjusted during tire alignment?  There are four elements that go into tire alignment including the caster, toe, ride height, and camber. The caster is part of your cars suspension and is the angle of the steering axis.  It supports the tire assembly and the tire itself.  The caster stabilizes your vehicle at high speeds and improves the overall steering feel of your car.  The toe is whether or not the rears of the tires are closer or further apart as opposed to the fronts of the tires.  Ride height is the distance between the frame of the vehicle and the road.  The camber is the inward and outward tilt of your tire.  Adjusting the camber dictates how much tire tread will be in contact with the road.

How Often Should Tires Be Realigned?

So, how often should tires be realigned?  It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for tire alignment.  These tips can be found in your car’s owner’s manual.  Generally, tire alignment should be checked every 10,0000 miles or once a year.

Problems with the Suspension and Steering

Many times a problem will crop up with a vehicle that you may or may not understand completely, and you have to guess if you should go to a garage immediately.  Any problem with the suspension systems of our cars can cause confusion and inaction.  The suspension system of a car is a very complicated network of components that work together to provide a driver and their passengers with a smooth and steady ride.  This is the part of your vehicle that bears the brunt of any pothole abuse your car experiences and all of the problems that result will affect your ride. As these parts wear out or even break you will experience a change in the way your car handles there is probably a suspension problem.

Steering Wheel is Shaking

If your steering wheel is shaking as you are driving down the road, there is most likely a problem in your suspension system or the tires. It could mean that the wheel bearings are worn or loose. The easy test for this is when you are parked try to shake the wheels, if they move with the force of your hand you are having a problem. Check your tires as well for signs of uneven wear because that may mean you need to have your car aligned.  The tie rod could also be damaged and need to be replaced. Either way this is a problem that needs to be addressed for your vehicle to continue to function in safety. If your whole vehicle is shaking at high speeds then you probably have an axle problem because they tend to be amplified at high speeds.

Bumps Cause Noise from Vehicle

When you have a damaged suspension you will often hear a clunking noise when you hit a moderate sized bump.  The possible cause of this might be damaged or broken struts, or damaged shock absorbers.  These will also show themselves by providing a feeling of swaying or bouncing on roads that are uneven.  Checking for damaged struts is done by forcing down the corner of the car. If your vehicle bounces several times from one push then you probably have a strut problem in your suspension system. This could be a broken coil spring, or fluid leaking from a shock absorber. This should be addressed as soon as possible to make sure your vehicle is safe to ride in.

Power Steering Problems

Sometimes a car will produce a screeching sound when you turn the steering wheel. Most often this is caused by a power steering belt problem. This is the connector between the power steering and the engine.  The belt may be work or just be a little loose.  This is an easy fix in many older models of vehicle, but newer vehicles use a belt that connects all accessories to the engine. Obviously this will be much more difficult and costly to replace. On the bright side, this noise could just be a sign that your power steering fluid may be low and you can just add more to correct the problem.  Checking your belt and power steering fluid levels on a regular basis can stop a problem from occurring before it happens. Driving carefully and avoiding potholes and other giant road bumps will also help to alleviate steering and suspension problems.