Archive for May 2022If You Drive Like a Maniac (Aggressive Driving is Bad for a Vehicle)Posted May 29, 2022 12:02 PMPlease wait while the video is loading... When someone mentions driving like a maniac, they're not talking about you, surely? Besides the safety issues of aggressive driving, you should know that your vehicle will last a lot longer if you'll just mellow out a little. Here are four traits good drivers follow if they want their vehicles to go the extra distance. Cool—The driver who can't wait to get to the next stoplight is just shortening the life of his or her vehicle. Jackrabbit starts and uneven acceleration hurts your engine because the valves and cylinder heads are stressed more. All of those moving parts will wear out faster as well as other components that are connected. That means things like the air conditioner, power steering pump… just about anything that attaches by a belt or a pulley. Oh, and you'll be generating more heat. Heat is one of a vehicle's worst enemies. Warm—If you get in your cold vehicle which has been sitting overnight, start it up and rev the engine high, you've just put a lot of stress on your engine. That's because you didn't let the oil (that's been sitting down in the oil pan at the bottom of the engine) get to the moving parts in order to lubricate them. Some manufacturers advise that you run your vehicle for about 30 seconds before you take off. And if it's really cold out, you may be wise to let the engine run for a minute or two before putting a load on the engine. Also, for the first 5-15 minutes, keep your RPMs on the low side and don't jam on the accelerator. Smooth—You're trying to get somewhere in a hurry and have to jam on the brakes while traveling pretty fast. Just that one time can do more damage to the brakes than you would think. Lots of hard braking can overheat your brakes and damage your rotors, wearing them out way faster than someone who drives with a smoother touch. Hard braking also strains suspension parts, tires and engine mounts. Smart—You know what PRNDL stand for. Those are the letters in your automatic transmission (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low). Here are another couple of letters: IQ. A smart shifter never goes into R to D without completely stopping the vehicle, unless, of course, you're anxious to spend some big dollars on your automatic transmission. These days, it's common to get 200,000 miles/320,000 kilometers out of a vehicle, no problem. It just takes regular maintenance (oil changes and regular service) and one other thing. Showing off: showing off a little moderation in driving habits with a big payoff in the end.
Gas Smell! (What Causes Gasoline Odors)Posted May 22, 2022 9:15 AMIf you've ever walked into your garage and noticed it smelled like gasoline, pay attention. Gasoline can be dangerous, both from the health problems fumes can cause and the fire danger gasoline presents. There are many things that can cause a vehicle to give off a gasoline odor. One of the easiest to track down is the gas cap. It could be missing or it doesn't seal well any more (they do wear out). That can also cause the Check Engine light to light up, so those are clues to tell your service advisor when you take it in for diagnosis. Another thing that can cause the Check Engine light to come on and produce a gasoline smell is the fuel filler neck. It's the part that goes from the place you put your fuel in to the gas tank. Over time, these can wear out and fail (they're made out of rubber or metal). They can leak gasoline, too. It's always a good idea to check the garage floor for any gasoline puddles. Note the location of the puddle in relation to the vehicle. If it's near the back, that's possibly the fuel filler neck or the gas tank leaking. In the middle of the vehicle? May be fuel lines. Near the front? Could be fuel injectors (or carburetor if you have one) or fuel pump. There are other causes of gas odors, and you need an expert to figure out the source soon. Gasoline leaks are nothing to play around with. Gasoline is flammable, potentially explosive and its fumes can damage your lungs. A trained technician can pinpoint the cause and get your garage back to smelling like a normal garage again. AutoSurgeonInc A Turn for the Worse (Using Turn Signals)Posted May 15, 2022 11:06 AMDistracted driving is bad, you know that. Daydreaming, talking on the cell phone, putting your makeup on in the rear view mirror. All bad. But there's something else that causes more than twice as many accidents, according to a recent study. And that's people who don't use their turn signals. Maybe you're one of them. One survey said nearly a quarter of drivers were just too lazy to use their turn signals. Others said they didn't use them because they weren't really necessary. Traffic laws may dictate otherwise, but statistics show police don't write that many tickets for turn signal violations. You may have encountered the driver who cuts into your lane without signaling a change. Often, that person does it deliberately to catch you off guard so you won't invade his or her space. And when it comes to young drivers using turn signals, one insurance company survey showed more than two-thirds of those they talked to admitted it wasn't their regular practice. Knowing that, you may wonder why you should use your turn signal. The reason is simple. It lets other drivers know what you plan to do. Driving it tricky enough with all the moving parts on the road. The more you know what other people are doing, the more you can prepare for that with the way you drive. How many times have you seen someone turn left without putting their turn signal on? That's a leading cause of rear-end accidents. Not only does using your turn signal promote safety, it also shows courtesy to other drivers. There are some drivers who don't use turn signals because their turn signals don't work. What a lousy excuse! All of the safety equipment in your vehicle should be working; if it isn't, head over to your repair facility. Often it's as simple as a burned out bulb or a broken wire. Finally, the number one reported reason for not using a turn signal is that drivers just forget to do it. (And the ones who DO use their turn signals and forget they're on? We won't even go there.) Engineers put turn signals on vehicles for a reason. They help drivers communicate with other drivers. Using them could save accidents… and lives.
Greeted by a Screech (Loud Noise when Starting Vehicle)Posted May 8, 2022 10:45 AMNo one likes to be greeted in the morning by having someone screech at you. The same goes for a loud, high-pitched noise your vehicle greets you with every time you start the engine. If you're wondering if that's normal, no, it isn't. And it is worth getting checked out. The good news is that it might be nothing serious. Then again, it may be. The first things to suspect any time you hear a high-pitched sound coming from the engine are belts. They have tension on them and they're trying to turn lots of different pulleys, pumps and other equipment the engine needs to work properly. The noise could come from the belts starting to wear out and dry out. If one of those belts breaks at an inopportune time, not only can it strand you somewhere, the damage to the engine could be very expensive to fix. Other things that will cause a high-pitched sound are the pulleys and tensioners. The tensioners keep the right amount of pressure on the belts and some pulleys contain rubber that dampens engine vibrations. The rubber in the pulleys can crack or deform with age, which prevents them from working correctly and may cause your belts to wear out. A technician will check to see if the belts are worn or cracked. He or she will also check the tension on the belts, the condition of the pulleys and whether all components are aligned the way they should be. Sometimes, the noise is nothing major to worry about, but it's still worthwhile to rule out any problems that have cropped up now or may appear in the future. You'll have a properly running vehicle that sounds like its engineers intended… quiet and smooth.
Something to Latch On To (Hood Latch Safety)Posted May 1, 2022 12:06 PMThe other day, a driver was trying to open his vehicle's hood so he could add some windshield washer fluid. But when he pulled the hood release inside the car, nothing happened. Usually, opening any hood is a 2-step process. You pull the hood release (which is usually a handle under the dashboard to the left of the steering column) and listen for the hood to pop up slightly. (It doesn't open all the way because it has a safety latch to prevent you from accidentally opening it up while you're driving.) Then, you get out and find the latch, usually through the grille near the hood. There's a little handle on it which you push, slide or pull (there are a few different types) at which point the hood can be opened up all the way. But in this driver's case, the hood would not release at all when he pulled the handle inside. Not knowing what to do, he called his service advisor, who told him to bring it over. The reason? A hood with a broken latch could be a safety hazard since it is possible it's not securely closed. And in this condition, it's possible for the hood to suddenly release while you are driving, obscuring your view of the road. Latch issues can be caused by many things, perhaps a broken cable between the hood release and the latch. It's possible that cable just detached or frayed after being opened so many times. If a hood release cable isn't kept lubricated, it can corrode and just lock up. In this driver's case, the cable had corroded and broken, so it had to be replaced. Unfortunately, many times you won't know you have a problem with your hood latch until one time you pull it and it breaks without warning. When your vehicle is in for routine maintenance like an oil change, a technician will often keep an eye out for signs that your hood latch needs attention so you don't get "locked" out of your engine compartment. AutoSurgeonInc A "Mounting" Problem (Motor Mounts)Posted April 24, 2022 8:26 AMYou know how heavy your engine and transmission are, so you can imagine how tough the parts that hold them onto your vehicle's sub-frame must be. Not only must they support the weight, they also have to isolate vibrations and noise from the passenger cabin. Pretty tall order, wouldn't you say? The parts that face that task daily are called the motor mounts, or engine mounts. They are usually made of rubber with steel brackets. Others contain a liquid for vibration and sound isolation. Most vehicles have three or four motor mounts, and while rubber or hydraulic liquids do a good job of damping the vibrations from the engine, they also have their limitations. The problem with rubber is that it gets old and brittle. Plus, if there's an oil leak anywhere in your engine and oil gets on the rubber motor mounts, rubber will deteriorate even more quickly. As for the liquid motor mounts, they can develop leaks and stop working. Here are signs a motor mount is going bad. You may hear a loud clunking or banging sound under the hood. That means the weight of the engine is shifting around enough to bang against other metal parts. You may feel bad vibrations, and the engine may feel like it's moving around in a strange way. When things get to that point, your vehicle can be damaged from that heavy engine knocking against things, and its time to replace one or more motor mounts. Schedule a visit to your vehicle service facility. There, a technician will assess your motor mounts; if one bad one is found, it's not unusual that others are likely to fail soon and should be replaced before they do. Because all vehicles are configured differently, some motor mounts are easily replaced. But others can be much trickier, take a lot longer and therefore are more expensive to replace. It's important for your engine's health to make sure motor mounts are sound and solid. You will maintain that quiet, vibration-free ride and could save your engine and transmission from major wear and tear. AutoSurgeonInc Slipping into Fall (Driving with ABS Brakes)Posted April 17, 2022 7:37 AMAs the weather changes over from hot to colder, drivers will have to deal with more slippery streets. And it's important to know how to drive with the brakes you have on your vehicle. In the 1970s, anti-lock braking systems (ABS) started to be installed on vehicles and they've been a game changer for drivers. Most modern vehicles have ABS and it's important to know how to drive with them. In older vehicles without ABS, the driver applies the brakes by pushing down the pedal. That, in turn, sends braking pressure to all four wheels at once. But all four tires don't have the same traction because the road surface they're each on isn't exactly the same. ABS allows sensors to determine when particular wheels are slowing down more quickly. The ABS then reduces braking pressure to the wheels that are about to lock up. That way the wheel turns and the tires keep some grip. (You have to have grip to stop.) It's kind of what drivers try to achieve when they pump the older-style brakes without ABS. Another engineered feature of ABS is that it makes sure your front wheels will continue to rotate and maintain some traction. That's important because the front wheels are used to steer, and being able to steer gives a driver more control in a quickly-changing situation. So ABS is all about stopping as fast as the road surface will allow but at the same time enabling the driver to maintain control. ABS is designed for the driver to put steady pressure on the brake pedal and let the vehicle’s computerized system handle the braking. Pumping the pedal in a vehicle with ABS can defeat what the system is trying to do to help you maintain control. Because stopping techniques in a vehicle with ABS are different than those without, it’s important to know which brakes you have so you can operate them accordingly. If you have any doubt, consult your service advisor. ABS involves sophisticated technology and must be maintained in order for it to work properly. Your service advisor can recommend a maintenance schedule for you to follow so your ABS is always on the ready to help you stop when you need to. AutoSurgeonInc Free Money (Almost) (Fuel Saving Tips)Posted April 10, 2022 11:01 AMYou spend a lot of money on a vehicle, probably the most money you'll spend on anything except a house. But the spending doesn't stop after you've bought it. It goes into things like insurance, repairs and fuel. One good piece of news is that you can cut down the amount you spend on fuel if you follow a few tips. Keep your speed under 50 mph/80 kph. Anything over that and your fuel economy will go down quickly the faster you go. Sure, you can legally drive faster than that, but practice this one tip and it can save you from 7%-14% on fuel. Use cruise control. The steady speed increases fuel economy by avoiding unnecessary braking and accelerating. If your vehicle is carrying unnecessary weight, unload it. If you can save 100 pounds/45 kilograms, it can save you 1% of your fuel. Don't idle. Let's say you're sitting in a parking lot with your engine running for 10 seconds. Any more and you're wasting fuel. Turn off your engine and start it when you have to get going. You may have noticed that many newer vehicles automatically turn the engine off when the vehicle stops. Avoid using a roof rack. A cargo box strapped on the top of your vehicle can reduce your fuel economy by 2%-8% in city driving, by 6%-17% on the highway and by 10%-25% at highway speeds over 65 mph/105 mph. Also, if you have roof rails on your vehicle with crossbars, you can save 1% of fuel simply by storing them somewhere else. Some vehicles like Chrysler's Pacifica minivan allow you to store the crossbars inside the roof rails to reduce drag. Keep tires at their recommended inflation. It can save you 3% of your fuel bill. Use the right motor oil for your vehicle. Using the wrong kind can cost you 1%-2% more money on fuel. Sure, many of those savings are small on their own. But add them up and you'd be surprised at how much you can save. Also, keep in mind that a well maintained vehicle will also save you fuel, so make regular maintenance trips to your vehicle service facility. AutoSurgeonInc Such a Little Part (Climate Control Resistor)Posted April 3, 2022 9:43 AMYou expect your heater/air conditioner to work like it should. You have a control for temperature and one for fan speed. You even have a control for what vents the air comes out of. Don't be surprised one day if your blower fan develops a mind of its own and starts going crazy. Most of the time, you may find that it starts blowing at full speed, and nothing you do to try to control it does any good. This is what may be happening. Your blower motor has an electronic component called a resistor. It does what its name says; it offers resistance. When you want the fan to run more slowly, you turn the fan speed down. That resistor accomplishes that by turning its resistance up. When the resistor fails, the power has nothing to slow it and the fan speeds up. It's a small part and can fail due to age or corrosion. It's usually not an expensive part, either, but it's often found in a location that's not that easy for the technician to get to. That means labor costs will vary depending on the design of your vehicle. Occasionally, a faulty resistor can cause the blower motor not to work at all or only partially come on. But other things can cause that as well, such as a faulty fan switch or vent control. This is where a technician's training comes in. Special equipment can track down precisely where the issue is so you can be assured the correct part is being replaced. It's just not pleasant when the blower motor isn't following orders. Have your service facility check it out so you can be the blower's boss, like it should be. AutoSurgeonInc Don't be Fuelish (Signs Fuel Pump is Failing)Posted March 27, 2022 11:44 AMA driver of a large SUV loaded with equipment was heading on a 7-hour work trip when he stopped at a gas station to refuel. When he went to restart his SUV, it turned over but wouldn't catch. Try as he might, he was never able to get it started again. Of course there are many things that can cause those symptoms, but the next day he had his SUV towed to a service repair facility. Using their test equipment, they were able to pinpoint the problem. His fuel pump had failed. The pump, which was located in the fuel tank, had to be replaced, and after awhile he was back on the road, delayed, but happy to be up and running again. What had happened is that the pump was not strong enough to deliver adequate fuel to his engine, vital to being able to start it. It had delivered just enough pressure in the morning to get it started the first time, but it was on its last legs. He had been having trouble starting his SUV in the days leading up to this trip, a clue that something was wrong. The engine relies on a certain pressure of fuel from the pump to run properly, and there are some other signs to be aware of that your fuel pump may need to be replaced. If you are putting strain on your engine, such as going uphill or hauling a big load, and the engine sputters, it may be a sign that the pump isn't delivering that consistent pressure. Another warning sign is if your engine is running hot and then stalls. That could mean your fuel pump is getting weak. Sometimes you might notice your vehicle suddenly speeds up on its own or your fuel economy goes from good to poor in a short time. If your fuel gauge shows you have plenty of fuel in the tank and your engine stalls, that's another possible sign of a failing fuel pump. Technicians have special equipment to see where the fuel problems are, and there are many possibilities. Have your vehicle checked before you're left stranded. Oh, and one more tip to prolong the life of your fuel pump. Since it is cooled and lubricated by the fuel in your tank, make sure you keep at least a quarter of a tank of fuel at all times. Avoid your "low fuel" light going on and you may be helping yourself avoid having to replace your fuel pump. AutoSurgeonInc | ||
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