Vehicle Owners

Fall Car Care Month is a great reminder to make sure that your vehicle is ready for winter and up-to-date on all maintenance and repair items.

Taking time out to check on your vehicle’s condition is an important part of taking care of your second largest investment. Results of vehicle check-ups at community car care events across the country last year revealed that 80% of vehicles needed immediate service or parts.

We all know that the Golden Rule reads, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Well, here’s your chance to implement that rule and enhance the life and value of your car at the same time. Over the last decade or so we’ve learned that breathing dirty air can be hazardous to our health. The same logic applies to the engine in your car, SUV, or light truck or van. Keeping the inside of your engine clean will keep it healthy, longer, and will enhance its value if you decide to sell or trade it.

Why Shield Your Children From Dirty Air When Driving? … And How Best To Do It  – That air pollution remains a serious threat to public health is widely known. However, studies are now indicating that children, for a variety of reasons, are potentially more susceptible to its effects than adults.

One important point about antifreeze: there are now many different formulations available for use in different vehicles, and even in specific applications. It’s not just “the green stuff” any more, there’s red, orange, yellow, blue, etc. But don’t think this means that you can just go by color, even though color can be indicative of a certain type of antifreeze, those of the same or similar color can be formulated substantially differently. For the most part, different types of antifreeze should not be mixed, and also, in many cases, one type cannot be substituted for another.

Results of vehicle check-up events at community car care events across the country last April and October revealed that 80 percent of vehicles need service or parts, the Car Care Council reported. The unsatisfactory condition of vehicles also reinforces the continued need for consumer education about the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.

Being green doesn’t have to mean you have to spend a lot of green.  According to the Car Care Council, by properly maintaining your vehicle’s fuel system, you will not only improve the performance of your vehicle, but lower its emissions and save money at the pump, too.

Check your owner’s manual to see if your car has a cabin air filter. If the answer is yes you may want to make a note to check with your service professional to see if it should be replaced. This is especially true if you suffer from asthma, allergies or live in a dry and dusty environment. There are two basic types of cabin air filters 1. The more popular particulate type, which is designed to remove particles above a certain size. 2. The dual-function which has an activated charcoal layer on one side to trap odors.

Air conditioner odor complaints are a common consumer problem. Why? A/C system odors typically result from uncontrolled growth of bacteria and other microorganisms in the evaporator part. Nasty little beasts like aspergillus, cladesporium and penicillium grow on cooling coils and other areas. How do these beasts get there? They are naturally present in outdoor air and are drawn into the system through the evaporator during system operation. Moisture also contributes to A/C odor formation. Most of it that condenses on cold surfaces inside the system drains harmlessly over time.

Automotive aftermarket manufacturers and OEM product designers are continually developing new and better products for cars. There are hundreds of items available to modify an automobile, from protective and functional to decorative and appearance. Many of these products require some method of attachment. A number use clips, screws or other mechanical fasteners, and many rely on an adhesive. Companies like 3M are constantly improving upon the technologies that make it easier and more reliable to attach parts and accessories to vehicles.

Few motorists know that the air conditioner in their vehicle has been a focus of worldwide environmental concerns and international efforts to address those concerns for several decades, or that they can play a major role in protecting the environment through their choices. The same refrigerant, CFC-12 or R-12, was used in mobile air conditioning for more than 50 years, through the mid-‘90s. Inexpensive and thought to be environmentally benign, R-12 refrigerant was routinely released to the atmosphere through leaking systems or simply vented prior to system service and repair.