How To Properly Check and Fill Tires

While it may seem like a mundane task, inflating tires is much more crucial to your car than you may think, and it results in a safer and more economical experience on the road. Your vehicle's handling also will be greatly improved as the larger a tire's inflated footprint, the more responsive and comfier the ride balance will be.

Because it's National Tire Safety Week, it's the perfect time to check your car's tires.

Before starting

To find your tires' proper inflation level, look for a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb. It displays the vehicle weight restriction and tire information. The info is also found in the maintenance or car-care section of your vehicle’s owner's manual.

Don't refer to the sidewall markings on your tires, which in part specify the maximum tire pressure — not the recommended pressure.

Unless your tire is visibly flat, don't judge tire inflation just by looking at it; you have to use a tire pressure gauge to get the correct pounds per square inch reading. There are three types of tire-pressure gauges: digital, internal slide and dial. Prices range from $5 for a basic gauge to more than $30 for one that is digital, has an air-release button — or even talks. All will do the job, but you may want to consider the conditions in which you'll be using your gauge. "We've found that low-cost digital pressure gauges are very accurate and maintain the accuracy longer, but in extremely cold temperatures the gauge may not show up properly," said John Rastetter, Tire Rack's director of tire information services.

 
Tips for checking and filling your tires

Tire manufacturers suggest checking tires when they're cold for the most accurate reading. Outside temperatures can cause tire pressure to vary by as much as 1 psi per 10 degrees; higher temperatures mean higher psi readings. "Tires are black; what does black do? Attract heat," Rastetter said, noting the importance of finding a shady place to check and fill all four tires.

Temperature plays a huge part in tire psi, Rastetter said, adding that the most crucial time of year to check pressure is in fall and winter when days are shorter and average temperatures plummet.

Check your tires in the morning before going anywhere, because as soon as you get behind the wheel for an extended amount of time, psi will rise. Rastetter said that if you've been on the road a long time and notice higher psi in your tires, don't let the air out, as the increase in pressure has built up due to the warm, constantly-in-motion tires

What to do

1. Pull your car onto a level surface in the shade.
2. Remove dust caps from the tires' valve stems.
3. Using your tire gauge, firmly press the tip of the gauge straight on to the tire's valve stem for a brief moment.
4. The tire gauge should provide a psi reading; if the number seems unrealistically low or high — for example, 85 psi or 1 psi – you will need to repeat the previous step, ensuring that the tire gauge's tip is properly making contact with the valve stem.
5. If the tire gauge's recorded reading is higher than the manufacturer-recommended rating, press the gauge tip on the valve stem until you hear air leak out. Check the tire pressure again.
6. If the reading is lower than recommended, fill the tire with air by firmly pressing the air-hose tip onto the valve stem. You will hear air quietly enter the tire. If you hear air leaking or spraying out, you need to double-check that the connection between the air hose and the tire’s valve stem is secure.
7. When you think you've added or let out enough air, check the pressure a few times with the gauge.
8. Replace the valve dust caps. Rastetter emphasized the importance of keeping dust caps on during winter driving because if water gets into the valve stem and freezes inside the tire, it could cause a flat.

While you're at it, check your spare tire's pressure. You don't want to have a flat tire and then find out your replacement is flat, too.

Make these steps part of your routine. It will benefit your vehicle and your wallet.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/2013/06/how-to-check-and-fill-tires/#0vaiRuIDJqwCU7Ho.99

Do I Need to Replace a Damaged Wheel?

If it's cosmetic or superficial damage, such as from scraping a curb, the wheel is probably still round and has no bent sections or chunks of metal missing. On the other hand, if the wheel is bent, cracked or structurally weakened from hitting a massive pothole, running over a steep curb or some other mishap, it may need to be replaced, though it could possibly be repaired.

A dented wheel may not be able to maintain a seal with the tire bead, resulting in consistent slow leaks or blowouts, and will be difficult if not impossible to balance so that it doesn't vibrate at speed. A wheel with structural damage could eventually break apart. When in doubt about the severity of damage, a mechanic experienced in assessing wheel damage should inspect the entire wheel with the tire removed.

Whether to repair or replace a damaged wheel is often a judgment call, but because it involves safety issues as well as cosmetic concerns, the best course is to err on the side of safety.

Repair services that promise to restore badly damaged wheels to like-new condition might be able to remove dents and bends and make a rim look great again. However, there are no federal safety standards that apply to refurbished wheels, so you'll be taking your chances as to whether they'll still have their original strength and integrity.

Repairing more than superficial damage will not be an easy do-it-yourself project. Heat and specialized machines are used to straighten bends, and a complete refurbishment involves removing all paint and protective coatings, repairing corrosion and physical damage, then applying new coatings.

The cost of repairing a wheel will vary by size, type and amount of damage, and it might approach the price of a new or used replacement. Many original-equipment alloy wheels can cost hundreds of dollars (even thousands in the case of luxury and sports cars) to replace, so buying a used one can save money. However, it might be hard to determine if a used wheel had prior damage and is refurbished.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/do-i-need-to-replace-a-damaged-wheel-1420684865486/#yOsuwyet1J8zYU1V.99

How Often Should I Change Engine Coolant?

For some vehicles, you're advised to change the coolant every 30,000 miles. For others, changing the coolant isn't even on the maintenance schedule.

For example, Hyundai says the coolant (what many refer to as "antifreeze") in most of its models should be replaced after the first 60,000 miles, then every 30,000 miles after that. The interval is every 30,000 miles on some Mercedes-Benz models, but on others it's 120,000 miles or 12 years. On still other Mercedes, it's 150,000 miles or 15 years.

Some manufacturers recommend changing the coolant more often on vehicles subjected to "severe service," such as frequent towing. The schedule for many Chevrolets, though, is to change it at 150,000 miles regardless of how the vehicle is driven.

Many service shops, though — including some at dealerships that sell cars with "lifetime" coolant — say you should do it more often than the maintenance schedule recommends, such as every 30,000 or 50,000 miles.

Here's why: Most vehicles use long-life engine coolant (usually a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water) that for several years will provide protection against boiling in hot weather and freezing in cold weather, with little or no maintenance. Modern vehicles also have longer intervals between fluid changes of all types partly because environmental regulators have pressured automakers to reduce the amount of waste fluids that have to be disposed of or recycled.

Coolant can deteriorate over time and should be tested to see if it's still good, as it can be hard to tell just by appearances. Even if testing shows the cooling and antifreeze protection are still adequate, antifreeze can become more acidic over time and lose its rust-inhibiting properties, causing corrosion.

Corrosion can damage the radiator, water pump, thermostat and other parts of the cooling system, so the coolant in a vehicle with more than about 50,000 miles should be tested periodically. That's to look for signs of rust and to make sure it has sufficient cooling and boiling protection, even if the cooling system seems to be working properly. It can be checked with test strips that measure acidity, and with a hydrometer that measures freezing and boiling protection.

If the corrosion inhibitors have deteriorated, the coolant should be changed. The cooling system might also need to be flushed to remove contaminants no matter what the maintenance schedule calls for or how many miles are on the odometer. On the other hand, if testing shows the coolant is still doing its job and not allowing corrosion, changing it more often than what the manufacturer recommends could be a waste of money.

Read more at https://www.cars.com/articles/how-often-should-i-change-engine-coolant-1420680853669/#TeXdDtOglJ6hZV06.99

We would love to hear from you!

Please take a few minutes to leave us a review of your experience with us here. Thank you for helping us improve our business!

Merry Christmas!!

Be sure to take some time out of your busy life to enjoy the magic of the holidays this season.

Seeing is Believing When it Comes to Road Safety

It’s no secret that properly functioning vehicle lights, wipers and mirrors allow for better visibility while driving, yet these items are often forgotten or ignored when performing basic auto care.

Making sure that you can see and be seen on the road is essential to avoiding motor vehicle accidents, yet many motorists overlook simple maintenance steps that can improve driving visibility. For example, community car care events held throughout the country reveal that nearly one in three vehicles inspected had insufficient wiper fluid. This simple auto care service can make a world of difference on the road.

Following a few auto care visibility tips can be illuminating, helping to ensure the safety of you, your passengers and other vehicles around you.

• Replace any exterior or interior lights that are dimming, rapidly blinking or non-functioning, and be sure headlights are correctly aimed.

• Make sure that vehicle mirrors are clean and properly positioned.

• Check windshield washer fluid level and when it gets low, replace it.

• Replace wiper blades if they show cracking or if they chatter or streak when operating. Don’t forget to check the rear wiper blade.

• When in doubt, turn your lights on to help you see and help other drivers see you. Some states have laws that require headlights to be on when windshield wipers are operating.

• Don’t overdrive your headlights. Maintain a speed that will allow you to stop within the illuminated area, otherwise you create a blind crash zone in front of your vehicle.

You Are A Pedestrian Too!

New Hands-free Technologies Pose Hidden Dangers for Drivers

Potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after dialing, changing music or sending a text using voice commands, according to surprising new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The results raise new and unexpected concerns regarding the use of phones and vehicle information systems while driving. This research represents the third phase of the Foundation’s comprehensive investigation into cognitive distraction, which shows that new hands-free technologies can mentally distract drivers even if their eyes are on the road and their hands are on the wheel.

“The lasting effects of mental distraction pose a hidden and pervasive danger that would likely come as a surprise to most drivers,” said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “The results indicate that motorists could miss stop signs, pedestrians and other vehicles while the mind is readjusting to the task of driving.”

Think You Know All About Distracted Driving?

Hands-free technologies might make it easier for motorists to text, talk on the phone, or even use Facebook while they drive, but new findings from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety show dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.  

The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase reaction time slows, brain function is compromised, drivers scan the road less and miss visual cues, potentially resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them including stop signs and pedestrians. This is the most comprehensive study of its kind to look at the mental distraction of drivers and arms AAA with evidence to appeal to the public to not use these voice-to-text features while their vehicle is in motion.

Mental Distractions Behind the Wheel Are Real and Potentially Dangerous

Mental distractions can dangerously affect drivers behind the wheel and can linger long after completing a distracting activity.  Keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel isn’t enough to eliminate driver distraction – hands-free is not risk-free.

Attention is key to safe driving, yet many technologies can cause drivers to lose focus of the road ahead. Hands-free and voice-command features, increasingly common in new vehicles, may create mental distractions that unintentionally provide motorists with a false sense of security about their safety behind the wheel.

Self-driving cars hit the road for first public test in the UK

Self-driving cars — or more accurately self-driving pods — took to the road in a city outside of London Tuesday in what organizers are calling the first public test of driverless cars in the UK. To be sure, it was at extremely low speeds in a sparsely trafficked area, but was still celebrated as a milestone by Great Britain, which has lagged behind the US in testing self-driving cars.

The autonomous Lutz Pathfinder Pod, developed by the Oxford Robotics Institute and a university spinout company Oxbotica, navigated its way around a small area in the southern English town of Milton Keynes at 5 mph, turning corners and stopping as pedestrians crossed its path, according to Reuters. The test was overseen by the government-sponsored Transport Systems Catapult, a non-profit that funds innovation projects in the UK.

The egg-shaped vehicle, with its purple trim, electric battery, and spinning LIDAR sensors, looked more like one of Google’s self-driving prototypes than any of the more traditional looking driverless cars that are currently being tested in the US.

Tips for Preventing Distracted Driving

Although most distractions are avoidable, some distractions are impossible to completely prevent – instead they must be managed. Driving requires your full attention. You can take charge of eliminating distractions to focus on the road ahead.

10. Fully focus on driving. Do not let anything divert your attention, actively scan the road, use your mirrors and watch out for pedestrians and cyclists.

9. Store loose gear, possessions and other distractions that could roll around in the car, so you do not feel tempted to reach for them on the floor or the seat.

8. Make adjustments before you begin your trip. Address vehicle systems like your GPS, seats, mirrors, climate controls and sound systems before hitting the road. Decide on your route and check traffic conditions ahead of time.

Vehicle Maintenance

Driving costs also are affected by how well your vehicle runs. Performing regular maintenance can ensure more efficient vehicle operation and help prevent costly repairs down the road. Below are general checks to make sure your vehicle stays in tip-top shape. Read your owner’s manual for more detailed information on your vehicle’s specific requirements. When performing any do-it-yourself maintenance, always be sure to take proper safety precautions. 

Fluids:

• Engine oil: Lubricates and cools the engine while cleaning internal parts. Running your car when it’s low on oil can cause serious engine damage. Check the oil level at least once a month.
• Coolant: Prevents engine freeze-up in winter and boil-over in summer while protecting the cooling system from rust and corrosion. Check the coolant level at each oil change.
• Brake fluid: Critical to proper performance of the vehicle’s braking system. Check at each oil change
• Transmission fluid: Helps transfer engine power to the wheels, lubricates internal parts, maintains seals and acts as a coolant. Check the level at each oil change.
• Power steering fluid: Transfers hydraulic pressure to reduce driver steering effort. Check at each oil change.
• Gasoline: Follow vehicle manufacturer octane rating recommendations to ensure maximum fuel efficiency and prevent damaging engine knock.

Air Filter: Your vehicle’s air filter captures dirt particles and ensures proper airflow to the engine. Inspect the filter at every oil change and replace as needed.

Auto Collision Tips

An auto collision can be an emotional and exhausting experience. Many motorists drive defensively, take driver education courses and prepare for stressful driving situations, but unfortunately vehicle collisions still occur.

A driver is responsible for knowing what to do if they are involved in a collision. Even the most prepared and competent drivers sometimes find themselves involved in a crash. It does not matter who is at fault, the most important thing to do first is make sure everyone is OK, then seek medical and law enforcement help and know what to do to protect yourself from legal or financial problems down the road.

The best defense to avoid any problems after a crash is to be prepared. Keeping a pen and paper, disposable camera or cell phone camera, and copy of your insurance card easily accessible at all times will help keep you organized and decrease stress moments after a collision. Use of a mobile app can help you properly document the event.

After stopping your vehicle, all motorists involved in an auto crash should follow these steps:

1. Assist the Injured. Quickly check with those involved in the collision to determine if there are any injuries. If medical attention is needed, call 9-1-1. If medical attention is not needed, make sure you are not in imminent danger at the roadside.

Roadside Emergency Kit a Perfect Gift for the College Bound

School is almost back in session and students across the country will soon be packing up their cars and heading off to college. If you are searching for that perfect gift for the college-bound kid in your life, put together a roadside emergency kit.

A roadside kit is easy to assemble, not too expensive and extremely useful, plus it could be a life saver in the event of an emergency. While it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected while on the road, the best option is to avoid breakdowns and car trouble wherever possible. Performing basic maintenance and observing a regular service schedule can help avoid unforeseen road emergencies.

Roadside emergency items can fit into a small duffle bag or rubber storage tote and include the following:

• Jumper cables
• Emergency flares
• Flashlight with batteries
• Blankets and extra clothes
• Non-perishable snacks and bottled water
• First aid kit, including essential medications
• Portable USB charger to keep the cell phone running even if the car is not
• Ice scraper, snow brush and small shovel for winter driving

Use Your Spare Time to Check Your Tires

According to a national survey conducted by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, only 17 percent of drivers are considered “tire smart” and know the correct way to check their tire pressure.

“Underinflated tires are under stress and will eventually wear unevenly, making them a safety hazard, not to mention an added expense since the worn out tires will have to be replaced sooner,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Properly inflated tires will not only help keep you safe on the road, but will improve gas mileage and performance.”

The Car Care Council recommends that vehicle owners check the pressure of all tires, including the spare, on a monthly basis and more often during colder weather. Tires should be inflated to recommended pressure levels, rotated every 6,000 miles to promote uniform tire wear and be replaced if worn or damaged.

The penny test is a popular and simple way to check tire tread. If you see Lincoln’s head above the tread, than it is time for new tires. In addition, the tread should be checked for uneven or irregular wear as well as cuts or bruises along sidewalls.

Do-It-Yourself Wheel Repair

Scratched your wheels? There are many tips on sprucing up your car’s paint or preventing the interior from looking worn in the first place, but the wheels need attention too – especially since they usually take the brunt of urban driving; parallel parking and curbside drop-offs are a rim’s worst nightmare. If your painted metal is looking the worse for wear, here’s how to repair it yourself without spending a fortune.

First, you’ll need the following materials:
Scratch filling primer
Wheel paint (to match your specific wheel color)
Clear lacquer
Paint thinner
Bondo spot putty
Sand paper 240 and 400 grit
Masking tape

Step 1: Remove the wheel from the car. If you choose to keep it on, make sure to fully cover the car with a cloth and tape it down so as to seal it from the spray of the paint.

Step 2: Clean the wheel. Soap-up, scrub and shine that puppy. Then use paint thinner to specifically clean just the damaged area and nothing more. You want to remove all polishes and waxes from the surface in order to properly repair it, which means you’ll need to really rub the area, wipe it down and repeat.

Step 3: Once the damaged area is completely clean, you’ll need to prepare the wheel for sanding. If the tire is still on, use the masking tape to cover the area underneath where the wheel meets the tire. You can use this time to completely cover the tire to protect it from paint as well. It may be a pain, but scraping paint spray off the rubber is much more tiresome.

Step 4: Gently sand the damaged area using 240-grit sandpaper. Once you’ve sanded it down a bit, wipe the area clean and apply the putty to the scrape. Just cover the specific area and don’t worry about getting it flat and smooth because you’ll be sanding it down. Let the putty completely dry before attempting to sand it smooth using the 400-grit sandpaper. You want to make sure it feels flush to the original wheel surface – a flat block will help to create the desired effect.

Step 5: Once again, if the wheel has not been removed from the car and tire you’ll need to fully protect any exposed areas you don’t want flakes of paint to stick to. It’ll happen, trust us. This is where the scratch filling primer comes in. Spray it on the repair area, let dry and then sand it down with 400-grit or finer sandpaper. Add more putty if there are any uneven areas and repeat. It’s very important to clean off the overspray with a rag immediately after spraying the primer and paint. There’s no reason to get paint anywhere but the area on which you’re working.


Step 6: Now comes the painting. You’ll want to read the instructions on the spray can for the most correct application techniques. We’d recommend testing the spray paint out on some scrap metal before applying it to something you actually care about. After you spray it, don’t forget to wipe away the areas surrounding the former scrape.

Unless you’re a DIY junkie, be sure to let the paint fully dry before attempting the next step, otherwise the paint will lift and you’ll have to start again.

Step 7: Apply the clear coat after the paint is completely dry. No need to wipe away the overspray from this.

You’re done! Considering the estimated $50-60 material costs, you’ve saved quite a bit of money by not taking your wheels to a body shop. You’ve also ensured you’ll never have another freakout over a scraped wheel again.

Don't Brake During a Blowout

The knee-jerk reaction to pretty much all panicky driving moments is to stand on the brakes like goblins are trying to crawl out of them, and in most cases this is absolutely correct.

That being said, imagine you're cruising down the highway at about 65 mph when all of a sudden you hear your rear tire explode like you just ran over a tiny landmine. As you fire shit out of your pant leg like a muddy trumpet, you can feel that the car is about to go out of control. If you follow your instincts, you'll probably hit the brakes, but in this case your instincts have tragically failed you.

See, if you brake during a blowout, you're almost certain to fishtail (and maybe flip), possibly into another fast-moving car or the median (or both). This is especially true if your rear tire has blown out, which is more likely than a front tire blowout (front tires wear out more quickly, but people see that and replace them, while leaving the rear tires in place for years and years as part of their plan to just drive the car until it slowly disintegrates).

So in the event of a blowout, you must do the very thing that makes the least sense: hit the gas. But don't drop an elbow on it like Macho Man Randy Savage; just squeeze it firmly for a couple of seconds to regain control, keeping the car as straight as possible. A completely blown or otherwise flat tire drags on the ground like an anchor -- if you slam on the brakes, the anchor catches at 65 mph or however fast you're going, and you're screwed. Ditto if you smash the gas pedal, give the car just enough speed to stay in control and then gently let your foot off the gas, turning into the blown tire (if you steer the opposite direction, the anchor catches). The tire that betrayed you will eventually bring the car to a stop on its own, and then you can get out and throw your pants into the woods.

Your Parking Break Stops Working if You Don't Use It Regularly

Of all the aspects of driving, parking should be the most straightforward. Basically, you take the keys out of the ignition and get out of the car (hopefully after putting the car in park, hopefully not in the middle of an elementary school).

But here's something most people don't know: You should probably put on the parking brake, regardless of whether you've stopped on the taxiway of a Delta terminal or at the summit of the Grinch's mountain, just to keep it in good working order.

You see, the parking brake is also commonly called the emergency brake, and as the name suggests, it can be used in a situation when your brakes fail or have been otherwise disabled by enemy agents. It overrides the hydraulic mechanism normally used to control the brakes and stops you with cables, which are demonstrably better than hydraulics.

But the problem with steel cables is that they often rust and corrode, particularly after long periods of disuse. The way parking brake cables are designed, if you don't engage the brake every so often,the corrosion builds up and will cause it to fall apart.

Aggressive Driving

Eight out of 10 drivers surveyed in the AAA Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety culture Index rank aggressive driving as a “serious” or “extremely serious” risk that jeopardizes their safety.

They’re right.  Aggressive driving accounts for more than half of all traffic fatalities.  

Although “road rage” incidents provide some of the most shocking views of aggressive driving, many common behaviors, including racing, tailgating, failing to observe signs and regulations, and seeking confrontations with other drivers, all qualify as potentially aggressive behaviors. Speeding is one of the most prevalent aggressive behaviors. AAA Foundation studies show that speeding is a factor in one-third of all fatal crashes.

Despite a strong public awareness and understanding of aggressive driving, many people are willing to excuse aggressive behaviors.  Half of all drivers in our Traffic Safety Culture Index admitted to exceeding both neighborhood and highway speed limits by more than 15% in the past 30 days.  More remarkable, a quarter of drivers say they consider speeding acceptable.

Throughout outreach and education programs, we work to offer the public tools to assess their own behavior and recognize the signs of aggressive driving.  As more people understand the many behaviors that can become aggressive and see their own behavior in a new light, they can begin to adopt safer driving practices and manage risk more effectively.