The kids are back in school and jackets are coming out of the closet. After a September that seemed more like August, the crisp morning air is telling us the season is finally changing. This is the time to start getting your car ready for colder weather.
A simple maintenance inspection is the best policy and right now we are offering our customers these inspections at a low cost. We offer a package of five maintenance services plus a 50-point check-up, for one low price, to help you avoid problems when the weather turns cold again. If we catch something that needs attention, service now will save lots of extra expense and aggravation when the weather gets cold. |
Lube and Oil Changes
We make sure the oil used in your engine is recommended by the manufacturer of your car. You may know that we feature Pennzoil in addition to stocking high-quality natural and synthetic lubricants from leading manufacturers. This includes a special cold weather formula to provide fast low temperature oil flow for easier starts while continuing to lubricate effectively when your engine heats up. We can provide more information about this when you come in for service.
Lubricating oil is made up of two basic parts:
- The base oil to lubricate moving parts in the engine, and
- The additives designed to protect the base oil from contamination. The need to change oil is caused by the base oil getting contaminated. Base oil does not break down. The additives get depleted from picking up all the contamination in the lubricating process.
Here's why engine oil is so important:
- Friction Control -- separates moving surfaces
- Wear Control -- reduces abrasive wear
- Corrosion Control -- protects surfaces from corrosive substances
- Temperature Control -- absorbs and transfers heat
- Contamination Control -- transports particles and other contaminants to filters
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The Cooling System
The engine coolant should be tested once a year and replaced if necessary. Many of our customers think coolant that tests to -40 C is just fine, but that may not be true. Most antifreeze has a life span of two years, even though long-life antifreeze is advertised to last longer. In many driving situations, anti-corrosion chemicals and water pump lubricants mixed in the coolant can be used up after just two years of use. In these cases, the coolant becomes corrosive and starts to eat at metal parts inside the engine and cooling system. This can lead to expensive repairs.
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Those Starting Problems
Most winter breakdowns involve vehicles that won't start. Low temperatures are the problem. In cold conditions, your battery has only a small percentage of the normal capacity. This is when simple maintenance items like dirty battery cables reduce cranking power even more. Low power from the battery can lead to another starting problem. Most computer systems on vehicles don't operate below 9 volts. When your starter is using all the power from your battery, thecomputer may not have enough voltage for the ignition and fuel injection systems.
Driving lots of short trips in winter can also lead to starting problems. Starting the engine, operating the lights, heater, rear window defogger, and other electrical accessories use a lot of battery power. While your car's alternator normally keeps the battery charged, your car may need to run for several minutes just to warm up the battery point where it can accept a charge. Short trips may not provide enough of a charge to keep up with the power drain.
We check your alternator output and load test your battery. Then we clean and tighten the battery's power and ground connections to help make sure it can supply all the power it has available to start your engine.
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Slipping and Sliding
Most "all-season" tires will give you the performance you need for winter driving. However, some "high-performance" tires may not be suitable for winter. Tires with low tread depth don't give you the grip you need on snow-packed roads. We can help you evaluate them. If you plan on driving country roads, it might be a good idea to install four snow tires.
A less known factor is tire age. Rubber hardens with age due to exposure to ozone
in the air. Hardened rubber in older tires diminishes the bite in your tread and makes them more slippery. Tires on older cars should always be checked for hardening and replaced, if necessary, before winter.
Your suspension system should also be in good shape. Aging struts and shock absorbers can make it harder to control your car well on snow and ice.
Proper air pressure is another factor. It extends tread life, improves safety, and reduces fuel consumption. Tire pressure decreases as temperatures drop, so be sure to check the pressures at least once a month when the tires are cold.
Mixing tires with different tread patterns, internal construction, and size degrades the stability of the vehicle and should be avoided.
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Those Brakes
This is a good time to check your brakes, because their performance is more critical when the pavement gets slippery. Even the smallest brake problems are amplified in winter driving conditions. For example, when the adjustment is not equalized, applying the brakes can cause your car to pull to one side. This can easily lead to skidding on slippery pavement.
A maintenance inspection of your brakes involves cleaning and adjusting them. If work is needed you can count on us to handle any repairs that may be needed.
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The Exhaust System
You have probably noticed rusty mufflers and tailpipes on the side of the road. Winter driving is hard on your exhaust system. Rough roads, frozen suspension systems, and lumps of ice and snow on the road can work together to separate the exhaust system from your car. Only those in good condition survive.
If part of the exhaust system falls off, it could do serious damage to your car and other cars on the road. We can check your exhaust system for poor hangers, rusted pipes, and mufflers. This inspection could even save a life. Exhaust leaks are very dangerous because they allow poisonous carbon monoxide to enter your vehicle. Exhaust leaks should always be repaired without delay to protect you, your family, and others on the road. |
Your Axle Boots
Cracked front axle boots on front wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars and trucks is another common winter problem. The materials used to make these boots have improved considerably, but can be damaged in the harsh environment under your vehicle. Axle boots can begin to crack between the folds and eventually split open. When this happens, axle joint grease leaks out while dirt and water get inside. A dirty axle joint can be damaged in a few hours of driving and replacing them is expensive. Outer axle boots crack more often because they flex when the steering wheel is turned, but all four boots should be checked. Replacing axle boots at the first sign of cracking might just save you the extra high cost of replacing axle joints too.
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