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Angelo's
Maintenance Tips |
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Angelo's latest automotive
maintenance tips and recommendations, check back
about every 2 (two) weeks. |
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December 2011: Battery
and Cables
Your car’s starting and charging systems, and the
battery help ensure dependable vehicle operation
whenever you drive your car and in all sorts of
driving conditions. Make sure to check these systems
regularly. Battery life depends on many factors
including age, mileage, excessive electrical draw.
Symptoms of a bad battery include headlights and
interior lights dimming, "check engine" or battery
light may come on, and accessories may fail to
operate. |
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November 2011: Spark
Plugs
Typical replacement intervals range between 30,000
and 100,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and the
type of spark plug. Always consult your owner's
manual for your specific vehicle. Symptoms of one or
more faulty spark plugs include poor gas mileage, a
failed emissions test, and rough running/poor
acceleration with the engine under load. A bad spark
plug can cause engine misfire, triggering the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light to appear.
If this is the case, it's best to have the cause
checked out immediately by a professional
technician. |
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October 2011: Steering
and Suspension
Like your car’s brake system, the steering and
suspension systems are key safety-related systems.
Together, they largely determine your car’s ride and
handling. Have your car’s steering and suspension
systems checked regularly, at least once a year and
usually with a wheel alignment. The suspension
maintains the relationship between the wheels and
the frame or unibody. The suspension system
interacts with the steering system to provide
vehicle control. When working properly, the
suspension system helps absorb the energy from road
irregularities such as potholes and helps to
maintain vehicle stability. The steering system
transmits your input from the steering wheel to the
steering gear and other steering components to
control the car’s direction. Typical wear factors
include driving habits, vehicle type and type of
steering and suspension system. Symptoms that there
could be a problem with a vehicles steering and
suspension may include pulling, uneven tire wear,
noise/vibration when turning and loss of vehicle
control. |
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September 2011: Exhaust
System Check
Your car’s exhaust system has come a long
way from the old days of exhaust pipes and mufflers.
Today, the exhaust system is safety and emissions
control rolled into one. Have your car’s exhaust
system inspected regularly and check it immediately
if you suspect any problems. Maintain a safe car
with regular exhaust system checks. The wear on a
vehicles exhaust system can be caused by many
things, such as the vehicle type, driving habits,
road conditions (salt, bumps, pot holes, and road
construction), and age of the exhaust system parts.
Symptoms that your exhaust system may have a problem
can include a loud noise while driving and a
rattling noise when starting the vehicle. |
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August 2011 Tip:
Inspections
With school supplies, clothes and last minute
vacations on on the brain don't forget about your
car. It is important to get your vehicle inspected
regularly, checking all your belts, hoses and
filters. |
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July 2011 Tip:
Vacation Safety
If your planning a driving vacation before you
"pack up the car "
make sure to have your car checked and serviced here
at Angelo's.
Tires need to have at least 1/16-in. of tread or
more (this is the minimum amount of tread allowed by
law). By using a penny as a quick reference, insert
the penny into the tread groove with Lincoln’s face
showing, but with his head upside-down. If you are
able to see all of Lincoln’s head, the tire needs
replacement.
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June 2011 Tip:
Belts and
Hoses
Your vehicles belts
and hoses are essential to the engine, cooling,
air-conditioning and charging systems. If these are
neglected they can break down and leave you
stranded. Key items that can affect the replacement
intervals for your belts and hoses are; vehicles
age, mileage, oil or other fluid contamination/belt
tension. Symptoms that your belts/hoses may need to
be replaced are squeaking noises from under the hood
during start up or while driving, coolant leaks or a
dashboard light will come on. |
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May 2011 Tip:
Cabin Air
Filter
This filter cleans the incoming air for the cars
HVAC system. It helps trap pollen, bacteria, dust,
and exhaust gases that can find their way into your
vehicles ventilation system. As a result the
interior of your car will be a healthier place. The
cabin air filter should be replaced according to
your owners' manual, usually every 15,000 miles. If
neglected, a clogged cabin air filter can impair
airflow in the HVAC system and possibly cause
interior heating and cooling problems. |
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April 2011 Tip:
Wiper Blades
The chances of an accident greatly increases if you
can't see or be seen. Replacing your wiper blades
can help prevent an accident. Typical wear and tear
on a vehicles wiper blades include the weather in
which they are operating, and frequency of use. |
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March 2011 Tip:
Brakes
Brakes are a normal wear item on your vehicle and
eventually they will need to be replaced. Wear can
be based on driving habits, vehicle type, and the
quality of the brake material. It is best to avoid
getting to the "metal on metal" point, which will
cause you to need your rotors/drums replaced. Normal
symptoms that indicate your brakes may need to be
replaced are, car pulls to one side when braking,
noise when you step on the brakes, low brake fluid,
brake pedal feels "soft/mushy", a brake pulsation. |
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February 2011 Tip:
Antifreeze
With the cold winter and frigid temperatures here,
Remember this useful tip on the colder days.
Check your owner's user manual for antifreeze usage
specifications. Antifreeze, when mixed at a 50/50
ratio with water, engine coolant provides excellent
anti-freeze, anti-boil, and anti-corrosive
properties. In extremely cold environments, the
ratio for standard ethylene glycol can go as high as
70% antifreeze, 30% water. With DEX-COOL, the
maximum ratio of antifreeze to water is 60/40.
Although DEX-COOL type antifreeze can be mixed with
standard ethylene glycol antifreeze, DEX-COOL loses
its 5 yr./150,000 life. As such, it's best not to
mix antifreeze types unless absolutely necessary.
All coolants must be diluted with water at the
proper ratios and should not be used full-strength.
Full-strength antifreeze actually has a lower freeze
point than when mixed with water. Generally,
standard ethylene glycol type antifreeze should be
changed every two years or 24,000 miles.
Even though the coolant freeze protection may test
OK with a hydrometer (freeze protection only drops
with extreme dilution, not with age), the additives
break down over time. When changing coolant, it also
presents an opportune time to replace bad cooling
system hoses. Leaking, brittle, spongy, cracked, or
rotted hoses should be replaced before new
antifreeze is installed. Hose clamp connections
should also be checked to ensure that they're secure
and free from leaks.
If you decide to service your cooling system
yourself, use extreme caution: Opening a hot
radiator or coolant reservoir/overflow tank can
cause severe burns. Be sure that both the engine and
cooling system are cool before you begin any
heating/cooling system maintenance or repairs.
Because of lower hood profiles and cramped engine
quarters, it's also possible that your car may be
equipped with an air bleed for the cooling system.
Unless the cooling system is bled properly, air may
stay trapped in the system and cause erratic
temperatures, or in extreme cases, engine or cooling
system damage. If you're unsure about any aspect of
cooling system service, don't take a chance. Have
your car looked at by a professional service
technician. |
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January 2011 Tip:
Tire Tread Depth
Tires need to have at least 1/16-in. of tread or
more (this is the minimum amount of tread allowed by
law). By using a penny as a quick reference, insert
the penny into the tread groove with Lincoln’s face
showing, but with his head upside-down. If you are
able to see all of Lincoln’s head, the tire needs
replacement. If you see a wear bar across the width
of the tread while facing it, it’s time to replace
the tire. Generally, it’s best to replace tires in
sets of four. If your car’s tires show signs of
abnormal or unequal wear, have this looked into.
Excessive wear on both outer edges generally
indicates under-inflation. Excessive wear in the
center of the tread generally indicates
over-inflation. Cupping or dipping of certain tread
sections may indicate worn suspension parts or a
wheel balance problem. Saw-toothed or feathered
tread edges may indicate wheel misalignment. If your
car needs alignment or suspension work, have it done
before you drive off with a new set of tires. Taking
a “big picture” approach to protecting your tire
investment will reap many rewards for miles to come.
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