What the Check Engine Light Could Mean

The check engine light has been the bane of existence for many car owners. When this light comes on, there is no need to panic. In the winter months, you may feel a little stressed at the thought of experiencing car trouble while traveling. Once you learn the true purpose of it and the possible meanings of its illumination, you can dispel many fears and you will be able to respond with the appropriate course of action. 

What is the Light For, Anyway?

The check engine light is a part of the onboard diagnostics system in your car. Cars are built with computers that monitor and control the performance of your engine, the mixture of fuel used, and the speed of the engine. It also monitors ignition timing and the shifting of the automatic transmission. Every problem that can occur with the car has its own series of codes that are in the computer. When a problem occurs, the check engine light will come on and the computer generates a code for the problem. Your ASE master mechanic can connect your car to their computer and read the code message. They use that message to determine which car repair to make. The light will illuminate for things such as a loose gas cap, worn out spark plugs and spark plug wires, malfunctioning oxygen sensor, or a blown head gasket.

What to Do When the Light Comes On

If the check engine light comes on, you need to check your car to determine the cause. The light does not always mean that you have a serious problem. When the light comes on, check to see if the light is blinking or remaining steady. If the light is steady, then your problem is minor. It could mean something as simple as your gas cap is loose or missing. If this is the case, just tighten the cap until you hear an audible click. If it is missing, you will be able to find one at your local auto parts store. A loose or missing gas cap will cause you to lose fuel and expel gasoline vapors in the air. If the light is blinking, then it means that you have a serious problem and you should take care of it immediately. A blinking light could mean that you have low oil pressure, which could cause overheating. If that happens, you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and shut off your engine. If you have AAA, you can call a tow truck and pull out your winter safety kits. In the winter, it is very important to pay close attention to the lights on your dashboard.         

Time for General Car Maintenance

If you notice your check engine light coming on, you should take your car to your mechanic. He has the proper tools and training for engine repair, fluid checks, and other vehicle repair and maintenance work. Your mechanic will also have access to a computer that will diagnose the codes generated by your car’s computer and will be able to perform the car repairs needed. He will know if you need minor repairs such as a fuel injection cleaning or major repairs such as faulty electrical systems. Regular maintenance will prevent many problems and keep you from seeing the dreaded check engine light.                                                                

What is a Bumper-to-Bumper Inspection?

With the winter approaching, you may be thinking about having a bumper-to-bumper inspection done for your car. You search the directories for reliable, skilled, and knowledgeable ASE master technicians to perform the service for you, but you may be curious about all of the steps that are included in this comprehensive inspection. You should be aware of all of the systems that will be checked on your car so that you will able to understand and relate to the results you receive from your inspection. You will also be able to make better decisions about any car repair you may need. 

Why is it Called a Bumper-to Bumper Inspection?

An auto inspection is very important for the life of your car. Whether you are thinking about purchasing a particular car or you have owned your car for years, you should make it a point to have a complete inspection done to monitor the health of your car. A comprehensive inspection would include services such as oil changes, fluid checks, brake check, steering and suspension checks, and a tire inspection. It would include checks to the engine, steering, and transmission as well. Virtually every system that is responsible for the operation of your car between and including the headlights and tail lights are checked to make sure they are in proper working order. 

Why is it Important?

A complete inspection is important to the health of your car and your finances. When you have your car checked, you will be alerted to any potential problems that may arise in the near future. If you have the problem remedied in time, you could save a lot of money on expensive car repairs down the line. For instance, if your car has been overheating, it could mean that you have low oil pressure, which is very damaging to your car. An inspection prior would have revealed the low oil pressure problem, and the large repair bill would have been avoided. An inspection will also reveal if you have the proper tire pressure and fluid levels. Transmissions, the costly-to-repair component of the car, would greatly benefit from an inspection. Regular inspections would help you monitor the health of the transmission, battery, alternator, steering and suspension systems. You will be able to determine when it is time to replace the part and make any minor repairs. Regular car maintenance and some alterations to your driving habits, such as driving at reduced speeds, can increase the fuel efficiency.

Anything Else to Know?

It does not matter the age of the car; all cars need to undergo a bumper-to-bumper inspection to make sure they are in optimal operational condition. If your car is healthy, it will last longer and you will save money on fuel costs. Your mechanic can connect your car to a computer and run a diagnostic check. The computer will let the mechanic assess the computer system and all of the systems that it monitors. Warning codes will alert the mechanic to any problems that need attention and relay those to you. You will see the benefits of your inspections when you are able to operate your car during the cold winter months with no issues and save money at the same time. 

The Importance of a Tire Inspection

Tires get very little respect until they are flat. These round rubber circles enable us to propel forward or backward while we sit inside a metal box that sits on top of those circles. Many people will perform oil changes, windshield wiper replacement, and other general car maintenance tasks, but will neglect a tire inspection. A tire inspection is an important part of regular maintenance, and even more important during the winter months.

What is Done During an Inspection?

A tire inspection involves more than just a look at the tires to make sure that they are still inflated. When you check your tires, you should make sure that you have the correct air pressure. Auto parts stores, and stores with an auto supplies section, have a tire pressure gauge you can purchase. It will tell you how much air you have in your tire in pounds per square inch, or psi. The tire pressure depends upon the brand, type, and size of tire you have. Consult your car manual or product information sheet to determine how much air pressure should be in each tire. Then you can inflate or deflate each tire as needed.  You should also check the tread on your tires. During the winter, driving on ice and snow can be treacherous. You will need a good tread to maintain traction on the road. If you see that the tread is wearing down or has already worn down, replace the tires. If your tires show wear on one side of the tire but not the other, you should have your tires rotated. 

More Things You Can Do for Your Tires

While you are inspecting your tires, you can also use the time to check your brakes and brake pads. Brake pads are pads that attach to the calipers in order to provide smooth stops. When the pads wear down, your brakes will begin to grind against each other. The metal-on-metal contact will damage your brakes and cause them to crack. You will then need to replace the entire rotor, which can be expensive. Your brakes are part of a system, so you should also check the brake fluid when you are performing your fluid checks. It is very important that you check your braking system before the winter weather and include this task in your winter safety check routine. Many accidents in the winter occur because the braking system was not up to par for safe driving in the winter. 

Why is it important?

Having a tire inspection done before the winter will help you to keep your car in good shape. Your brakes are the physical mechanisms in an entire system that stops your car when you press the brake pedal. A regular inspection will reveal any potential small problems that may arise before they become big problems that will result in big repair bills. You can also increase your fuel efficiency by having properly inflated tires. A tire alignment will help your car to remain steady on the road and not pull to the side. Your car will be easier to handle in traffic and easier to control. For the winter, you should include tire inspections as part of your regular winter general car maintenance.

Efficient Ways of Wintering Your Car – Winter Safety Checklist

Frost, chills, snow, and wind accompany winters making your car performance take a serious nose-dive if you do not properly winterize your car. However, according to the press release by the ASE and the experts at AAA, if you take the initiative to ensure that you have a winterization check done on your automobile, your car could remain healthy and happy all winter. Here are a few items to consider ahead of time when having us perform a safety inspection before winter hits.

Winter Tires for Effective Performance on Snowy Patches

While experts have been toying with the idea of introducing wide tires and better tread distances for more efficiency on dry and frozen roads, you can make sure your tires are inspected well in advance with proper tread gauges to ensure they do not disengage or break down. If you live in snowy areas, you might want to try snow tires, or their equivalent, ‘all weather tires’. Along with tires, you should also have your brakes checked and their compatibility with the tires, steering systems that ensure proper maneuvering on the roads, and whether the rubber in your tires is sturdy to last all winter without cracking or getting deflated. Tire pressures are also an important concern.

Checking Your Windshield Wipers Before Winter

Windshield wipers have to bear the brunt of snow, frost, precipitation, and other problems with respect to winter temperatures. As such, the slope of the windshield is also assuming varying patterns thanks to the streamlining of car structures to achieve faster speeds. Thus, ensure that your windshield wiper components are durable and last throughout winter without failure. Another concern when it comes to windshield wipers is that the wiper fluid is frozen all the time. Of course, you can get it back to normal with springs and lever pushes, but doing that every day is an excruciating task. Instead, we urge you to opt for the windshield wiper fluids specially designed to spray fluid on the windshield even in minus temperatures without being frozen in the process.

Ensure Your Batteries And Electrical Systems Are Winterized Thoroughly

Electrical systems are also known to perform poorly in winter courtesy the low temperatures and the intense problems that snow precipitation offers them. It’s a good idea to have your battery checked for an adequate amount of cranking amperage.  The electrical system of your automobile must be optimized to function with efficiency even when the temperatures are low. Whether it is the actuator linkages, the alternator outputs, or the battery lights, ask one of our mechanics to carry out a thorough test on all of them. We also recommend a winter safety kit to be included in the car, for possible use during the event of a snow blockage or stoppage on the road. Do not let winters harm your car, and follow the general maintenance car checks to make the most of the chillness in your car.

Trying to Comprehend The Check Engine Light

A ‘Check Engine Light’ is usually accompanied by a dreaded feeling. These messages, also called a MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp), are a signal to indicate that your vehicle needs maintenance or another part of your vehicle isn’t properly attached. The Check Engine Light usually warrants a trip to the car mechanic and could either mean a costly engine repair, like an issue with your cam shaft, or your gas engine cap becomes too loose for comfort. Unless you are well versed in the dynamics of your car engine, you must not endeavor to disassemble your engine. You could end up destroying a perfectly working part, or disengage a few connecting engine belts and wire. The only thing we ask you to do is take note of the warning signals that pop up in your dashboard and ensure that you make an appointment with us to have your vehicle looked at.

Deciphering The Exact Check Engine Light

Often, drivers mistake a normal routine maintenance code in their dash board, which indicates fuel refilling necessities, oil change requirements, or a typical engine check, to be a MIL code. These lights normally are grouped in the ‘service engine’ lights on your dashboard. You must make it a point to refer to your manufacturer’s guide book for more details on how to distinguish the lights that come up on your dash board. Check engine lights are typically featured in red, yellow, amber, or orange, depending on the severity of the issue with your vehicle. 

Do Not Ignore the Light

According to a recent survey, more than ten percent of all cars feature MIL lights in their dashboard and more than thirty percent of drivers ignore the Check Engine Light.  Usually the reason behind this, is in an attempt to ‘squeeze in as many miles as possible’ out of their car until it is completely broken down. This is very detrimental, considering the amount of gas your vehicle uses, the amount of toxins your vehicle emits into the atmosphere, and the overall safety of your car. When you see these signs in your dash board, do not panic and do not delay a general car maintenance appointment with us. Maybe you might have to pay a buck too many for your engine repair, but if you don’t, you might end up losing your life in the process.

When You See the Engine Light Flashing

One of the most common reasons for the MIL to flash in your car could be a loose gas cap. You must first check if that is the case. If your lights are still steady after the gas cap inspection, your engine is reportedly facing a bigger problem. There is a data sheet available to our mechanics about the various MIL codes and the problems they stand for.

What to Expect from a Vehicle Safety Inspection

Whether you are going to drop off your vehicle at our auto repair shop, or the state has told you that you are to have a vehicle safety inspection performed on your vehicle, chances are you want to know what you are in for. After all; it’s your car. You are the person who has to drive it to and from many places each week. So you will want to know what it is in store for and, ultimately, what you are in store for. So here are the things that you should expect from your vehicle safety inspection. 

What is the Vehicle Safety Inspection All About?

First off, understand that a vehicle safety inspection is much different from a general maintenance performance, or a routine isolated inspection. These types of inspections are just as common, but they are not required, nor are they as thorough. A vehicle safety inspection is a very thorough process that is designed to check how safe your vehicle is not just for you to drive, but for you to drive on public streets with other driver’s on the road. Thus the vehicle safety inspection is just as much about other drivers’ safety as it is about yours. These inspections are performed to ensure that your vehicle meets federal standards for safety of operation. 

What Can I Expect to Have Checked During a Vehicle Safety Inspection?

You can expect to have literally every aspect of your vehicle checked to determine if it meets the proper safety requirements that you expect it to have.  We’ll pay special attention to your brakes, steering and suspension systems, cooling systems, battery and electrical systems, wheel alignment, and fluid levels, including leaks.  If any of these systems are compromised, don’t hesitate on fixing them.  The winter season is brutal on cars and if any of these systems fail or aren’t working properly, it could be a major problem when you’re on the road.  On top of looking at these systems, your windshield wiper blades, headlights and brake lights, and tires will be looked at as well.  Every part of your vehicle we look over, is for your safety and should be taken very seriously if a repair is needed.

What Happens if I Fail My Vehicle Safety Inspection?

If the vehicle safety inspection is a product of your own want, meaning you scheduled it and you are paying for it with out state involvement, then nothing will happen. Your vehicle will obviously not pass the inspection, but you will receive no penalties for this. However if you are state ordered to have a vehicle safety inspection and you fail it, you can expect to be told you can no longer drive your specific vehicle on the road until the problems are attended to by one of our mechanics. In some cases, the repairs will not be very costly—they can be a simple brake pad change or some other trivial, daily mechanic woe. However, in other cases the repairs can be costly, and thus you should be prepared that you may have to spend quite a bit. 

The Tire Checking Check List

Want to check your tires in order to ensure that they are sufficiently filled with air, but not sure exactly how you can do this? Your tires are a very important part of your vehicle; they are its conduct to the ground. With out tires, your car can not drive the way it was intended to. Many over look their tires, as they are such a common part of a car. However this is a huge mistake. With this check list, we will give you  all of the information you need to check your tires yourself, and do it will. 

Check the Tread. The tread of your tire is what gives it its grip. 

Treads come in many different designs, however there are no “better” or “best” treads recognized. Thus, you are not checking for a specific look; you are checking for how well the tread has been retained. Usually, the tread of your tire can be checked with a penny. Place it head down so that the top of Abe Lincoln’s head is in the groove. The tread of your tire, if sufficient, should reach to at least his eyes. The balder your tire is, the less it will be able to help you control your vehicle on the read. If your tires are too bald, forego the rest of the list and get them replaced before continuing. 

Check the Tire Pressure. 

The tire pressure is the air reading, known as psi, if your tire. All cars will differ, but most psi readings for car tires should be between 32 and 35. To check the proper reading for your car, look in your vehicle owner’s manual. In it you will find the proper tire pressure for your specific make and model. Do not use the pressure reading on the tire itself; it is the maximum psi that the tire will hold, not how much it should! Once you find the proper psi for your vehicle, either use a pressurized motor pump or go to a gas station to fill up your tires accordingly. Once finished, be sure to remember to replace the air caps on the tires!

Check for Tire Damage.

This is yet another often overlooked thing. People take for granted that a car weighs upwards of over a ton and can drive over most surfaces. They do not tend to remember that its tires are made from rubber. Rubber can and will gouge and crack over time from rough usage or sharp objects. Check for cracks on your tires by (1) looking at the tires and (2) running your hands over the tires. Be sure to do this when the tires are cool, not after a long drive! Next, check for gouges in the rubber. These can be caused by glass, nails, bits of concrete—many things. The problem with gouges is that some may breach the tire and be letting out air very slowly, which can over time cause problems with your vehicle’s alignment by unbalancing the pressure of all four wheels and causing the vehicle to lean imperceptibly to one specific corner.