Spring is in the Air

Get your vehicle ready for Spring Break

After the cold, slush, and ice, we want the Season of Spring to bless us with better weather and sunnier days…

Here are a few starters to getting your vehicle ready for Spring Break!

Why Tire Pressure Matters

Keeping the tires on your vehicle inflated to the recommendations of the car manufacturer will not only make the tires last longer, but it will help to keep you and your passengers safe.

While tire pressure may not be the most fascinating subject in your day, it matters more than you realize. Especially if the tire pressure warning light has come on. For those of us who dread long, cold, and dreary Chicago winters, the mid-February thaw we had was a sunny and joyful reprieve.

But sudden and extreme swings in the air temperature can also trigger a dashboard warning light that many of us might not recognize: A glowing orange or red “Low Tire Pressure” indicator.

The good news is two-fold: First, your car is doing exactly what it’s supposed to. And second, the fix is about as easy and low-cost as it gets.

Underinflated Tires

1. Low tire pressure increases the amount of time and distance it takes your car to brake. If you have ever slammed on the brakes and stopped just inches short of the other car, you will realize how important those small distances can be. Having the tires properly inflated can mean the difference between missing and hitting the other vehicle.

2. Another factor to consider is that low tire pressure allows the sidewalls on the tire to flex more. More movement means that the tire creates more heat due to friction. Moderate amounts of heat will simply cause your tires to wear out faster. You don’t mind spending money on a new set of tires, right? Even worse, a large amount of heat from the tires can cause the tire to blow. The faster you are driving, the more heat the tire is generating. Blowouts that occur when you are driving very fast can cause you to lose control of the vehicle.

3. Last, but not least, tires that are underinflated reduce gas mileage. While it may not be enough for you to really sit up and take notice, why would anyone want to pay for than they need to for gas? All it takes is a simple check of the pressure in your tires every now and again.

Overinflated Tires

1. We focus more on underinflated tires because they can lead to accidents. Overinflated tires aren’t as problematic, but they still aren’t a good thing.

2. Most modern-day tires can withstand being over-inflated. It gives you a harsher ride, which you may or may not notice. However, consistently driving with overinflated tires will quickly wear out the tread in the center of the tire. Tires can be expensive, and no one wants to spend money on new tires any sooner than necessary.

What Fluids Need to Be Flushed?

Not all fluids in your vehicle need to be flushed and some only rarely.

The three major components that require regular flushes are as follows:

• Coolant  While the cooling system in your car is sealed, coolant does wear out over time. Most people simply top off their coolant with a bit of water should it become low. However, keep in mind that coolant comes in many colors and those colors really matter. Depending on the year of your vehicle, you will need a different colored coolant and NO, you cannot mix them! If you see any sludge, if your coolant takes on a dirty brown color, or if it’s been more than 30,000 miles, you should definitely have the entire system flushed. Flushing a coolant system not only removes old coolant, but it removes rust and scale that has built up over time.

• Automatic Transmission Fluid Many people are under the impression that automatic transmission fluid lasts forever. This is 100 percent false. Your automatic transmission fluid, or ATF, should be a red, nearly transparent color. When your ATF becomes really dirty, it turns a dark brown or very dark no longer clear red color. When ATF wears out and becomes very dirty, it can no longer protect and lubricate the internal transmission parts. This allows varnish and sludge to form inside the transmission. While most transmissions have filters that can be changed and some fluid that can be drained, the majority of the dirty transmission oil is inside a large tank called the torque converter, which holds about 3-5 quarts of transmission fluid. The torque converter has no drain plug and the only way to remove all of the dirty trans fluid is to flush the system. Flushing the system will remove all of the old, dirty transmission oil and remove all the sludge and metal particles that can damage the transmission. The best news about a transmission flush is that you probably only need to do this every 50-60,000 miles. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended mileage for your year and model.

• Brake Fluid No one would argue that the brakes on your car are extremely important, so you want to keep them in the best possible working order. Most people are unaware that brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs moisture from the air, even if the container appears to be tightly sealed. Getting water inside your braking system causes brake parts to rust from the inside out, which is something you can’t see. Unfortunately, rust will not stop until the part is completely eaten away. One indication that your brake fluid may have accumulated too much water is brake fade. If you have to push harder and harder on the pedal to get the car to stop, but the brake pads are fine, you may need to have the fluid flushed. You can inspect the brake fluid reservoir on the top of the brake master cylinder. The fluid should be a slight yellow color but completely clear. If you see little black floaters, these are rubber pieces that are deteriorating inside the system. You might also see a reddish/brown goo on the underside of the cap. These are all signs that the brake fluid has been contaminated and needs to be flushed. Most brake fluid flushes should be done about every other year.

• Other Fluids Most other fluids do not need to be flushed unless they become contaminated. Some other systems in your vehicle that may require a flush include:  The power steering system. While this system doesn’t often need flushing, in older cars, the pressure hose can deteriorate over time and fill the system with tiny rubber particles. If this happens, you will need to flush the system.  Motor oil. As we mentioned earlier, the engine doesn’t usually require flushing unless it was somehow contaminated. Sometimes, if the head gaskets leak, it can allow oil to enter the cooling system or coolant to enter the motor. Your mechanic may want to flush the motor in this instance to ensure that both systems are clean and ready to be repaired. The windshield washer. Flushing this system doesn’t take much more than some compressed air and it rarely needs to be flushed, but if a family of bugs somehow made the windshield washer bottle their home or if a hole in the system filled it with dirt or other items, flushing this system is quick and easy.

Spring Cleaning

Vinegar and baking soda are useful home remedies for removing stains, unclogging drains, and cleaning windows. Turns out, they’re also useful in your cars and trucks—for killing odors, removing bugs and tar, and fighting off frost—and they’re environmentally friendly compared to many of the chemicals we buy to do the same tasks.

1. REMOVE TAR AND BUGS WITHOUT DAMAGING THE PAINT.
   Apply a light baking soda paste to a damp cloth and allow the paste to sit for 5 minutes before wiping it clean.

2. WASH THE CAR.
   Make your own car wash solution using 1/2 cup liquid detergent, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1 gallon of water. Use one cup of this solution with one bucket of water.

3. POLISH CHROME.
   Pour full-strength vinegar on a soft cloth, or use a baking soda paste to clean chrome bumpers, trim, and hub cabs on your classic car.

4. REMOVE UNWANTED DECALS OR BUMPER STICKERS.
   Soak a cloth in vinegar and then place it over the stickers you want to remove. Alternatively, you can spray the stickers with full-strength vinegar. They’ll peel off in a couple of hours.

5. WASH THE FUEL SMELL FROM YOUR HANDS.
   Sprinkle your hands with baking soda and wipe clean with a damp paper towel.

6. FRESHEN THE AIR IN THE CAR.
   Sprinkle baking soda on fabric seats and carpets and let it sit for a few minutes before vacuuming it clean. If you have an older car, you can clean vinyl seats with a cloth dampened by a half vinegar and half water solution. Or sprinkle baking soda on the seats and scrub them clean with a damp sponge. Follow up for a rinse with a clean, damp sponge.

7. CLEAN WIPER BLADES.
   Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove dirt and grime from your wiper blades.

Don’t Wait Another Week

In our hectic modern-day lives, it’s easy to put things off until next week. Before you know it, next week becomes next month, which becomes another season.

Don’t put your car off another week! Call Hong Kong Auto Service for a spring maintenance check-up on your vehicle today!

Once your car has been given the green light by the pros at Hong Kong Auto Service, you can hit the road with confidence knowing that your vehicle is ready to take on whatever comes next.

Call the friendly staff at Hong Kong Auto Service today while you’re thinking about it.