Q. I hear an intermittent noise from the front of my car. Do I need to worry about it?
A. Every noise should be checked by a qualified technician. Use your best judgment; if it sounds bad, get it checked right away. Quick action on any problem may possibly, if not always, save big dollars.
Q. I have a leak under my car. How can I tell what is leaking?
A. The coloring of the liquid identifies the type of liquid. Coolant fluid is orange or green, engine fluid is brown or black, transmission fluid is red or pink, power steering fluid is light brown, and differential fluid is brown. Depending on the leak, it could mean trouble, so don't wait until it's too late!
Q. What dashboard lights should I worry about and which are just precautions?
A. Every dashboard light is responsible for notifying the owner of issues that need to be addressed. If any of the following lights are lit, you need to have your vehicle looked at: Engine light, oil light, ABS light, traction light, and tire pressure light.
Q. Why are there different types of oils?
A. Synthetic oils are premium, high concentrated lubricants. They are for all vehicles and provide higher mileage. Regular oil works just as well as synthetic oils when it is changed on a regular basis (every 3,000-5,000 miles).
Q. With the change of the season and the temperatures, do I need to have my car checked?
A. It is a good idea to have your coolant checked to determine its freezing and boiling points to verify whether it needs to be changed. Have your air conditioner tested before the summer heats up, as it is cheaper to fix before the season gets started.
Q. My engine light comes on. What should I do?
A. When you first start your car, all the dashboard lights will come on as a safety test. These lights will go off when the test is complete. If the engine light comes on after a test or sometime later, you need to have your vehicle checked. The Check Engine light is a warning from the on-board computer system. It could be a simple problem to fix, but left alone it may become major, so don't ignore this light!
Q. What is the difference between maintenance and safety?
A. Maintenance is done to prevent any future problems from occurring to the vehicle. Safety is to prevent any incident that would cause damage to the vehicle, to you, or to the person driving next to you.
Q. When should I rotate my tires?
A. Rotating your tires should be done every 5,000 miles. This will ensure proper wear and extend the life of your tires while keeping you safe.