What is Your Check Engine Light Trying to Tell You?

If you’ve ever had a check engine light come on in your vehicle, you know the fear and annoyance it can strike to your heart and wallet. You might be aware of this light if you have ever tried to get a smog test with it illuminated – it is grounds for automatic disqualification, and usually requires a replacement of an air fuel ratio sensor or 02 sensor. We’re going to explain a little about what this light is, what the light means, and what you can do if it comes on in your car.

 Modern check engine lights, or malfunction indicator lamps, are in place to tell the vehicle owner of an issue with the engine. All cars made in the last few decades come with an engine monitoring system in place called an OBD-II . OBD stands for On-Board Diagnostics, and has become standard in all vehicles to monitor the engine and emissions of the vehicle.  In case of a minor issue, the light will turn on and stay lit – this is usually a loose gas cap, or a failing oxygen sensor. In case of a major issue like a catalytic converter failure or other more serious problems, the light will flash on and off. 

Some have argued that the system was put in place for dealerships and mechanics to get more money in maintenance costs from their customers , but there is no need to go straight to the mechanic if the CEL comes on (an exception to this is if the CEL is blinking – then you need to stop the car and have it towed to a mechanic right away.) If something goes wrong with your vehicles monitoring systems, it will trigger a code that is specific to the problem your engine is experiencing. You can purchase a code reader to get these codes from your vehicle via a small plug on the underside of your dash.

  

 Nowadays OBD-II code readers can be purchased just about anywhere for you to diagnose why the CEL came on.  They usually cost what a mechanic would charge you for checking it once – and of course you get to keep it forever, so it pays off after two uses. Some readers will just tell you the code itself, and others will tell you what the code actually means in English. If your reader just gives you a code, say P1443, you can go on the internet and type in your year, make, model, and your code and it should come up with a definition of what the code might mean. Of course, if you are unsure, it’s always best to take it to a licensed mechanic.

Once you know what is wrong with your vehicle, you can go about fixing it. Simple repairs like a mass air flow sensor gone bad can be done at home in the garage, while more intricate repairs need to be done by a licensed mechanic. Either way, knowing the issue is the most important step for fixing the problem. Next time your CEL comes on, you will at least know what it might mean and take the steps necessary to remedy the problem.

Source: AOL Autos

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Exterior Care

Aside from keeping your car running great, maintenance needs to be performed to keep your car looking great too. After you've repaired your worn out diesel injectors and diesel fuel pump, your exterior needs some TLC. Keeping your car clean and waxed will prolong the life of your paint job and make your car more fun to drive. Here are some tips to properly washing, waxing, and detailing your vehicle.

 Beyond the normal dirt and dust that collects on the surface of your car, there are other, harder to see contaminants that can damage your clear coat over time. Airborne pollutants, bugs, tree sap, and bird droppings can all degrade your paint so it’s important to scrub it all off frequently. 

Before washing and especially before waxing, make sure your car is parked in the shade if it is sunny outside. The sun can prematurely dry your car leading to water spots, or hamper your waxing efforts. If you plan on waxing your car you may even want to wash your car twice because dirt is difficult to see when the car is wet.

Make sure to use the right solvents for washing and detailing your car. Dishwashing soap is not good for your paint. Buy some kind of actual car wash, and make sure to buy a high quality wax like Turtle or Meguiar’s. Wash your vehicle thoroughly, using a soft sponge or towel, paying special attention to the front grill of your vehicle where bugs and debris often collect. Rinse and dry your car carefully, inspecting the paint for anything left behind. Make sure to go back and scrub spots that did not come clean – if you attempt to wax the paint with dirt or debris on it, you will scratch the clear coat of your car.

 In decades past it was agreed that the best wax to use was very-hard-to-apply carnauba wax – the “wax on, wax off” kind; nowadays technology has advanced enough to provide excellent, more easily applied waxes that are just as effective at protecting your clear coat. Some of the more advanced systems currently require just spray on application and spreading evenly over the paint, no buffing required. 

If you decide to use a more traditional paste wax or cream wax, use the applicator recommended or provided by the wax manufacturer. If they don’t have a recommendation, use a foam applicator pad to apply the wax. Work in small areas, rubbing a small amount of wax and spreading it to the surrounding areas. Apply the wax in a back and forth motion, not in circles, and make sure your applicator and buffer are clean before you begin. If the wax residue doesn’t buff off easily, switch to a very clean towel or cloth.

After you are done buffing, use a soft toothbrush or detailing brush to clean the wax out of the cracks and crevices of your car. After you’re done waxing, your car should have a smooth, glossy finish that looks almost wet. 

Paste wax systems require you to re-apply the wax every 30-90 days to protect your paint, depending on weather conditions. Newer synthetic systems can last up to 9 months without re-application, but some people say they don’t give off the same “three-dimensional” shine that carnauba wax provides, so you’ll have to make a judgment call on what is most important to you.  Either system will protect your paint and keep your car in excellent form for years.

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Tires

If you want to upkeep anything in your vehicle, the objects that keep your car rolling, and off the ground, should be at the top of that list. Tires are often overlooked because a car with bald tires can still drive, and replacing all four tires can be expensive. When your fuel pump or fuel pump assembly goes out, you have no choice whether or not you want to replace it because your car will not drive - bald tires can get you down the street and back, and the dangers always occur when it's too late. Nevertheless, keeping track of the condition of your tires, and keeping them properly inflated, can mean literally life or death for the people in the vehicle. Here are a few tips to make sure your tires will keep you and your passengers safe on the road.

The main cause of tire failure (when your tire goes flat or blows out) is the friction caused from moving contact with the road. This causes the tread on the tires to wear away. When the tread becomes too shallow, the tire is worn out and should be replaced. Bald tires give you little traction on the road, especially when the road is wet or icy. This means the difference in you maintaining control of your vehicle, and not maintaining control, is dependent on proper tread on your tires. One trick to check if you have proper tire tread is to place a penny, with Lincoln’s head down, between the tread of your tires. If Lincoln’s head isn’t completely covered by the treads on your tires, they need to be replaced.

 

 Underinflation is very detrimental to your tires, and your fuel economy. Not having enough tire pressure causes excessive wear on the tires, and gives you less control of your vehicle on paved roads. You should check your tire pressure regularly. To check your tire pressure, make sure your tires are cool (so when the vehicle has been sitting for awhile.) If you need to go somewhere else to fill up your tires with air, check the tire pressure before you leave and fill up appropriately. You can find out the appropriate tire pressure for your vehicle by looking in your owner’s manual, the driver’s side door panel, the glove box door, or the fuel door.  Remove the cap from the valve on one tire. Firmly press the tire guage onto the valve. Add air to achieve the recommended tire pressure. If you overfill a tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the center of the valve with a fingernail or the tip of a pen. Recheck the tire pressure, and then replace the valve cap. Repeat for your other tires, including the spare.

 Another important factor in maintaining your tires is your vehicles alignment. When you are driving, does your car pull to one side, or shake? A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw off your alignment. Have a tire dealer check your alignment regularly to make sure your vehicle is aligned properly. If the alignment is off it will cause your tire to wear irregularly, which can lead to tire blowouts.

You should also rotate your tires periodically, typically every 5,000 miles. Naturally your front and back, left and right tires wear differently on the road. By rotating your tires from front to back, left to right, you can ensure your tires wear evenly and lengthen the life of your tires.

I find inspecting the tires while filling up at the gas station is convenient. While the vehicle is filling up, you can check your tires for wear, visually check for proper inflation, and inspect for any debris that is caught in your tire tread and can damage your tires. This way you will always be on top of properly maintaining your tires.

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Windshield + Accessories

Your windshield is an extremely important, but often overlooked, part of your vehicle. You can try and drive using your center console screen or car navigation system all you want, but you have to be able to clearly see through your windshield to practice any kind of safe driving. Run through a few checks to make sure your windshield, and the things that keep it clean, are in good shape.

 First of all, examine your windshield for any cracks or injuries in the glass itself. If you notice chips or cracks, have them repaired immediately. Trash, pebbles, and sand particles can fracture the glass and cause dings, which if left unattended, can turn into bigger cracks that affect your visibility. You can buy do-it-yourself products at home, but they are usually inferior to having a professional fix the ding for you, and having the work done professionally is  reasonably priced.

Avoid slamming your doors, as this causes the windshield to vibrate violently and any dings or cracks in your windshield can get worse. Also, try to park your car in the shade whenever possible, especially if it’s going to be sitting for a long time. Direct sunlight does damage the glass over time.

Next, inspect your windshield wipers closely. You can actually scratch the glass by using dirty or debris laden windshield wipers. If they are dirty, or if the rubber is cracked from the sun, it’s best to replace them.  To replace old windshield wipers, carefully lift the entire assembly away from the windshield – it will prop itself in the raised position. With one hand holding the wiper arm, use your other hand to push down on the small tab on the underside of the wiper where it meets the metal arm. With the tab held down you can slide the old wiper off of the metal arm. 

 Prevent the wiper arm from snapping back onto your windshield by carefully resting it against the windshield while you are getting your new wiper ready to install. You can seriously damage your windshield by letting the bare metal snap back onto the glass. Take your new windshield wiper out of the packaging and arrange it how it’s going to lay on your car. Looking at the side of the metal where it attaches to the metal arm, you’ll see that one end of the plastic clip is flat and the other has a curve across the top. Rotate the plastic clip until the curve is pointing toward the wiper blade. Now hold the wiper upside down next to the metal wiper arm, where you’ll see that the curve in the arm matches the curved top of the plastic clip.

Now that you’ve lined everything up, you can slide everything into place. Lower the wiper over the wiper arm, putting the arm between the sides of the wiper and with the open end of the hook facing the plastic clip. Move the hook over the plastic clip, then pull the wiper upward so that the clip’s rounded edge slides into the hook. Pull it tight so that the assembly clicks in place. Carefully lower the wiper back onto the windshield. Repeat the process on the other wiper blade, and you’re finished.

Maintaining your windshield is important not only for your visibility, but making sure your airbag deploys properly in a crash. Hopefully with these tips you’ll be able to maintain a clear, good looking, and safe windshield for years to come.

10 Things to NOT Put Off!

With more and more used cars on the road today it is especially important to keep up with regular car maintenance. At some point down the road parts like the AC compressor or a fuel injector may unfortunately go bad, but there are certain things that every driver should keep an eye on to avoid unexpected car fails. The first of these are the brakes because our safety is dependent on them. Brake failure is easily avoided by checking the fluid regularly and by replacing it every 24,000 miles. In addition to the fluid, the pads should be changed out depending on their condition and use. Just because they still make your car come to a stop, does not mean they don't need any help!

Other safety-related parts to keep an eye on are the tires. It’s easy to ignore tires that don’t have enough tread because you don’t want to drop that extra cash on a new set. However, this can be extremely dangerous and you may leave yourself hurt or stranded because of neglect. A typical time-frame for tire replacement is 6-10 years, although it obviously depends on their wear. An easy test to check a tire's condition is to put an upside-down penny between the treads. If you can see the top of the president’s head, time for a new tire! Check out the rest of a top 10 car maintenance checklist below!

1. Brakes: Fluid 2 years or 24,000 miles
2. Tires: Dependent on use; roughly 6-8 years
3. Coolant: 2 years or 24,000 miles
4. Engine Belt & Timing Belts: 3 years or 36,000 miles (Engine Belts) & 60,000-90,000 miles (timing belt)
5. Spark Plugs: Every 30,000-100,000 miles
6. Automatic Trans Fluid & Filter: Every 2 years or 24,000 miles
7. Air Filter: 12 months/12,000 miles or as needed
8. Battery: 48-60 months or as needed
9. Power-Steering Fluid: Top off as needed, inspect level with every oil change
10. Fuel Filter: Every 2 years or 24,000 miles

Top 10 Common Car Problems

Everyone at some point or another has had trouble with their vehicle. It usually comes at an unexpected and extremely inconvenient time too: when your late for work, need to meet an old friend for dinner, or just spent your savings on Christmas gifts for the kids. Maybe it's exhaust smoke or no pressure from the fuel pump. Hopefully if this has happened to you it was just a minor problem but let’s face it, even minor car problems end up costing hundreds of dollars out of your pocket. Out of all the possible car problems you could have, the most common (and thankfully one of the easiest to fix) is a flat tire. Hopefully you’ll have a spare and hopefully someone has taught you how to use that contraption in your trunk.

The second most popular car problem is said to be worn brakes which is also another easy fix. Maybe it’s not something you can fix on the side of the road, but at least your bill at the mechanic shop won’t be completely unexpected. The next most common issue with cars is an electrical problem which can be one of many things. It could be something simple like a blown fuse in the dash. Another common electric problem is your key failing to start the ignition which leads us into the fourth most common car problem: ignition trouble. This could be one of the most annoying issues because it is completely unexpected, and chances are you are our running errands and find yourself stranded with no ride and a huge headache. Unfortunately, ignition problems can range from something minor to very serious and you probably won’t know the extent of the damage until the mechanic gives you that dreaded call.

Number five is worn shocks, which can create a bumpier ride than normal. Number six? Dead batteries can be caused by age, but many times they are caused by us overusing them. Ever forget to turn off an interior light when leaving the car for the night? How about charging a phone or listening to the radio while the cars off? Both of these can hurt the life of your battery. After reviewing this list, it seems you can either be prepared for many of these issues (knowing how to use a spare tire) or they can be avoided through proper maintenance. Check below for the rest of the top 10 list!

7. Low Oil
8. Car Bulb Failure
9. Cracked windshield
10. Bad Serpentine Belt

Time for an Oil Change?

If your oil changes are costing close to $100 chances are your engine requires synthetic oil. The metal components of your vehicle (such as steering racks and steering gearboxes) need oil to stay lubricated, but there is more than one type of oil available. Most vehicles take conventional or natural oils which are derived directly from crude oil. This oil has many natural properties which protect and lubricate the engine over long periods of time.

A downside to natural oil is that it contains many impurities such as sulfur which can slow down the flow of oil throughout the engine. Over time contaminants can also build up and create deposits or wax within the engine.  With this in mind, synthetic oils were developed with specific chemical properties in order to create a more consistent substance. While natural oils can break down quickly at extremely high temperatures, synthetic oils are made to withstand this heat. There are even synthetic oil blends developed for specific purposes such as lubricating a high-performance or high-mileage vehicle. Despite its higher cost, synthetic oil offers the benefits of improved lubrication, better stability, reduced oil breakdown and fewer deposits.

However, just because synthetic oils offer these advantages does not mean that you need to switch up the type of oil at your next oil change. In most cases conventional oil does the job just fine; synthetic oil is only required for specific vehicles. If you are thinking of switching up your oil be sure to check with your manufacturer before-hand for vehicle-specific recommendations.  

What Can Debris Do to Your Car

Each one of use knows that when it comes to cars we all know that debris on the road can be dangerous to our ride.  A shredded semi tire can hurt the body of a car as much as a collision with a pole and sometimes it can be worse. The other day a couch fell off the truck in front of me but these are all obstacles that can be avoided if the driver is paying attention. Making sure your steering rack and pinion or steering gearbox is in good shape is a great way to be sure you can maneuver out of the way of these road hazards.

Road debris is for sure a hazard but what about engine debris? The kind you cannot see, the kind that floats around the engine causing issues from spot to spot. Debris can be thought of as any particles in the motors systems that are not supposed to be there. In other words a metal flake in the ac system, dirt particles in the intake or even rust in the fuel tank. It is all debris that can cost a driver hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Debris in the AC system is a time bomb just waiting to go off, The reason being is the whole system is under a great deal of pressure and even the smallest metal shard can shred a seal and make the whole system leak. Not only could debris cause leaking but it can lodge at places in the compressor that will cause it to seize up. But debris in something like the fuel system can cut off the flow of fuel to the engine then the car cannot even run. Debris in the steering system can cause the steering pump to fail or lock in a single direction which can cause an accident.

While debris in the system may not be as immediate as hitting a couch in the middle of the road or running into a pole parking your car, it is an issue. A lot of these issues are unavoidable due to the nature of the issue debris usually enters these systems while work is being done. To be sure that this does not happen to your car make sure that the mechanic doing work on sensitive areas of your car knows what he is doing.

A Clogged Air Filter Can be a Dangerous Enemy

There are plenty of obstacles on the road in front of all of us…literally. Cars, trees, kids playing in the street and the occasional mudslide but some of the biggest ones are inside our own car. Lots of issues rob our cars of horse power and performance. Cars operate in a tolerance of everything working correctly to achieve proper mileage and performance. Wheel hub bearing must not offer too much resistance and the fuel pump must be working with enough pressure, basically everything make the car run the way it should. People tend to over looks basic maintenance and don’t realize that even the smallest thing can cause a huge issue.

Oil changes can mean the difference between a motor lasting 10K miles and 300K miles, while transmission fluid changes can extend the life of the tranny. The air filter is one of those parts that people tend to ignore but not realize what a filter can do. Think about breathing through a straw, could you run a mile like that…well that’s what your car is doing with a clogged filter. A clogged air filter robs horsepower and gas mileage and can also cause complications in high performance cars. With restricted air flow in turbocharged cars this can cause un-needed pressure fighting the turbo. This pressure can cause the oil in the turbo to leak from the unit or it can cause a loss of the proper air intake amount. This can cause incorrect combustion in the cylinders and even cause damage to the bottom end of the motor.