Category Archives: Routine Vehicle Maintenance (Fluids, Filters, Seasonal Prep)

Signs It’s Time to Swap Out Your Cabin Air Filter

Signs It’s Time to Swap Out Your Cabin Air Filter

Drivers should always be attentive to the quality of the air traveling inside through their vehicle vents. The vents have air filters that prevent you from breathing in dust, debris, and other harmful pollutants. Cabin air filters help prevent potential respiratory health problems. If you're among the select population that is more sensitive to air pollution or has allergies, then you should stay on top of changing your cabin air filter.    You can find the air filter's change interval listed in the vehicle's owner's manual most of the time. However, you should also consider accounting for your driving habits, seasons, and the type of environment in which you operate your vehicle. To better know when it's time to swap the filter out for a new one, be on the lookout for the signs of an ineffective filter. Foul Smell  When the filter becomes clogged, you'll notice a musty smell blowing through the vents. If the odor makes you and your passengers ... read more

Why Does My Vehicle Need a Coolant Flush?

Why Does My Vehicle Need a Coolant Flush?

Too much heat presents a great challenge to motor vehicles. Thankfully, all vehicles have a measure to keep themselves cool. The car's engine has a cooling system aided by a coolant, a fluid that runs in the engine and transmits heat away from it. The coolant should remain clean for it to function effectively. Dirty coolant must be flushed out and replaced with a fresh one. But how do you know when your coolant needs flushing? To know this, be on the lookout for the following symptoms. Your Vehicle Overheats As stated above, the role of the coolant is to keep your engine temperatures low. If your temperature gauge is always on the higher side, it means the coolant is no longer performing its duty and needs flushing. An overheating engine can easily break down, resulting in costly repairs. A Maple Syrup Smell From Your Car (Engine) One sure sign that your coolant needs flushing is the smell of maple syrup, butterscotch, or pancakes coming from your engine. The ethylene glycol ... read more

Fuel Filter Maintenance & Replacement Tips

Fuel Filter Maintenance & Replacement Tips

Filters are an essential part of life. Without a filter, your summer swim in the pool would be a summer swim in a cesspool. Your air filter prevents you from breathing harmful debris and contaminants. Filters are usually there to trap what you don’t need and leave you with what you do need. Your car has many filters to trap harmful particles from entering your engine or cabin. The fuel filter is one of the most essential filters because it works to deliver clean fuel to the combustion chamber continually. If you don’t regularly replace your fuel filter, the filter can become clogged, resulting in severe damage and costly repairs. What happens if you don’t change your fuel filter? Below are a few common issues to expect from a clogged fuel filter: The Engine Will Stall A fuel filter that’s clogged or blocked will stall your engine while you’re driving. If a vehicle doesn’t get the proper amount of fuel, it will stall. The Ch ... read more

How to Save Money with Proper Transmission Maintenance

How to Save Money with Proper Transmission Maintenance

In this article you’re going to learn how to save money with proper car transmission maintenance. You’ll be able to spot transmission leaking and slipping and avoid costly transmission repair and replacement with proper car maintenance. Even first-time drivers and car owners learn quickly to dread the words, “Looks like the problem is with the transmission.” Transmission problems are notorious for coming with a hefty price tag, but they can be mitigated through proper vigilance and maintenance, and sometimes a little luck. Barring factors outside of your control, however, such as accidents, build quality, and system failures, the factors that actively affect the life-expectancy of your transmission are: Maintenance (Regular service appointments and spotting issues early.) Lubrication (Transmission fluid. Affects the “feel and slip” of the gear shift.) Heat (Responsible for fluid breakdown and failing components.) These you can con ... read more