I Hate When That Happens

We read everyday in the news about the tough economic times, and indeed they are. I was talking to a long time customer about his 2003 Ford F150 that has 163,000 miles on it. He was picking it up after really what I would call a major repair of around $600.00 which included a 20 mile tow. One would think that he would be somewhat upset. But he was just the opposite. He said he has had this vehicle since it was a year old and he had driven it about 140,000 mile of its life and this was the first real major thing that he has done to it. We got talking about how the vehicles now days are so much better than they were 15 years ago. We spoke about the quality of the bodies and how they don’t rust like they used to. We talked about how he takes care of his vehicles and does what the owners’ manual says. He paid his bill and went on his way.

A couple days later he stopped back in and gave me an article he had just read from his AARP magazine. The name of the article from the Aug 2009 edition is “A Keeper is Cheaper”. This article was talking about the same things that we had talked about a few days before. It had many examples of people having cars with 200,000, 300,000, and even 400,000 miles on them and that they were still good dependable transportation. There was a quote in the article that I have been saying for a long time. It reads” The secret to automotive longevity turns out to be no secret at all: it’s maintenance.” There are many testimonials in the article about how people have payed attention to there fluids, changed them when needed, done needed inspections and taking care of things before there become an issue, and it’s all cheaper in the long run.

They gave a great illustration of someone who had a vehicle and drove about 22,500 miles a year, which is about 50% more miles per year than average. In 5 years they would have done about 30 oil changes for about $1,200.00. Miscellaneous services, filters, hoses, tire rotation etc. would be an additional $1,200.00. They had a couple more major things like a timing belts, shocks and struts for another $1,100.00. This adds up to about $3,500.00 or about $700.00 per year. The article supposes that you bought a new $20,000.00 car and finance $18,000.00 at 7% for 48 months. The payment would be about $430.00 per month or $5,160.00 per year. The point is that a new car really can pay havoc on your budget. And remember that your new vehicle still need its oil changed, tires rotated, etc. It also supposed that the maintenance cost were twice a high at $1,400 per year, it still beats those car payments by $3,800 per year. In addition we have not considered the additional cost of insurance for a new vehicle.

In their analogy, if you’re annual maintenance cost were $1,400 per year and you kept your car for 5 years after it was paid for. This savings would be about $19,000.00 compared to buying a new car every 5 years. Isn’t that interesting? Also remember that in the example this person drove 50% more miles per year than the average, being about 12,000 miles per year. There are other things that also can help prolong the life of your vehicle, like washing it and keeping it clean. This is especially the case here in Minnesota which uses a lot of salt/chemicals on the roads in the winter. If you have misplaced your owners manual, pick one up or ask your shop you go to, to print out a maintenance schedule for you. Get your vehicle back on track and get it in proper shape. Something that we have seen lately is people not replacing their timing belt at the recommended interval. If this belt breaks, it usually does major damage to your engine. The old adage again is true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this case it is worth a TON of cure. I Hate When That Happens!

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I have been writing this article for about 15 years now and have written about many different subjects. Cars and the industry continue to morph and change every day. There are a few questions that we seem to get weekly that I would like to address:

The first question concerns the driver of a new vehicle. Their concern is that they have purchased a new car and the dealer has told them that in order to maintain the new car warranty, the car must be brought back to the them, even for maintenance items like oil changes. This is not true. According to the Magnuson-Moss Act written in the mid 1970s, the purchaser of a new vehicle does not have to return to the new car dealer in order to maintain or keep in force their warranty. All that is needed is that records are kept to show that the recommended maintenance schedule has been followed. So even if you want to change your own oil, just keep the receipts of the oil and filter that you purchased. Make a folder and put them all there for safe keeping. This is a very real problem. I have had people write me letters telling me that they bought a new car and are sorry that they won’t be coming in because of what the dealer told them. I have had countless people tell me in person that they can’t wait for their new car to go out of warranty so they don’t have to run all the way down to the cities, which is very inconvient for them, to get their oil changed. I try to educate them, but somehow I am not sure they believe me. After all “The Dealer” told them this. (Sorry for the sarcasm).

Another common misunderstanding has to do with all those new lights on the dash. One of the newest lights is for the low tire pressure monitoring system. The way it is supposed to work is that when a tire does go low on air, the light is suppose to come on to alert the driver. My experience is that this system is very accurate. So don’t ignore it! The problem is that some people are not even familiar with what the symbol on the dash looks like. It may be a good idea to grab the owners manual and review what all the light are, what they are for, and when they will come on. The anti-lock brake system light has been confusing to many for years. If the yellow ABS light comes on, this means that the ABS computer has picked up a problem in the system. Basically the system consists of 4 wheel speed sensors, one at each wheel, the ABS computer, and the hydraulic unit that is in charge of pulsing the hydraulic pressure to each wheel and of course all the wiring that connects it all. In other words your brake pads can be totally worn out and the ABS light will never come on. It’s like the check engine light, if your engine is 3 quarts low on oil the check engine light will not come on. These lights only have to do with computerized control systems. If the oil is low, you may have low oil light or low oil pressure light come on, which are red in color and require immediate attention. If your brake system gets a leak and the fluid is low, then a red brake light should come on, again requiring immediate attention.

For some reason, I think that our cars and trucks will only get more complex and confusing to some. As more and more hybrids come out, as alternative fuel become more common, as well as all the new gadgetry like GPS and MP3 players make their way to the market. I think more people may be saying, “I Hate When That Happens”!

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How often should you get your vehicle aligned and how do you know if it needs an alignment? This is a very misunderstood topic. We get numerous calls a month asking for a front end alignment. One question we always try to ask is, “Why do you think your vehicle needs an alignment”? The most common answer we get is, “I have a vibration in the steering wheel.” The fact is, it is very unlikely that any vibration is due to misalignment. The most common reason for a vibration is an imbalance in one of the drivetrain components, with the most common being a tire out of balance. We have also seen CV shafts bent or the CV joint starting to fail. I think the only time a wheel alignment would cause a vibration is if the tire wore so severely that the tire became out of balance or the tread started to separate. I have never seen an alignment cure a vibration.

Misalignment will usually cause rapid or uneven tire wear and/or a vehicle handling issue. The purpose of a wheel alignment in essentially is to adjust the tire/wheel assembly to be virtually straight up and down and pointed straight ahead.

There are 3 basic alignment angles that are taken into consideration when an alignment is performed. The first is the camber. To describe camber one must view the tire from the front or rear and refers to the lean or tilt of the wheel from top to bottom. Camber is measured in degrees. If this angle is not within specs, it can cause the tires to wear more rapidly than normal or may cause the vehicle to pull to one side or the other.

The second angle is called caster, also measured in degrees. This refers to the relationship of the upper ball joint or upper strut plate to the lower ball joint as viewed from the side of the vehicle. If this angle is incorrect the vehicle may pull, not handle properly, or the steering wheel may not return to center after making a corner. This angle is not adjustable on most front wheel drive vehicles. This is unfortunate, but that’s the way it is.

The last measurement is the toe in or out. This is measured in fractions of an inch and has to do with the front of the tires being closer together, farther apart or straight head. If the toe is off, the tires will definitely not wear as they should. If you couple 2 or more of these angles being off at the same time, it can really raise havoc with the tires and vehicle handling.

These angles are measured on all 4 wheels but are not necessarily adjustable on every vehicle. Some vehicles, like most trucks, do not have adjustments available for the rear. Some vehicles may require aftermarket kits to be installed to make a nonadjustable wheel adjustable. However, this is not available on every vehicle which means that if for some reason the angle gets off, it can be very difficult to get back in specs.

Another issue to consider before an alignment can be preformed is the front steering and suspension systems must be inspected. If loose or worn out parts are found, they will need to be replaced before the alignment can be done. These loose parts not only cause the alignment to be off, but cause the tires to wear unevenly. In some cases, we have towed in vehicles that have had a steering part actually break off causing a loss of steering control (not fun). These days, there are many different types of suspension systems used and each type may require a different procedure for inspection, repair, or adjustment. Of course, this is where a professional technician comes in. Also, the technician is only as good as his equipment. If his alignment machine gets out of calibration, of course every job that is preformed will not be accurate. There are many new types of aligners that do not require recalibration or will tell the technician if the computer system is in need of service. Proper wheel alignments are not an accident. They take a competent and experienced technician with the proper equipment to do it right. I Hate When That Happens!

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I recently read a report published by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. This organization has its “National Tire Safety Week” on June 7th -13th. So take a few minuets and test your self on what you know about the tires that you ride around on each day:

1. How do you know what is the correct tire pressure for “your” vehicle? The report said that 46% of drivers believe wrongly that the correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall. And 15% do not know where to find it. The real answer is that each vehicle manufacture designs its vehicles with a specific tire pressure for that vehicle. The most common place to find the tire pressure for your vehicle in on a sticker found when you open the driver’s door. It can be on the door itself by the latch or on the door jam.
2. When should you check your tire pressure? The report says that 26% wrongly think that the pressure should be checked after the car is driven and the tire is warmed up. Actually the pressure should be tested and adjusted when the tire is at 70 degrees. (Room temp). Air pressure increases with temperature, and conversely decreases when the temp drops. That is why your tires may look low on a cold winter’s day. If you drive the vehicle, the tires will warm up and the pressure will increase. One answer is to fill your tires with pure-dry Nitrogen. This gas is much more stable when the temp fluctuates.
3. How do you know if your tires are in need of replacement? The report said that 2 out of 3 are unaware of when there tires need replacement. The rule is, when the tire has only 2/32nd of an inch or tread remaining, its time to replace it. Tires have a small little “wear bar” that is found down between the treads. This little hump is 2/32nd of an inch. So when the tire tread is flush with the wear bar, replace the tire. Of course the less tread you have the less traction you have in snow, ice and rain.
4. What is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of saving fuel? Check and inflate your tires to the recommended pressure (on the tire placard in the door jam). Under inflated tires cause higher rolling resistance which takes more effort and wastes fuel. Low inflation also is very hard on the tire itself. It will cause the tire to wear on both inside and outside edges, and this will also increase running temperatures and will wear out the tire prematurely. Don’t over inflate either. This can cause handling problems, hydroplaning on wet roads and will prematurely wear out the center tread of the tire.

A couple other worthy things to mention. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They estimate more than 23,000 tow away crashes were due to blow outs or flat tires. Under inflated tires are attributed to crashes that result in 660 fatalities and 33,000 injures each year. They also report that 27% of passenger cars and 32% of light trucks (Pick-ups) have at least one significantly low tire.

Many newer vehicles are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems that can alert the driver of a tire pressure problem. If you have this system and the light comes on, please don’t ignore it. These systems do work. Otherwise, at a minimum you will be sitting along the road with a flat tire. I Hate When That Happens!

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It’s hard to believe that warm temps will be an everyday occurrence after this good old fashion Minnesota winter. This winter has been a bit more severe than we have had in the past few years. When winters are severe, it seems to take its toll on our vehicles. We especially notice the failure that occur when the temps go into the 80’s and 90’s.

We soon will be using our air conditioning on a regular basis. Cold temps, combined with the rough road are especially hard on AC components. Just imagine the shock those AC lines, hoses and fittings endure when you hit a big pothole. It is very hard on this system. In many cases, this is the reason you turn your AC on in the spring and all you get is warm air. All the jarring from the winter loosens up fittings and connections and the refrigerant slowly leaks out. And if all the jarring doesn’t damage things the extreme cold, the shrinking of the small rubber O-Rings will let the refrigerant escape. In any case, the system in the spring will be very low if not empty on Freon.

Many people call and ask for a recharge. In some cases this will be all that is needed. However, in most cases if the refrigerant has leaked out, there is usually a reason. Until you find that reason, you may be just wasting your money. The best thing to do is to have a completer AC inspection. This will usually include a leak test to see if there is a leak which will allow the Freon to escape a day or so after the recharge. We see this so many times in the spring.

Low refrigerant is not the only cause for the AC not working. The AC compressor is controlled electrically, if there is a problem in a switch or something in the AC circuit this will also lead to the same symptom. There may be a problem with the drive belt and cause no cooling to occur. In some cases, the heater system may not be functioning properly, letting heat from the heater into the AC ductwork. In any of these cases, the symptom is always the same. No cold air. It is a good idea to have the system inspected annually. The pressures should be tested to make sure all is working properly. The cabin air filter should be inspected to make sure it is clean. The engine cooling fans need to be tested to ensure they all work and on all speeds. This not only ensures the AC system’s proper operation, but also that the vehicle will not overheat in the warm summer temps.

It is also a good idea to clean out the AC condenser. This is the piece that looks like a radiator and sit just in front of the radiator. If this gets dirty, it can cause the AC compressor to work harder than it should (which is hard on many components) resulting in the temp not getting as cool as needed out of the AC duct. Modern AC system are very complex, many have computers that control the compressor operation, some computer may even control the output temp as well as the blower fan speed. It seems that when a computer is involved it usually is more complex and more expensive. I Hate When That Happens!

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