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Important Car Tips

Never Drive Your Car if You Suspect it is Overheating

If your temperature gauge is 3/4 or more, pull over and turn off the engine. Do not try to fix it yourself because raising your hood at the wrong time can cause serious injury. If you do not see any steam or coolant boiling onto the ground, you should be able to allow your engine to cool off for 15-20 minutes, then restart and quickly drive to the nearest repair shop while watching the temperature gauge. A minimum amount of overheating can actually ruin your engine and cost you a bundle on replacement. Observing the gauges on your car while driving should be as regular as looking into your mirrors.

Never Drive with a Check Engine Light On or Flashing

Checking the oil level will tell you whether you have a low oil or internal oil pressure problem. If the level is low (not on the dipstick), that may be why you have a light on. Correct the level then restart the engine. If the light still appears, call a tow truck. If the light is off, you may drive home or to the nearest repair shop to find out why the oil level was low. Each time that light is on, you have no oil pressure, which means your high revving engine is running with no lubrication going to all the moving parts. The end result could be serious engine damage.

Do Not Ignore Abnormal Noises

If you drive the car most of the time and hear an abnormal noise that does not sound like it is going away anytime soon, you should have someone check it out for you. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Avoid Driving Through Deep Water

Deep water is when the water is as high as the curb, 4 inches or above. Some years flood damage can rank third as the most expensive car insurance claims, right behind collision and theft. Driving through deep water can cause wheel bearing grease to be washed out; brake components at each wheel to rust and seize; carpet and/or the padding underneath can become saturated; or computers, relays, modules and wiring harness mounted on the floor of your car can become shorted or corroded.

Scheduled Maintenance

We believe in following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual because they are important and they do pay off in the long run. Most people do not even realize that the car manufacturer or the extended warranty companies can deny most repairs that were under warranty if you do not have receipts showing you maintained the vehicle according to your owner's manual. Do not underestimate the importance of scheduled maintenance.

Your Owner's Manual:

We are still amazed to this day by the number of people who will invest $5000 to $35,000 in a vehicle they depend on every day and never open the owner's manual! Reading your manual and understanding everything in it is one of the most important things you can do for your car. Do not disregard any of the information provided in the manual.