Tips / FAQ

With today’s high gas prices, it’s worth taking a few minutes out of your day to make minor modifications that will improve your gas mileage.

Vehicle Tips

• Keep your tires properly inflated and check them frequently.
• Keep your front suspension and steering in proper alignment.
• Use the thinnest viscosity oil that your car’s manufacturer recommends.
• Keep your engine in proper mechanical condition.
• Keep your engine in tune and make sure the air and fuel filters are clean.
• Make sure your brakes are not dragging.
• Repair body damage. That crunched front fender adds aerodynamic drag – just ask any race car driver.
• Don’t use premium fuel if your car does not require it; using it is an unnecessary expense.
• Don’t waste your money on those late night “as seen on TV” products that are supposed to increase your mileage.

Driving Tips

• Avoid excessive warm-up time. Modern engines do not require it.
• Don’t idle your engine for long periods. Turn off your engine when you leave the car or have to wait a long time.
• Avoid jackrabbit starts.
• Keep your speed at 95 kilometers per hour or less whenever possible.
• For newer vehicles with aerodynamic designs, close the windows and turn on the air conditioning when driving on the freeway.
• For older cars with inefficient air conditioning compressors, use the ventilation system and close the windows, temperature permitting.
• Anticipate merging traffic and stoplights – decelerate and accelerate smoothly.
• Plan your trips wisely. If you need to go to several places, plan a route that allows you to run most or all of your errands in one outing.
• Empty the trunk! Extra clothes, overdue library books, tools and the bag of aluminum cans that you have been meaning to take to the recycler all weigh down your car unnecessarily. Car-pool whenever possible or practical.
• Listen to radio reports for alternate routes around congested areas.
• Drive in the highest gear possible.

Try to keep your speed constant. Use cruise control when on long stretches of road.

Keep Your Engine Tuned Up
A misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent. Follow the service schedules listed in your owner’s manual. Replace filters and fluids as recommended. Check Your Tires Check your tires for proper inflation. Underinflation wastes fuel – your engine has to work harder to push the vehicle. Wheels that are out-of-line (as evidenced by uneven tread wear or vehicle pulling) make the engine work harder, too. Properly maintained tires will last longer, meaning fewer scrap tires have to be disposed.

Every 10 days, motorists who drive with under-inflated tires and poorly maintained engines waste 70 million gallons of gasoline. -Car Care Council

Service Your Air Conditioner
Keep your air conditioner in top condition and have it serviced only by a technician who has been certified to handle/recycle refrigerants. Air conditioners contain CFCs – gases that have been implicated in the depletion of the ozone layer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, almost one-third of the CFCs released into the atmosphere come from mobile air conditioners; some simply leak out, but the majority escape during service and repair so it’s important to choose a qualified technician.

“Each year 20 times the amount of oil spilled by the tanker Exxon Valdez in Alaska is improperly dumped into America’s environment by do-it-yourselfers.” -Automotive Information Council

Attention Do-It-Yourselfers
Dispose of used motor oil, antifreeze/coolant, tires and old batteries properly. Many repair facilities accept these items. Or call your local municipal or county government for recycling sites. Never dump used oil or antifreeze on the ground or in open streams.

Observe Speed Limits
Gas mileage decreases sharply above 55 mph or 95 kph. Avoid sudden accelerations and jerky stop-and-go’s. Use cruise control on open highways to keep your speed as steady as possible.

Avoid Excessive Idling
Shut off the engine while waiting for friends and family. Today’s vehicles are designed to warm up quickly, so forget about those long warm-ups on cold winter mornings.

Remove Excess Items
Remove excess items from the vehicle. Less weight means better mileage. Store luggage/cargo in the trunk rather than on the roof to reduce air drag.

Plan Trips
Consolidate your daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving. Try to travel when traffic is light to avoid stop-and-go conditions. Join a car pool.

Remember, how your car runs, how you drive it and how its fluids, old parts and tires are disposed of all have serious impacts on the environment.

It’s Up to You: Dirty or Clean
Car care is definitely a win-win situation. Besides helping the environment, a properly maintained and operated vehicle will run more efficiently, will be safer and will last longer – up to 50 percent longer – according to a survey of ASE-Certified Master Auto Technicians.

These tips should put you on the road to environmentally-conscious car care.

The winter months will be here before you realize. Fall is the best time to have your vehicle inspected for any needed Maintenance work. Snow, ice and cold temperatures are just some the problems your vehicle will encounter. Here are some tips that can reduce your chances of an unexpected breakdown and keep you safe through the winter months:

• Inspect belts and hoses; if they are more than four years old they may have to be replaced.
• Check antifreeze protection: important in preventing engine freeze-ups.
• Check tires and tire pressure: Good tires are essential on those snowy and icy roads.
• Check all lights and fluid levels.
• Check and/or replace wipers (consider snow blades).
• Add windshield washer fluid that’s better in cold temperatures.
• Have the exhaust system checked; exhaust leaks will cause harmful carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment.
• Have your heater and defroster checked.
• Check to see that all Maintenance services are up to date.
• If your battery is more than four years old, have it tested. An old or borderline battery may fail in extreme cold.
• Carry with you a winter emergency kit consisting of: a flashlight, gloves, hat, flares, blanket, small amount of sand or salt, drinking water, snacks, cell phone, ice scraper and a small shovel. Drive cautiously and slow over icy, snowy or leaf-covered roads.
• Make sure your vehicle is mechanically sound before the temperature dips and the streets get icy.

Simple low cost maintenance now is much better than a major repair later.

There’s no substitute for regularly scheduled service by qualified TECH-NET ASE-certified technicians, but taking the following ten steps on your own before every trip this summer will reduce the risk of encountering problems on the road:

1. Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Using an air pressure gauge, be sure that your tire pressure meets the manufacturer’s specifications, as listed in the owner’s manual.
2. Check your oil. It’s a good habit to check your motor oil before every trip. If it’s low, or due for a change, your engine is in danger of overheating.
3. Monitor your coolant and water levels. Overheating can also occur if your engine’s coolant or water level is too low, so both should be regularly checked.
4. Test your battery. Summer temperatures can shorten the life of your car’s battery. Before taking a trip, weak or old batteries should be tested and replaced if necessary.
5. Test your vehicle lights and turn signals. Check your vehicle’s lights, including all headlights, brakelights and turn signals, to make sure they work properly.
6. Clean your vehicle lights. It is important to see and be seen. Built-up residue, such as pollen or dirt, may cause your headlights to become dim.
7. Check your wiper blades. The weather does not always cooperate while you’re traveling. Remember to check your wiper blades on both sides to ensure tight attachment and a clean blade surface.
8. Clean your windshield and windows. Regularly clean your windshield and windows on both the inside and outside to reduce glare and improve visibility.
9. Don’t overload your car. When packing your car for a trip, overloading can create excessive tire heat, which can lead to blowouts. In addition, overloading your backseat or storage area can limit visibility.
10. Have emergency equipment accessible. Make sure you leave room in your trunk for the following safety items: a tire gauge, flashlight with extra batteries, flares or reflectors, fire extinguisher and first-aid kit.

We get asked this a lot. First, let’s clarify the terminology of your A/C controls. The fan speed is controlled by the fan switch or blower switch. The different modes of air output are usually controlled by either a sliding lever, a rotary switch or a series of push buttons. These control whether the air comes out on the floor, through the dash vents, through the defroster vents or a combination of the above. Some of these automatically turn on the A/C compressor, while other cars use a separate button to command the compressor on. Also, some have “MAX” and “NORMAL” positions of the mode switch, while others have a separate button or lever to change between “RECIRCULATE” and “OUTSIDE AIR” positions. Even others automatically go to “MAX” or “RECIRCULATE” when the temperature control is placed in its coldest setting. These can be the most important things to remember, because to get the most efficiency from your A/C system, it’s best to cool off a hot car by lowering the windows slightly, turning the A/C to “NORMAL” or “OUTSIDE AIR” and putting the blower on a medium speed. This takes outside air, cools it and forces the hotter inside air out through the open windows. Once the air in the car has cooled down to a more comfortable temperature, switch to “RECIRCULATE” or “MAX” so the system can take the already cooled inside air and recirculate it so it will gradually get colder and colder. Then make yourself comfortable by adjusting blower speed. This procedure will cool your car quicker, keep it cooler and even save you some gas by not causing the system to run continuously.

More and more we hear this question, and it is usually coming from owners of later model vehicles. The odor is caused by fungus, bacteria and microbes growing inside the evaporator core case. The moisture-laden environment caused by condensation is quite conducive to the growth of these organisms. The automakers downsized these evaporator cases, added more fins and packed them closer together on the evaporators, which made them more prone to trap moisture and contribute to the growth of fungus. There are several methods to combat this growth. Some newer vehicles come with a device to run the A/C blower for a period of time after the vehicle is shut off. This dries out the evaporator case. There are also chemical fixes: from as simple as spraying Lysol into the A/C air intake to as complex as drilling a hole in the evaporator case, spraying in an expanding foam fungicide then letting it convert to a hardened shell of fungicide. One of the least expensive, although not the most practical methods, would be to turn off the A/C compressor a mile or so before you get where you’re going, but leave the blower running to allow the evaporator to dry out.

Many late model vehicles now come equipped with “cabin air filters.” These actually work just like your furnace filter at home to reduce dust and allergens in your vehicle. Many people are unaware that their vehicle even has one (or two) of these filters. When the filter gets dirty, the volume of air through the vents is lowered, so check yours today or ask us to inspect it. Many are very convenient to change, but some require disassembly of certain components. A clean filter could make a world of difference on a hot, humid, summer day.

Spring is one of the prime times for auto maintenance. That first wash-n-wax on a warm Saturday afternoon is liberating. Winter’s gloom (to say nothing of grit and road salt) is literally washed away. Take out the snow shovel, the gloves and heavy boots and store them ’til next season. Surely summer can’t be far away.

Some preparation now will help ensure that your summer driving plans go as smoothly as you envision then now. Anderson Automotive offers the following tips on getting your vehicle ready for summer:

1. Read the owner’s manual and follow the recommended service schedules.
2. Have hard starts, rough idling, stalling, etc., corrected before hot weather sets in.
3. Flush and refill the cooling system (radiator) according to the service manual’s recommendations. The level, condition and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically.
4. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, look for repair facilities that employ ASE-Certified automotive technicians.
5. The tightness and condition of belts, clamps and hoses should be checked by a qualified auto technician.
6. Have a marginally operating air conditioner system serviced by a qualified technician to reduce the likelihood of more costly repairs.
7. Change the oil and oil filter as specified in owner’s manual. (Properly dispose of used oil.) Replace other filters (air, fuel, PCV, etc.) as recommended.
8. Check the condition of tires, including the spare. Always check tire pressure when the tires are cold.
9. Inspect all lights and bulbs; replace burned out bulbs.
10. Replace worn wiper blades and keep plenty of washer solvent on hand to combat summer’s dust and insects.

Although it is commonly known as a “check engine light,” it actually has more to do with your vehicle’s on-board computer system rather than your car’s engine. This warning light is also referred to as the engine malfunction light, power loss light, service engine light or service soon light.

As far back as the early 80’s car companies have used on-board computers to control and monitor various engine systems. Computers now control fuel, ignition, pollution and other vehicle systems which were once mechanical. The purpose of this technology is to decrease air pollution, maintain good fuel economy and to increase the overall efficiency of the modern automobile. With this technology comes the need to have a system where-by the computer can actually check itself and help in the diagnostic process should a problem occur. For this reason, the “check engine” light was incorporated as part of a warning system on your dashboard.

When the check engine light is on, the vehicle’s on-board computer system is telling you that there is a problem. Many times the problem will be minor. The problem may fuel related, electrical, ignition, engine or pollution related. Most problems may be simple in nature but may take sophisticated diagnostic procedures to identify. Don’t be fooled by a “free” check engine light diagnosis. With the amount of knowledge and high-tech equipment needed to diagnose a vehicle’s on-board computer system it would be in your best interest to pay a trained professional to analyze your problem.

Intermittent glitches can also occur which can turn on the check engine light. These problems can be very difficult to solve and may even require your vehicle’s on-board computer to be updated or re-programmed. You should always have a trained automotive technician test your on-board computer when the check engine light comes on, even if you don’t experience any obvious problems.

Whether or not you heard it before, this advice from the Car Care Council is worth reviewing: don’t wait for an emergency to learn how to change a tire or hook up jumper cables. The latter becomes especially important in cold weather. Jumper cables should be connected properly to avoid sparks, which can cause an explosion of the hydrogen gas emitting from a battery. Beyond this, an incorrect hook up can damage critical, and expensive, electronic components.

The procedure is simple: Connect the positive (+) clamp to the positive terminal of the healthy battery and the other positive clamp to the corresponding terminal of the dead battery. Next, the negative (-), or ground, terminal on the good battery and, finally, the negative clamp to the engine block, frame or other grounded metal as far as possible from the battery. You want to avoid sparks in the vicinity of the explosive hydrogen gas that emits from the battery. Do not connect it to the ground terminal.

The Council offers an additional suggestion: if you are buying booster cables, buy the best quality you can afford. Look for well-insulated clamps and 8 gauge wire. (Note: the lower the wire gauge number, the heavier the gauge.) Under the heavy electrical load of boost starting, lightweight cables may not be able to deliver enough current to start some engines. In fact, they have been known to melt in the user’s hand.

If your battery is three years old or older and you haven’t had it checked, it’s a good preventive measure to do so, suggests the Council. A battery’s power is reduced as the temperature drops. And that’s when the engine’s starting demands are greatest.