How to Stop an Engine from Overheating

If it's possible to pull over:

Radiator Cap

1. Pull Over, Turn off the engine and allow it to cool down.
2. Open the Hood
3. DO NOT OPEN the radiator cap when it's still hot! The content is hot and under pressure. Releasing the cap can cause its content to burst out and burn your skin.
4. Check the coolant reservoir tank. Fill it if needed (If your car only has a radiator and no coolant reservoir, you must wait for it to cool before checking the level of coolant).
• If the car was simply low on coolant and you were able to refill it, it may be safe to drive on. Follow the instructions below for how to minimize the risk of overheating if you do so.
• If the car appears to be out of coolant entirely, do not drive it. You can quickly cause severe harm to your engine by doing so.
• If help is readily available, you may be better off calling for a tow truck than driving the car.
• If no help is available or conditions are otherwise unsafe you may need to drive on regardless of whether you were able to solve the problems. Read below for how to manage your car if this is the case.

If it's NOT possible to pull over:

1.  Turn the A/C OFF
2. Flip the climate controls to vent, turn the heater all the way up, and turn the fan all the way up. If the weather is hot, the inside of the car will heat up quite a lot. Point the vents out the windows as much as possible to help reduce the temperature.
3. Keep your attention on the temperature light on the Dashboard.
4. Those tips can help you minimize the heating if you can't pull over:
• Turn off your engine, but only if you are sitting in traffic or stopped at a light and not moving for more than a minute. Keep a lookout ahead for when the traffic will move and turn your engine on before that point.
• Keep it steady in stop and go traffic. It is better to move at a steady slow pace than to go fast, stop, go fast stop, etc. (Generally people will not cut you off in stop and go traffic since everyone is stuck in the same situation.)
• If your vehicle has a belt-driven radiator fan (usually rear wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles) and you are stuck in traffic, place the transmission in neutral or park, and smoothly increase the engine speed to 2000 RPMs. Hold the RPM there for a minute or so. This will increase the speed of the engine, and in turn, turn the water pump and radiator fan faster. This will draw more air through the radiator to dissipate the heat. If your car has electric fans (typically front-wheel-drive vehicles), this method will not work for you.
• Wait out rush hour traffic. Pull over if you think your car will break down in stop and go traffic. Turn off the engine and wait for the traffic to start moving normally. Once the traffic starts flowing again, it is better for you to drive faster than slower as more air will come in and cool your engine. 
  

 You can find the full article with explanatory images here:
 http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-an-Engine-from-Overheating

10 maintenance checks you’ve probably missed

Just about everyone knows how to check their oil regularly. Here are some less-common maintenance checks that might not be on your radar, but should be: 

1. Most people check occasionally their tire pressure, but forget about their spare. All pneumatic lose air pressure over time. After a few years of neglect, the high-pressure compact spare is typically under-inflated, sometimes dangerously so, if ever required.
   
2. Check all lights.  Don’t let a broken bulb lead to a collision.
   
3. Check battery “eye” if equipped.  Some batteries have an “eye” to visually indicate charge condition.  Any color besides green means trouble.  But note that green can also be a false positive where battery output only becomes insufficient under load due to bad cell.
4. Check coolant level and condition.  If discolored or foul smelling, a flush-and-fill may be due.  An inexpensive coolant tester (syringe) can verify freeze-up/boil over protection.
5. Visually check air-con “eye.”  Bubbles in the A/C sight-glass indicate low refrigerant, and oil streaks spell trouble.  Watch for refrigerant flow to avoid confusing a completely discharged A/C system for a full one.
6. Clean debris from fins of radiator, air-con condenser and power steering cooler, if equipped.  Obstructed airflow can lead to overheating of these systems.
7. Pull out tranny dipstick and sniff it.  Really.  Fluid should be clear, bright red, and have no burnt odor – which indicates overheating.  Check fluid level while engine is running (Of course, it’s also good to check oil, brake, power steering and washer fluid levels).
8. Visually inspect tires.  That is, look at them once in awhile.  Uneven tread wear, bald tires, or damage to sidewalls or tread require attention.  A nail in the tread can typically be mended if caught early (i.e. tire looks unusually low), but can lead to a high-speed blowout if ignored.
9. Check jack and spare.  Don’t find out at roadside that the jack is missing in your used car, or that you need special tools (e.g. for wheel locks).
10. Lift foot mats in an older car and inspect floor.  Salt water running off your shoes in wintertime can pool beneath mats and corrode metal.  Holes in the floorboard will allow potentially deadly exhaust fumes to enter vehicle.
    
    
    reference:http://www.wheels.ca/guides/10-maintenance-checks-youve-probably-never-done/
    

Wheel Alignment

As part of normal driving, parts of your car's suspension may become worn, and springs can be stretched out. Even a small accident or bumping a curb can disrupt your suspension, knocking some of the highly calibrated components off-kilter, making your wheels sit at improper angles. An alignment restores these angles to their correct measurements, making sure that your wheels sit straight.

Your car is likely out of alignment if:

• The tires are worn on the outside 
• Your car seems to be drifting to one side, even when you think you're driving straight
• Your steering wheel vibrates
• You are driving straight, but your steering wheel isn't centered

You should also check your owner's manual to see how often the manufacturer recommends having the alignment checked.

source: www.platinumautoservice.com

The most important benefit of an alignment is less tire wear. And when tires do wear down, they'll do so evenly on a properly aligned suspension. Tires can be quite expensive (easily $100 or more per tire) whereas an alignment often costs much less, making it a cost-effective procedure that should be part of regular car maintenance.

A wheel alignment service will ensure that your car drives straight and handles properly, making your ride safer.


Source: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car-problems/body/car-realigned.htm 

How Often Should You Wash Your Car?

Dirt, tree leaves, mist and bird droppings, affect the exterior look of the vehicle if not cleaned regularly. It can be done at home or at the car wash . It is, however, not certain how often the owner should wash their car. We think that it's best if cars are washed once a week, based on the following parameters:

Location: Coastal areas residents are required to clean their cars more often or as many times as possible within a month. This is because salt in the air and other dirt affect the car if you do not wash it often. If your residence is in a dust free zone, you can schedule the wash once a month. Industrial area residents should also clean their vehicles frequently as chemical particles may build up and destroy the body and paintwork of the car.

Travel: Those who travel a lot to different places regularly expose their vehicle to dust, vegetation and mud. That leads to scratches and cracks on the windows and the car’s exterior. Therefore, washing of such vehicles every week or two is necessary to preserve the shine for a long time.

blog.northtxhyundai.com

Climate : In winter, snow, salt and mud eat away the paint on the vehicle. In the springtime, there is lot of pollen and other things floating around in the air. In those cases, it's necessary to wash your car once a week. The same goes for vehicles in high humidity locations. Moisture attracts contaminants and promotes a variety of chemical reactions that can destroy your car’s chrome and paint. If you live in a climate where sand or salt is used on the road surface, be sure to rinse inside the wheel wells also. In seasons or climates less conductive to corrosion, a wash every two weeks or so is adequate. In areas with acid rain, a wash every ten days is advised.  

Temperature: Temperature accelerates the problem of erosion. Acid from bugs, bird droppings, tree sap and even tree leaves become more active when heated. Metal retains heat when sitting out in the sun, which in turn increases the chances of permanent stains when left on your car. For that reason, washing your vehicle every now and then is necessary to nullify the temperature hazard.


Source: http://www.detailxperts.net/blog/2011/10/20/how-often-should-you-wash-your-car/

IDLING

Many of us keep our car in idle mode when we are waiting, without calculating the consequences. If you are going to park and wait for more than 30 seconds, it is better not to keep your car in Idle mode. Instead, turn off the engine.Idling for 1 hour burns nearly 1 gallon of gasoline!

Idling is linked to increases in asthma, allergies, heart and lung disease and cancer.

For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about one mile(~1.6 Km). Research indicates that the average person idles their car 5 to 10 minutes a day. 
Ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it. And when you start your engine, don't step down on the accelerator, just simply turn the key to start.

One of the common ways cars are kept idling is when the driver is warming up the engine. Idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to do this is to drive the vehicle. With today's modern engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days.

Idling is damaging the engine! Excessive idling can actually damage your engine components, including cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust systems. Fuel is only partially combusted when idling because an engine does not operate at its peak temperature. This leads to the build up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.

Is shutting off and restarting your vehicle hard on the engine and does it use more gas than if you leave it running? Frequent restarting has little impact on engine components like the battery and the starter motor. Component wear caused by restarting the engine is estimated to add $10 per year to the cost of driving, money that will likely be recovered several times over in fuel savings from reduced idling. 

The bottom line is that more than ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine. 


source:http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html

Pre-Summer Preparations

You definitely can't change the summer heat, but you can make sure your car is ready to face it and keep you comfortable during your summer rides.

img src: http://shadesofpinkmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/summer-car-care-tips.jpg

• Make sure your car has tires suitable for the summer weather conditions.
• Have the A/C system checked.
• Make sure the engine's cooling system is working perfectly to avoid overheating .
• If your car doesn't use oil suitable for year-round use, it's better to switch to thicker oil that protects engine components better when it's hot.
• Don't forget the basic checks which you should be doing all year round:  FLOWER Basic Checks        

Dashboard Lights

Nowadays cars have different self-check actions which alert the driver in case of malfunction through the dashboard warning lights.
it's important for the driver to know whether a warning light requires immediate attention or whether he can continue his journey and get a garage to investigate later.

If a warning light comes on or doesn't turn off after having started the engine, the driver should stop as soon as possible in a safe place.

Oil Pressure

If the light stays on after starting or illuminates during a journey, stop immediately, switch off the engine and check the engine oil level.
Add the necessary amount of oil if the oil level is low.
If the warning lamp illuminates, even though the oil level is correct, do not start the engine and seek assistance.

Battery charge

If this light doesn't illuminate when you start the engine and switches off or illuminates and doesn't switch off, or if it illuminates while driving, your battery is not being charged.
The reason could be one of the following:

• slack battery or starter terminal
• a broken or loose alternator drive belt
• an alternator failure

If the drive belt is broken, it must be replaced before you restart the engine. The coolant system may rely on this belt and its failure could cause the engine to overheat, in turn causing engine damage. Immediately move the vehicle to a safe location and switch off the engine. Do not restart the engine and seek assistance.

Engine warning light

Illuminates when the ignition is switched on. Should extinguish as soon as the engine starts. If it illuminates with the engine running, it indicates a malfunction with the engine management system. Have this checked as soon as possible.
If it flashes when driving, reduce the vehicle speed immediately until the light illuminates constantly. If it continues to flash, avoid heavy acceleration and high engine speed, stop the vehicle and have it checked immediately.
If it is safe to do so, try stopping the vehicle, switching off the engine, wait two minutes, then restarting the engine to reset the engine management system.

Brake system

This light will remain illuminated when the handbrake is engaged. Illumination after releasing the handbrake may indicate low brake fluid level.
As the brakes wear the fluid level will slowly drop. Check your brake fluid level frequently to ensure there is no further rapid loss of fluid.
If the brake fluid is too low and brake pedal travel is distinctly longer than usual, one of the two hydraulic brake circuits may have failed. Do not continue your journey and seek assistance.
If the light remains illuminated, even though the brake fluid level is correct, this may indicate a sensor fault. Take your vehicle to a dealer or garage as soon as possible.

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) partially blocked

Diesel Particulate filters (DPF) catch bits of soot in the exhaust.
They have to be emptied regularly to maintain performance. For a DPF this process is called 'regeneration' – the accumulated soot is burnt off at high temperature to leave only a tiny ash residue. Regeneration may be either passive or active.
Passive regeneration takes place automatically on motorway-type runs when the exhaust temperature is high. 
If the journey's a bit stop/start the regeneration may not complete and the warning light will illuminate to show that the DPF is partially blocked.
It should be possible to start a complete regeneration and clear the warning light by driving for 10 minutes or so at speeds greater than 40mph.

ABS warning light
When the ignition is switched on, the light illuminates briefly to confirm that the system is operational.
If it illuminates when driving, it indicates a malfunction. Have this checked as soon as possible.

Brake system and ABS warning lights

If both warning lights illuminate at the same time when driving, stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Reduce vehicle speed gradually and immediately move the vehicle to a safe location. Use the brakes with great care. Do not step on the brake pedal abruptly. Seek assistance.

Fuel filter water trap (diesel engines)

This light illuminates when the ignition is switched on and should extinguish after a few seconds.
If it illuminates while driving, it indicates that water has been detected in the fuel filter.
This light warns you that the amount of accumulated water in the fuel filter has reached the specified level.
Normally the vehicle is quite safe to drive, but have the accumulated water in the fuel filter drained off as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has just been re-fueled, immediately move the vehicle to a safe location and switch off the engine. The fuel may have been contaminated and could cause damage to the injection system.

source: http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/breakdown_advice/warning_lights.html

FLOWER Basic Checks

To download the rules: http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/breakdown_advice/flower-power.pdf

Source:  theaa.com

How to check if you need new tires

Tires get old and worn down. And because a tire failure while you're driving can be catastrophic, causing your car to go out of control or leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere, you want to know when your tires are in bad shape so you can get new ones before something goes wrong.

Tread Depth: The tread on your tires should never fall below 1.6 millimeters in depth. If you regularly drive on slick, wet surfaces, you'd be even better off with twice that much. 



The Tread Wear Indicator Bar: Newer tires have tread wear indicator bars built into the tires themselves. These bars, invisible or barely visible when the tires are new, gradually begin to appear as the tread wears down. They appear as flat rubber bars running perpendicular to the direction of the tread itself. If more than one or two of these are visible on a tire, the tread is getting low.

Cracks in the Sidewall: Look for tracks or cuts in the sidewall.This could be a sign that your tire is developing a leak (or worse, that it's nearly ready to blow out). This is definitely something you want to avoid.

Bulges and Blisters on the Tire: Sometimes the outer surface of the tire begins to weaken. The result can be a bulge or blister that extends outward from the rest of the surface. This weak spot can cause a sudden blow out, and if you don't put the car in the service center before this happens, it may end up putting you in the hospital when the tire blows out on the freeway. 

Too Much Vibration: A certain amount of vibration is inevitable when driving, especially on poorly paved roads, but if you've been driving for a while, you probably know how much vibration feels right and how much means that something's going wrong. There can be any of a number of causes for the vibration -- maybe your tires are misaligned or unbalanced, or your shock absorbers are starting to go. But it could also indicate that there's some sort of internal problem in the tire itself. Even if the tire isn't the root cause of the vibration, the vibration could damage the tire and pretty soon you'll have a problem. So if your car has a bad case of the shimmy-shimmy shakes, especially if you notice this when you aren't driving on bad roads, take it to the mechanic right away to have it checked out.

Source:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/5-warning-signs-you-need-new-tires.htm

Gas Saving Tip: A/C

What about the age-old question of whether you can save gas by turning off your air conditioner and rolling down your windows or whether you’re better off leaving your windows up and turning on your air conditioner?

It all depends on how fast you’re going. The tipping point is 60 mph. If you’re driving 60 mph or faster, it makes sense to roll up your windows and turn on the A/C. On the other hand, if you’re driving slower than 60, you can get better gas mileage by rolling down your windows and turning off the A/C. This has to do with aerodynamic drag. The faster you drive, the more drag, so if you roll up your windows, you reduce drag.

Engine Oil

What is the use of Engine Oil?

Lubricating oil prevents moving metal components seizing or bonding with each other.
Modern car engines need oils that are really durable, and last for many thousands of miles between services.

Modern oils protect against corrosion and sludge formation, and contain detergent additives to keep the engine clean.

The vehicle handbook includes information about the specification(s) of engine oil that are suitable for your engine.

Maintain the wiper blades of your car, by Bosch.

As the snow falls, we thought it might be a good time to share some preventative maintenance tips to help you get the most from your wiper blades.
1. You should never wipe your blades clean with a rag. This removes the graphite coating, which reduces friction and prevents blade jumping.

2. Clean ice, snow and dirt from your windshield before turning your on windshield wipers. Using the wiper blade to remove accumulated snow and ice will damage the blade, shortening its life and cost you more money.

3. If you’re expecting snow or sleet, lift the wiper arm to its upright position overnight or while parked so that the blade doesn’t freeze against your windshield.

Whether you're pushing the limits of your engine or driving around town, wouldn't you rather know that you can always rely on your wiper blades to see the road? Clear the way with Bosch ICON wiper blades. http://boschautoparts.com/ClearTheWay

Car seat law

Car seat law varies between countries
however the general rule is to keep the child in a size appropriate seat until the seat belt of the vehicle fits properly on child's body and not over The neck.

Important Advice