Category Archives: Maintenance and Service

Helpful Tips For Maintaining Your Car’s Battery

Maintenance and Service

Maintain your car batteryCar batteries aren’t cheap. I just replaced mine and it was just over $100! So that got me thinking about the maintenance that I should be doing to make sure that I don’t help end my battery’s useful life prematurely. I came up with 6 tips to get the most out of your battery.

1. Check the water level in your battery every 2-3 months.

Check on your battery for signs indicating the fill line. Don’t overfill your water reservoir, if you do, it will spill acid and corrode whatever it lands on. Also, double check to make sure your battery is one that requires water to operate, some newer models do not.

2. Clean the terminals with a wire brush every 6 months.

You know that weird stuff that grows out of your battery terminals? That’s not a good thing. That can also stop your battery cables and battery from conducting electricity. Get a good wire brush, remove the cables, and get all of that acid build-up off. Using a paste of baking soda and distilled water will definitely help remove the acid.

3.  Coat the battery with grease made for high temperatures.

Applying this battery grease will protect it from rust and corrosion.

4. Check your cell voltage every time you get your oil changed.

When you’re at the service center, getting your oil changed, ask the repairman to check your voltage. They should have a voltmeter to check the output of your battery. Make sure it’s somewhere around 12.5 volts when it’s fully charged.

5. Check your battery’s insulator.

These come in handy when you live in an area with extreme temperatures. Texas being one of them. Extremely high temperatures can cause the fluid to dry out more quickly and shorten your battery’s life. These insulators protect them from getting too hot or too cold.

6. Check with a service center for regular check-ups.

Only a car repair professional can diagnose problems with your battery. Always check with a pro before you spend the money on a new battery. Who knows? You may not even need a new one!

If you know of any other tips and tricks to keep your battery running strong, find us on Facebook and let us know!

Checking Your Tire Pressure With Your Eyes

Maintenance and Service

4pcs-set-Car-Tire-Pressure-Monitor-Valve-Stem-Cap-Sensor-Indicator-Eye-Alert

Let’s be honest, we don’t check our tire pressure as often as we need to. In fact, we oftentimes let our tires run low way longer than we should. I’m just as guilty of it as everyone else. Regardless of the benefits of maintaining the correct tire pressure, we still are slow to stop by the 7-11 to put a few pounds of air in them. Don’t trust the tire’s shape to tell you whether or not they are low. If you have new tires without a lot of miles on them, they may not show any signs of low pressure until it’s beyond critical.

Properly maintained tires will:

  • Increase gas mileage
  • Enhance handling
  • Wear your tread longer
  • Help to prevent accidents

Most of our new Buicks and GMCs come with a tire pressure monitoring systems so you will be alerted when one of your tires is getting low, but cars more than a couple years old probably aren’t equipped with them. I’ve always used tire pressure valve caps. They offer a visual representation of your tire’s pressure. All you have to do is look at them and you can tell whether or not you need to put air in your tires. They are simple to use, all you have to do is replace your current valve stem covers with them and you’re all set! You can buy them in a few different tire pressure settings (28, 32, 36). Double check the placard inside your driver’s side door to make sure you keep the proper pressure in your tires. You can get them at just about any auto parts store for about $10 for a set of 4.

 

Power Windows Stopped Working And Rubber Seal In Door Is Cracked

Maintenance and Service, , , , , , ,

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Have you ever thought about the need to lubricate the rubber seal in your door where the window fits? If you haven’t, then think about this.Over time the rubber seal, where your window should sits snugly when rolled up, will dry our and will start folding which will continue to damage the rubber and eventually create a gap.

Further, you will put more strain on your window motor and cable system. As you probably can guess, a power window motor replacement will cost a fairly decent amount of money when all is said and done.

So, how can you make that rubber seal in to window section of your door last longer? Check out the video below. It gives a really good lesson on how to save the rubber seals in your car doors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS62LquGOUk

If you’ve already well past this point and need to have your window motor replaced in your Buick, or GM vehicle. Or, if you need to have your rubber seals replaced, you can bring it to Freeman Grapevine and we’ll see if we can salvage it first. If it needs replacement, well, we’ll let you know and you can choose to replace it…or never open your window.

Common Car Problems That You Don’t Need to Kick Up a Stink About!

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You know you’ve done it!  An indicator light goes on in the instrument panel or you hear a new, strange noise and of course you’re thinking that something must absolutely be wrong with your car and it needs immediate attention! Well relax, take a deep breath and let’s sort through some of the common car problems that you just don’t need to kick up a stink about!  And of course you can also come chat with us at Freeman Grapevine too!

The check engine light goes on and immediately you panic that just maybe, maybe…your car is going to blow up.  Take a deep breath and calm down. More than likely the check engine light is just signaling to you that you need to take your car in for a scheduled mileage maintenance. Usually the check engine light will show up in two colors, amber for non-emergency maintenance and red for you should probably hurry up and get it checked out sooner rather than later. Double check your vehicles manual to be 100% sure though as not all vehicles are the same.

Click. Click. Click. Ohhh, a new sound just sounded. What to do? Again, no need to panic. A lot of noises you hear are things that don’t need to be fussed about and will actually just sort themselves out. Just like how that rock got stuck between tires treads and is making the clicking sound, it will soon work itself out. Or if it’s really driving you crazy you can very carefully do some detective work and try to figure out which tire it is and get it out yourself.

A locked steering wheel and your key won’t turn. They’re not broken. You just need to put a little muscle into really. Seriously, grab the steering wheel and turn it hard in one direction and turn the key. If it’s still not working try the other direction.  But don’t force the key. You don’t want to break it or the ignition as that will be a very costly fix all for nothing. Once you get the steering wheel in the sweet spot the key should turn just as it normally does.

You think you might have a leak. So you just pulled out from your where your car was currently parked only to notice that there’s liquid there that you swear wasn’t there before. First, it really could have been there before and you just like to freak yourself out. Or maybe there is some liquid, but if it’s not a lot then there’s usually nothing really to worry about. In fact, if you’ve been using your AC a lot lately it could just be built up condensation. If you notice a color to the liquid then you may have a coolant leak. This could potentially be a problem so if you suspect it is check your coolant level, but carefully as the car needs to be completely cooled before doing so.

Hopefully those few common car problems mentioned above will help calm your nerves when you’re driving. But if you suspect a problem, please don’t hesitate to contact our service department so that we can get it fixed for you, just contact Freeman Grapevine today!

Changing The Oil In Your Rear Differential

Maintenance and Service, ,

rear differential, freeman grapevine, differential

If you’ve ever considered changing your rear differential  fluid, or differential oil check out the video below. It’s very informative and give a great lesson on how to change your rear differential oil and which differential fluid should you buy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74H41bUUANY

Expert: Nathan McCullough
Bio: Nathan McCullough graduated from Nashville Auto-Diesel College with a GPA of 3.5 and received their Craftsmanship Award and Honor Seal.
Filmmaker: Robert Rogers

However, if you feel that changing your rear differential fluid is a little out of your mechanical prowess, then don’t hesitate to swing by Freeman Grapevine. This type of periodic maintenance can be tricky, so make you do your research and check your cars manual to

Fixing A Radiator Leak

Maintenance and Service, , , , , ,

As you may, or may not know, if you fail to change your coolant every 100,000 miles, or 5 years or so, you run the risk of it turning corrosive and actually eating the radiator materials from the inside out. This includes the hoses and heater core. The heater core is basically, for lack of a better description is buried deep in your system and can be considered at the very center of your heating and cooling system. If it breaks down long enough it can cause some serious problems, such as causing a leak within the vehicle itself.

However, if you find that it is a hose, a water pump, or the radiator itself, then you are in luck. That’s an easy replacement, or you may even be able to seal the leak.

Check out the video below for a description on where radiators can leak and what you can do about it on your own.

Now, as was stated in the video, sealing a leak, if you can, is only a temporary fix. You are better off replacing the radiator altogether. If you think you have a radiator leak that needs to be fixed in your Buick, or GMC vehicle, feel free to give Freeman Grapevine a call. You can certainly attempt to replace the radiator on your own. It’s not that time consuming, however, if you aren’t comfortable with mechanics, or haven’t changed a radiator yourself before, you may want to give us a call.

 

Pale Blue Smoke From Tailpipe

Maintenance and Service, , , ,

blue smoke tail pipe, burning oil, freeman grapevine

Have you been seeing a pale blue smoke coming out of your tailpipe when you start your engine in the morning? The blue color is an indication that oil is being burned in the cylinders. The fact that it occurs only in the morning means you probably have worn valve guide seals that are leaking tiny amounts of oil into the cylinders overnight. It’s a fairly common problem with older vehicles and not necessarily serious as long as the car is not consuming oil between oil changes.

In order to solve this problem, you are going to need to replace the seals. However, you may have another valve problems,and at worst you may have to replace a piston. Let’s be realistic, unless you are a master mechanic, you are going to want it bring it to Freeman Grapevine, or another qualified mechanic. A severe issue may take a few days to diagnose and fix.

Transmission Buzzing Or Growling

Maintenance and Service, , , ,

broken transmission, transmission growl, transmission problems

 

Quick Tip: Does your transmission growl, or buzz when starting out in drive, or reverse?

That is to say, when you start going. If you hear are hearing noise from your transmission, this can often be a sign that your vehicle is low on transmission fluid. It really could be as simple as that. So, it goes without saying, check your fluid levels first before you start assuming the worst.

However, other possibilities might include a faulty torque converter, a damaged flywheel, of another internal problem that is probably going to require someone to take a look at your transmission. You very likely, are going to need an overhaul.

Check out the video below for some more detailed information about transmission problems.

Now, a potential transmission issue will rear its ugly head. If you suspect that you may have an issue, check your fluid first then call you mechanic. the sooner you do it, the more money you stand to save!

The Top 5 New Car Maintenance Issues

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NEWS FLASH! You have to do more than just fill up your car with gas and occasionally clean the windows!

The American Automobile Association conducted nationwide clinics at 25 different AAA clubs that included inspecting 6,082 vehicles to find out the five most common car problems–all of which are easy to fix with just a little time and not too much money.

1. Tire pressure

Drivers should check tire pressure at least once a month to ensure tires are not under- or over-inflated. Low pressure in the tires can increase wear and fuel consumption, while having too much pressure may reduce traction. Keeping tires properly aligned will also help assure longer tire life and improve fuel economy.

2. Clean Air Filter

Maintain and replace air filters as often as is recommended in your owner’s manual to ensure better air flow through the engine. This, in turn, will improve engine efficiency and result in more power and better fuel usage. (This is probably one of the easiest and most overlooked general maintenance

3. Insufficient tire tread depth

For sufficient traction, tires should have a minimum of 5mm tread depth. Use a depth gauge to check. Most tires also have built-in tread wear indicators that let you know when tire replacement is necessary. If you happen too have a Quarter or Penny on you you can check the depth by placing the coin head down in the tread like the picture below:

4. Engine oil that is low or needs to be changed

Dirty oil will increase engine wear, while low oil levels can lead to overheating. If the oil level drops too low, lubrication will be lost and severe engine damage can result. Regular oil changes will add longevity to the engine.

5. Worn-out windshield wiper blades

Rigid, cracked or torn wiper blades can greatly reduce visibility when driving in rain and snow, which could increase your chance of having a crash. Examine and replace your windshield wiper blades once a year or sooner if streaking begins.

Your vehicle should be well taken care of. Whenever there is a need of the auto repairs you should contact the best auto repair facility in the town.

Avoid The Dreaded Dead Battery

Maintenance and Service, , ,

This just happened to me and it’s going to happen to you too. You are going out to eat, and when you get in your car, it struggles just a bit to start; not much, but you decide to continue to your destination anyway. You park, lock the doors, go inside and have a great meal.

Well, unfortunately what you didn’t know was that the locking of our car doors was pretty much the end of the last bit of juice you had left in your old battery. (If this is a new battery, you may have an entirely different problem). You know you used up the last of the juice because now your car simply make a click, or a series of clicking sounds without ever turning over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW_KkEhCy68

So what causes your aging battery to age even quicker?

  • Avoid Short Trips- If you rarely drive more than 20 minutes at a stretch, you aren’t giving your alternator enough time to fully charge the battery. Drive a minimum of 30 min once a week to avoid chronic undercharging which causes a buildup of sulfate deposits on the internal plates. This will eventually impede the battery’s ability to hold a charge
  • Unplug The Gadgets- Whether it’s a laptop a passenger is using, a DVD player in the back seat,  or the simple charging of a phone. Actualy forgetting to unplug devices like these overnight without having the ignition engaged, might draw enough power to leave you with a dead battery in the morning.
  • Watch For Warning Signs-An illuminated alternator or battery waring light is a good sign. If you have a volt meter it should read between 13.5 and 14.5 volts with the engine running and all accessories turned off. If you don’t have warning lights or a volt meter, you probably have an ammeter. In this case while driving, your indicator needle should return to the center of the gauge. If it stay high on the (+) side, that means you battery isn’t holding a charge. If it is on the (-) side, you are having an alternator issue most likely.
  • Watch For Excessive Vibration-Vibration can literally shake your battery to death. The coatings on actually shake loose from the plates on the battery’s interior. This usually happens when the battery isn’t properly anchored.
  • Over charging and Chronic Undercharging will also do a number on your battery. Over charging actually lessens the life of your battery. Undercharging often results in a battery that is unable to hold it’s charge.

If you think you need a battery change, checkup or charge. You know that Freeman Grapevine is always here to take care of any of your service needs.