Category Archives: Maintenance and Service

How Much Do You Know About Your Brakes

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OK, what do you do when you apply your brakes and there is minimal resistance resulting in the brake being depressed all the way to the floor? First, you read this, then you call Freeman Grapevine, you could have a very serious issue.

The best way I can explain brake problems is to quote some expert advice. My guys in the Freeman Service department know this stuff like the back of their hand. They can diagnose a brake issue almost as quickly as it takes to pull into the service bay. My guys are really busy, so I pulled to following information for 2carpros.com. It is a well rounded description of common…and not so common…braking issues. Thanks for the info guy!

Check the Brake System Fluid Level – Check the level of fluid in the brake master cylinder. It is natural for fluid to be a low if the front or rear brake pads-shoes have worn down, but if they are in good condition and the brake master cylinder reservoir is empty you might have a brake fluid leak somewhere in the system. Inspect front brake calipers, rear wheel cylinders (drums) or rear brake calipers and flex hoses front and rear of vehicle and look for any sign of fluid leakage.

Also check the rear of the brake master cylinder for fluid leaks, if brake fluid is present the master cylinder seals have failed and the master cylinder needs to be replaced. Replace any parts that are leaking or show signs of previous leakage. Refill and bleed the brake system as needed. (Note: if brake fluid has contacted the brake components i.e. brake pads or brake shoes the brake lining material is contaminated and must be replaced) If the brake fluid in the reservoir is full proceed to the next step.

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Brake Master Cylinder

Brake Master Cylinder is Full of Brake Fluid – If upon inspection the brake master cylinder is full of fluid, the brake master cylinder may be bypassing internally. This means the seals inside the master cylinder have failed allowing the fluid from the front of the master cylinder plunger to slip through to the rear of the plunger and back into the fluid reservoir. Allowing the brake pedal to go to the floor with out pressurizing brake fluid into the system. Replace master cylinder with new unit and bleed system as needed.

Failing Axle Bearings – The vehicle axle bearing holds the wheel true to the axle shaft while allowing the wheel to rotate. If the bearing fails it will allow the rotor to move back and forth, forcing the brake pads inward into the caliper. Then as you apply the brake pedal it will go to the floor as the caliper fills with fluid. In this case it may take one or two pumps to the brake pedal to regain normal operation. Inspect and replace failed axle bearings as needed, finish by bleeding and adjusting the system.

Air in Brake System – When brake calipers or rear wheel cylinders fail they can allow air into the system when the brake pedal is released. Bleed the brake system by loosening the air bleeder, if air is observed from the bleeder replace the caliper or wheel cylinder and re-bleed system. This condition is rare but it does happen.

If you believe that you are experiencing any of these problems, bring your Buick, or GMC into Freeman Grapevine immediately so we can take a look at it. The last thing you what while cruising at 60mph on the highway is to encounter a brake failure.

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Change Your Air Filter For More Engine Efficiency

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An often overlooked, but an extremely important component in keeping your engine running smoothly and efficiently is your air filter.

Here, we see a lot of need for air filter cleaning, or replacement. It can be hard to adhere to a specific time or mileage figure when a cleaning or change needs to occur, because the life of the filter depends on how much dirt and grime it ingests. We have seen filters that last 20,000 or even 30,000 miles on a vehicle that’s driven mostly on expressways but those same filters may last only a month or two in a rural setting where the vehicle is driven frequently on gravel roads. Changing your air filter annually, or every 15,000 miles for preventative maintenance may be a good recommendation for the city driver, but not its country cousin.

Regardless of the mileage or time, a filter should be replaced before it reaches the point where it creates a significant restriction to airflow. Interestingly, a slightly dirty filter actually cleans more efficiently than a brand new filter. That’s because the debris trapped by the filter element helps screen out smaller particles that try to get through. Eventually every filter reaches the point where it causes enough of a pressure drop to restrict airflow. Fuel economy, performance and emissions begin to deteriorate and get progressively worse until the dirty filter is replaced.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0nSeZcdVLM

If you think that your car could be performing better, or you don’t seem to be getting the gas mileage you believe you should, it might be time to change your air filter. Call Freeman Grapevine if you have any questions or need any assistance.

Did You Just Blow a Gasket?

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How do you know if you have a blown head gasket…aside from bringing it in to me to check it out? You can perform a test in your own driveway. Take a look at the video below for a step by step instruction.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA7KVQq9vKA&feature=related

Of course, if you find that you have blown a head gasket, I’d advise you to bring it too a service professional. There are a lot of mistakes that can be made when trying to go the home repair route. Just give me a shout and we can take a look at it for you.

Fort Worth GMC owners, keep your tires in better condition

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This might be a No-Brainer for most of you, but I’m constantly surprised by how many cars come into my Texas GMC Dealership that don’t have the correct amount of pressure in their tires. The fact of the matter is that under-inflated  tires can make your car handle poorly and eventually lead to a blowout! Too high of tire pressure means there is less of the tire touching the ground which can cause your traction and stopping distances to decrease. Too low of tire pressure means that more of the tire’s surface area is touches the ground increasing friction between the tire and the road. This can also cause your tires to wear out earlier. [CarsTalk.com]

There is an extremely easy way to avoid the above-mentioned situations. Measure your tire pressure regularly, especially in the summer months. All it takes is $10 and five minutes of your time.

1. Buy a Tire-Pressure Gauge

Never rely on your sight for judging whether or not a tire is low. Always use a tire-pressure gauge. You can pick one up for less than $10 almost anywhere. I found a great deal on a tire gauge, emergency hammer and seat belt cutter all-in-one on Amazon.com for only $15.

2. Find Out What Your Tire Pressure Should Be

If you open your driver-side door, you’ll find a sticker with a bunch of information on it. What you are looking for is the PSI (pounds per square in). This is the maximum amount of air pressure your tires should have.

3. Check the Pressure

Unscrew the cover on your valve stem, and press your pressure gauge firmly onto the valve stem. The end will slide out to show you the PSI of your tires. If you hear air escaping you’re not measuring the PSI correctly and need to push the end of the valve stem back in and try measuring the PSI again.

If you think you may not be doing it incorrectly, or have any questions in general, you can always give us a call or even swing by Freeman Grapevine! keeping your tires at the right pressure will not only prolong the life of your tires, but give you more control over your Fort Worth Buick or GMC.

Get Your Dallas Buick, or GMC’s Air Conditioner Ready For a Hot Summer

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buick gmc air condition, Buick Dealer, buying used car, dallas Buick Dealer, Dallas GMC Dealer, dallas GMC Truck, dallas new car, dallas Used Car, dallas Used Truck, dallas Used Truck. New Car, DFW Buick, dfw car dealer, dfw gmc, Fort Worth Buick, fort worth gmc, Fort Worth Truck Dealer, Ft. Worth Buick, Ft. Worth car dealer, ft. worth gmc, GMC Dealer, GMC Truck, Used Car, Used TruckSo, we’ve had a pretty mild winter here in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Freeman Grapevine is willing to bet that means we are going to have another scorcher of a Summer this year. That being said, “How is your GMC, or Buick’s A/C Working”?

This is something that Freeman Grapevine recommends that you check now. A broken A/C unit in Texas heat can probably be one of the most frustrating and uncomfortable things I can imagine going wrong with my car.

So, how do you know if your Air Conditioner needs service? There are two ways. You can do your research on the net and find videos like the one below. There are a lot of useful videos that can be found and used to diagnose almost any problem you may encounter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mai1uj8aKY

Of course, once you diagnose an A/C issue, what then? How do you fix it? Well, that’s the easy part. Bring your Buick or GMC into Freeman Grapevine. We’ll confer with you about your suspected issue and check ourselves. Upon finding the issue we’ll repair the problem quickly and cost effectively. There are a lot of things you can do yourself, but messing with your A/C unit, other than diagnosing a potential problem, can exasperate the issue. You are much better off having us take a look at it.

Is your steering wheel sticking on your Buick or GMC

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If you are driving an older car, than you may notice that it isn’t as easy as it used to be to make turns.  If you think that you are having to use more force to turn the wheel, or that it starts to stick, then that means that you are probably going to need to add or flush your power steering fluid.  Like many other parts of your car, your power steering is accomplished by a fluid that helps you drive your car with ease.  Over time, the steering fluid may get low, or become dirty and contaminated, which means you have to get rid of the old, and add in the new.

This can be easily done at home, but there is more to it than taking off a cap and adding more fluid.  The video below is a great walk through on how to flush your car’s power steering fluid.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u1EY2LCGRI

If you still feel that you are having problems turning your steering wheel, then you may want to take your car to a mechanic to make sure there aren’t any bigger problems. You can’t drive what you can’t steer. If you are looking for a new car that you can control with ease, then just swing by Freeman Grapevine and I’ll get you a great deal on a new Buick or GMC.

Proper Spare Tire Maintenance

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What’s the one thing that you really take for granted in regards to your car? Your A/C? The heated leather seats? How about the spare tire?

Freeman Grapevine wants to remind you that proper attention given to your spare tire will certainly pay off. Come on, this is Dallas Fort Worth, it’s like the road debris capital of the world here.

If you think that checking the air pressure in your spare might seem like common sense, you’d be surprised. For many people, it’s out of sight are also out of mind. Getting a flat is bad enough. Actually having a spare that is too under-inflated, well that will just ruin your day.

Many new cars have an on-board monitoring system that alerts you if your spare needs air. Pay attention to the warning or you will be paying for a tow truck.

Honestly, you should already know how to do this, but below is a brief video video on how to remove your spare. In fact, your spare might be even easier to access, as it might be contained in a compartment under your cargo space floor.

Check your spare tire monthly and start making that a habit. Remember, having a properly maintained spare tire, doesn’t mean doubling your waist size, but being a little more vigilant in regards to keeping your spare in good shape.

The Importance Of Your Engine’s Cooling System

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The engine cooling system is one of the most critical elements of engine performance and reliability but is often the most neglected maintenance item for all vehicles on the road today. Common, at home, flush procedures are not enough to remove the amount of contaminants present in neglected vehicles. There is a pretty good possibility that you don’t have the proper equipment to complete a really good contamination flush. Bring it to Freeman Grapevine for a power clean flush which is similar to the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVWznOl-WZw

Doing a thorough power clean will not only increase engine cooling efficiency, but it will also help protect the life of the water pump. Remember, your at home flush probably just isn’t going to be enough to remove a majority of the contaminates. Get your fluids flushed right here at Freemen Grapevine.

Learn the Importance of your New Car’s Air Intake System

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The safety, security, and performance of your new Buick, GMC or other brand is crucial if you desire to travel without fault.  In order to ensure that each of these elements are at their highest quality you must ensure that you are constantly maintaining every element of your new car or truck.

The problem is that many people will neglect to follow up on common vehicle problems unless these problems hinder the operation  of their vehicle.  This is the worse thing you can do.  A problem which may seem small right now could erupt into an even larger scale problem that could ultimately cost you a great deal more money than if you would have corrected the issue when it first was revealed.

One problem that many people attempt to avoid dealing with is issues with their vehicles air intake system.  If you remember one thing about this article it should be this:

“The air intake mechanism in your vehicle can’t be ignored!  Ignoring this element could cause additional damage to your vehicle and could also render it useless.”

What Can Happen If I Don’t Repair Or Replace My Damaged Air Intake System?

Deposits can accumulate on air intake valves, fuel injectors, and combustion chambers.  When this happens, your vehicle could lose power and be rendered useless.  You could also experience a misfire, knocking, or a rough idle.   Finally, you may have a very hard time starting your car.

What Do I Do If I Am Experiencing Issues With My Air Intake System?

If you are experiencing issues with your vehicles air intake system you should immediately stop driving the vehicle and immediately correct the issue.  You can attempt to clean the air intake mechanism on your own, or you can take your vehicle to a trained specialist who can repair and clean or replace your vehicles air intake mechanism for you.

The good news is that a new air intake system is inexpensive and can generally be replaced with little effort.  Even if you choose to carry out this task on your own, you will quickly discover that it is a very simplistic process.  Additionally, you will quickly be pleased with the manner in which your vehicle will operate once you have cleaned, repaired, or replaced your damage system.

Here’s a fun little video to show you how easy it is to clean your new car’s air intake system: (Yes, I know the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car.)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDHFm-4QFvs

If you have any more questions about your air intake system, just call or visit Freeman Grapevine. Remember, having a clean and properly functioning air intake system is paramount for your Buick, GMC or any any other brand to function efficiently.

Winterize your Buick Or GMC

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You may have never heard of the term “Winterization” before. RVers and Boaters are well aware of this term, but drivers aren’t really so much, especially here in Texas where our winters are especially mild.

However, something tells me that this year Dallas and Fort Worth are going to see a fairly cold winter and there are certain thing you should do to prepare for the colder months. There are a number of things that can go wrong with fluids, belts, hoses and wipers among other things, when the weather gets cold.

Check out the video below for some good tips on how to get your car ready for the winter, or “winterize” your Buick, or GMC. It goes over the winterization process in good detail.

Now some of this winterization you can do on your own, but it’s probably better to bring it into your Buick GMC dealer, Freeman Grapevine so you know that all of your fluids are being changed properly and as well as saving you a ton of time if you need to change out any hoses or belts. If you have any questions about the winterization of your Buick or GMC, give Freeman Grapevine before it gets too cold and you are left stranded in the cold.