Giving a Dead Battery a Jump

Maintenance and Service, ,

It’s a common problem, I’ve done it more than a few times. I’ve left my headlights on, my interior light, too. I’ve even shut my car door, thinking I closed it, but in fact, it never closed completely. Most new cars have a way of shutting them off after a period of time, but older cars just arent’t that advanced. What happens when you get in the car first thing in the morning and you reach in a turn the key? Nothing. Nothing at all. That’s when you have to ask your neighbor for a jump.

It’s scary how much I see people jumping cars incorrectly. It may seem like an easy thing to do, but it can be done wrong, and in some instances, it can cause damage to your car and even harm you. Here are a few points to consider next time you find yourself helping a neighbor or asking for help with a dead battery yourself.

1. Make sure the 2 vehicles are not touching. If they are, then you could create a current that could run through the car and damage the electrical system.

2. Turn the car giving the jump completely off. (The car needing the jump should already be off.)

3. Connect the red (positive) cable to the good battery’s positive terminal, then connect the red (positive) cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal using the same cable.

4. Connect the negative (ground) cable to the good battery’s ground terminal, then connect the negative (ground) cable to a solid ground (unpainted frame member or engine bracket) on the other car. Do not connect the negative terminal on the good battery to the negative terminal on the dead battery! Doing so will cause a spark and could ignite the battery. Connecting the cable away from the battery minimizes that risk.

5. Make double sure that the cable ends to not touch each other and the cables are not in the way of any moving parts or pulleys on the engine.

6. Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine at a fast idle for several minutes before attempting to start the vehicle with the dead battery. This will allow the good battery to pump more juice into the dead battery without causing a severe drain on it.

7. Start the vehicle with the dead battery. Once the vehicle has been started, carefully remove the jumper cables, keeping the metal ends away from each other until all 4 clamps have been successfully removed.

8. Drive the vehicle with the low battery for at least 30 minutes to recharge your battery. Driving time may need to be increased if your battery is close to the end of its life cycle.

There you have it! The safest way to jump a dead battery. Of course, you can always eliminate the need for a neighbor or a friend to jump your battery, there are numerous battery packs out there for a reasonable cost that you can keep in your trunk and use only when necessary. If your battery is kaput and can’t be jumped then hitch a ride over here and let us get you a new one!

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!

A Lesson in Trip Planning from UPS

Just for Fun

No Left TurnUPS delivers packages, everyone knows that. But what you may not know is that the drivers of over 95,000 trucks have plotted their routes to minimize the number of left turns they make. How many times have you sat at an intersection and waited for a few minutes while traffic passes you by? To the UPS drivers, that’s time and gas, both of which amount to money in their pockets. Why am I talking about this, you ask? We’re always looking for ways to save a little money here and there at the gas pump. I’m not saying that eliminating left turns is the way to saving tons of money or will help your children’s college fund, but it can help your car get anywhere from 3-5% better gas mileage. If UPS can shave 28.5 million miles off its delivery routes by planning ahead, maybe we can work it into our daily trips. Another tip you can learn from any kind of delivery driver is to make multiple stops on the same trip. If you need to go more than one place, make it a habit to kill multiple birds with one stone as trips back and forth to your house eat away at your gas tank.

Here’s a Mythbusters video that shows the concept and the results.

If you know of any other off-the-wall ways to save on fuel, find us on Facebook and let us know about them. Our readers would love to hear about them!

What’s The Real Difference Between Gasoline Octane Ratings?

Uncategorized

This is a common question I get asked when people are buying their new cars. I think that there’s a lot of misconceptions about octane rating and the effect it has on your car. Commercials will often have you believe that a higher octane rating means a higher output, but that’s simply not the case. First of all, always check your owner’s manual for the type of fuel the manufacturer recommends. The reason for that is because some higher performing vehicles require higher compression to run at peak levels.

Octane Explained

With modern spark-induced engines, your car’s pistons compress air and gasoline and when the spark hits, it forces the piston away, creating the power that your vehicle has to go down the road. The temperature at which your engine operates during this time is very high and can often ignite the fuel within the compression chamber without the use of a spark, causing your engine to ‘knock’. Higher octane fuels ignite at a higher temperature so it will resist the ‘knock’ of prematurely ignited fuel. As I said earlier, some high performance vehicles recommend higher octane fuels due to the fact that their engines are finely tuned and regular gas may cause a ‘knock’.

Here’s a great video I found going into a bit more detail than I did.

There you have it! Higher octane fuels do not give you better gas mileage or higher power output, it’s all dependent on the engine that’s in your car. Again, be sure to check out your owner’s manual before coming to the conclusion of which octane rating gasoline you need to put in your car. The extra $4-5 per fill-up of higher octane gas is just not worth it if your engine is designed to run on regular gasoline.

If you have any auto-related questions, visit our Facebook page and ask!

Common Questions: What Does The “2” & “L” Mean?

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Being in the car repair business, we field questions regarding the ins and outs of your vehicle on a daily basis. One that I get on a consistent basis asks what the different settings are for your automatic transmission. Everyone knows the P (park), R (reverse), N (neutral), and D (drive). But what are the other numbers and letters? Here’s a rundown and how/why they should be used.

 

3

This number denotes that when you are in this position, your car will not cycle out of 3rd gear. You’re probably asking yourself why you wouldn’t want to get out of 3rd gear, but there are situations that warrant it. You would use “3” if you were stuck in sand or snow (more power to wheels, less speed).

 

2

This number tells you that your vehicle will not cycle out of 2nd gear. You would use “2” if you were pulling a trailer up a hill (more pulling power, but less speed than 3).

 

L

You would use L or LOW basically when you need power to the wheels, like pulling a heavy trailer, driving on ice, or any situation when traction is of the utmost importance…

 

But remember, don’t drive in any of these lower gears for an extended period of time or at high speeds, these settings are situational.

 

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.

 

How Do Run-Flat Tires Work?

Parts and Accessories, Tips and HInts, Uncategorized, , ,

Run flat tires

A common question I get asked here at work is “How do run-flat tires work?” Run-flat tires are a great invention that allows you, the driver, to make better decisions as to what you do when you realize you have a flat tire. First, the sidewalls of these tires are designed to withstand the weight of the car when your tire loses pressure. After all, when you have properly inflated tires, the air is what carries the weight of the car, not the tires. Secondly, these tires have a redesigned bead to maintain the connection between the tire and the wheel, so once you lose tire pressure, your tire stays attached to the rim. This also prevents your wheels from ever hitting the ground.

Most run-flat tires can withstand about 50 miles, but some have been shown to go over 200! With that being said, these tires are not meant to be driven without proper tire pressure, they are merely a safety precaution to allow you to get off the side of the road and to a tire dealer or repair shop.

There are a few things you should take into consideration before purchasing a car with run-flat tires.
1. These tires are heavier and will hamper your car’s efficiency.
2. These tires are NOT cheap!
3. Once a run-flat tire has been punctured, it cannot be patched.

Check this video out for a little bit more in-depth analysis!

We recommend tire pressure monitoring systems that will notify you, while you’re driving, if one of your tires is dangerously low. The combination of run-flat tires and a TPMS is your best defense against ending up on the side of the road with a flimsy jack underneath your car. Come by and let us show you some of the models that they come standard on.

Power Windows Stopped Working And Rubber Seal In Door Is Cracked

Maintenance and Service, , , , , , ,

window seal, car window seal, power windows, freeman grapevine, buick, gmc, southlake buick, southlake gmc

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.

Securing That Load In Your GMC Truck

GMC, , , , ,

truckloadIf you own a truck, then that means that you are now the unofficial moving company for all of your friends and family. While you probably didn’t sign up for this duty when you bought your truck, at some point you are probably going to be asked to help a buddy move furniture and other large objects. While you may think that the most important part of helping someone move is how they will pay you back, it is actually knowing how to properly tie down your load. There is more that goes into moving than throwing everything haphazardly into your truck bed.

The first thing you should do is balance your load. You want to put your heavier and bigger items closer to the cab of your truck than in the back towards the gate. This will help give you better handling when driving. Also, if you have lighter stuff in the front of your bed, they may get crushed or broken due to the weight the may slide onto while moving. Also, try to fill as much space as possible. Think of your truck bed as a giant game of Tetris, and remember that the less open space there is the less chance for movement will occur.

Once you have your truck bed filled it is time to tie everything down. All trucks have anchor points along the sides of the bed, and some even have floor anchors. The optimal tie down angle is forty five degrees, and make sure that your bungee cords and tie down strips aren’t rubbing against any sharp objects to prevent your straps getting cut. If you need to create a tighter hold, then use the back of your truck bed as an anchor point. Before you drive off, be sure to give your load a firm shake and make sure that nothing will be loose or moving.

When driving, go slowly and don’t take hard turns or sudden stops and you and your load will arrive safely at your destination. If you are looking for a new truck, like a GMC Sierra, or Yukon, then be sure to come into Freeman Grapevine.

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

Just for Fun, Maintenance and Service, Safe Driving, Tips and HInts, , , , , ,

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!