| Your car's air conditioner is a pretty complex mechanism that should be serviced by a professional once per year, and that includes your AC system. Follow these Chevy AC maintenance guidelines to minimize wear and keep your cabin cool and comfy. |
Have you ever had the disconcerting experience of your car pulling to one side as you drive? Veering is one possible symptom of poor wheel alignment, a fault that can be avoided or fixed with regular realignments at your local dealership. Let's look at why routine Chevy wheel alignment is just as important as brake inspections and tire rotations in keeping you and your vehicle safe from harm. more Chevy Wheel Alignment: Importance and Indicators Misaligned Wheels Ruin Your Handling In all driving maneuvers, it's vital to stay in good control of your car. But precise control requires your wheels to be perfectly parallel and aligned. If your wheels get slightly knocked out of proper position by knocks over potholes, they'll begin pointing in different directions. This lessens the accuracy of handling and heightens your risk of collisions and skids. Your Tires Also Wear Down Faster When the wheels of a car are crooked, the suspension, differentials, steering column, and tires are all put under a great deal of strain. The tires, in particular, will suffer, wearing down quicker and with mismatched wear patterns. You'll need to replace unevenly worn tires more frequently, and they might blow out or lose traction on the road. How Frequently To Realign Your Wheels Car wheels are, fortunately, easy to set straight with the correct tools and methods. It's a good idea to have your wheel alignment measured twice a year, a process requiring specialist machinery that attaches to each wheel. Then, your wheels will probably need to be adjusted back into their original positioning every one or two years. Warning Signs of Poor Wheel Alignment After driving your car for several months or years, you'll know how the steering usually feels. If it ever feels off, perhaps looser or less precise, have your alignment checked. When wheels become seriously out of alignment, the steering wheel can sometimes become pushed permanently off-center, forcing you to apply pressure merely to maintain a straight course. This is hazardous and should prompt you to visit us for an immediate wheel alignment. As previously mentioned, when wheels become misaligned, they also might cause your car to veer slightly to one side, which would hinder your handling considerably. In addition, you might hear squealing when you corner; this noise is created by tires pressing against the tarmac at awkward angles, which also causes the uneven wear patterns. As with many essential automotive services, wheel alignment is best arranged as a proactive preventative procedure, rather than a reactionary service only carried out when you notice a problem. Visit Ed Martin Chevrolet in Anderson, IN, to book biannual alignment checks. We'll keep your steering, handling, and overall road safety optimized for the full lifespan of your car.
Your Chevy's radiator is essential for controlling your engine temperature. A car's engine is a very hot place due to the heat generated by combustion and the constant movement of thousands of parts. Without an effective cooling system, your car's engine can easily overheat and suffer serious damage. A radiator, like any other component, can get damaged. As your Chevy dealer, we're here to help you when you need a radiator repair. more Jammed Thermostat When your engine temperature rises over 180F, liquid coolant is released into your engine to lower the temperature. This coolant is a mix of antifreeze and water, and it can absorb heat as it travels through your engine. The hot coolant is pumped into your car's radiator, where it's cooled by air flowing in through the radiator grille. The coolant is then recirculated through your engine again until the temperature drops. The release of coolant is governed by a small component called the thermostat. This small valve opens when the engine temperature reaches a pre-set point, which is usually between 180F and 200F. If your thermostat fails, it will jam in either an open or closed position. If the thermostat jams closed, it won't release any coolant and your engine temperature will rapidly rise. Damaged Radiator Fins When the hot coolant flows into your radiator, it's diverted into parallel rows of thin aluminum tubes that look like fins. Cool air blowing in through the radiator as your car moves blows across these tubes to remove the heat from the coolant. These fins create a larger surface area and allow for faster and more efficient cooling of the liquid. The fins are made from aluminum which allows for faster cooling than steel, but it also makes them susceptible to damage. Grit, sand, and any small debris from the surface can easily bend or damage them. If enough of the tubes are damaged, this can block the radiator and prevent the hot coolant from being cooled. Your engine temperature will start to rise. If the fins are damaged, we would need to replace your radiator. Engine Temperature Rises It's not unusual for your engine temperature to temporarily rise due to hot weather or if your car is pulling a heavy load. Under normal circumstances, your car's cooling system will quickly reduce the temperature. If your engine temperature continues to climb, this is a sign that there's a problem with your cooling system. Some of the causes of a cooling system problem are a lack of coolant due to a leak, damaged radiator fins, or even a damaged thermostat. A rising temperature can easily lead to an overheated engine. To prevent this, it's advisable to pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and then call our service department. Our technicians will examine the system and find the cause of the problem. If your radiator doesn't seem to be working correctly, call us immediately at Ed Martin Chevrolet. image courtesy of pexels.com
Is your car overheating? The best course of action is to contact your Anderson, IN, Chevy dealer immediately before more damage occurs that could lead to expensive repairs and replacements. The certified Chevy technicians will expertly fix the overheating issue and ensure that your vehicle is running smoothly. Car Overheating? Visit Your Anderson, IN, Chevy Dealer Today more Signs Your Car Is Overheating One of the first indications that your car is overheating is the engine temperature gauge on your vehicle's dashboard will be in the red. A ticking sound coming from the front of your car means the engine is too hot. You might smell the sweet odor of leaking coolant or burnt oil. If you notice a puddle under your vehicle, low coolant and engine oil due to a leak can also cause overheating. When the engine gets too hot, you will see steam or smoke pouring out from under the hood. Causes of Overheating There is an array of issues that causes a vehicle to overheat. The most common overheating problems are caused by leaks in the cooling system, low coolant, corrosion, blocked hoses, poor airflow from the radiator, or a malfunctioning or broken thermostat, water pump, or radiator fan. What's important is to get professional help from your Chevrolet technician as soon as possible when your vehicle is overheating. When the engine overheats, it could cause severe damage to the engine and other components. This will lead to expensive repairs and replacements. What To Do When you notice that your car is overheating, switch off the air conditioning and turn on the heat to transfer the access heat away from the hot engine. Pull over immediately when the temperature gauge is in the red, and you smell a burning odor or see smoke pouring out from under the hood. Find a safe spot and switch the engine off immediately. Leave the engine off for at least 15 to 20 minutes and watch the temperature gauge. The temperature should return to normal as the engine cools down. Contact your Chevy technician and ask for assistance. What Not To Do When you notice your car is overheating, don't continue to drive your vehicle, even for a short distance. More damage will occur that could severely damage the engine and other components. Your vehicle's engine needs to cool down before it overheats to the point where it fails. When you pull over, don't pop the hood. You need to wait for the engine to cool down. If you open the hood immediately after you've switched the engine off, you might get injured by the steam or heat. Don't just wait for the engine to cool down to add coolant, and not have your vehicle thoroughly inspected. It's crucial to determine what is causing the issue and get it repaired as soon as possible. Prevent Your Vehicle From Overheating Regular Chevrolet maintenance is the key to good car care. If you stick to your vehicle's maintenance schedule and factory-recommended intervals, your Chevy will run at its best. Your Chevrolet technician will perform the necessary fluid checks, corrections and replacements, and coolant system maintenance at the prescribed intervals. The technician will detect issues early and perform preventative maintenance and repairs before the problem increases. You will have the peace of mind that your vehicle is in tip-top condition and will not let you down. When your Chevy is overheating, contact the experts to ensure that the problem is dealt with effectively to avoid more damage from occurring and expensive repairs and replacement. Visit Ed Martin Chevy today. Our highly qualified and experienced Chevrolet technicians will thoroughly inspect your vehicle and ensure that every system and component is in perfect working condition. image courtesy of pexels.com
