Summer Maintenance Checklist

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Summer came hard and quick to New York and it’s best to make sure that your vehicle is ready for the oncoming heat.  Here is a list of things to bear in mind when getting ready for summer.

  • Engine, Belts, Hoses, & Fuel Filter:

You will want to replace belts and hoses on a regular basis helps to avoid a breakdown or engine damage.  Replacing the fuel filter will make sure that your engine is running properly and will maximize your fuel economy.

  • Tires:

Check the air pressure for all of your tires.  That includes the spare.  If the pressure is off, that can lead to premature ware.  That, in turn, leads to decreasing your fuel mileage.

  • Brakes:

Brakes are used frequently throughout a single day.  Every time the brakes are applied, a thin layer of the pad disintegrates.  Make sure you inspect and replace those pads to ensure proper performance.

  • Oil:

Make sure your engine oil level is checked often and changed and refilled on a regular basis.  If the oil is dirty or too low, you can experience engine problems.  Not something you want happening to you in New York summers.

  • Air Filter:

Replacing a dirty filter will help protect your engine from airborne contaminants.  The car will get better air flow.  That helps decrease on fuel consumption.

  • Fluid Levels:

Dirty fluids have an impact on the performance of your vehicle and can lead to breakdowns.  Make sure you’re checking that everything is filled to the proper levels and on a regular interval.

  • Battery:

It’s been a rough winter and that meant some rough cold-morning starts.  Make sure there’s no corroded terminals or cracks on the case.  It’s never fun to have a battery fail in the middle of the city.

  • Wiper Blades:

Spring brings with it plenty of storms.  Don’t get caught in the rain with broken wipers.  You never want to have to fight to see through a downpour.

  • Headlamps, Tail Lamps, Turn Signals, & Hazard Lights:

Always make sure your lights are in proper working order to avoid two things, accidents and the cops pulling you over for a citation.

Bring your vehicle into our service department and we’ll give it the look over to ensure it’s ready to face the on-coming weather.  Best to get it out of the way before your vehicle develops problems on a road-side and your great vacation out of state has turned into a few hours waiting for the tow truck.

Schedule an appointment online at our website or contact us at 888-425-7294.  Like Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for a full list of our special monthly offers.

3-D Printers Help Chrysler Engineers Innovate

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Technology is a neat thing.

Yes, the imaginary audience shakes their head to such a generic statement, technology is a wonderful thing.  What I mean by this is that the advent of 3-D printing is going to be capable of helping engineers do some amazing things they couldn’t do before.  We’ve been seeing this tech put to medical use and even at NASA.  Chrysler engineers have been using 3-D printing to help them figure out how to improve their vehicles, in particular the axles.

By using the printers, the engineers were able to make clear plastic versions of the axles and other parts to get a more clear (no pun intended) picture of what was going on.  This is a major improvement over the previous method of using a dynamometer viewed through a window in the part.

How will this affect the future of vehicles is anyone’s guess.  It will definitely help the engineers as they put together plans for the next generation of Chrysler powertrains.  It is only a matter of time before these kinds of innovations help to create more efficient engines.  First the axles and who knows how else using 3-D printers can help.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Source: Manufacturing.net

Mopar Road Ready Aims to Teach Teens Safe Driving Skills

Mopar Road Ready Aims to Teach Teens Safe Driving Skills

Mopar is introducing a new program that will help teach young drivers in Detroit.  It is an advanced driving program called “Mopar Road Ready.”  The hope is that this will help teenagers learn safer driving techniques and help teach a new generation of drivers to stay safe on the road.

The program is a collaboration between the FCA Foundation and the National Hot Rod Association, Motorsports Museum, and B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe).

The month of April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and seems like the perfect time to take the initiate in promoting safe driving habits.  Mopar is going a step further than just the program and is inviting families to talk with their children and promote better habits such as minimizing distractions while driving.

“Mopar is a brand that cares about and supports all drivers, especially the youngest.  Distracted driving is a pressing issue for us parents, and it is an important component of our Mopar Road Ready teen drivers’ initiative,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar.  “This program is especially important because it offers teenage drivers the chance to safely gain experience and learn valuable defensive driving skills in a controlled environment.”

The program is making its way to Detroit now after having already featured in California and Florida.  To sign up, parents and teens need to head over to the Mopar Road Ready website and register.

You can also get the latest news and deals from Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by liking Bayside on Facebook, following on Twitter, orsubscribing on YouTube.

When Does Your Car Need a Wheel Alignment?

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When should you bring your vehicle in for a wheel alignment?  That is not a question that drivers ask enough and most do not know the right answer to it.  Here is things to know about what to look for when needing a wheel alignment.

A major reason why most people don’t bother with getting their wheels aligned is due to the unknown nature of it.  Manufacturers don’t have a recommended schedule because of different issues that could cause a problem with the wheel alignment.  It can be caused by potholes and bumps, or just from key parts of the suspension wearing down.

The first thing to check for is if you’re noticing that your car is drifting to one side or that if you are unable to keep the car going straight by keeping the steering wheel neutral.  These are very sure indicators that there is a problem and it may be that the best solution is to get your vehicle’s wheels aligned.

This is a good time to check on the tires to see what condition they are in.  A telltale sign of something wrong with the wheel alignment is if there is uneven wear, meaning that the front or back tires have different wear patterns.

If you are having any of these problems, or see the signs, it may be a good time to schedule a time to be seen by a service department and look into getting a wheel alignment performed.  To those not having these immediate issues, it is recommended that you get your vehicle’s alignment done at least once a year or every 15,000 miles.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Lesser Known Tips for Winter Driving

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Winter Weather has come later than expected, but that doesn’t mean it is ever too late to educate yourself on what you can do to keep yourself safe on the road during this weather.  AAA has a breakdown of numerous things you can do to make sure this winter driving season is a safe one.  Here are a few that we feel the need to highlight.

Don’t drive while tired:

This is one not mentioned too often on lists like this.  Most of what we speak about is what one can do to help a car to work at its best during the cold season.  Not many people take the same care of themselves that they do the vehicles they drive.  You can do all the prep work possible but if you are too tired to properly react, then it will not matter.  Take care of yourself, get the right amount of sleep, which can go a long way in reducing risks on the road.

If you become snow bound, stay with the vehicle:

This is a vital thing to keep in mind.  Staying in the car may seem like it won’t get rescue to you any faster, but it can help to keep you alive for longer.  The car is capable of providing better shelter than being stuck outside in terrible weather can.  It is also much easier to identify for the rescuers.  A car sticks out, a person not as much.  This is also where your winter emergency kit should be to help deal with waiting for a tow truck or rescue.

Don’t be in a hurry:

Plan ahead and know what the weather will be.  If the road conditions are expected to be hazardous, give yourself plenty of time to deal with the additional traffic and time needed since you should be driving slower and more cautiously.  As long as you don’t get yourself in a rush, you can give yourself the time to be slower on dangerous roads.

Get some sleep:

If there is some bad weather, you need your wits about you.  There’s plenty of reason to get caught up on sleep, but during the winter, you need to get plenty of sleep so that if something happens on the road, you can react accordingly.  Get sleep and avoid making a bad decision when the moment counts.

Careful on hills:

Don’t just gun it up a hill by laying the pedal on the floor.  If you get stuck up the hill, you’re just going to spin your wheels.  The best way to approach is by building up some momentum and let that carry you up the hill.  At the top, that is when you want to slow down to go down the hill as slow as possible so you don’t lose control.

I feel these are winter driving tips that get missed.  There’s plenty more and I highly recommend checking out the entire list that AAA has put together, but these needed reiterating most of all.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Tips for Winter Traveling

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The ice and snow have not come, at least, not yet.  Cue the dramatic music!  Yes, the weather for the New York area has held out, but if the past few years are any indication, there is some nasty weather coming after the new year.  Maybe this year will be different, but maybe it won’t.  No one ever lost anything by being ready.

What can you do to prepare for driving in bad weather, in the snow covered streets?  There’s plenty of tips and things to do so we’ll just scratch the surface.  Business Insider gave plenty of examples and here’s a few.

  • Top off your windshield wiper fluid and keep an extra bottle in your car.
  • Make sure your battery is fully charged.
  • Know if your vehicle has anti-lock brakes or non-anti-lock brakes as this will decide how you brake.  If you have anti-lock, you want to use steady pressure, if you do not, then pump the brakes.
  • Have materials such as sand in your car in case you get stuck in the snow or ice and need some extra traction.
  • Check to make sure your tires are properly inflated.
  • Always have your gas tank at least half full so that the gas line doesn’t freeze.

Check out the full article for more tips on how to make sure that you don’t run into any issues traveling should the bad weather finally arrive to the Big Apple.

If you want to have your car looked at, then you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

How to Maintain Tires Properly

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It is time again for the winter season and that means getting the car ready for the colder weather. There’s plenty of things to check inside and out on your car to make sure it is ready for a mild or rough winter. One part of the car that can be overlooked in the process, however, is the tires. Having a proper amount of air is a big deal with a car and can really effect things such as fuel economy. It is something that many drivers put off and we’re here to help you know when it is time to check the air in your tires.

The first thing you need to know is what the proper inflation amount is. Check online and/or with your vehicle’s owner manual. Don’t use the number on the tires as this is not the recommend pressure for inflation but rather the maximum inflation. Trust what your car’s owner manual says, not the tire.

Eye-balling is not a helpful thing to do with trying to figure out if a tire is low. Invest in a tire-pressure gauge so you can know the exact amount of air inside of the tire.

From there, get your car to a place where you can refill the air in the tires and keep a read on the inside pressure and make sure it matches with the recommended amount. This is also a good time to check your spare tire as that tends to get forgotten when most people check the air on their tires. Always make sure the spare is ready for duty should the worst come to pass.

Remember that you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

What to Do About a Check Engine Light

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We have all done it. Everyone, at some point in their life, has driven around trying not to worry about the “check engine” light. Some just plain ignore it. I think it is because of how that light doesn’t really point out a major issue. Check the engine for what? What that light means is unknown to most, so we’re trying to shed some light on the subject.

First off, that light comes in different shades depending on the manufacturer. What you really want to look out for is if the light starts to flash. This is a serious danger warning. One such issue that blinking light may be pointing to is the catalytic converter is overheating and if that is the case, then that means trouble for the car.

Which is why it is best not to ignore the light. Sure people tell themselves they can drive around for weeks or months with the light on and nothing happens. But that doesn’t mean that the engine isn’t suffering an issue that is being worsened by your avoidance of the trouble. According to CarMD.com, ten percent of all cars on the road have their “check engine” light on. Half of those drives have been ignoring the light for three months!

Edmunds lists the five most common reasons for the “check engine” light to have come on in 2010. They are:

  • O2 sensor
  • Loose gas cap
  • Catalytic converter
  • Mass air flow sensor
  • Spark plug wires

If the light comes on due to an error, then it will most likely turn off after a short time. If that time has last well past a little while, then make the smart decision and save yourself time and money further down the road by checking your vehicle into a service department for an inspection.

Remember that you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.

Keeping Your Vehicle Running During Summer

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New York is already midway through the summer and the heat is just unbearable.  Few things can wreak havoc on a vehicle like a summer heat wave here in the city.  It is best to prepare to face the worst as the humidity and temperature rise, so here are a few tips to help ensure your vehicle’s survival this summer.

That’s sort of misleading since the first place to start has more to do with the driver than with the car.  A car’s air conditioning will help you survive the worst heat in the summer.  Treat it right and make sure you don’t get yourself stuck in traffic on a 90 degree in what would be described as a metal can.

An air conditioning in your car isn’t something that is easy for the average driver to find out if something is working.  That’s why it is best to have it handled by the professionals, such as those at (plug) Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  In fact, (2nd plug) the dealership’s service department is running a special for the month to help drivers and their air conditioners.

Get your air conditioning checked out for $129.95.

We?ll continue to look at more tips for getting your vehicle ready for summer heat as the weeks go on.  Remember that you can schedule a time to be seen by the service department at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge by going to our service tab on the website.  You can also keep up with your service appointments by downloading our mobile app to view details in real time on your vehicle when brought in for a service appointment.