Tag Archives: auto tips

Summer Maintenance Tips: Air Filter

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The summer maintenance tips continue.  Take out the check-list and add air filter to the list because that is what we are covering next.

As the summer season approaches, it is the perfect time for an air filter inspection.  Thanks to all that dirt and other gunk in the winter, the air filter can get pretty clogged up.  Having a dirty air filter can do damage to your fuel efficiency.  According to HowStuffWorks, replacing a clogged-up air filter can have a positive impact on your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Normally the recommendation for changing an air filter is at 12,000 miles.  This figure does not take into account the amount of driving or the environment driven in.  If you are typically driving through dirty places, such as gravel roads, then you’ll be needing to keep a closer eye on the air filter as it will clog up faster than someone who spends their time on a highway.

Checking an air filter is easy and you will be wanting to look for extreme dirt.  Don’t fret if the air filter is slightly dirty, that is fine and normal.  It is obvious when the air filter is in dire need of changing.  So yet another part to look into before setting out on a summer vacation trip.

If you need help with looking with the air filter or any of the other maintenance tips we’ve mentioned thus far, then contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s service center.  Be sure to like us on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter to see our monthly deals and service specials.

Image courtesy of Stoonn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Summer Maintenance Tips: Hoses & Belts

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Last week we covered taking care to look after the oil in your vehicle.  This week continues the check-list for summer maintenance by staying inside the hood.  Now that the oil is taken care of, let’s see how the belts and hoses are doing.

If I was able to compare the oil to the blood of a body, then the belts and hoses would be the skeleton and muscle system.  And the veins…really we should just drop this whole thing, it’s getting too confusing.  Anyhoo, hoses in a vehicle are made to get things where they need to go.  The specific place we’ll be looking at is the radiator as well as the coolant.  These hoses are meant to make sure your car stays cool in the summer heat.

To start with, it’s time to pop open the hood again and do a visual and physical examination of the engine and the hoses.  Look for cracks or loose connections.  Check if the hose is firm, it should not be soft or easily malleable.  The last thing any driver wants is for one of these to spring a leak or come loose during a drive.  That can lead to the car overheating and putting you on the side of the road waiting for a pick-up.

Do the same for the belts in the vehicle.  Check them over for cracks or any other forms of damage.  These are another piece of equipment you do not want failing at the worst possible time.

If you need to get your vehicle’s hoses and belts inspected, then contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s service center.  Be sure to like us on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter to see our monthly deals and service specials.

Source: HowStuffWorks

Summer Maintenance Tips: Oil Changes

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Last week we covered a summer maintenance tip of checking to make sure tires are ready for the heat.  The next step in the maintenance check-list for the summer is the vehicle’s oil and oil filter.

To use an analogy, the oil in your car is akin to the blood running through your system.  It is a necessary thing to keep the vehicle going smoothly.  Unlike blood, however, oil needs to be swapped out and changed for cleaner oil.

The majority of owner manuals recommend an oil change every 7,500 miles.  For people who change oil for living, like yours truly at the dealership’s service department, we recommend that the oil is changed every 3,000 miles or every three months.  The reason for this is due to the driving that happens during summer to be harder on the engine thanks to the extreme heat.

To start the process in checking your oil, let your car run for a little bit.  Make sure it is parked on a level surface and then turn off the engine.  Crack open that hood and find out where your oil dipstick is.  Use that to measure two things, the level of the oil and the appearance of it.  For how it looks, the oil should be a brownish yellow and clean on the stick.  If you notice any dirt then it is time for an oil change.

Keeping oil changes on schedule and up to date will do a lot to benefit the car’s life-span.  Keep track of each time your get an oil change and turn either doing it yourself or bringing it into a service center to get it changed.  Another habit to get into is checking the oil right before any major trips, such as a family vacation.

That’s it for this week’s summer maintenance check-list tip.  Stay tuned for more!

If you need to get your oil changed, then contact us at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s service center.  We’ll get you in and out and on the road.  Be sure to like us on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter to see our monthly deals and service specials.