Under the Hood – You and Your Car

As we head into another season, it is a good time to evaluate your vehicle’s condition. So I felt it would be good to touch on some of the things that should be looked at. This will help you take back some of the control of your car.

Battery – make sure it is clean on the top. Especially around the cable connections. If there is any corrosion, use baking soda with some water and a 1” paint brush to neutralize the acid and clean the battery. Oh, by the way, use some rubber gloves and safety glasses to prevent contact with the acid.

Tires – Check your tire pressures. Especially as we head into the temperature changes that we see in the fall. Tires will typically lose 2-5 psi during the month. One way to combat this is to have your tires filled with nitrogen. Nitrogen leaks from a tire at a rate 3-4 times SLOWER than compressed oxygen.

Antifreeze – Check the clarity of the coolant. If it is cloudy, that is an indicator of needing a flush or exchange. You can’t always judge the coolant condition by color as there are several colors of coolant in use today. If you have a hydrometer, check the freeze protection of your coolant. Ideally you should have protection to -34 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a way to check it, stop by and we can test it.

Wiper Blades – This seems to be an item that gets overlooked quite frequently until needed. Check for deterioration of the wiping strip, such as tearing. If the rubber cleaning strip is in good condition and the blades streak, you can use a cotton cloth to clean the strip. Stubborn blades may require using some isopropyl alcohol with the cloth to get them properly clean. Also don’t forget to top off your washer fluid.

Lights – Lighting is another overlooked item. As our daylight is less, it is important to make sure you have lights that are working properly as well as headlights that are clean. You nighttime vision is only as good as how bright your headlights are and how well you can see through your windshield. By the way, now is also a good time to clean your windshield.

Belts – Belts should be checked periodically for cracking, glazing, tearing and looseness. We don’t want to see more than one crack per inch on each rib of a serpentine belt or between the ribs of a “V” belt. As far as tension, most vehicles today have an automatic tensioner that is designed to keep the belt tight all the time. These components are somewhat difficult to check without a tool used to release the tension. “V” belts are checked for about a 1/2” of deflection.

Some other things to consider that you may not be able to check yourself, but are important, are; exhaust system leaks; air conditioning operation (it helps dehumidify and keep windows clear); coolant hoses; cabin air filter (being clean helps air flow through duct work better); steering system (loose steering components make driving on wet roads more difficult).

If you have any automotive questions you would like addressed in this column, please let me know at [email protected].