GARY'S CAR CARE

• Tires are the most important, but least appreciated, car part. Good tires can make a car ride and handle like a dream. Mediocre or worn-out tires can make it feel as though you're constantly on a rocky unpaved trail. Most importantly, the condition and quality of your tires have a direct effect on your vehicles braking performance, so taking the time to educate yourself about vehicle tires may save you more than just your hard earned cash!

• All tires look pretty much the same, so it can be a challenge to choose the right ones. Here are some tips to help you make a confident choice.

When to buy:

• You probably need to replace your tires more often than you think. When the tread wears down, tires can't grip the road well. To determine tread depth, stick a penny with Lincoln's head top-down into the shallowest groove between treads. If you can see the top of Lincoln's hair, it's time to replace the tire. In areas with a lot of rain, you should use the same "hair" rule with a nickel instead of a penny.

• To discover your tire's age, find the alphanumeric code that begins with DOT (it may be on the inside sidewall). The two numbers or letters following DOT are the code of plant where the tire was manufactured. The last four numbers tell you the week and year the tire was made: "DOTB71002" means the tire was manufactured in October 2002 in Michelin's Dothan, Alabama, plant and is ready for the recycler.

How many to buy:

• It's best to replace all 4 tires. If that's not possible, exactly match the tires you're keeping, right down to the part number. Put the new tires on the rear axle. Having new tires on the front and worn tires on the rear can cause you to spin out if you hit a patch of deep water. When buying snow tires, get 4 or none.

Do you like your car's handling and ride?

• If so, buy exactly the same tires that are on your car now. A different tire will almost certainly make the car feel and perform differently. If there's something about your car's handling or ride you don't like, you may be able to fix it with an educated change of rubber. Talk to your tire dealer.

All-season isn't.

• Don't mistakenly assume that an all-season tire has more wet grip than a summer tire. In reality, all-season tires give up grip on both damp and dry roads to get some increased mobility in the snow. If you live where it rarely or never snows, purchase summer tires.

Big wheels keep on turnin'.

• Did you buy a car with large-diameter wheels and ultrahigh-performance tires? If so, the car may have a harsh ride, the tires a short tread life, and the wheels may be susceptible to bending. It's possible that a smaller diameter wheel will fit on your car. Go to a wheel store and ask a technician to try one. With a smaller-diameter wheel, you can buy tires with a taller sidewall. Taller sidewalls should provide a softer, but less precise, ride.

They aren't all the same.

• Michelin owns the Uniroyal and BF Goodrich brands. Goodyear has Kelly-Springfield and Dunlop. Bridgestone owns Firestone. Even if you buy an off-brand tire, it's possible that a quality company produced it. But possibly not. It's best to stick with the most well-known brands. Or you can check a tire's origin by checking the first two letters or numbers behind DOT on the tire sidewall on Wikipedia.

Also replace any tires that show hairline cracks or have been damaged.

• If it has metal parts and moves, then fluid is most likely lubricating it. There are lots of moving parts in a car. So there are many kinds of fluids. Fortunately, fluids differ in color, texture, and smell. Once you know what to look for, finding the source of your leak is much easier.

General Fluid Leak Tips

• A puddle 3 inches or wider under your car is considered a serious leak and requires immediate attention.
  
  
• A puddle between 1 and 2 inches wide is referred to as seepage or a drip. Unless it’s brake fluid, the condition isn’t as serious.
  
  
• The morning after your vehicle is serviced, check underneath the car for fresh fluid. If any exists, immediately call the repair facility.
  

Common Fluids Found Beneath Your Car

• Water from the AC or defroster system is one of the most common fluids you may find. Water is formed when moisture in the air comes in contact with the system and condenses. It usually drips under the center right or center left of the vehicle. This is a normal byproduct, and seeing this under your car is no cause for alarm.
  
  
• Engine oil. Commonly light to dark brown or black in color, engine oil feels slippery and may have a dirty, “burnt rubber” smell. To check the engine oil level in your car, see your owner’s manual to locate the engine oil dipstick. If the oil level is low but still registers on the dipstick, top off the oil at your earliest opportunity. Be sure to mention the leak at your next scheduled service. If the oil level does not register on the dipstick, before driving, add enough engine oil to reach the full level on the dipstick. Do not overfill. Overfilling an engine with oil can cause more harm than there not being enough oil. Contact your service center as soon as possible.
  
  
• Coolant. Engine coolant is usually watery and slippery to the touch. It may be light green, yellow, pink, blue, or even purple. It usually drips near the front of the engine or beneath the radiator. After the engine has cooled down (we hope you’re reading this first!), check the fluid levels in the radiator and coolant reservoir tank. If either is low, top them off with distilled water. Do not use tap water: it contains minerals that can lead to cooling system corrosion. The number 1 cause of serious engine damage is loss of coolant. If your car consistently continues to lose fluid, contact your repair facility immediately.
  

Less Common Fluids Found Beneath Your Car

• Automatic transmission/power steering fluid. These fluids can be similar and sometimes identical, so have a professional repair facility confirm the leak. Automatic transmission and power steering fluids are usually reddish to reddish brown in color and feel oily. Leaks are usually found under the transmission or transaxle. These fluids also may leak from a transaxle cooling line near the radiator.
  

• Power steering fluid leaks are found under the front of the engine near the power steering pumps or toward the rear of the engine at the steering rack. Check the fluid level. If it doesn’t register on the dipstick, immediately contact your repair facility. If fluid is still on the dipstick, top off the fluid, and monitor how much and how quickly it’s leaking. If there is regular loss, have your vehicle inspected by a professional.

• Manual transmission/differential fluid. Leaks of this thick oil, which has an objectionable “rotten egg” smell, are found under the front and rear differential, manual transmission, or transaxle. It’s difficult to check these fluid levels, so have your vehicle inspected by a professional.
  
  
• Brake Fluid. Fortunately, leaks of this fluid aren’t common. Brake fluid looks like white wine when it's new and dark tea when it’s old and dirty. Because brake fluid is based on vegetable oil, it feels oily. If you find leaking brake fluid, check the level in the brake master cylinder reservoir. If the level is low, top it off. Brake fluid eats through paint with zeal, so use caution when topping off. Use only the DOT-grade brake fluid recommended in your owner’s manual. If leaking continues and the fluid level is below the midpoint, have your car towed and inspected for a brake fluid leak. This is a real safety issue.

• If your car has a manual transmission, it may use a hydraulic clutch, which also uses brake fluid. However, the clutch and brake reservoirs are almost always separate for safety reasons, even if they use the same filling point. If there is a brake fluid leak and the brake master cylinder is full, then it is most likely a clutch fluid leak. One indicator is that the clutch won’t operate as easily; sometimes it can be impossible to shift gears.
  
  

• The Check Engine Light (CEL) is a warning indicator: it means your car's computer has determined that a component or system in your emission controls is not working properly.
   
• Every vehicle manufactured to be sold in the U.S. has to pass an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test procedure called the Federal Test Procedure. This sets the acceptable limits of wear and/or failure for the emission control system - i.e., what conditions  ultimately  cause a CEL to illuminate. These standards are closely regulated. If the emission-control system is faulty and the vehicle is polluting the air, the CEL illuminates to alert the driver of this condition. (A vehicle in this condition would fail an emissions inspection or smog check.)
  
  
• Don't confuse the CEL with the maintenance or service light. These lights illuminate when a routine service is due. They are usually triggered by mileage, gallons of gasoline consumed, or some other type of vehicle-use measurement.
  
  

The 4 Most Common Check Engine Light Scenarios and What to Do

The Check Engine Light turns on and off or flickers.

• If the CEL comes on in the city but goes off on the freeway, then the fault is present during city driving conditions. Pay attention to whether or not the vehicle runs or drives any differently when the CEL illuminates. If vehicle performance does change, drive the car as little as possible and take it to be checked by a service professional as soon as possible. If there is no change in vehicle performance, you can drive home and to a shop, but have it inspected as soon as possible. In this condition, you run a risk of the vehicle dying or not starting.

The Check Engine Light comes on and stays on.

• If the CEL illuminates constantly during driving with no noticeable driving or performance problems, there is a permanent fault in the emission-control system. When this happens, the computer that controls the emission system usually has a backup program that runs while the fault is present. (These backup programs are often referred to as “limp home” mode programs.) You should get the vehicle serviced as soon as possible, but in most cases, the vehicle will continue to operate, though you run a risk of it dying or not starting.

The Check Engine Light illuminates, stays on, and there are performance problems.

• This means that a vital component of your emission-control and engine-management system has a serious problem. It usually involves a component or system needed for the vehicle to run at all. In most cases, drive the vehicle as little as possible. In many cases, the vehicle is not safe to drive at all—it could stop or stall out at any moment. It is best to pull over to a safe place and have the vehicle towed to an automotive shop for a thorough inspection and repair.

The Check Engine Light light comes on and blinks in a steady pattern while driving.

• Don't confuse this steady pulsing of the CEL light (usually one or more flashes per second) with a flicker (see above). The CEL may stay on steadily, or it may flash when the vehicle is accelerated. This is very serious. There is a severe failure of the emission-control system that is causing the engine to misfire to the point that the catalytic converter is damaged each time the CEL flashes. It may mean that the catalytic converter is overheating to the point that it will glow red or, in extreme cases, start a fire on the underside of the vehicle.
• Immediately pull over to a safe place and have your vehicle towed to an automotive shop for repair.

** Vehicles can be severely damaged and even destroyed by
fire if this condition is ignored for too long **

• Check your antifreeze/coolant level. The most common cause of engine-related breakdowns is cooling system failure. If you top off the coolant yourself, check the label on the coolant bottle to ensure it's the recommended type for your car make and model. Use a 50:50 ratio of antifreeze to water.
  
  
• Replace your windshield wiper blades every year. In extremely cold climates, fill the washer reservoir with freeze-resistant wiper fluid (water and standard windshield washer fluid will freeze), and keep an extra gallon in the trunk.
  
  
• Check your battery. If it is more than 3 years old, have a service technician test its capacity and the output of your alternator. Make sure the battery terminal ends are corrosion-free.
  
  
• Check your tire pressure before you've driven more than 15 minutes. This lets you ensure that tires are inflated to the proper pressure (listed on the sidewall). In colder weather, the air inside the tires will contract, and the pressure will drop.
  
  
• Check the tread depth on your tires. Hold a penny between the treads. If you can see the top of Lincoln's hair, it's time to replace the tire. In areas with a lot of rain, you should use the same "hair" rule with a nickel instead of a penny. In snowy/icy climates, consider changing your regular tires to winter/studded tires for the season.
  
  
• Check that your lights, heater, and defrosters are working properly. Before summer, have the AC system checked and recharged if it's not doing a good job cooling incoming air.
  
  
• Check all rubber hoses and belts to ensure they are not damaged. Coolant hoses wear from the inside out. Inspect for heavy cracks in or chunk missing from the belts.
  
  
• Have your car's brake system checked if you haven't had it inspected in the previous 6 months.
  
  
• Assemble a winter emergency kit to keep in the trunk of your vehicle. The kit should include a blanket, extra boots and gloves, an ice scraper, windshield washer fluid, jumper cables, a first-aid kit, flares, a small snow shovel, a flashlight, kitty litter (for traction when stuck in the snow), and bottled water. Bottled water is good to keep in the car regardless of the season-you want to stay properly hydrated if you have to wait for help by the side of the road.
  
  
• In very cold climates, consider changing to a "winter weight" motor oil, which works better in lower temperatures (regular oil grades get too viscous at low temperatures). 5W-30 is a typical winter-weight motor oil.
  
  
• Keep the gas tank 1/2 filled all winter long. This reduces the likelihood of moisture buildup in the fuel lines. Moisture buildup increases the likelihood that fuel lines will freeze and fail.
  
  

• The purpose of an Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) is to prevent the loss of tire to road traction during braking.  This is accomplished by the use of an Anti-Lock Computer System that precisely monitors individual wheel speed sensors and then adjusts the amount of braking force applied to the each wheel based on this and other monitored data points.

• The phrase "My car needs a tune up" is probably the most spoken phrase by car owners on a day by day basis in the automotive service and repair industry other than "oil and filter change".  When asked why the vehicle needs a "tune up", the customer will usually say that the vehicle does not run properly in some way.

• It could be idling rough, it could be hard to start, it could lack power, it could be getting poor mileage or have many other possible symptoms.  Many people believe that a "tune up" will solve all or most of these problems, but modern cars do not require "tune ups" and poor performance almost always means the car needs a repair.

• The phrase "tune up" is from a time when automobiles were not computer controlled and an auto mechanic could actually adjust the timing, idle speed, fuel mixture and other things to "tune up" the operation of the engine, very much the way a piano tuner will "tune up" a piano to bring it back into proper pitch and operation by adjusting the tension on the strings, adjusting the action and reshaping the hammers.

Maintenance: The Modern Day Tune Up

• Presently the term "tune up" actually refers to replacing and servicing the wear items in the ignition system and fuel system.

• The air filter and fuel filter will become less efficient and need replacing.

• The spark plug electrodes will wear down and need replacing.

• There will need to be some cleaning or decarbonizing of the throttle body and fuel system from the oil vapors produced by the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system.

• There are no adjustments needed (or possible) for the most part, because the engine computer controls all the functions of the ignition and fuel system. The "tune up" is often part of a large 30,000/60,000/90,000 mile service that includes inspections, fluid and filter changes, and these services are part of the manufacturer's recommended scheduled maintenance detailed in the vehicles owner's manual.

• The present day vehicle should not exhibit any performance problems by the time a "tune up" is due. If there are any performance problems, usually a Check Engine Light (CEL) will illuminate, indicating that the vehicle needs some attention because it is not running properly and is now polluting the air.

Tune Ups: Some Historical Perspective

• Up until the middle 1970's most gasoline powered cars and light trucks had spark plugs, spark plug wires, a single ignition coil, a distributor cap and rotor, a set of ignition points and a condenser.  A carburetor would combine the fuel with air and then deliver this "mixture" to the cylinders.  All of these components needed regular adjustments, or a "tune up".

• Compared to the vehicles of the 21st century, these technologies were very crude and required a lot of care (many "tune ups") to properly maintain them. The spark timing would go out after 10,000 miles of driving because the ignition points would wear and become pitted or "burnt". The spark plugs would foul and not work properly because the carburetor would get dirty and varnished from all of the oil vapors being recycled into the air cleaner from the PCV system. This varnish would plug up the air bleeds in the carburetor and prevent it from mixing the fuel properly with the air. The spark plug wires were usually damaged from oil leaking on them from the older style cork and rubber valve cover gaskets. It was common for a vehicle to need a "tune up" every year, or even more often if the vehicle was driven more than 10,000 miles per year, as the engine would be running because of any or all of the above problems.

• By the middle 1980s, most vehicles had 1-2 computers involved with the management of the engine operation because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that when cars needed to be "tuned up," the amount of tail pipe emissions would increase exponentially.

• The ignition system was the first to receive electronic and later computer controls. The ignition points and condenser were replaced by a transistor controlled ignition module that could last the life of the vehicle. Once the ignition timing was set, it could stay properly adjusted for 30,000 or more. Valve covers and valve cover gaskets started using aircraft engine designs and would not leak for over 90,000 miles. This meant that the spark plug wires could last upwards of 60,000 miles before they failed electrically.

• By the middle 1980s Electronic Port Fuel Injection was phasing out the carburetor. The ratio of the air fuel mixture was now computer controlled. This allowed for precise compensation to reflect the ever changing demands put on an engine due to ever changing driving and weather conditions. Fuel injection is not nearly as vulnerable to the PCV oil vapors because there are individual injectors for each cylinder located away from the flow of the PCV oil vapors.

• By the late 1990s, most vehicles were using individual coils for each cylinder and the spark plugs had platinum tipped electrodes. This eliminated distributor caps and rotors and most ignition wires. The platinum tipped spark plugs meant that the plugs could easily go for 60,000 miles, as opposed to the usual 30,000.  Some manufacturers were advertising that the car could go 100,000 miles with out a "tune up", however many found that the spark plugs rusted into the cylinder heads. This meant that a major repair was required to remove them that could easily cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. 60,000 miles has proven to be a much more realistic and reliable mileage interval and many manufacturers are switching back to this recommendation.