Car Blogger Diary

In the greater Portland area our vehicles are required to pass the Department of Environmental Quality Test every other year, to be legal to drive. There are a few key things that need to be in proper working shape for the vehicle to pass this test, good tune condition, proper fuel/air ratio and the exhaust system has to be in good shape with no leaks and the catalytic converter needs to operate properly. In this article we will talk about the exhaust system importance. The exhaust/emission system of your vehicle has a few different types of functions, that work together: 1) To deaden the sound made by internal combustion of the engine. 2) Reduce the temperature of the exhaust. 3) To control the emissions that are emitted from the vehicle. Vehicles can create harmful gases during the combustion of fuel. That is why it is important to repair your exhaust system when leaks or potential problems are found. Poisonous gases can be hazardous if they leak into the cabin of the vehicle, so pro...

What Is A Tie Rod? The tie rod is a part of the steering mechanism in a vehicle. A tie rod consists of an inner and outer end. The tie rod transmits force from the steering center link or rack gear to the steering knuckle. This will cause the wheel to turn. The outer tie rod end connects with an adjusting sleeve, which allows the length of the tie rod to be adjustable. This adjustment is used to set a vehicle’s alignment angle. What Happens When Tie Rod Ends Get Worn? Tie rod ends should be regularly inspected with each oil change service, by a qualified technician. They are a wearing part of the steering and suspension system of your vehicle. As tie rod ends wear, they can become loose and can develop excessive slack, or play, which can be felt in the steering and handling of the vehicle. Bad tie rod ends can negatively impact a vehicle’s front end alignment and lead to excessive tire wear and front suspension problems. Tie rod ends are critical to maintaining proper vehicle front sus...

Tires are one of the most crucial safety items on our vehicle. Proper tire tread, proper tire pressure of tires, proper tire balance and replacing tires that are damaged from cracks and gouges, is very important in tire safety. If you do not have the knowledge or time to keep an eye on your own tires, we recommend having your tires inspected at each and every oil change. Below we are listing a few interesting statistics that have been compiled by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: The #1 reason for vehicle breakdowns on National Highways is due to flat tires or blowouts. 20 percent of all vehicle crashes on national highways are related to tire under inflation. Underinflated tires reduce fuel economy and traction while increasing the chances of hydroplaning on wet surfaces and tire blow out. Improper tire pressure can decrease handling and increase the risk of an accident. Proper balance of a tire distributes the mass of the tire when it is mounted on its wheel and th...

Battery/Charging System Indicator Light The Battery/Charging System Indicator Light is amber in color and looks like a battery. When this light illuminates or stays illuminated or comes on and off while driving, it is indicating that there is an issue in the charging or starting system of your vehicle. There are several things that this could be: the battery not holding a good charge or having bad connections, bad connections at the starter, a broken or loose alternator drive belt, a failing alternator or again not having good connections. We recommend having this inspected and tested immediately, this light usually indicates an imminent failure that will cause a breakdown situation. Oil Pressure Light The Oil Pressure Light is indicated in an amber color as an oil can with a drip. This light is often misunderstood as time for an oil change light. That is not what it is indicating. When this indicator is illuminated it is indicating that your engine is not receiving enough oil. This co...

The dashboard of your vehicle is full of warning lights. These lights are your vehicle’s way of talking to you (the driver) about your car. Some of these lights are pretty obvious as to what they are warning you of, like low fuel level or a seat belt not being buckled. However, there are some warning lights that are a little more obscure. All dash warning lights will appear on when the ignition key of a car is turned on, but once the vehicle is started they go off within a few seconds. If they stay illuminated or go on while driving, then that is a warning to the driver that there is a potential problem. In the next couple of articles we will go over some of these dash warning lights to help aid in understanding what those warning lights mean and how you should respond to the warning. Maintenance Required Light The maintenance required light is often questioned by consumers. This is a reminder light, not really a warning light, and it is set by the mileage of your vehicle. When the veh...

The warning lights we will be discussing in this article have to do with the safety features of current and newer vehicles and may not apply to every vehicle that is being driven on the road. One thing to be aware of is that warning lights come in red or amber. The red color light usually indicates that more immediate attention is required and the amber lights indicate a system malfunction that needs to be addressed but is not as immediate. Green and blue light indicators on your dash usually indicate a system being activated, like cruise control. Brake Indicator Light The Brake Light Indicator is usually red and says “brake” it is typically an indicator that the park brake is applied, however it can also indicate low brake fluid level. If this light comes on, you should check your parking brake first. If it is unapplied, the vehicle should be checked out immediately. We would recommend having it towed. Low fluid level can cause your brakes not to function properly and can make driving...

In order for your vehicle’s electrical system to work properly a good healthy battery is essential. The primary purpose of the battery is to start the engine. But it is also used to stabilize power and provide extra power for the ignition, lighting and other accessories that when combined the load exceeds the capability of the charging system. Since our vehicles today are controlled by multiple computers and are equipped with so many electronic accessories, there are many different symptoms that can occur when there is a problem with the charging system of your vehicle. Warning lights on the dash can illuminate, like the charging system light, brake light, abs (antilock brake system) light, srs (supplemental restraint system) light, and or the check engine light. Some of the symptoms the vehicle can exhibit are: vehicle will not crank when trying to start, long starting crank time, exterior and interior lights dim or not working properly, engine and transmission performance can be comp...

Almost daily we receive inquiries about Check Engine Light Diagnosis. There are a lot of consumers that believe we can just hook a tool to your vehicle and it will tell us what is wrong with the car. A lot of times, the consumer has already retrieved the code and they would like to know what is wrong with their vehicle and what it is going to cost to fix it. We are going to address this issue in the next couple articles. Check Engine (Service Engine Soon) Light When the computer (aka – ECM, PCM, or ECU) of your vehicle recognizes a system, circuit or sensor that is working out of parameters, it will signal your Check Engine Soon/Service Engine Soon light to come on. Vehicles that were produced from 1996 on have OBDII or On Board Diagnostics of the Second Generation. This system has a computer that will store a trouble code to indicate the system, circuit or condition that the computer sees has the issue. It may also store freeze frame data about the condition as to how long the engine ...

Brake fluid is one of the most neglected fluids in vehicles today, but yet is vitally important for safe driving. It is designed to function in the hydraulic brake system under all operating conditions. The brake fluid is made from a combination of various types of glycol, a nonpetroleum based fluid. The brake fluid boiling point is one of the most critical aspects and ratings for brake fluid. It is also rated on freezing rate, resistance to oxidation and having no ability to damage rubber parts in the brake system. All automotive brake fluid must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116. The Society of Automotive Engineers and the Department of Transportation have established brake fluid specification standards for both Wet and Dry Boiling Points for automotive brake fluid. As brake fluid ages, it absorbs moisture, which lowers its boiling point and raises its freezing point and causes increased corrosion of the brake system components. Automotive experts agree that brake fluid ...

The heating system in your vehicle is designed to keep you warm while the temperatures outside are cold, wet and/or windy. The engine cooling system of the vehicle is directly  linked to the heating system. If your heating system is not working properly it is important to have it checked out, because your engine cooling system may not be working properly either and an overheated engine can result in engine damage. There are a few basic components in the heating system; the heater core, blower motor/fan, heater hoses, heater control valve, and the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) control panel/assembly inside the cabin . The cooling system components that interact with the heating system are the coolant, thermostat, radiator, and water pump . The heater core is also utilized in the cooling system of the vehicle. The heat that is created by the engine operation builds up and needs somewhere to go. Much of this heat is directed through the exhaust system. The remaining bu...