Month: July 2015

Get Your Children Interested in Caring For Their Car

Kids Car RepairTaking care of your car can be a great hobby – after all, we love taking care of cars so much that we opened our own repair shop! It’s also a great hobby to share with your children. Not only is it practical, but it can be fun and rewarding as well. Today, we explain some ways you can help get your child interested in car care and repair.

Your Kid and Your Car

Start With The Basics – No matter how versed you are in car repair, the first thing you’ll want to do is show your kid the basic inner-workings of the vehicle. Point out the key parts underneath the hood, from the spark plugs to the engine and battery. If possible, do this on multiple vehicles, as the equipment won’t always be in the same place. Once you’ve looked under the hood of a few vehicles, ask your son or daughter to identify some common parts. They’ll enjoy correctly naming the parts and their functions.

Simple Maintenance – The next step in getting your children interested in car care is having them help you complete simple maintenance tasks. In fact, if you have a teenager who will be driving soon, you can even make it a requirement that they learn how to service some aspects of the car before they take their temps test. Start them off real easy by having them show you how to refill your car’s windshield wiper fluid. If they have any questions, have them reference your car’s owner’s manual.

Hands-On Maintenance – Once they’ve mastered that simple task, it’s time to move on to bigger maintenance tasks that will be very helpful down the road. There are three specific tasks that every car owner should know:

Walk them through each process. Show them how to do it, and then ask them to complete the task on their own. These are great maintenance tips to know, as they can get you out of a difficult situation, and they can save you money.

Explain Car Problems – Lastly, since you’re not going to be able to fix every issue with your car on your own, bring your child with you to the auto center when you need to have work done. They probably won’t be able to watch the service be preformed, but the mechanic can help explain what was causing the issue. This will help your child learn what is causing a certain problem at an early age. Warning signs and sounds will become more familiar, and your child will have a better idea of how to handle future issues because of the knowledge they gained at an early age.

Car repair is a great skill to know, so start teaching your kid at an early age. They’ll thank you for it down the road!

What Is Causing My Car To Smell Bad?

Car SmellMost people love the smell of a new car, but it doesn’t take long for that smell to fade. Nowadays, your car probably smells like old socks or stale cheetos, but today, we’re going to take a look at some car smells that signal there’s a problem with your car. Here are some common smells that indicate you should bring your car into a mechanic.

What’s That Smell?

A Sweet, Sugary Smell – Does your car smell like maple syrup after a few minutes or after you’ve turned the engine off? You might enjoy the smell, but odds are you’re leaking ethylene glycol. Generally the leak is located in the radiator or heater hose, but an issue with the intake manifold or cylinder head could also be causing the problem. If you can find the leak, you might be able to patch it on your own, otherwise you’ll be wise to bring it into the shop.

Smells Like Teen Socks – If your car smells like gym socks, but your car is clean, odds are the smell is coming from inside your AC system. Mold or mildew could be causing the ugly stentch, and you can try to air out the system by running the heat for a while, but odds are that’s only a short term fix. A mechanic should be able to clean out the system and rid your car of the locker room smell.

Rotten Eggs or Worse – Gym socks stink, but if the smell is rancid, or if it smells like rotten eggs, there are a few things that could be wrong with your car. Gear lube, which contains sulfur compounds, could be leaking, or you may be smelling hydrogen sulfide in the exhaust. If your catalytic converter isn’t working properly, the trace amounts of sulfur in your gasoline may not be turning into sulfur dioxide like they should. A catalytic converter isn’t something you should replace on your own, so give your local body shop a call.

Gasoline – If your car smells like gasoline, and you didn’t just spill a few drops on your jeans at the pump, you’re probably leaking gasoline from somewhere. Good places to check are your fuel injection line and your vent hose. If you know what you’re doing, you may be able to patch this leak on your own.

A Burnt Smell – If your car has a burnt smell to it, but it’s not emitting smoke, you probably have a problem with your brakes. The smell could be coming from worn brake pads or rotors, or a seized up brake caliber piston. Or, the problem could be even simpler – you may have left the parking brake engaged.

If you smell a funky smell inside your car or under your hood, give the mechanics at Affordable Auto Service a call today!

What is Hydrophobic Glass?

Hydrophobic GlassHydrophobic glass, as the name implies for anyone versed in word origins, means that the glass is treated in such a way that it repels water. We’ve installed hydrophobic glass before, and although it’s more expensive than normal windshield glass, some drivers prefer the tempered glass. Below, we explain a little more about hydrophobic glass and how it works.

Self-Cleaning Glass

Technically speaking, the glass itself isn’t hydrophobic. All glass is essentially the same, but the hydrophobic glass is treated with a special self-cleaning coating. Self-cleaning glass is divided into two categories:

  • Hydrophobic
  • Hydrophilic

The two glass treatments are essentially the same in that they use the rain to clean themselves. Hydrophobic glass cleans itself by rolling rain droplets up the windshield, while hydrophilic glass pushes the water off in sheets to get clean. Additionally, hydrophilic coatings with titania can chemically break down absorbed dirt when exposed to the sun.

As you can see in the picture, hydrophobic glass works by forcing the water into tiny balls. The picture shows an example of flat glass treated with a hydrophobic coating. When you combine the treatment with angled glass, the water will go where it’s pushed, down with gravity or up and over the windshield when traveling at fast speeds.

Worth The Cost?

Many people want to now if it’s worth the cost to apply a hydrophobic coating to their windshield. It really comes down to personal preference, but like a lot of things, the more you spend, the better result you’ll see. There are some treatments that you can buy at your local auto center or at Walmart for about $50. These coatings work fine in the short term, but the coating will wear off quicker than most.

You could opt to step up to higher quality coatings, which run anywhere from $75-$200. These coatings will last longer, but for the price, it’s probably just as wise to have the treatment applied professionally. Mechanics preform this procedure rather regularly, and they’ll ensure a quality treatment is applied properly. Professionally installed treatments will likely cost just a little bit more, but they’ll last longer and you know you’re getting quality work.

If you’re considering getting the treatment done, or if you need any other work preformed on your windshield, give our Auto Glass department a call today!

Common Reasons Your Car Overheats

Overheating EngineSummer is here, and that means the temperatures are on the rise, but hopefully the same isn’t said for your vehicle. An overheating car is a sign that something is wrong, and you can be in line for major repairs if you ignore the issue. Today, we look at some common reasons why you car overheats, and how you can fix the problem before it turns into a major bill.

Overheating Engine

Although there can be many different causes of an overheating issue, the reason your engine is overheating is because something inside the cooling system is preventing the absorption, transportation or release of heat. Here are some reasons why heat isn’t leaving your engine compartment:

Leak in the Cooling System – This is one of the main causes of engine overheating. If you get a leak in your radiator, water pump, hoses, head gasket or thermostat housing, your engine isn’t going to be able to cool properly. If you can find the leak, you may be able to seal it on your own, but you’ll probably benefit from bringing your car into a mechanic.

Coolant Issues – You can have problems with your coolant even if there isn’t a leak in the system. If you put the wrong coolant in your car, or if the coolant-to-water ratio is off, your engine my have problems staying cool. Try flushing the system and adding the proper mix as recommended by your owner’s manual.

Blocked Hoses  – If there’s no leak and the coolant has been installed properly, the next thing you’ll want to check is your coolant hose. Sometimes dirt or road sediment can get into your coolant department and block the flow of fluid through your hoses. Flushing the system and refilling your coolant tank is once again the preferred course of action.

Radiator Problems  – Another common cause of engine overheating is a problem with your radiator. Leaks, clogs or problems with the radiator fan all mean that heat can’t properly escape your vehicle, which will cause the temperature to rise. A mechanic will be able to diagnose exactly what’s wrong with your radiator and what needs to be done to correct the problem.

Broken Water Pump – The water pump, as the name implies, helps pump and propel engine coolant throughout your cooling system. Any issue associated with the water pump can lead to an overheating engine. Common water pump problems include leaks, shifting of the pump shaft, or eroded impeller vanes.

If you notice your car is overheating, turn the heat on in your car, as this will help move hot air out of the engine compartment, and bring it into a trusty mechanic right away. Ignoring the problem can cause your engine system to fail, which can mean thousands of dollars in repairs!

Why Is My Car Shaking?

Car ShakingIf your car is vibrating or shaking while driving, you’re not alone. Thousands of people deal with this issue on a daily basis. The shaking could be caused by numerous different issues, but luckily, a good mechanic pretty easily diagnose what’s causing your car to vibrate. Today we take a look at some reasons why your car is shaking.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Here are some of the more common reasons your car is shaking or vibrating:

1. Bent Axle – It doesn’t take a lot to bend one of your axles, and even the slightest bend can lead to shaking, especially at high speeds. If you got into a minor accident, hit a curb or strike a pothole, you may have bent an axle. These can be straightened or replaced rather easily by an experienced mechanic.

2. Brake Issues – If the shaking occurs while braking, you likely have an issue with your brake pads or rotors. The rotor helps your car slow down and stop, but it wears down over time due to repeated friction. Rotors with significant wear will cause vibrations when braking.

3. Wheel Problems – A wobbly wheel or loose tire can also cause your car to shake. This can occur if your improperly attempt to rotate your tires. If they aren’t secured properly, your car will shake, and you’ll want to pull over quickly as it can lead to an accident. If your tire is secured properly, it might be an issue with your wheel bearings. These bearings are designed to last for the life of your vehicle, but if you’ve driven your car for a long time, it’s possible that they’ve worn out.

4. Shocks or Struts – Worn or damaged shocks and struts can make tiny bumps in the road feel like huge holes. Drivers with worn shocks report a shaking or bouncing sensation while driving. Again, this problem can be easily diagnosed and fixed by a mechanic rather cheaply.

5. Ball Joints – Your ball joints play a pivotal role in your suspension and in steering. The ball joint acts as a pivot between your wheel and your suspension. Over time, these can wear down and cause problems with your steering and suspension, which in turn causes the car to shake.

If you are experiencing shaking while idling or driving, you should visit a trusted auto body shop. They’ll be able to diagnose the problem and fix it before it turns into a larger issue.