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Precision Tune Auto Care wants to help you stay informed on everything automotive, from the latest safety tests to exciting new vehicle reviews. Whether you want tips on keeping your vehicle in top shape or a sneak peek into Jay Leno’s amazing car collection, you can find everything you’re looking for in our resources overview.
Today we're going to be talking about serpentine belts for our customers. Let's start by talking about the accessories that are driven by the serpentine belt. First is the alternator. That's the device that makes electricity to power the vehicle and recharge the battery. Then there's the air conditioning compressor that makes cool air for you while you're driving around in the summer. The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in most vehicles. Those pumps provide...
Perhaps you've found yourself driving when something all of a sudden splashes on your windshield, obstructing your view. You know that sinking feeling when you try to turn on the windshield washers and no fluid comes out. Now you're blinded even more. What can you do?
The best thing is to make sure your windshield washer fluid is always topped off and ready for these situations. You probably figure you'll grab a bottle of that blue stuff you see in the store. But is that really the right choice?...
Organization is the key to managing a busy life. So setting up an annual calendar for vehicle care can help keep drivers on top of preventive maintenance. But you can't just write “oil change” every few months on the calendar. Modern vehicles have many systems that are vital to the safe operation of a vehicle, and they all need to be inspected. Drivers can't afford to overlook any of them. The following is a list of preventive maintenance services that are often overlooked by vehicle...
The team at Precision Tune Auto Care and car owners are all talking right now. Better gas mileage. Fewer emissions. Drivers want to save the environment and their pocketbooks. And we all know—or should know—that preventive maintenance will help maximize fuel economy. But is there something more people can do? After all, some of us folks can't cut back on our driving, and others would like to do more to economize. Weight is one major enemy of fuel economy . The more you lug around...
So you have some exciting plans for the weekend. You're going to take some of your friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you've gotten the boat all ready. And you haven't forgotten about your tow vehicle. You've gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is something even more important than the cleanliness of the interior: you want to make sure that your vehicle maintenance is up to date. There's hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt...
The brake rotor, or disc, is attached to your wheel. The brake pads rub on the rotor to slow your car when you are driving in. Rotors can warp, crack or become misaligned. They can also be damaged by worn out brake pads that scratch grooves into the surface. These conditions result in less contact surface for the brake pads, leaving you with reduced braking power. Over time and miles, rotors can also wear down below safe specifications. It is important for drivers to know that simply replacing...
The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure. Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensive maintenance services, but the cost at Precision Tune Auto Care to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more. The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt...
Every day you drive, you're sitting behind the dashboard. But how in the world did it get that name? Back in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, horses would kick up dirt and mud on the driver and passengers, "dashing" debris against the carriage. So those who built carriages began installing a board to protect them. So, dash-board. Dashboard.
The dashboard is still there, though changed quite a bit from the early days. Now its main purpose is to house the controls and instruments for your vehicle's...
If you hit a bump in the road and your vehicle just keeps bouncing up and down for a lot longer time than it used to, you may have bad struts and shocks. They're the things that help to keep your vehicle's wheels and tires planted to the road surface.
But they don't last forever. With care and depending on where and how you drive, shocks and struts should be replaced at intervals ranging from 50,000 miles/80,000 km to 100,000 miles/160,000 km. If you drive on bumpy roads with...