AUTONET TV
Archive for June 2022Positive and Negative (Battery Care)Posted June 26, 2022 9:37 AMYou notice when your smartphone's battery starts to go weak on you. It runs out of juice faster than it did when it was new. Bet you pay attention to that pretty closely. Unfortunately, many of us don't pay the same attention to the battery in our vehicles. If your battery got you through the cold-weather months, you might be thinking you're all set until next winter. But you might be surprised to learn this: Hot weather is harder on a battery than cold weather. (Note: we're talking about a conventional vehicle here, not an all-electric, plug-in one.) The way your vehicle's battery holds a charge is that it has chemicals inside it, and they react with each other to produce electricity. A vehicle battery discharges electricity and then needs to be recharged. Unlike your smartphone that you plug in each night to charge, the way a vehicle's battery gets recharged is by using the mechanical energy of the engine. It's a pretty cool system that's been around for a while. An alternator changes the mechanical energy into electricity that then charges the battery. And your vehicle is designed to charge it just the right amount with a voltage regulator. If your battery constantly gets too much voltage, it could stop holding a charge. Another way a vehicle battery loses its ability to hold a charge is when it gets hot. In warmer weather, some fluids in your battery evaporate which can damage some of its internal components. Then, you've got a dead battery. Back to your smartphone for a second, it probably has a little indicator or maybe an app that shows you how healthy it is or how much charge it's holding. Well, your service repair facility has equipment that can test your vehicle's battery for the same things. If that test shows you need a new battery, then it's probably time to replace it. A technician can also check to see your battery is being charged at the correct rate. If you have a battery that is not sealed, a technician can check to see it needs more water added to it. The technician will also make sure dirt or other contaminants aren't acting as electrical conductors and discharging the battery. Plus, your battery's terminals may need cleaning. Most people just forget about their vehicle's battery until there's a big problem with it. Here's one rule of thumb: expect a battery's life to be about 5 years. Just like you wouldn't want your smartphone to leave you without any way to make phone calls or send texts, you wouldn't want your vehicle to leave you stranded with no way to start it, would you? When it comes time to make that new battery choice, your service advisor can offer you some good options, taking into account the climate you drive in, what you use your vehicle for and what your budget is. Hey, your smartphone's battery is all charged up. How about calling your service advisor for an appointment right now?
Shake It up in Jupiter!: Why Wheel BalancingPosted June 19, 2022 11:12 AMOur vehicles are not massage chairs. While we may enjoy a good vibration in an overstuffed recliner, we generally want as smooth a ride as possible in our vehicles. One way to achieve this is to keep a vehicle's wheels in balance. When a tire is mounted onto a wheel, it is usually out of balance. This means that as the wheel spins, there is a slight wobble to the path of the tire. For best handling performance and safety on the road, Jupiter drivers want to minimize this wobble as much as possible. So we balance our tires. To balance a tire, your technician at East Coast Automotive Services spins it on a machine or drum to determine where it is off-balance. He then attaches weights that counter-balance the uneven weight. Most people in Jupiter are surprised at how much balancing improves the smoothness of their ride. High-quality tires generally hold their balance well. But over time, wear and tear take their toll and tires can become unbalanced. Jupiter drivers can tell when a front tire is unbalanced if they feel a vibration in the steering wheel. If a back tire is unbalanced, you'll feel a vibration in your seat. You may not notice these vibrations until they get fairly serious — or until someone else drives your vehicle — because they usually develop slowly. If a vibration starts abruptly, it usually means you've lost a balancing weight. The average tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 mph/97 kmh. When a tire is out of balance, it actually hops down the road, rather than rolling. So at 60 mph/97 kph, it is slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's what creates the vibration. When tires are out of balance, they wear out more quickly. The lack of balance also causes extra wear on shocks, struts, steering components and suspension parts. Getting a balance job at East Coast Automotive Services in Jupiter can prevent repair bills and even an accident. It will improve the safety of your vehicle as well as its handling performance. When you change your rims or get a flat repaired at East Coast Automotive Services, you'll need to get your tires balanced as well. When you rotate your tires, you may want to have them balanced, too. Some Jupiter vehicle owners, however, only balance their wheels every other rotation. You can check your owner's manual to see what is recommended for your vehicle. Balancing your tires is part of preventive maintenance. It keeps your vehicle in good repair and prevents damage to many of its components. So practice good vehicle care and make it a point to keep your tires balanced. It's quality auto advice from East Coast Automotive Services. Massage chairs may vibrate away our worries, but unbalanced tires will just rattle Jupiter drivers' nerves. East Coast Automotive Services
Braking News: Keep Your Stopping PowerPosted June 12, 2022 11:24 AMRichard Petty once told AutoNetTV, “You've gotta have good brakes. If you've got good brakes you can keep yourself out of a lotta trouble.”
If you are experiencing any of these, it's time to get your brakes checked. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at East Coast Automotive Services . If the brake pads wear away completely, you can damage the rotors. The calipers can grind grooves in the rotor. Then the rotor must either be resurfaced or replaced. That's not only expensive but also dangerous because your vehicle won't stop as quickly. Sometimes rotors warp or crack and must be replaced. Come in to East Coast Automotive Services for an brake inspection before damage occurs. You can call ahead for an appointment by calling (561) 743-1178. East Coast Automotive Services Looking Down the Road - HeadlampsPosted June 5, 2022 9:48 AMIf you've ever been driving around Jupiter and had a headlamp go out, you've probably just wanted to replace the bad bulb. If your car uses halogen headlamps, they dim over time. So if you just put in one, they won't have the same brightness, which can be distracting and will affect your field of vision. East Coast Automotive Services | ||
SearchArchiveSeptember 2020 (17)October 2020 (4) November 2020 (5) December 2020 (4) January 2021 (6) February 2021 (4) March 2021 (4) April 2021 (4) May 2021 (5) June 2021 (4) July 2021 (4) August 2021 (5) September 2021 (4) October 2021 (5) November 2021 (4) December 2021 (4) January 2022 (6) February 2022 (4) March 2022 (4) April 2022 (4) May 2022 (5) June 2022 (4) July 2022 (5) August 2022 (4) September 2022 (4) October 2022 (5) November 2022 (4) December 2022 (4) January 2023 (5) February 2023 (4) March 2023 (4) April 2023 (5) May 2023 (4) June 2023 (4) July 2023 (5) August 2023 (4) September 2023 (4) October 2023 (5) November 2023 (4) December 2023 (5) January 2024 (5) February 2024 (4) March 2024 (4) | CategoriesAir Conditioning (4)Alignment (4)Alternator (3)Auto Safety (5)Automotive News (4)Battery (8)Brakes (10)Cabin Air Filter (3)Check Engine Light (1)Cooling System (7)Diagnostics (2)Differential Service (1)Drive Train (4)Exhaust (5)Fluids (6)Fuel Economy (7)Fuel Pump (1)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (2)Fuel System (20)Inspection (2)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (3)Maintenance (16)Monitoring System (3)Oil Change (3)Older Vehicles (1)Parts (2)Safety (2)Service Intervals (1)Service Standards (3)Shocks & Struts (4)Steering (5)Suspension (1)Timing Belt (2)Tire Rotation and Balancing (1)Tires (2)Tires and Wheels (16)TPMS (3)Transmission (2)Trip Inspection (1)What Customers Should Know (25)Wheel Bearings (1)Windshield Wipers (1)Winter Prep (2) |
OUR REVIEWS
carlos lopez, 03/06/2024I’m new to the area and needed somebody to work on my truck. Not only did they fit me into their busy schedule and around mine to take care of my needs , they also are very knowledgeable , super honest and extremely fair. By far the best in the business. Thank you