Although most of us aren’t well-versed when it comes to identifying issues in our vehicles, one thing we know for sure is a check engine light. It is common knowledge that a check engine light indicates a problem in your vehicle that needs your attention. This gets complicated when you don’t notice any apparent signs of a problem but the light turns on.

So, what do you do in this situation? The best thing to do in such instances is to visit an auto-repair expert such as Grandview Tire to do the rest. Nevertheless, this blog will hand out some information on what a check engine light could mean.

How do they work?

The check engine light, also known as a Malfunction Indicator Lamp, has been designed to detect any problems in your vehicle. The sensors connected to the computer system in your vehicle help to essentially sense an issue and alert the driver immediately. It stores a trouble code to detail the issue. But these codes don’t specify the exact repair required.

An auto-technician will read the computer code to find which area got affected and  run a diagnostic test to identify if the sensor is bad, if there’s clogging in the passages or if any specific component has been affected. The technician will identify the source of the issue and inform you about the best repair solutions available. 

What’s your role?

A flashing check engine light means your car’s engine has serious trouble. A steady light indicates a less urgent issue that can be taken care of. Your check engine light doesn’t always indicate a major issue. You should know that it could even turn on for simpler problems such as a loose gas cap.

Hence, prior to rushing to a mechanic, check to see if your cap is loose and secure it. Check if the light goes off in a while. Try to notice what’s unusual with your car, whether the engine is rough, ride seems unsteady, or if you hear strange noises when you start the car. If you can manage to give the necessary details to the mechanic, it’s easy for them to start diagnosing the problem.

Final thoughts:

Even if your check engine light doesn’t turn on, always choose to get your periodic preventive maintenance to avoid uncertain trouble while on the road. There could be problems underlying your vehicle that the sensors might not catch up on. It’s safer for the driver and the passengers if the vehicle is inspected at regular intervals to detect any repair in its early stages. 

Everybody enjoys going for a ride as long as it’s smooth and hassle-free. But, sometimes your vehicle shows up signs of trouble and it gets difficult to find the source. You might hear noises from your car at some point while you drive. This blog is to point out the common noises your car might make and the problem that needs fixing. 

You might have heard or might experience any of these strange noises from your car. You can visit an expert auto-repair shop like Grandview Tire to figure out the problem and the solution. 

• Squealing from brakes: the squealing sound coming from your brakes indicates that the brake pads have worn out. Brake pads come with a limited lifespan and they start making noise once they wear out. Get them replaced if you hear these noises. 
• Rumbling from the exhaust: If you notice a sound from the rear compartment, it could mean there’s a problem with one of the components of your exhaust system, such as a leak in the muffler which could make the engine noises audible to you.
• Noises from under the hood: You might notice a squealing sound coming from the hood; it could be due to a worn-out serpentine belt. In such a case, you need to see a mechanic and get it replaced immediately.  
• Rattling noise: If you hear a rattling sound once you start your ride and it goes off when you speed up, it’s mostly likely due to a loose component. Get a mechanic to identify the source and check which component needs fixing.
• Clicking noises: If you ever notice a clicking noise from your car when you make turns, it’s time to see a mechanic. It could be due to worn-out suspension components or your axles. You need to get a diagnostics to better understand the source of these noises.
• Grinding noises: If you hear grinding noise when you shift the gears, it’s time to get your car inspected. The noises could be indicating a worn-out clutch, brakes or rusty springs. 

There could be other types of noises you might notice while you drive. Pay attention to the noises to give details to the mechanic. If you hear a noise, let an auto-technician diagnose your vehicle and fix the problem, so you can enjoy a safer ride.

One of the best innovations made in the automobile industry is run-flat tires. A product range beyond ordinary car tires- run-flat tires provide increased safety for drivers and passengers. These tires are specifically designed to run for a short distance even after a puncture, allowing you to reach the nearest auto repair shop.  

These tires have reinforced sidewalls that can mask any damage in the tire. This will prevent the tire from coming off or causing damage to the wheel, and let it keep the rigid shape despite a puncture. It helps to continue driving safely even with low tire pressure, while you visit a mechanic to repair the puncture or change a wheel. 

 What are the types?

• Self-supporting tire: The tire wall is made of durable rubber that can support the weight of the entire vehicle when the tire pressure drops. 

• Auxiliary supported tire: It comes with a special set of rims and the steel ring inside can support the weight of the vehicle.   

There is a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to monitor the pressure loss in tires and alert drivers in case of a puncture. The technology being used in run-flat tires has proven to be quite useful. Most standard cars today are equipped with these, as they let you drive about 80 km even with a puncture.

 Here are some more advantages run-flat tires provide:

• Safety: The reinforced sidewalls help prevent tires from sagging in case of a puncture. When you drive at a good speed, a sudden burst tire can be very dangerous to people in the car. Run-flat tires solve this problem as the driver can control the car even when the tires lose air pressure.  

• Driving control: It allows you to continue driving, which is the best benefit it offers. It helps reduce the accidents caused by uncertain tire blowouts while driving. The driver has complete control while they reach a repair point. You won’t be stuck in between your journey and it’s especially important for deserted roads.  

• Durability:  They are made of special rubber that can resist temperatures higher than those on the road. You don’t have to carry a spare tire and the tools with you anymore. This relieves some weight off your car trunk and improves fuel efficiency.  

Run-flat tires can save you a lot of time and effort to change your tires on the road, especially if you’re in a rush. However, we will also walk you through the disadvantages before we conclude. 

• Costly: They are more expensive than regular tires and they might burden you when you need a replacement. Every time you drive with a puncture on a run-flat tire, the tire wall is damaged and cannot be restored. So, you will have to replace them.  

• Driving comfort: When compared to driving comfort, some people find regular tires more comfortable. The reason is, run-flat tires are much thinner and stiffer than regular ones. They might not absorb shocks efficiently, thereby causing discomfort to drivers. 

• Suitability: Run-flat tires have a poor grip and wouldn’t be the best fit when driving on slippery or wet roads.  

Bottom line: 

Run-flat tires offer you safety and mobility despite a tire problem. Although run-flat tires have some features that stand out in comparison with conventional tires, you should know that when you travel on deserted roads, you might not find a repair shop. In such cases, you might find run-flat tires to be an unsuitable pick. A spare tire is what often seems to be useful in case of long instance trips on unknown roads. Always weigh the pros and cons before making your choice. 

One thing that we surely don’t have control over is the fuel prices. But what you can control is your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Each vehicle’s fuel consumption depends on its body weight, engine size, and driving habits too. There are a few simple driving measures you can stick to, to extract more kilometers out of your fuel.

• Drive with anticipation: When you drive in traffic, anticipate the way traffic is moving and plan your movement to avoid unnecessary acceleration or braking. When you spot a signal ahead, allow your vehicle to slow down smoothly instead of hitting the brakes hard. Put a habit of driving at a steady speed to save fuel. 
• Conservative driving helps: Avoid rapid acceleration and hitting brakes hard when you drive. Use the least amount of throttle, as your engine uses the most fuel in attaining speed. Build the speed smooth and steady, just like in a marathon. 
• Shed off trunk weight: There is a lesser strain on the engine when the overall weight of your vehicle is low. A lighter vehicle consumes less fuel compared to a heavy-weight vehicle even with the same engine. Check the trunk to remove any unnecessary items. You should also remove the roof rack if you no longer use it.  
• Check tire pressure: You might not be aware of the role tires play in achieving fuel efficiency. A lot of engine power goes into rolling the tires as they create resistance while driving. Low tire pressure can make the engine work more, thereby consuming more fuel. Hence, check the tire pressure regularly to keep them inflated and get the tires aligned. 
• Good maintenance: If you think your car needs servicing only if it breaks down, then you are wrong. Keeping your car healthy by servicing all the components at regular intervals helps achieve good fuel efficiency. The air and oil filter most importantly need to be cleaned regularly to avoid clogging. Replacing engine oil will ensure lubrication and help the components to run smoothly. 

Following these tricks can help you keep your car in good condition and achieve higher fuel efficiency. You may not be able to control external factors such as traffic congestion, road conditions, and fuel prices. But make sure you plan your trip before running errands to save fuel and time. Avoid engine idling as it consumes a lot of fuel and switch off your engine if you are going to wait for a while. Your driving habits play an important role, hence prefer gentle shifts of gear, acceleration, and braking. 

We all know our vehicles need a regular service or preventive maintenance scheduled from time to time to ensure a safe and hassle-free driving experience. However, you should also know that an auto tune-up is equally significant to ensure efficient engine performance.  

While preventive maintenance includes a full vehicle inspection, the basic service involved in an auto tune-up is to replace the spark plugs and make other adjustments to make the engine perform better. But how do you identify whether to get a tune-up or to request a preventive maintenance service? Well, this blog will help you identify the signs your vehicle makes to determine which service you need. 

Tune-Up

If you face trouble while starting your car, your car is stalling or you notice a decrease in fuel mileage- you need a tune-up service and get the spark plugs replaced. But before concluding on whether the problem is with the spark plugs, a tune-up check is conducted. Your mechanic will recommend getting an engine performance analysis to see where the problem lies. To check the engine condition, these elements are checked;

• Battery voltage 
• Power balance (to check for leaky valves, etc.)
• Code retrieval 
• Exhaust emissions, engine vacuum
• Idle speed, idle mixture, and ignition timing 

If there are no major faults detected in the tune-up check, you should still consider replacing the spark plugs, rotors, oxygen sensors, air and fuel filters.

Regular service

Regular service or preventive maintenance is getting a check-up done to make sure all parts are performing smoothly. The manufacturers of your car designed a service schedule to ensure a safe riding experience for you. You can either depend on your owner’s manual or ask an auto-technician to know the scheduled preventive maintenance for your car. You could choose to have one of these services:

1. Oil and filter change: An important part of a service that helps your car to run smoothly and increase fuel efficiency.
2. Basic or interim service: it includes oil and filter change, a visual inspection of your vehicle components, and refill of all the fluids in the engine. This is to ensure your car is a good condition and also to detect any additional work your car may need.  
3. Seasonal service special: It includes all the above-mentioned service work and also a full vehicle inspection which includes examining your vehicle’s safety components.

Bottom line:

The basic difference is that a tune-up usually involves treating only the things that affect your engine’s performance- plugs, valves, fuel, and air supply. While a service depends on mileage and involves almost any component of your vehicle and an oil change at a minimum. 

Preventive maintenance is a maintenance strategy used to service your vehicle components to increase lifespan, efficiency and prevent malfunctioning. Based on the data insights, maintenance is scheduled to avoid unexpected breakdowns while you drive. Usually, it includes everything from cleaning and inspection, testing, lubrication, adjustments, and replacements of the components.  

Preventive maintenance scheduling can be done based on the usage, time, or condition of your vehicle.  

• You can go for a time-based approach, such as scheduling preventive maintenance once a month or getting an inspection once every quarter. 
• You can also take usage-based action and get maintenance once your vehicle crosses a certain benchmark, say every 10,000 km, or based on production cycles.
•  A condition-based approach can be used to schedule a PM when you notice any signs of decreased performance or potential failure of any component. 

It is essential to schedule PM for your vehicle using any of the above approaches to ensure the safety of passengers and the proper functioning of your car.  

An efficient way is schedule PM manually is to follow your manufacturer’s recommendations as well as look at your repair history, driving habits, and conditions and plan accordingly. Track if the components are performing well between the inspections. You can reduce or increase the frequency of schedules depending on how the parts are functioning.  

Some advantages of preventive maintenance: 

• Planning your PM can save you both cost and time by diagnosing faults in equipment during the inspection. 
• Any parts or supplies required can be arranged in advance to minimize the time taken for the repair process. 
• It can even reduce the risk on road and improve safety by reducing the chance of accidents.
• It can even prolong the lifespan of the components with increased efficiency in performance.  

You should plan your preventive maintenance schedule properly to find the right frequency to get the inspections (too often could be costly, not often enough could be risky). Ask your mechanic to know the preventive maintenance schedule recommended for your vehicle.

Bottom line

Preventive maintenance is a regular, planned service scheduled for your vehicle according to its usage or time-based triggers. The whole purpose of this is to reduce the likelihood of uncertain trouble down on the road.  

A certified auto-maintenance service provider like Grandview Tires can perform maintenance practices for your vehicles such as transmission checks, belt replacements, tire and brake inspections, oil change, battery replacements, and more. It’s easier for both drivers and automobile technicians to detect flaws in the components with scheduled maintenance and inspection to avoid costly repairs in the future.