Why Does My Car Squeak Over Bumps?
The Suspension in your vehicle is made to Keep Ride Comfortable, Keep Tires in Contact with The Road, and Absorb Shock. As our Suspension ages one of the signs that there is an issue is noise. The most common noises are a Rattle, Clunk, or a Squeak. Today we will be talking about the most common Squeaks from your Suspension. We Find that one of the most common squeaks in suspension systems is a failing Shock Absorber or Strut. When a shock or strut begins to leak it loses the Hydraulic Fluid from inside. This can also cause it to lose lubrication. Once the shock loses lubrication it can start to squeak as it extends and is compressed. The next most common is a failed or dry Ball Joint. This usually cause a creaky sound from the front suspension.
Where is the Best Place to Have My Hybrid Car Serviced?
Every year more and more people are Purchasing Hybrid Vehicles. Hybrid and Electric Vehicles made up over 17% of total vehicle sales last year. The problem is not all shops are trained or qualified to work on Hybrid Vehicles. At Priebe’s Auto Clinic and Tire Center we work on Hybrids as well as many other types of vehicles. We understand the Special Systems that it takes to Operate a Hybrid Vehicle.
How Often Does My Car Need An Alignment
The Alignment of a Vehicle is mad up of three main measurements. Camber, Caster, and Toe. Camber and Toe are easier to understand. Think of the toe as the direction the tires are facing. Generally, you want the Toe as close to zero as possible. This means that the tires are pointing straight forward when driving down the road. Camber is the lean of the tire. Some people prefer their camber to be very negative or the tires leaned in at the top. Castor is a little bit more complicated. Castor is how far forward the wheel is leaning on its turning axis. When all three measurements are correct, your car drives as intended. Each Vehicle manufacturer supplies a Specification for each vehicle. The picture below shows a vehicle before the Alignment. It is close but just outside of Spec.
Why is My Car Making a Grinding Noise?
A Metallic Grinding noise is one of the most common abnormal noises on a vehicle. There are a few different parts on your car that can make a noise like this. The most common is the Brakes. Most vehicle has a brake pad wear sensor or Indicator that lets you know when your brake pads are too thin. If not it is easy to wear them that way. When the brake lining is gone the metal Brake Pad rubs on the Metal Brake Rotor. This can cause a grinding noise, especially when Braking. Here is a photo of a brake rotor that has been grinding metal on metal.
Why Do My Brakes Keep Squeaking?
Nobody wants a car that Makes Noise when it isn’t supposed to. On of the most common car noise issues is the Squealing Brakes. We have all heard it before. Someone pulls up next to you at a light and EEEEEEEIIIIIIIIKKKKKKK! No one want to drive that car. The good news is that Squeaking Brakes are easily avoided and repaired. Your Brakes are one of the most important Safety Features on you Vehicle. If they do start making noise it is important to have them checked as soon as possible. There are a few different reasons that you may hear a squeaking when braking.
Why is My Car Misfiring?
A Misfire is when the Air and Fuel Mixture in one of your Engine’s Cylinders fails to ignite. When your Engine Misfires it feels like the Engine is stuttering or Running Rough. Usually when you have a misfire your Check Engine Light will flash to let you know that there is a serious problem. When your Car Misfires it pushes unburnt fuel into the Exhaust. This can damage Catalytic Converters and Cause Costly Repairs. Each Cylinder needs three basic things to ignite properly. It needs Fuel, Compression, and Spark. If the Cylinder fail to receive fuel then there will be nothing to Ignite when spark is delivered.
Is Your Heater Ready for the Cold?
In Oklahoma we get the best of both worlds. Hot highs in the Summer and Cold Lows in the Winter. We recommend doing an AC System Check at the beginning of each Summer and a Heater Check before Winter hits. No one wants to get stuck on a cold day with no Heater in their Car. First and foremost, it is way more difficult to keep those windows from frosting up with no defrost. Secondly, it is no fun setting in a Cold car on your way to work. The first step in any Heater system check is to make sure the Coolant in your vehicle is at the correct level and in good condition. Coolant is the main fluid used to heat your Heater Core. Air Blows over the Heater Core before blowing into the vehicle. This is how the air is heated. If your Coolant is low if may not fill the Heater Core Properly. This can cause the Heater to blow cool air instead of Hot.
Is Your Car Ready For Winter?
In Oklahoma Fall is here and Winter is it’s way! Cold weather can be very hard on your Vehicle. It is very important to make sure that you vehicle is ready when the cold hits. This helps to ensure that you don’t end up stranded in the cold. We find that there are three things that are most important when Preparing Your Vehicle For Winter. Number one is the Battery. Cold weather is Extremely hard on Car Batteries. As the temperature falls so does the Voltage of your Battery. Many times if a Battery is close to failure a cold snap will push it over the edge. We recommend testing the battery with a Load Tester to check its overall condition. We also check the age of the battery. On average a Car Battery last around 3-4 years. If your Battery is 3 years old and Winter is coming, it may be a good idea to replace it.
How Often Should I Replace The Battery In My Car?
That is a great question! The Battery is the main power reserve for your vehicle. The battery is responsible for providing the power to start your vehicle and allows all of the electronics to keep their memory when you car is turned off. This makes sure you don’t have to reset all of the clocks in your car every time you shut it off. It also allows you to use many of your vehicles accessories without the engine running. Most people have experienced a Dead Battery at some point in their life. You go out to the car Turn The Key and…..Nothing. It usually happens at the absolute worst time possible as well. Sometimes I think our cars know when we have important events, first days at work, or are just in a major hurry. When a Car battery leave you stranded most of the time it looks like the one below.