6 Ways To Damage Your Vehicle

The parking brake is there for a reason. It locks up the wheels so the car won't roll downhill. It also prevents stripping the parking pawl in the transmission when in "park". Your car is not meant to be held by the transmission and that is what your parking brake is used for so let's start using it people...Remember to always release the parking brake before driving.

You can strip the gears and bands in your transmission when you don't come to a complete stop before shifting gears. Eventually, you won't be able to shift into gears because they will no longer have teeth to mesh, nor any bands to apply tension to hold all of the necessary force in place for propulsion.

Don't ride the brakes, or rest your foot on the brake petal when going downhill. If you do, it could wear down the brakes pads faster then you wanted. Brakes are you life so this issue is one of the most important pro-active maintenance items on your vehicle.Get your brakes checked by Rick's Auto in Forestville regularly.

The engine has metal pistons with round metal rings that slide up and down the cylinder walls. If oil is not maintained, the metal rubbing can eventually lead to some major issues. Regular oil changes can extent the life of any motor.

Don't forget to turn your AC off before starting your car; AC is connected to the serpentine belt, so it requires the engine to work a little harder when it is left on.

You probably didn't know that fuel in your gas tank actually cools down the fuel pump once submerged. If you are one that likes to wait until the gas light come on please don't do it. You may be saving a little money by not fueling up as often but you could be setting yourself up for bigger issues. Try to keep you fuel gauge at 1/4 or more full to avoid fuel pump issues.

Honda Air Bag Recall

Honda has recently expanded its air bag recall to two-million vehicles marking this as one of the biggest air bag recalls of all time. 

The problem lies in a defective inflator that could explode in a crash, sending shards of its metal casing into the passenger compartment. The inflator was made by Takata Corporation, which has said the propellant inside the inflator was not properly prepared and was too powerful. Last month, Takata recommended that customers including Toyota, Ford and Chrysler recall vehicles in Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, saying that high humidity appeared to make the problem more likely to happen.

But Honda said it would recall vehicles in other areas that also have high humidity because it wanted to make sure owners would not be endangered. In addition to the states recommended by Takata, Honda had said it would recall vehicles originally sold or registered in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas.

Honda has since received a report of an “energetic deployment” of an air bag in California, leading to the decision to issue a recall, Chris Martin, a spokesman for the automaker, said in a telephone interview. Mr. Martin also said that the automaker was still calculating how many vehicles are being recalled because it involves tracing vehicle histories. But he estimated the total will be about 3 million in the United States.

The vehicles affected by the recall are the 4-cylinder-engine-equipped 2001-7 Honda Accord; the 2001-2 Honda Accord V6; the 2001-5 Honda Civic; the 2002-6 Honda CR-V; the 2003-11 Honda Element; the 2002-4 Honda Odyssey; the 2003-7 Honda Pilot; the 2006 Honda Ridgeline; the 2003-6 Acura MDX; and the 2002-3 Acura TL and CL.

Here is a video example of how powerful an air bag explosion can be:

Air bag explosion: http://youtu.be/oXnfySKQock

Take your Honda to your local dealership to see if you qualify for the current recall. You can also call the dealership and give them your VIN Vehicle Identification Number so they can run the number and see if you qualify for the recall.

For any other questions or concerns about the Honda recall contact Rick's Complete Automotive (707) 887-1641. 

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY GOES BAD?

The Alternator

Here are some symptoms to look for that are grouped together. Of course there is a warning light that will be displayed once an alternator goes out; however, be in touch with your senses to find the problem before they get worse:

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• Use Your Eyes: Usually when our customers complain of an alternator issue it just takes a quick look to find a belt missing, hanging off the engine block or so loose it's flapping around the engine compartment. A quick visual check of the belt for cracking, excessive wear marks and other visual related problems can give you some idea of what may be the problem. Also, the drive belt must have the proper tension to run the alternator correctly; too much tension is just as bad as not enough. A quick check of the belt tension is usually enough to determine if a problem exists.

• Use Your Ears: We also see our customers complain about hearing a "growling" or "whining" noise before an alternator gives out. The alternator is driven by either an accessory belt or a serpentine belt in conjunction with the crankshaft pulley. The alternator pulley typically spins about two or three times faster than the crankshaft pulley to produce the power necessary at lower engine speeds, such as at idle. If the pulley is not in correct alignment with the belt, if it's canted on the shaft or if the bearings and bushing are worn out, the growling or whining noise will let you know there's a problem.

• Use Your Nose: The smell of burning rubber or hot alternator wires will often accompany alternator failure. A pulley that isn't in alignment or not turning freely will cause more friction on the belt, which creates heat and then the smell of burning rubber. The hot alternator wire scent can be caused by an overheated alternator, so keep your nose in tune with your vehicle.

The Battery 

While not technically an alternator problem, a car that won't start is a definitive notice from your car that there's a problem in the starting system. When the key is turned, you'll hear a tell-tale clicking of relays ticking over but nothing else happens. After a time, even that noise stops. The immediate problem is usually a dead battery; but the question a driver should ask is, "Why is it dead?"

 

When an alternator begins to fail, or fails outright, the car's battery begins to take up the slack rather than acting as a capacitor for the system by receiving a constant infusion of electrical power from the alternator. However, even the best car battery will run down eventually leaving a driver stranded in the driveway or worse, on the side of the road. Car batteries are not designed for long-term power use. They're average life is between 5-7 years and they are designed to provide the vehicle with enough electrical oomph to start by juicing the starter motor with a surge of power and getting the whole works spinning.

Diagnosing a dead battery versus a dead alternator is relatively easy. Simply jump-start the car and then remove the cables as quickly as possible. Then wait. If the alternator is failing to charge the system, the car will soon die again and the problem has been pinpointed. If the car runs and continues to run, then it's likely the problem is with the battery. Caution should be used, however, as a dying battery can only receive a charge for so long and may go completely dead at a later point despite the best efforts of the alternator. 

We can test your battery at Rick's Complete Automotive (707)887-2281 and see if your charging system is up to par.