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.

Common Car Problems In Winter

The Infamous "Dead Battery"

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  The battery is the first part connected when first starting your vehicle. The battery must crank 100-200 amps in order to turn the starter against the flywheel and turn engine over. Your battery will produce up to twice or two-and-a-half times more cold cranking amps than is required to start the engine. The problem that still lies is, during extreme temperatures, the amperage capacity of the battery can be reduced to half its output. In addition, if the vehicle is parked outside in inclement weather, the flywheel and starter wheel can become frozen. A standard battery life is between five and seven years. Have your battery checked to see if it can handle the load your vehicle needs to withstand the winter season.
  
  

  

  
  

Fuel Condensation

• Moisture can cause condensation to form in the fuel tank and fuel lines causing cars to not start in winter months.  A full tank of gas can produce one pint of condensation inside the fuel tank during the winter months. After a drive and the fuel pump stops pumping fuel into the motor, condensation can begin to form inside the fuel lines. After a long sit throughout the night you wake up to a near frozen car, when you go to turn your car over to start the condensation (water) reaches the throttle before the actual fuel does, resulting in the vehicle not being able to ignite the water and start. In addition, to trying to start the vehicle the starter will begin to heats up very quickly and continuously trying to turn a stubborn engine over could easily damage the starter.
  
  

  

  
  

Coolant and Oil

• Coolant and oil are important no matter what time of year it is, but they won't have an effect on your vehicle starting or not, they are essential in extreme conditions. Thinner weight oil will help prevent coagulation of the oil properties which will help move the oil into the engine once started. Coolant on the other hand should be properly mixed--not too concentrate and not too lean--in order to ensure the correct temperature and pH balance have a Rick's Auto mechanic test it for you. Obviously there is a difference between a cold engine and a running engine, it doesn't take long for a cold engine to heat up. If the temperature of the antifreeze is not correct, you can crack your engine block.
  
  

  

Steps to Beat the Cold

• As mentioned, having the car checked regularly at Rick's Complete Automotive in Forestville California will go a long way in preventing no-starts in winter. On extremely cold nights, you could place a battery charger onto your battery. The use of a trickle charger will prevent you from overcharging your battery, which isn't good either. A trickle charge will help keep the battery warm for the initial turnover when demand is called upon it. If your battery charger does not offer a trickle charge option, trade it in for one that does.

  
  

  Parking your car in a garage, away from the harsh wind and chilly weather conditions, will also help during extreme cold periods that wind-chills affect the temperature.

  
  

  Get your car checked to be ready for the winter season at Rick's Complete Automotive 6560 Railroad Ave. Forestville, CA 95436. (707)887-1641.

Brake Noise? Here Are The Top 4 Things To Look For

One of the most important safety features of ANY automobile is it's ability to stop. Our customers' place such a high value on their car's ability to slow and stop this is why we pay attention when they complain about the brake issues.

Let's review the four most common brake complaints and how to resolve them. #1. Brake Noise Hearing brake noise, or what sounds like finger nails on a chalk board, is the most obvious sounds for drivers today. Unwanted movement of brake components can also cause brake noise. So how do you fix it? Keep brake components in place per factory specifications and properly prepare surfaces during service. Things to look for on braking components are things like binding, corrosion, lack of lubrication, and worn or damaged components, clean the caliper moving parts and retaining hardware. Clean pin bores with a round wire brush to make for a smooth operation. Doing so will ensure safe travel on the roadways.

#2. Pulsation

Do you feel a pulsation in your brake petal when you push it? If so this can mean your brake rotors are warping causing a vibration in your petal. Also do not forget to check the hubs.Hubs can be the culprit while the rotor shows the symptoms.

If your brake rotors check out fine and you still feel pulsation make sure the tire and wheel assemblies are all in balance. They can cause similar pulsation that you would feel by a rotor problem.

Below is an example of a warped rotor:

#3 Dust

Once you apply brake pressure to your brake rotors, small amounts of brake pad material starts to burn off of your brake pads. This material is known as brake dust. This material deposits throughout the braking system and in and around the surrounding wheel.

It's always a good rule of thumb to get your brake dust deposits blown out during a regular brake check of brake job at your local mechanic.

Here is an example of excessive brake dust:

#4. Excessive Brake Wear

We hear all types of brake complaints but it usually is a result of lack of maintenance. Brake wear on your vehicle will vary due to driving conditions but overall the brake pads will have more wear and failure from abuse like overloading your vehicle, making short, stop-and-go trips or even leaving one foot on the brake pedal while driving. 

Here is an example of excessive brake wear where the brake pads worn down into the backing plate and then the car owner continued to drive making a metal to metal contact on the brake rotor (very unsafe).

Here at Rick's Auto we have brake front or rear jobs that range from $250-$300 depending on what kind of brake system you have. Make an appointment today to get a brake check making your family safe.

Rick's Complete Automotive

6560 Railroad Ave.

Forestville, CA 95436

707.887.1641

ricktacla@gmail.com

Running Problems? Check the Big Three!

If you find yourself unable to start your engine it could be missing one of the three major components needed for an engine to run compression, fuel and spark, without ANY one of these items NOT working the engine will NOT run leaving you calling the tow truck on the side of the road.

#1. Compression - This area of the motor results by crankshaft rotation and pistons moving up and down inside the engine block. Once the pistons reaches the top of the cylinder with fuel and spark inside the compression allows the explosion to occur returning the piston to the bottom of the cylinder wall pushing your vehicle forward. If the timing belt or timing chain fails it will cause the camshaft to become out of correlation with the crankshaft or allow the camshaft to stop rotating correctly. Either of these conditions will cause the engine to lose compression and sometimes cause internal engine damage.

#2. Fuel - Fuel delivery is what feeds your motor and if it doesn't eat it will die! The fuel system is made up of these major component parts: fuel pump, fuel injectors, pressure regulator, fuel filter and fuel pressure lines. This system is used to supply fuel under pressure to the fuel injection system and/or carburetor, the lack of fuel pressure or volume will cause the fuel delivery system to fail and the engine to stall or not start.

#3. Spark - Without spark to ignite the fuel you will not create the explosion inside the cylinder needed to drive you forward. The ignition components include: spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor (if applicable), crankshaft angle sensor, camshaft angle sensor, ignition coil, ignition module, knock sensor and PCM (powertrain control module). The engine relies on the ignition spark to be delivered to the combustion camber at the correct time. If the ignition spark stops or is delivered at the wrong time the engine will not run or run poorly.

If your vehicle is running poor or not starting make an appointment today.

Rick's Complete Automotive

6560 Railroad Ave.

Forestville C.A. 95436

(707)887-1641