AUTONET TV

Give it the Boot (Ball Joint Boot Replacement)

Your vehicle may be wearing boots right now and you might not even know it.  They're called ball joint boots.  They're actually protective, flexible things that protect parts of your suspension (called ball joints) from all the hazards the road can fling at them.  If one of those ball joint boots fails and you don't get it replaced, the ball joints themselves could wind up failing, a repair that can be even more expensive. 

Ball joint boots not only keep things like rocks, salt, water and dirt out of your ball joints, they also help the ball joints keep their lubrication inside and working properly.  To do that, the boots have to be made of a flexible material, sometimes rubber, sometimes a synthetic.  They do take a beating, exposed to temperature extremes and debris, and eventually they can tear or crack just because of their age.  Unless someone is keeping an eye on your ball joint boots, you may never know there's a problem.  That's why when you regularly take your vehicle in to a repair facility for other things like oil changes and routine maintenance, a technician will inspect the ball joint boots to make sure they're still in top shape.

If they're not, your service advisor will let you know. Take care of that soon and you may avoid having to replace the ball joints themselves or other suspension parts which may be much more expensive.  Often it's best to replace boots on both sides of the vehicle since they frequently wear at about the same rate. 

If you want to make a fashion statement, some ball joint boots come in various colors other than run-of-the-mill black.  And some aftermarket boots are made of a more durable material than the original equipment that came on your vehicle.  Some drivers get a real "kick" out of flashy ball joint boots!

Muffler & Go
1478 N Leroy St
Fenton, MI 48430
(810) 629-1066
http://www.mufflerandgo.net

The Muffler & Go Guide to Proper Fluids for Your Vehicle

The automotive professionals at Muffler & Go would like to give Fenton drivers an update on some of the things happening in automotive fluids. You know, vehicles are becoming more sophisticated every day.  Fluids such as, oil, coolant and transmission fluid are becoming more specialized at about the same pace.

The Fenton do-it-yourselfer has to be pretty careful so that they do not actually harm their vehicle with the wrong type of fluid. That is why so many MI ] owners rely on the advice of their friendly and knowledgeable Muffler & Go service advisor to not only get the correct family of fluids, but to suggest the formulation that is best for their vehicle and their driving habits in the Fenton area.

Let's start with engine oil. Fenton drivers who have been paying attention will have noticed a number of new oil weights on the MI scene in the last several years. Modern engines are built to much tighter tolerances and have very complicated valve trains. The oil must be thin enough to lubricate complicated parts when the engine is cold. The weight of an oil is expressed in terms like 20-W-50 or 5-W-30. The vehicle manufacturers recommend the weight of oil for each vehicle they make. The recommendation is based on engine design. Your Fenton service center will know what weight your vehicle manufacturer recommends - and it's important to follow those recommendations. Your service advisor at Muffler & Go can also offer suggestions for special formulations and can tell you all about conventional and synthetic oils.

Antifreeze, or engine coolant, is another area that has become more complicated. For a long time, vehicle manufacturers only recommended a couple of different types of coolant. Now, several different formulations are needed because of the high-tech materials that vehicle manufacturers are using to build the cooling system. Using the wrong type of coolant in your vehicle can actually void your warranty, so it's important to get that right.

Transmission fluid is becoming specialized for Fenton vehicles as well. New transmission designs have particular requirements that require specific formulations. Recently, new, somewhat confusing, standards for brake fluid have also been released.

Not too long ago, there was a good chance that all of the vehicles at your house would use many of the same fluids. However, as automotive technology advances, the array of basic automotive fluids MI drivers need will grow. And, some of the formulations will cost a little more for Fenton drivers. Fortunately, Muffler & Go will continue to update their training to keep pace with technology so that you'll get the right fluids your vehicle needs. It's all part of the commitment we make to your driving peace of mind.

 Muffler & Go
1478 N Leroy St
Fenton, MI 48430
(810) 629-1066
http://www.mufflerandgo.net

Take Charge! (Battery Testing)

OK, so you probably take your vehicle's battery for granted.  Turn the key or push a button and it starts right up.  During times of warmer weather, you probably think your battery can take it easy.  But it may surprise you to learn that hot weather can be much harder on a vehicle's battery than cold.  So it's wise to know what condition your battery is in BEFORE you find out the hard way—being stranded by a dead battery.

Your vehicle's battery won't last forever; an average battery will last 3-5 years.  When's the last time yours was replaced? You probably have no idea.  Your vehicle will usually give you some hints that it's in need of attention.  See if any of these are familiar:

• your engine doesn't turn over as quickly as it used to
• your headlights are a little dimmer
• your Check Engine or Battery dashboard light is on
• you hear a click when you try to start your vehicle
• some electrical equipment in your vehicle isn't behaving the way it used to
• your engine smells like rotten eggs
• the terminals on your battery are corroded
• your battery was made more than 4 years ago

Even if there are no signs your battery is on its last legs, it's a good idea to have it periodically checked at your vehicle service facility, at least once a year. A technician will check the date it was made (it's on the battery's case). They'll inspect your battery, cables and connections, looking for corrosion, bulges in the battery or any other abnormal signs.

Using special diagnostic equipment, the technician can run some tests on your battery and vehicle's electrical systems. They can measure how fully charged your battery is and how much potential it has to hold a charge.  Then, your service advisor will tell you how much more life to expect from your battery or recommend it be replaced. 

It you need a new one, your service advisor can recommend options for you. Important factors include brand, warranty, where the terminals are on the battery, the ability to handle different cranking loads and temperature ranges.  Bet you didn't know vehicle batteries can be that different!

Muffler & Go
1478 N Leroy St
Fenton, MI 48430
(810) 629-1066
http://www.mufflerandgo.net

Read a Good Tire Lately? (Tire Wear)

There's lots of good information to read in books and online.  You might not know that you can also "read" your tires and learn a lot about what shape they're in and if they are in need of attention. It's important to know how your tires are doing because a tire failure can be very dangerous to you, your passengers and others on the road near you.

You read your tire by looking at the surface that rides on the road, where the tread is.  Check out the outer and inner edges.  If you notice there's more wear on the inner or outer edge than on the rest of the tread, your vehicle could be out of alignment.  Wear on an inner or outer edge could mean your wheels are leaning too much to one side.  When you see this, visit our service center soon to have the alignment checked.

What about if both edges are worn? That could be a sign that you don't have enough air in that tire.  In an underinflated tire, the middle is not contacting the road surface as much as the edges, so the edges wear down first.  It could also mean that you're taking corners too aggressively or your tires haven't been rotated on a regular schedule.

Another thing you might see on your tires' tread area is wear in the center of the tire.  That means you likely have too much air in that tire.  Too much air makes your tire contact the road in the middle more than on the edges so the middle wears down prematurely. 

You might also see some smooth spots on the tread in irregular spots. This is called cupping. This is sometimes caused by suspension problems. A technician can examine your suspension to see if it is up to the manufacturer's specifications.

Finally, you may spot tires that are worn unevenly in a pattern that goes diagonal to the tread pattern.  This could mean your tires are out of balance, something our service center can check. They might also check alignment at the same time.

Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that contacts the road surface.  That means your acceleration, traction, steering and braking are all dependent on your tires being healthy. Maintain your tires by having one of our trained technicians read the clues and making sure they're always in roadworthy shape. 

Muffler & Go
1478 N Leroy St
Fenton, MI 48430
(810) 629-1066
http://www.mufflerandgo.net

What to Do After You Buy a Used Vehicle in Fenton

So you've bought a used vehicle in the Fenton area. Do you know what you're getting? It is hard to know what you're getting because people in the Fenton area sell vehicles for different reasons. Think about why you've sold vehicles. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both.

Used vehicles in MI with 25,000 to 35,000 miles/40,000 to 55,000 km on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most Fenton buyers feel pretty confident about these because they're newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?

Fenton drivers who are planning to own a vehicle for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid repairs down the road. But, if you know you're only going to have the vehicle for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think that skipping an oil change here and there wouldn't ruin a brand new engine. Then it'll be someone else's problem when it comes time to pay for the damage.

It is very tempting for Fenton drivers to skip the 30,000 mile/50,000 km service if they know they'll be turning in their leased vehicle in a couple of months.

If the vehicle didn't come with maintenance records, Fenton used vehicle buyers need to assume the worst. Most likely the coolant system and transmission have never been serviced. The cabin air filter has probably not been changed and a fuel system cleaning at Muffler & Go may be in order.

You'll want Muffler & Go to check the A/C, battery, engine air filter, serpentine belt and hoses. A used vehicle inspection at Muffler & Go is well worth the cost.

And if your “new” used vehicle has been driven an even longer distance, an inspection is even more important. Check your owner's manual or talk with your service advisor at Muffler & Go about what should have been done. Please don't forget the timing belt; that can be very expensive if it fails.

Muffler & Go will help you with a plan to take care of services and get the rest caught up. If your budget won't allow you to take care of everything right away, we can help you prioritize your needs and get it taken care of over the next several months. And remember to keep your maintenance records. They'll help you get top dollar on the MI used vehicle market when it's time for you to sell.

Muffler & Go
1478 N Leroy St
Fenton, MI 48430
(810) 629-1066
http://www.mufflerandgo.net