Emergency Tips

Synthetic oils are promoted by manufacturers of motor oils as having longer life. In fact, makers of many newer cars are now specifying that synthetic oils be used, and many more car owners are opting to use synthetic oil in their cars and SUVs. Yet, when it’s time to change the oil, many car owners are unsure as to whether they need a special oil filter with synthetic oils.

Hitting a pothole can damage tires, wheels, steering and suspension, wheel alignment and more. The Car Care Council recommends that motorists who experience any of the following warning signs after hitting a pothole should have a professional technician at their local repair shop inspect the vehicle.

Six Point Checkup Means Less Trouble During Blustery Winter

According to the 2010 Farmers’ Almanac, this winter will see more days of shivery conditions: a winter during which temperatures will average below normal for about three-quarters of the nation. The Car Care Council strongly recommends that all vehicle owners check six key systems before the temperatures start to drop.

With fewer daylight hours in the fall and winter, it’s important to make sure your vehicle can be seen by others and your visibility is not compromised. Fall Car Care Month in October is also National Headlight Safety Month, the perfect time for a safety inspection of your vehicle’s lights and wipers, according to the Car Care Council.

The C.A.R. Show is commercial radio's top-rated automotive call-in-program heard on radio stations throughout the United States, in Canada, on The American Forces Radio Network, on Sirius and on the Web. Whether you're able to work on your own vehicle, or you take it to the dealership or independent technician of your choice, by listening to The C.A.R. Show you'll have a better understanding of how your vehicle operates, how to keep it running better, longer, and if you have a problem they can help you find the solution.

Maintaining the anti-freeze coolant is an important aspect of a healthy cooling system. This involves one of the most basic components of the automobile, the radiator pressure cap. The cap keeps cooling system pressure at the recommended pressure rating for the car. Each pound of pressure exerted on the cooling system raises the boiling point of the coolant by 3 degrees at sea level. This allows the cooling system to operate at a higher temperature before boiling over, increasing the system’s efficiency and reducing emissions.

Back in the good ol’ days, automotive air filters were simple to find; they sat right on top of the engine in a round metal container. All you had to do was unscrew a wing nut, lift off the lid, and lift out the round air filter element. A quick wipe of the debris out of the bottom of the housing, and you could drop in the new filter, replace the lid and wing nut, and be on your way.

If you’re good to your car, it will be good to you.

That’s a commonly used phrase in the automotive industry so why is there still an estimated $60 billion in unperformed maintenance on an annual basis?

Are we really performing the necessary routine maintenance our vehicles need to travel the long haul?

Curious, we called on a few consumers known for being hard on their vehicles: ones who don’t pay attention to how much their engines rev and typically don’t even have a lick of tread on their tires!

Who did we call on?

You’ve just purchased a new vehicle and already a dashboard warning light is on, but this is one you might not have seen before. There’s a good chance it’s the new warning light tied to the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which as of 2008, is standard on all new cars and light trucks, according to the Car Care Council.

Picture yourself driving 500 miles at more than 200 miles an hour, under the most stressful conditions, never knowing what you might have to avoid in the next fraction of a second. That goes with the territory in the NASCAR racing circuit.

Compare this to your own driving. How much time would you need to deal with a road emergency? At 60 miles an hour, that’s 66 feet per second, you’ve already gone about 60 feet since you began reading this sentence.