Five Things You Should NEVER Do to Your Car or Truck

To help you keep your car or truck in good working condition, our ASE-certified mechanics have put together a list of things you should never do to your vehicle.

…Ignore Tire Pressure

When the tire pressure light comes on, most of us would love to ignore it. That’s a bad idea, especially when it’s an easy fix!

Simply refill your tires’ air pressure and you can save yourself a lot of time and money. Ignoring the light may lead to:

• Increase in braking distance
• Uneven wear on your tires, resulting in a need to replace them sooner
• Hydroplaning, or slipping on wet surfaces
• Increased likelihood of getting a flat tire
• Wastes fuel by uneven driving
• Affects your vehicle’s stability

If you are like most people, you’ve tried to even up the pressure, only to have the light come back on as soon as you start the engine back up.  That’s an easy fix as well. Stop by Tilly Mill Auto Center, 4363 Tilly Mill Road, and we’ll take care of it for you.  We are conveniently located near Home Depot and Waffle House.

…Wash Your Vehicle in Direct Sunlight

When springtime finally arrives, and the sun finally comes out, most of us like to wash, vacuum, and put a new shine on our vehicle! However, washing your car on a hot and sunny day may not be best for your vehicle’s finish.

Shiny metal gets very hot on a sunny day, and when you add water, the heat evaporates it very quickly. This can leave behind trace residue, dirt, and soap. Plus, drops of water can act like a magnifying glass causing the sun’s rays to “cook” your car or truck’s finish.

You may or may not see the immediate effects of the damage, but within a couple of years, your vehicle will be prone to corrosion and paint damage.

…Continue to Drive While Overheating

With today’s technology, it is less likely for cars to overheat than it was 20 years ago. However, when the temperature outside soars and you get stuck in traffic, it is still somewhat possible. If you do not have enough engine coolant in your car, it is very possible.

Regardless of why your car is overheating, continuing to drive your car can cause all sorts of expensive damage to your engine. It can also become a safety issue.

• If your car overheats, turn off the AC and open your windows. Any load decrease for your engine will help.
• Next, turn on the heater and divert the heat from your engine into your car.
• Move to the side of the road as soon as possible.
• NEVER, EVER open the radiator cap while the engine is hot, and do not pour cold water into a hot engine.
• Contact a repair shop.

To Prevent Overheating:

• Maintain the proper coolant level.
• Have your cooling system inspected by an ASE-certified mechanic.
• If you find yourself in stop-and-go traffic shift into neutral or idle and rev your engine. (Try not to ride your brakes.)

…Ignore Service Indicator and Check-Engine Lights

Those lights that come on when you start your engine are pretty important. The check engine light and others are engineered to come on when something is wrong with your car or truck. The problem may be minor, but you can also get stranded and need costly repairs if you leave them unchecked.

Most auto service centers have the equipment to easily diagnose any problems you may have and at Tilly Mill Auto Center, check engine diagnosis is free.

There is always a way to save money at Tilly Mill Auto Center!

Grab your car care coupons and head on over for your routine auto maintenance, auto repair, or new tires!