Car Problems That Can Leave You Stranded If Not Caught in Time

Here are the 8 most common reasons for your vehicle to breakdown that you do have some power to keep from happening. By that I mean when you have regular service here we will catch a lot of these problems before they leave you on the side of the road. We thoroughly inspect your vehicle every time your car is in our shop.

• Engine - often times breakdown stems from lack of maintenance, oil changes and tune ups.
• Belts - old belts wear out and break, need to be checked for wear and replacement. Timing belt replaced.
• Transmission - lack of service, transmission flushes as needed
• Cooling system - cracked hoses, leaking water pumps or radiator
• Electrical systems - battery and alternator failure, bad switches, relays or starter. The summer heat is particularly hard on your car's battery
• Brakes - pads and shoes need to checked for wear. Brake flushes as needed.
• Tires - should be rotated and checked on a regular basis
• Suspension or steering - Shocks, tie rods, ball joints, bushing and control arms are subject to wear and breakdown.

Have your vehicle inspected on a regular basis !

The regular maintenance of oil changes, brake, transmission and power steering flushes at regular intervals are some the most important things you can do for your car to keep it running longer.

Should a Transmission Flush be Part of My Regular Maintenance ?

Transmission flushes are an important part of keeping your transmission in good working order. So yes transmission flushes should be part of your regular maintenance schedule. Think of a transmission this way. You would never not change your oil, right? That's because you know clean oil lubes your engine and helps it run better. The same principle applies to your transmission. When your transmission fluid becomes clogged and dirty with debris, it will fail to properly lubricate your transmission. As transmission fluid breaks down over time it will typically turn a dark color.

When performing a flush we use a specialized machine made only for transmission flushes. We input a cleaning solution, then add the new transmission fluid. A typical transmission will take 12 quarts of fluid however we use 16. By using the extra 4 quarts (which we drain out) the extra fluid helps to make sure that more of the dirt and debris is removed from your transmission. Repair shops that only use the 12 quarts leave in dirt and debris.

We recommend your initial flush be performed at 60,000 miles and every 30,000 miles after that or every 2 years. If you have not had your transmission flushed give us a call and we will set up an appointment for service.

Regular preventive maintenance is probably the single thing you can do as a car owner to keep your car running longer and save money on repairs in the future.

Seven Ways You Could be Killing Your Car

The car you own can either be a nightmare or a dream depending on how well you take care of your vehicle. The following are seven things that motorists do that can harm their car and wallet.

• Ignoring the check engine light. Ignoring an illuminated check engine light can result in serious engine trouble and costly repairs. At the very least, this warning light could alert you to an engine problem that is negatively impacting fuel economy.

• Failing to change fluids and filters. Many fluids are required for the operation and protection of systems and components. Checking and changing fluid levels regularly along with the filters helps ensure that your vehicle runs dependably and extends vehicle life. This includes oil changes, transmission, power steering and brake flushes.

• Not following a service schedule. Because many car parts and components wear out or become damaged over time, vehicles need to be routinely serviced in order to perform over time. Routine safety inspections and timely repairs will help keep your car running efficiently and will help you avoid more expensive repairs down the road.

• Neglecting your tires. Your vehicle’s tires should be checked frequently for inflation and tread depth. Underinflated tires can wear out more quickly, needing to be replaced sooner, and can negatively impact safety, gas mileage and performance.

• Being a severe driver. Whether it’s stop and go traffic, extreme weather, rough roads or heavy loads, it can sometimes be difficult to limit severe driving conditions especially in the Atlanta area. Maximize your trips and errands by doing several at the same time or at low traffic times.

• Keeping a dirty car. Allowing your car to go too long without a wash leads to buildup of damaging chemicals and dirt and interferes with proper visibility needed for safe driving.

• Avoiding needed services from ToyoTechs. By not having your car serviced on a regular basis your vehicle will not run as well and the life of your car will be shorter.

Please keep up with your car care, you’ll be glad you did in the long run. Your car will last longer and have a better value by being well kept.

Tips on Extending the Life of Your Vehicle

We have compiled a few tips for keeping your car running better and extending the life of your vehicle. Keeping up with your car’s maintenance and getting any problems fixed before they become bigger problems are the keys to getting those extra years of life out of your car.

Here are some simple tips for getting extra years out of your car and saving money in the long run.

1 - Change oil regularly, every 3000 - 5000 miles (longer if using synthetic, 7500)

2 - Check all fluid levels every few months (Transmission, brake, coolant and power steering)

3 - Change air filter (Usually every 6 months, car will get higher gas mileage and run better )

4 - Check tire pressure and wheels (Properly inflated tires give you better gas millage, uneven wear from being out of balance or alignment causes vibration that can cause stress on the car's suspension).

5 - Fluid flushes (Transmission, brake and power steering flushes. These fluids breakdown contaminated by impurities, dirt, moisture and corrosive properties that cause these systems to have expensive problems.

6 -   Schedule at least twice a year safety inspection, more often if you do a lot of driving. (We perform a safety inspection with every oil change)

7 - Protect your car's exterior and interior. (Have your car waxed twice a year and keep the dirt and grime from the inside. This will increase your car’s value when it’s time to sell and it just feels better)

8 - Fix the small issues now (Small issues with your car often turn into big issues if they are not repaired in a timely manner, coolant leaks, oil leaks)

9 - Know your car (be sure to glance through your owner's manual to get an idea about your scheduled maintenance, as always we will be glad to help you with your scheduled maintenance)

10 - SERVICE, SERVICE, SERVICE - KEEP UP WITH YOUR SCHEDULED SERVICES

All of these tips are inexpensive and have a huge long term affect on how well your vehicle runs. These simple tips will absolutely help lengthen the life of your car.