Mud Is No Big Deal

If you’re interested in getting more involved in what’s happening under the hood of your vehicle, a great place to start is definitely the various fluids that call your engine bay home. There are five that we’ll cover in this blog today, but arguably these are the five that you really, really should know. So, without further ado, here are the FIVE FLUIDS OF DESTINY, or even just the five you should know. First, you have your oil. Without oil in your engine - or even sufficient oil - your engine will be running VERY dry and without the cooling and lubricating effects of the oil, your engine might even seize and weld itself together, effectively turning it into a block of metal that is shaped like an engine. To make sure you’re taking care of your oil, check it at least once a month and get regular oil changes. Second is the coolant. This does pretty much what it says on the tin, and cools your engine and radiator so they don’t overheat. The reservoir for this fluid is located near the radiator and is a clear opaque plastic container. You can see the coolant level through the plastic, which is good because the more the reservoir can stay closed, the better. If the level is low, take your vehicle to us so that we can top off that coolant. Next is brake fluid, which is also in a tank marked with minimum and maximum lines. Make sure the level of this fluid is good because if it’s chronically low your brakes might be wearing down. Regardless, if the fluid level is low you should bring your vehicle in for a brake fluid top-up. Power steering fluid is number four. The reservoir for this fluid is located at the base of your windshield and is a small tank (opaque, so you can see the level). This fluid makes steering your car easy, and without it, your steering mechanism will not operate properly. Make sure the fluid is always between the minimum and maximum levels indicated on the tank. Finally, the fifth fluid - your washer fluid! This one basically everyone knows. If you want to find the tank, look for a large cap with a windshield diagram on it. Pop that open and fill it with fluid that you can buy at basically any gas station. Bam, you did it! Make sure you always have fluid in there, though, because it sucks to get stranded with a dirty windshield and no way to clean it Service Your Vehicle For Less!

Are you a hands-on kind of person? Maybe you like popping open the hood of your Chevrolet and getting a little grease on your hands. Yet, you may not know how exactly to change the battery under the hood of your precious Chevrolet. If so, this week’s blog is one that is perfect for you! This week, we have come up with a guide on how to change the battery in your vehicle. Take a look below and give it a go when you feel confident and your Chevrolet is begging for a new life, battery we mean! Park your vehicle on a flat, leveled surface and give your vehicle’s engine ample time to cool down. Pop open the hood, locate the battery, and decipher the positive cable from the negative one. The positive cable often has a plus sign and usually is red, the negative will have a negative sign and is usually black. Disconnect the negative terminal first, loosen the bolt and remove the cable from the port, push toward off to the side. Repeat this step for the positive port. ALWAYS disconnect the negative terminal first because you can end up shorting your circuit if you disconnect the positive cable first. Once the cables have been disconnected, unclamp the battery. Now, you can remove your battery from the holding tray; be careful, can be heavy and difficult to lift. Clean off the terminals and the new battery before placing it back into the battery tray. Use a battery-cleaning solution and a wire brush to clean the terminals. If there is any excessive corrosion to the clamps, consider replacing them. Let everything dry completely before re-inserting the new battery back into your vehicle. Once the battery is back in the tray, secure it once again with the clamp we removed prior. Reconnect the positive terminal first and do the same with the negative - tighten all clamps with a wrench to secure that you have a strong connection. To avoid corrosion, apply an anti-corrosion solution to each of the terminals. Close the hood and try to start your car - if it starts up, you are good to go. If your vehicle doesn't start, check the connections and ensure your battery it tightly secured. If you are still having problems, contact our service department. If you’re unsure if your battery is still in good standing, give us a call to schedule a service appointment for one of our mechanics to test your battery. You can also ask to test your battery when you have your oil changed. This is a proactive way to know where the life of your battery may be. New Chevy + New Battery = Happy You

Even though summer is winding down, there’s never a bad time to allergy-proof your car. For some folks, allergies are a year-round problem, and the inside of your car is no exception when it comes to places that harbor allergens and dust and all manner of things that could set someone off into a sneezing attack. So, for that, there’s allergy-proofing! This is a super easy thing to do that can save someone on tissues big-time. The most important thing you can do is to vacuum your car out. Thoroughly. Every surface, every vent, every crack, and crevice. This also has the added bonus of making your car smell better when you’re done. If you want to go further, you can also use an allergen-reducing spray (Febreeze has a good one) on all of the soft surfaces inside your vehicle. You can also check your cabin air filter. This guy is the intermediary between the air outside your car and the air that comes into the cabin through your vents. It’s pretty likely that the filter is gross and full of dirt and pollen. The good news is that these are generally really inexpensive and easy to replace. Check out a tutorial on YouTube if you’re more of a DIY type, or take your vehicle into your dealer (may we suggest Galles Chevrolet?) and we’ll take care of it for you. When you’re driving around, especially in spring and summer, you should try to not have the windows down as much as possible. This lets pollen-filled air directly into your vehicle, and then the pollen and dust settle inside your vehicle and can trigger allergies easily. Even when you’re parked, pollen and dust will stick to the outside of your vehicle - so you should get your car washed somewhat frequently to get all that pollen off. And even if your car does send someone into a fit of sneezing, after you’ve vacuumed and Febreezed and replaced your filter, you should keep tissues handy at all times! Save On Service This Month!