Year: 2019

Automotive Leaks 101: How To Identify Different Types Of Car Leaks

Today, let’s take a look at six different types of car leak, what can happen as a result, and how to identify them. It’s actually pretty amazing when you step back and look at just how many various fluids go into keeping your car on the road. It’s not just oil and fuel, that’s for sure!

Identifying the Type

The first thing to do is to identify the type of fluid leaking. Fortunately, these fluids tend to stand out in their viscosity and color, so once you know what you’re looking at, it’s easy to identify them.

Motor Oil – Motor oil is a dark brown oily substance that most people can readily identify.
Coolant – Coolant is usually blue, and has about the same consistency as thin antifreeze. It looks a lot like antifreeze really.
Transmission Fluid – Transmission fluid is a pinkish or reddish fluid with a consistency similar to coolant.
Power Steering Fluid – Power Steering fluid is yellowish or greenish in color, and has a thin oil consistency.
Battery Acid – Battery acid is identified by the corrosion and damage present. It eats away at the matter.
Brake Fluid – Brake fluid is a light amber hue or colorless, but very clearly not water.

Oil Leaks

These are very common, because of how circulated oil is, and how connected to the raw power of the engine it is as well. Oil leaks can result in oil getting into the fuel, parts not being lubricated properly, and much more.
Detect oil leaks by filling your oil, and then taking frequent measurements to see if it depletes too quickly.

Coolant/Antifreeze Leaks

These can be disastrous, as your engine can overheat and be severely damaged. Coolant lines run all over your engine like a circulatory system, so leaks can appear anywhere in your car’s mechanics, just about. That means you can’t always see these leaks without already looking for them.

If you think you have a coolant leak, the best way to check is to look in the overflow tank for the coolant. If it’s low or practically empty after recently filling it, also check your radiator. Remember, let your engine cool completely before opening the radiator – it’s a very hot, very pressurized environment otherwise.

If you also see no coolant in the radiator, you definitely have a leak somewhere.

Transmission Fluid Leaks

The first symptom of transmission fluid loss is your car revving without going into gear or pulling/being less responsive overall. This can burn your clutch over time, stall the vehicle, and possibly get you and others hurt. It needs to be addressed right away if it happens.

These leaks usually happen near the axle seals, which will cause your hub caps and wheels to have a tarnished, grimy appearance that’s easy to spot.

Power Steering Fluid Leaks

Power steering is critical to a vehicle handling smoothly and responsively. The wheel turns gently, which wouldn’t be possible without power steering. Obviously, this means that an early symptom of these leaks is the vehicle being less responsive and requiring increasing effort to operate.

The steering mechanism may also whine or make other loud noises, which is a further sign of loss of fluids. Check the seals on the racks, they’re easily accessed. This is where these leaks are likely to form.

Water Leaks

This is an extra bonus, but it warrants being addressed. This is a leak you actually want to happen, and it’s a result of your air conditioning. Humid, hot air, to which humans contribute, is collected and the water pulled from it by the AC. It’s then drained out a hose in the upper right-hand side of the car under the passenger seat.

Keeping recirculation turned on, can reduce this to a degree, and run the AC less hard.

To learn more about these leaks, and how to spot and address them, fill out our contact form today!

Should You Get Collision Coverage?

A car crash can be highly stressful. When you have a collision, you might be left to deal with injuries as well as damage to your vehicle. Car accidents are common in the U.S., and there were approximately 6.3 million crashes in the nation in 2015 alone. If you are in an accident and are uninjured, your primary objective will be to evaluate the damage to your vehicle. To receive reimbursement for the repairs, you will need to have collision coverage with your automobile insurance company. Elmer’s Auto Body works with many different insurance companies to repair damage to people’s cars.

What is collision coverage?

Collision coverage is optional insurance coverage that pays for accident damage accidents with objects and with other cars. However, it does not cover everything. It won’t pay for vehicle damage that did not directly result from your accident or for your medical bills.

Choosing a deductible

Before your insurance coverage will start covering your damages, you will first need to pay the deductible amount. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible, you will have to pay $1,000 before the collision coverage will take over. You can choose the deductible amount with which you are comfortable. Lower deductibles come with higher premiums, so you will need to keep that in mind. However, the cost is not the only factor that you should consider.

You should also think about your risks, including your age, normal times when your vehicle is being used, the climate, and others. If you believe that your risks are higher, choosing a lower deductible might be a wise choice. By contrast, if you have a spotless driving record, live in a climate that has generally good conditions, and drive your vehicle in an area that has minimal traffic, a higher deductible policy might be a good idea. You should also consider the age of your vehicle and whether you have an emergency savings fund.

Should you purchase collision coverage on an older car?

If your car is older than 10 years, you might want to forgo collision coverage. Insurance companies will only pay the fair market value for damage to your car. However, if you are leasing or financing your car, you will likely be required to keep your collision coverage. Some vehicles also keep their values better than other cars. Check the Kelley Blue Book and NADA to find the value of your car so that you can determine whether collision coverage makes sense. Finally, if you do not have an emergency savings fund, it might be best to keep your collision coverage.

Contact Elmer’s Auto Body

If you are involved in an accident and need to have your vehicle repaired, contact Elmer’s Auto Body. We work with all insurance companies and can give you a reliable estimate of the costs to repair your car. Call us today, or fill out our online contact form.

Is It Safer To Be In A Bigger Or Smaller Car During A Collision?

Everyone assumes that a bigger car is automatically safer when it comes to a collision because of its size. A larger and heavier weight car is just going to survive a crash better than a smaller car.

Adjustments, modifications and technological advances have somewhat altered that assumption as major improvements made to both larger and smaller cars have proven that there are advantages with both. There will obviously be increased safety with a larger car, particularly a newer one. What’s important is determining whether a larger or smaller vehicle is going to meet safety requirements, eliminate risks and meet driver adaptability and needs.

Modern Cars

Safety features in newer or modern cars, no matter the size of the car, contain elements that reduce the chances of injury or death. Some vehicles have upgraded features as well as standard features. The standard features in newer cars include:

Airbags – (front, side, rear, curtain airbag) Most of these airbags are found in even the least expensive of newer cars.
Sensors and cameras for backing up – They help in avoiding rear-end collisions and are found in new cars from 2018
Blind Spot – A sensor or camera in a newer vehicle acts as a warning to inform a driver that there is another car next to them when maneuvering to make a lane change.
Electronic Stability – This is a control device that helps to stabilize a vehicle when it goes into a slide or spin. It helps to control a vehicle in the event of a rollover accident. This type of stabilizer was once only available in luxury vehicles but is now found in most every vehicle since 2012.
Reinforced roofs – A reinforced roof will provide safety with a roof cave-in.

Weight, Size, and Height

A larger car is going to be heavier and able to take the impact of a collision more effectively than a smaller car. The larger the size and weight of a vehicle, the less damage will be incurred in an accident. Hoods on larger and newer vehicles are also able to better withstand the brunt of damage from head on collisions. The hood on a larger sized vehicle has considerably more area than a smaller car’s hood and can take the crumbling and crushing effect that happens in front-end collisions. A smaller vehicle is much less likely to endure the aftermath of a front-end accident. The front of a vehicle is the one area that is going to take the impact, and a larger vehicle can much easier sustain that type of damage.

In thinking of the height of a vehicle, a larger vehicle’s center of gravity is going to be higher, which can be risky when it comes to rollover accidents, while a smaller vehicle is usually going to be lower. A rollover accidents is less likely to occur with a smaller car, but there is the chance of a smaller vehicle skidding and sliding under another vehicle (large semi-trailer truck) from the back and creating an underride accident, which is usually deadly.

Momentum

A vehicle with a lot of weight is going to have an increased momentum and will have more difficulty slowing down. In the case of an accident with a smaller car, the force of the larger vehicle will significantly impact the smaller one and cause it to propel as well as damage it. The impact will most likely cause severe damages and injuries to any driver and passengers. Risks are definitely higher when a larger vehicle collides with a smaller one.

Larger and Smaller Vehicle Considerations

There are many things to take into consideration when determining the safety of a bigger or smaller car. What’s important to know is that a larger, newer vehicle is going to withstand a collision better than its smaller counterpart, but there are considerations to be made with smaller vehicles as well. They are usually less expensive, get good gas mileage and are easier to operate, particularly for a novice driver. Remember with all new vehicles, large or small, technological features have increased their overall safety, so the risks are a whole lot less than with any sized older vehicle.

If you are not sure about the safety of your current vehicle, or a new one, and are unsure of the effects a collision could have on either, complete the online contact form, and a collision expert will get back to you with the answers you need to better understand the safety of your vehicle.

What Is The Best Oil For My Car?

If you have ever stood in an auto or department store and looked at the many different types of oil available, you know how confusing it can be too choose the right one out of the hundreds on the shelf. Choosing the right one can be confusing but it doesn’t have to be. The answer to what type you should buy is usually found right in your car’s manual.

Choosing Oil

What the manual will tell you is what weight oil is recommended for your vehicle. It may say something like “10W-30” or something similar. You want to choose an oil at that weight with a starburst symbol as this indicates it has been tested by the American Petroleum Institute (API). There is also a two-character service designation on the label which, today, would be “SL.” This refers to the engine and lab tests performed as well as control tests on high-temperature deposits.

Understanding Oil Labels

Inside the API label, you will see whether the oil meets the SL service rating. If your vehicle has a diesel engine, it will have a “C.” There is also an indication that the oil meets the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Energy Conserving test. The starburst symbol on the label means that the oil has passed the tests listed by the API.

What is Viscosity?

Viscosity is a liquid’s resistance to flow. The number before the “W” represents the number above zero degrees Fahrenheit and the number after the “W” represents the number above 212 degrees. As motor oil cools, it thickens and as it warms, it thins. Additives help resist thinning so that the oil can be rated for one viscosity in cold weather and a different viscosity in warm weather. The more resistant it is to thinning, the higher the second number will be. In other words, 10W-40 oil will thin less quickly than 10W-30 oil. You want an oil that resists thickening because it flows better into the moving parts of your engine. If oil is too thick, it requires the engine to work harder to turn the crankshaft which is submerged in oil. This can make it harder to start your engine and reduce your fuel economy. If you live in an area that sees severe cold, you may need to use a 5W oil, although synthetic oils flow even more freely when cold so the 0W rating is not as important in those types of oils.

If you are confused about what type of oil to buy for your vehicle, let us do the work for you. Schedule an appointment today by calling or completing the easy online form.

Is Technology Making You A Worse Driver?

Cars are now equipped with almost as much technology as our homes, much of it designed for our safety. By May of 2019, all new cars and small trucks in Canada must be equipped with backup cameras, something that will not be too far off in the United States as well. Automakers are working to make automatic braking standard by 2022. There is significant research that these types of technology reduce crashes but experts are finding that there is now a generation of drivers who are too dependent on technology, believing those tools will fully protect them.

Blind Spot and Lane Change Warning

Driving instructors are particularly worried blind spot and lane change warning technology. Many are finding that drivers no longer check over their shoulder or in the rearview mirror when changing lanes in cars that have those options. Some drivers also believe that a car equipped with the lane change warning allows them to continue texting behind the wheel. A study conducted by the Intelligent Design for Adaptation, Participation and Technology (iDAPT) found that lane-keeping skills of drivers dropped in cars with lane change protection technology.

Safety Adjustments

It is not a new theory that cars with safety feature technology can lead drivers to drive less carefully. Studies have found that when people drive cars equipped with anti-lock brakes, they drive faster, follow others more closely and hit the brake later. Other studies have found that as drivers become accustomed to safety features, they become lazy, take more risks and depend far too much on the safety feature to step in if they make a mistake.

Understanding Safety Features

One of the most important things to remember is that, although safety features provide additional protections in a vehicle, they have their own limitations. For example, backup cameras also have blind spots so it is important to walk around your car to be sure there is nothing behind you before backing up. Never use only the backup camera for guidance as the camera cannot see things coming at the car from the side or corners. Sensors can be faulty which is why drivers should never fully depend on safety features like blind spot and lane change warnings or automatic braking features. In addition, it is important to understand how your safety features work before you leave the dealership in a new car. One study found that 37 percent of drivers with lane change or blind spot technology turned off the systems because of false alarms, irritation or misunderstanding how they work.

In one study, 30 percent of those asked said that they believed their cars were so advanced they could almost drive by themselves, a scary statistic in today’s world of busy highways. If you need to understand the safety features of your car, schedule an appointment today by calling or filling out the online form.

New Car VS Used Car: The Pros & Cons

When it is time to replace your car you may be tempted to rush out and buy a brand new one with all the bells and whistles. The fact is that you need to look closely at whether a new car is necessary or a good used car would provide you with the same benefits. The average car costs over $30,000 and the average person purchases 13 cars over their lifetime. Imagine the money you could save if instead of buying 13 new cars, you chose 13 gently used vehicles.

New Car Depreciation

New cars begin to depreciate the minute you drive them from the lot. Within minutes, the car you just spent $30,000 to buy will lose $6,000 in value. By the end of that year, your car will be worth 30 percent less, or $9,000. By the end of three years, depreciation can be almost half what you paid for the car. If you buy a car new for $30,000 and sell it three years later for $15,000, you have essentially lost $15,000 due to depreciation. If you had purchased that same car used for $15,000, three years later you could sell it for $10,000 as depreciation slows as the car ages. That means the car only cost you $5,000 in depreciation costs.

Used Car Stigma

In the past, buying a used car was referred to as “buying someone else’s problems.” There are two reasons why this is not true any longer. Today, cars are far more dependable than they used to be. In fact, it is not unusual for a car to go more than 100,000 and not need any major repair. As long as the previous owner kept up with regular maintenance like oil changes, tire rotation and brakes, a used car is just as reliable as a new car. In addition, many cars can go much longer between routine maintenance with some manufacturers recommending oil changes every 10,000 miles rather than every 3,000 like older models required.

Money Savings

There are several money-saving reasons why you should consider a used car as well. Often, a used car costs less to insure as the car has lower value. In some states that use the value of the car to determine the cost for registration, your renewal rates could be lower each year. Used cars often have lower prices so a more expensive model may cost the same as a less expensive model than if you purchased new.

Benefits to New Cars

Although there are many benefits to buying a used car, purchasing a new vehicle also has some benefits as well. You don’t need to have a new car evaluated by a mechanic and it is easier to figure out what you should pay for the car. Automakers often offer incentives to encourage buyers to choose new vehicles and new car loans often have better interest rates than used cars. Depending on how old the used car is, you may not be able to get advanced technology like built-in GPS, USB ports or Bluetooth capability like you can in a new car. Although some dealers offer limited warranties on used cars, if your new car has an issue in the first 36,000 or three years, the warranty will cover any repair.

If you are considering a car purchase, bring your current vehicle into our shop for a complete review. If you have decided to purchase a used car, our mechanics are happy to take a look at the vehicle before you buy and identify any problems you could encounter. Schedule an appointment today by calling or filling out the easy online form.