Understanding Tire-Pressure Monitoring Systems

Who would have thought that monitoring tire pressure would be included in newer vehicle operating systems? Knowing you had low tire pressure usually meant getting out of your vehicle, reaching for your tire pressure gauge, if you had one, and getting to an air hose or compressor, or one of those pressurized air cans and inflating your tires to their recommended pressure.

Federal Guidelines

Though checking tire pressure is still done the same way with older vehicles, federal stipulations, like the 2000 TREAD Act were put into place due to rollover incidents involving certain vehicle models and particular brands of tires. So, any vehicle that is in the 2008 or newer range is now equipped with a tire-pressure monitoring system or TPMS.

How it Works

The TPMS system works through sensors that are regularly monitoring tire pressure. There is a symbol on the instrument panel of a vehicle that indicates when tire pressure is seriously low. It is represented by the following symbols. Included with the symbols is associated information and instruction concerning tire pressure.

Symbols

  • the cross section of a tire
  • an exclamation point symbol
  • an upper view of a card with all tires exposed

Information

  • A TPMS warning light will come on when a tire goes below 25% of its recommended tire pressure.
  • The warning light should not be used as a replacement for checking tire pressure on a regular basis. Any checking should be done for the recommended pressure level for the particular tire.
  • Some drivers have difficulty recognizing the low tire-pressure warning light on the instrument panel, or they simply do not check it at all. The device is only effective if drivers know the light and are attentive to their proper tire pressure.

Instructions

  •  Tire flexing can occur with under inflated tires, which produces heat. That heat can be damaging to a tire in general and to the chemical makeup within the tires themselves. If you want to avoid tire flexing, don’t allow an under inflated tire to go unchecked.
  • Tire pressure must be thoroughly checked during warmer months to avoid the breakdown of tire fibers, plus any high speed driving should be limited, as it can also affect a tire’s condition and performance.
  • Low tire pressure is a safety concern but it also diminishes fuel savings and also causes tire wear. Tire pressure should be checked at least once a month and a vehicle owner should not completely rely on their TPMS to do it for them. Investing in a good tire pressure gauge is also important.
  • Recommended tire pressure for newer cars is usually found on the driver’s side doorpost or in the owner’s manual for the particular car model. If the vehicle is older, it can be found in the console lid, the glove compartment, the lid of the trunk or the fuel tank cap.

Different Types TPMS

Two different types of TPMS systems are utilized in newer vehicles that include:

Indirect TPMS is a less expensive system that utilizes anti-lock braking with a wheel-speed sensor. It is set up to detect the rotation of one tire and whether it is moving faster than the other three tires. A tire that is under-inflated will be smaller and will move faster to remain in step with the other tires. This means of determining under-inflation is not as effective as a direct measuring system.

Direct TPMS does actually measure tire pressure and it is an accurate system. A gauge is applied to the tire valve or tire wheel. The gauge transmits a signal to the vehicle’s computer system. The data output concerning the pressure is then clarified through a low or high line unit. The high line system’s sensors are in the wheel wells of the vehicle and will display separate pressure for each tire. Low-line systems are built in lower cost vehicles and will only elicit the warning light for low pressure. The vehicle driver will have to determine on their own exactly which tire is low, Obviously, the best systems are those that show pressure for each individual tire, and a high-line system is easier to deal with as well as more accurate.

Understanding tire-pressure monitoring systems doesn’t have to be complicated, but if you are unsure of the different types of monitoring in newer or even used vehicles, complete the online contact form, and an expert in TPMS will get back to you with the information you need to better understand the choices available to you.

How Do Back Up Cameras Work?

How Do Back Up Cameras Work?

Whether or not you have noticed, back up cameras (or rearview cameras) are one of the latest innovations to help drivers back their way out of a bad spot or their own driveway to prevent back up issue accidents and other mishaps. These cameras are now part of every new car coming off the assembly line and have been mandated by federal law for all new cars, vans, trucks and any other vehicles that have a weight of less than 10,000 pounds.

Essential Mirrors

Rear view mirrors have been an essential part of most any motorized equipment for over a hundred years. Mirrors, whether for rear or side viewing are, of course, useful, but they do have their disadvantages. It is difficult to see right behind a vehicle at a lower level, plus there is no mirror positioning for wide-angle viewing. With these mirror limitations, thousands of deaths and injuries have occurred and that includes backover accidents with various objects and tragic occurrences with young children.

How Back Up Cameras Work

Back up cameras operate on a fairly simple basis, yet they are quite advanced and continue to progress in their technical aspects. They work through a camera that is placed at the back of a vehicle. The camera action is initiated when a vehicle is put in reverse. An image is sent to a screen monitor at the front of the vehicle that displays what is happening on the outside. The image that is produced is quite intricate as it transmits a mirror image to the screen in a way that the orientation or positioning of the image is exactly as it should be in determining what is or isn’t behind a vehicle. The image that is shown or displayed on the screen is in the correct placement so no mistakes are made with steering in the wrong direction when exiting an area.

The backup cameras are actually installed on the rear of the vehicle in several different locations. They can be found in the rear decorative trim of a vehicle where they are obscured and not that easy to see. They might also be concealed within the bumper, by the license plate area, in the tailgate of a truck or SUV, or in the lid of a vehicle trunk. Those cameras are directed in a downward position to give the most optimal view behind the vehicle. The cameras also contain lenses that are wide-angle, which give an inclusive image as opposed to a normal rear view mirror that is a feature of older vehicle models.

Monitor Mounting and Types

The monitor can be placed anywhere in a drivers line of vision, though most newer cars already have built-in screens that have multi-functional uses for navigation, entertainment viewing, climate control and other activities. This same screen or display is also used for a backup camera system. Other types of displays rely on a section of the rearview mirror itself as a display, which is a good feature as drivers are used to looking in their rear view mirrors, but this type of monitor has image limitations and is not comparable to a larger screen.

Early monitors and aftermarket camera systems were colorless but almost all models in use today have color displays that are considered high resolution and high definition cameras. In addition, many luxury vehicles have night vision capacities built into their backup display systems. Backup systems are also available for older model vehicles and can be manually installed.

Some Disadvantages

The disadvantages with backup camera systems are few but there are some operational issues, which can be alleviated with simple maintenance. Here are some of the glitches that include:

  • poor image quality – can be caused by road debris, snow, mud and dirt. Simply clean the camera lens with a soft cloth.
  • wireless systems – (usually found on aftermarket camera models) may cause interruption or matching or pairing problems with a signal. Incompatibility issues usually occur because of purchasing the camera and monitor apart from one another.
  • malfunctioning camera – should be repaired by an expert technician
  • not a guarantee of complete safety – back up cameras are not a total replacement for mirrors. Regular mirrors should still be used as should the action of turning around and observing on all sides and the rear of a vehicle
  • not using the system negates any benefits – warning alarms within the system help to trigger use

If you are interested in finding out more about back up cameras and how they work, simply complete the online contact form and an expert will get back to you with the information you need.

How Long Should A Car Loan Be?

How Long Should A Car Loan Be?

Monthly car loan payments today can seem like the mortgage payments of a couple of decades ago, and most average loans for new cars now are around $500 (plus) a month, or more. Consumers today are purchasing new, high-end and larger vehicles that reflect higher sticker prices, which has future new car owners thinking about securing longer vehicle loans. Sometimes those high monthly payments can be a bit much for most any budget, so how long should a car loan be, anyway?

Average Loan Duration

The average car loan period is currently 72 months and it looks as though an 84 month loan duration is in the works. Most loans for new vehicles were originally for 60 months with 72 months following that. Even used car loans can run around the same amount of time (at 72 months) and that is with quite a bit less money being financed for a used vehicle, but it takes that period of time to even pay off a used vehicle.

Credit reporting agencies note that many potential new and used car owners are looking for decent interest rates with manageable monthly payments. A five-year loan can bring a large monthly payment and that is one reason why consumers resort to taking longer loan stretches to afford the cost. In the long run, they end up paying more in interest to pay for a vehicle.

Most financial experts don’t advise assuming a car loan that is longer than six or seven years. There are reasons why a five-year or 60 month loan period is recommended. Here are a few reasons why that amount of time is suggested:

Interest Rates

The length of a loan is going to determine the interest rate, and the longer the loan, the higher the rate will be. The loan will include both the rate of the loan for the number of months/years and any finance charges over that time period.

60 Month Period Loan

Say a car or other type of vehicle is being financed for a 60-month period as opposed to a 72-month period. The average amount financed by a new car owner on a 60-month loan is in the $31,000 range and the rate of interest is round 3.2%, which brings a monthly payment to over $550 and a finance charge of around $2500. This close to $600 a month payment is a hefty bill that could seriously cut into a person’s income, so it is understandable why a new car customer would look to a lengthier loan.

72 Month Loan Period

A loan of 72-months or 6-years is obviously a longer loan period, and such a loan would carry a higher interest rate that would be around 7 percent. The average 31,000 figure for loan backing would lower the payment to a little more than $500. This figure may seem to be one that is workable, but the finance charges to carry the loan would be close to $7,000 during the 6-year duration of the loan. It’ easy to figure out that the is considerably more interest than the 60-month loan.

Used Vehicle Loans

Used cars loans follow somewhat the same pattern, as the average financing today for used car loans is almost $22,000, which would equal out to a payment of almost $400 a month. That looks to be a workable figure, but interest rates are considerably higher for used vehicles. The rate of over 9 percent is somewhat normal, so the finance charges alone would be close to $7,000.

Other Factors

There are other factors to consider with vehicle financing that include:

  • The depreciation of a vehicle over a loan period
  • The resale value of a vehicle once a loan is complete – (a five-year old vehicle is going to bring a higher value as opposed to a seven-year old vehicle)
  • The negative equity- total down payment affects the amount of negative or positive equity in a vehicle

Ways Around Costly Vehicle Financing

There are ways to reduce monthly payments when five, or even seven-year vehicle payments are out of the reach of a person’s budget. Car payment or car affordability calculators are available to any potential vehicle owner. They help car buyers determine what cars and lower payment options are available to them. It’s a simple process and can be found online. All that is necessary is to insert a workable monthly amount and cars in that price range will be made accessible.

Another alternative is purchasing a used vehicle. Though the interest rates are higher, used vehicles are lower in cost, so there is less of a loan to carry and any payments will be lower. It is advisable, however, to always carefully review any terms in the loan to determine if there are added charges and costs in the agreement.

Length of a Car Loan

In terms of how long a car loan should be, reviewing loan terms for five, six and more years is the first step. Shorter terms (even less than five years) are always advisable but what is an affordable monthly payment amount to a car buyer should always be first in determining financing.

Secondly, every contract involving a car loan should be carefully reviewed to determine the exact amount that a car buyer is paying for the vehicle. Other rules that go along with and govern financing include putting down a substantial down payment (20 percent) and keeping any payment around 10 percent of total (monthly) income.

Whether you are shopping for a car loan for a new or used car, and are not sure what is the best financial approach for your budget situation, complete the online contact form and a financial expert will get back to you with the information you need to make an informed decision.