Auto News
Precision Tune Auto Care wants to help you stay informed on everything automotive, from the latest safety tests to exciting new vehicle reviews. Whether you want tips on keeping your vehicle in top shape or a sneak peek into Jay Leno’s amazing car collection, you can find everything you’re looking for in our resources overview.
Whenever they hear the term "exhaust service," most residents think about exhaust pipes and mufflers. Well, actually, exhaust service at Precision Tune Auto Care is a lot more comprehensive these days. For example, catalytic converters were mandated in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. Governmental emissions requirements have forced manufacturers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental regulations. Exhaust service has really become exhaust...
Changes in vehicle design and manufacture have resulted in changed fluid requirements for our vehicles. With the sophistication of engines, transmissions, differentials, etc., it's best for residents to always use the proper type of fluid for their vehicle. Using incorrect fluids can actually damage your engine. As engines have become more sophisticated, new weights (or grades) of engine oil have been introduced. Today, there is a much wider range of weights for engine oil as well as a...
It's pretty frustrating when your driver's window won't work. You can't get your food at the drive-thru without opening the door, have a tough time using the ATM from your vehicle, can't have that fresh breeze blowing through your hair as you listen to your favorite road tunes.
Plus, there's a safety factor. Your windows provide an escape route in case you need to get out and the doors won't work. Let's take a look at what's going on when your window won't operate.
Most vehicles...
Drivers want their tires to last as long as possible. Two ways to extend tire life are wheel balancing and tire rotation. When wheels are out of balance, they wobble and vibrate. That makes the tires wear in a cupping pattern. If a front wheel is out of balance, you'll feel it in the steering wheel. If it's a rear wheel, you'll feel it through your seat. To fix this, your technician puts weights on your wheels to balance them out. That brings us to tire rotation . The front tires on a vehicle...
When accidents occur, the victims' emergency contacts are extremely important. Too often, those involved aren't able to provide rescuers with phone numbers and medical information. When police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories, they waste precious time. In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, you have people in the area who you'll want to be contacted to arrange help, give consent to treatment...
You've just arrived at the store shopping and you're ready to head home. You put your key in the ignition and… oh, no! The ignition won't turn! What do you do now?
Don't panic. There are some things you can do to get going again. The first thing to do is see if you have a locking steering wheel, an anti-theft feature that was introduced around 1970. Sometimes it sticks. Move the steering wheel side to side while you try to turn the key and you might be able...
Did you know that most of the cars driving around carry more computer power than the Apollo 121 Lunar Module that landed on the moon in 1969? New cars sold have as many as 12 networked computers and over five miles (eight kilometers) of wiring. In fact, for the last decade or so, auto computers have been controlling about 85 percent of your vehicle's functions. Cars have sensors for manifold air temperature, coolant temperature, manifold air pressure, airflow, throttle position, vehicle...
You probably figured out those shifty letters. They're what you see on your automatic transmission shifter and stand for Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Low. Your automatic transmission is one of the great automotive inventions; here are some ways you can keep yours working well.
Maintain your transmission regularly. A technician will check your transmission fluid's level and even its appearance and smell. If it's dark or has an unusual odor, that could be a sign of trouble....
Synthetic motor oil has been around for a long time, and more and more new vehicles are leaving factories with synthetic in their engines. But a lot of drivers don't really know much about it. Let's start with conventional oil – the kind folks are used to. Conventional oil is made up of naturally occurring hydrocarbon chains, which means its molecules are long and have various lengths. Like a pile of pencils, some of them new and some of them used. Synthetic oil is man-made. Its molecules...
Tires are an expensive purchase, so knowing when tires should be replaced is important for drivers. Tires will just wear out with normal use. The depth of the tread on your tire determines how well it will stop, start and steer – especially in wet conditions. 4/32th of an inch (3.2 mm) of tire tread is considered a safe amount of tread. Uneven tread wear can be a symptom of other problems, and simply replacing your tires will not prevent the same uneven wear from happening to the new tires....