AUTONET TV

Stop! And See Us (Brake Pad Replacement)

If you’ve ever driven a bicycle with hand brakes, you’ll probably understand how the brake pads on your vehicle work.  Bicycle brakes use a system that squeezes the bike wheel’s rim with a pair of cushioned pads activated by your hand squeezing the hand brakes on your handlebars. The friction of those pads stops the wheel.

That’s the same principle used for the wheels on your vehicle.  Step on the brake pedal and that causes pads to put pressure on discs in the wheels called rotors.  Those pads create friction and stop the wheels from turning.

Brake pads in vehicles are made from several different materials.  The pads most commonly used are ceramic or a combination of metals.

The friction that stops your vehicle generates heat and wears both the pads and, eventually, the rotors, too.  That means that, over time, both are going to need replacing to work properly.  One sign brake wear is getting noticeable may be  when you hear squeaking when you stop.  Or you might feel the vehicle pulling to one side during braking or the brake light on your dash illuminates.  All are signs to bring your vehicle in to us for inspection and service.

When your vehicle is in for brake pad replacement, our technician will check other components such as the brake calipers, rotors and lines.   

Brakes are something you should have inspected at regular intervals because they are a vital safety component of your vehicle.  Consider having us look at them every 10,000 miles/16,000 km or each time you bring your vehicle in for an oil change. 

Long Hill Auto Service
1905 Long Hill Rd
Millington, NJ 07946
(908) 647-7984
www.longhillautonj.com

Busted! Air Conditioning (Air Conditioning Maintenance)

Your vehicle's air conditioning is something you count on when the weather heats up.  But there's bound to be a day when you turn it on and one of these things happens:

• Only warm air blows out
• Cold air starts blowing out but then it turns warm on its own
• It's not blowing air at all
• It blows smelly air out

Some people are tempted to try to make the diagnosis—and the repair—on their own.  They think it's just run out of refrigerant and they can pick up a can at a local auto parts store and re-charge it.   If only it was that easy.

A vehicle's air conditioning system is complex and made up of many parts.  A compressor, evaporator, condenser, tubing, hoses, sensors, valves… the list goes on and on.

Each of these components could be the reason for the problem.  It could be a leak that's letting the refrigerant escape, but simply re-charging the system hasn't fixed the problem. You have to find the source of the leak and fix it. Service facilities have a device called a "sniffer" which can sniff out refrigerant chemicals. And they can use black light to locate refrigerant that has an ultraviolet dye in it. 

But often other components wear out; blower motors go bad, resistors blow, tubes clog, compressors fail. And diagnosing that takes training and special equipment you'll find at your service facility.

One other thing to keep in mind.  It's always better to catch any problems in the air conditioning system before it fails. Ask your service advisor about having

the A/C checked as part of the vehicle's maintenance.  That's the cool way to go. 

Long Hill Auto Service
1905 Long Hill Rd
Millington, NJ 07946
(908) 647-7984
www.longhillautonj.com

Don’t Be Hosed (Radiator Hose Replacement)

If you are like most drivers, you don’t worry too much about what shape your radiator hoses are in.  But they are a vital part of your coolant system, helping carry engine coolant from the hot engine to where it is cooled off in the radiator.  

When the cooling system has a problem, you will likely see your vehicle’s temperature gauge showing you it’s running at a higher temperature than it usually does. Or maybe the low coolant light has come on.  If either of these happens, it’s important that you not drive too long since a hot, running vehicle can suffer expensive damage quickly.

Radiator hoses can be damaged by being subjected to temperature extremes, both hot and cold. In addition to the temperature gauge climbing or low coolant light illuminating, there are other clues that may tell you your vehicle is leaking fluid.  You may notice a green, yellow, brown or purple fluid pooled on the ground around your vehicle.  

At any of these signs, it’s time to bring your vehicle in for service soon.  A technician can inspect hoses for leaks, deformities and other problems, as well as looking for cracks and wear.  They’ll also check the condition of the water pump, since problems with it can be another reason coolant will leak out from under your vehicle.

It is better to periodically have your hoses checked rather than waiting until they fail.  How often you should have yours replaced depends a lot on what vehicle you own, and in what conditions it is driven. Rubber degrades not only by temperature but also by what materials it comes in contact with.  For example, oil leaking on a radiator hose can prematurely cause that hose to fail. Age is another factor.  

We recommend you have one of our technicians inspect your cooling system regularly so you don’t get “hosed” by a failure at an inconvenient time.

Long Hill Auto Service
1905 Long Hill Rd
Millington, NJ 07946
(908) 647-7984
www.longhillautonj.com

Timing is Everything (Timing Cover Replacement)

There’s an important part in your vehicle that shields your timing belt, timing chain or cam belt from the debris and gunk that can be kicked up from the road.  It’s called the timing cover.  It’s important because the timing belt or chain is what coordinates parts of your engine called the camshafts and crankshaft.  When they’re in sync, all runs smoothly.  When they’re not, it can cause some serious engine problems.

If your vehicle has a timing belt, without the protection of the timing cover, that belt can come loose from the timing gears or break.  If your vehicle has a timing chain, the cover keeps engine oil circulating around it which lubricates it.  When that starts to leak because of a bad gasket, the chain may not be getting adequate lubrication.  

If your vehicle has a timing cover problem, you may notice engine oil leaking if a gasket is not sealing tightly.  You may hear a strange metallic sound coming from the engine.  Another sign that timing is off is that you notice you’re losing power when you’re going up a hill. 

Usually, the timing cover will not wear out. But if you drive on roads where you’re getting a lot of debris and dirt kicked up into your engine compartment, the timing cover can get damaged and affect your vehicle’s operation.  It eventually could lead to engine problems, so if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned, have one of our technicians inspect your timing cover and gasket.  

Long Hill Auto Service
1905 Long Hill Rd
Millington, NJ 07946
(908) 647-7984
www.longhillautonj.com

In a Fog (Fogged Windows in Cold Weather)

It's bad enough in cold weather when ice and snow block your visibility.  Add to that fog on the inside of your windows and you could be driving blind.  So here are a few tips on how to keep your windows from fogging up when there's a chill in the air.

You probably know fog is really condensation, when moist, warm air meets a cold surface and turns to liquid.  If your windshield fogs up, you probably turn on your windshield defroster. Most defrosters blow heated air on the windshield glass to warm it up so it won't condense the moisture.  Many also turn on the air conditioning to reduce the moisture. 

That same strategy can work on the rest of the windows.  First, turn up your heater's temperature setting.  The hotter the air, the more moisture it will hold.  Also, turn off the "recirculating" setting since you want all outside air to come in. Then switch on the air conditioning.  It will remove the moisture from the outside  air that it's blowing inside the cabin.  Try cracking a couple of windows to make it easier for the air to flow. This should do the trick pretty quickly. 

There's one other thing to try.  Many vehicles have electric heater elements embedded in the rear window glass (the rear window defroster) and in the outside rearview mirror glass. Make sure to turn those on, too; sometimes they're on the same switch.

For all of these things to work, of course, your vehicle's components have to be maintained so they'll do the things they're designed to do.  And you didn't think it was important to have your air conditioning working in the cold weather months! 

One final tip.  Keep the insides of your windows CLEAN.  Oil and dirt on the glass give the water molecules something to latch on to.  That ought to clear up this problem.

Long Hill Auto Service
1905 Long Hill Rd
Millington, NJ 07946
(908) 647-7984
www.longhillautonj.com