Skip to main content
  • Facebook
  • Google My Business White

Archive for August 2010

Breathe Deep With Your Cabin Air Filter

Posted August 26, 2010 1:00 AM

Bad air quality while you're driving around brandon is nothing to sneeze at. But seriously, more and more vehicles these days come equipped with a cabin air filter. Since they're fairly new on the scene, a lot of folks don't know about them yet.

These filters clean the air in the passenger compartment, or cabin, of your car or truck. They do the same job as the furnace filter you have at home. They can filter out particles as small as three microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.

So your cabin air filter can clean out dust, pollution, pollen and spores to keep the air in your car nice and clean. And just like your furnace filter, they need to be replaced when they get dirty. Check your owner's manual or ask your service advisor at autoclinic of brandon, but they typically need to be replaced at around 12,000 to 15,000 miles (19,000-24,000 kilometers).

The filter is usually either under the hood or under the dashboard. Some are a little tricky to get to, so you'll want to have autoclinic of brandon take care of replacing them.

As we said, many people don't realize they have a cabin air filter and go to their shop complaining about a funky smell in the ventilation system. It turned out to be a cabin air filter that was long overdue for replacement – really dirty and starting to smell. A quick replacement and they were on their way and smelling fine.

brandon residents who are allergy sensitive can really benefit from a cabin air filter, as it keeps allergens to a minimum. If you're one of them, you'll want to stay on top of your filter replacement schedule.

Of course if you do a lot of driving around the brandon area in dusty or polluted conditions, you'll need to change your cabin air filter more often.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Stop It! You Need Good Brakes

Posted August 19, 2010 11:00 AM

Good brakes are obviously very important. If you've ever had your brakes go out while you're driving around the brandon area, you'll know how terrifying it can be. Today we'll focus on how to tell when you have a brake problem and how to make good repair choices.

Often, the first indication that something's wrong with the brakes is an unusual sound. It could be a squeal, chatter or grinding sound.

Some brake pads have a little piece of metal embedded in them that will make a squeal or chirping sound when the brake pads have been worn down to the point that they need to be replaced. It's an early warning indicator.

When you hear that sound, schedule an appointment at autoclinic of brandon soon.

Now a chattering sound is more urgent. That usually indicates that something is loose. It could be a brake pad or even the brake calipers. If one of those parts falls off, you could have some serious trouble stopping the vehicle. It would be a good idea to park it until you can get into the shop.

A grinding noise usually means that the brake pad is completely worn away and the metal parts of the brake are rubbing directly on the metal brake rotor. That means the rotor is being damaged and will need some work. More on that later.

Another warning sign is that your brake pedal may feel soft and spongy – or it may even feel very hard to push in. Both could mean trouble. And of course, you may get a dashboard brake warning light.

Now when it comes time to replace your brake pads, you have a choice to make. You can get the same pads that came standard on your vehicle. You can expect the same performance and durability as with the pads that came on the car from the factory.

Now you can also get a budget brake pad. Sometimes brandon drivers insist on lower cost pads. That's OK if the budget demands it, but you need to be aware of the tradeoffs. Lower grade pads are usually noisier, so you'll have to live with more noise when you apply the brakes. They also tend to generate a lot more brake dust, you know, that black dust that accumulates on your wheels. And they probably won't last as long either. In our opinion, that's a lot of compromise for just a few dollars in savings.

You can also choose to buy premium brakes pads at autoclinic of brandon. These perform at higher specifications than the factory pads. You can expect quieter operation, less brake dust and better stopping power.

Now, getting back to the rotors. The rotors are the discs that the brake pads clamp down on to stop the vehicle. If you've been driving with completely worn brake pads, you've scratched grooves into the rotors. If the grooves aren't too deep, the rotor can be resurfaced. A thin layer of metal is cut off the surface of the rotor to make it smooth again.

Now, if the grooves are too deep or if the rotor has already be resurfaced before, there may not be enough material to resurface and still have a rotor that's thick enough to safely stop the vehicle. In that case, the rotor will have to be replaced.

Something that's often overlooked is the brake fluid. Your manufacturer has a recommended schedule for evacuating the old brake fluid, cleaning the system and refilling it with fresh brake fluid. This is really important to brake performance.

So here's the bottom line: if you suspect, inspect. If you notice any of these warning signs, have your brakes inspected at autoclinic of brandon in brandon. Your service advisor can help you make the repair decision that's right for you.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Deciphering the autoclinic of brandon Menu Board

Posted August 13, 2010 11:00 AM

Let's talk about deciphering the auto service menu board. brandon, florida, service centers like autoclinic of brandon have a board that lists the routine services they provide. But some people don't know what these services really are unless they ask. Let's go down a typical list, in alphabetical order, starting with air conditioning service.

Feel free at any time to give autoclinic of brandon a call at 813-654-8686 to learn of the many services we offer, or stop by our brandon, florida auto center at 901A WEST BRANDON BLVD, 33511.

First remember that all of these services are recommended by vehicle manufacturers. They set how often or at how many miles/kilometers the service should be done.

Air conditioning service involves purging the old refrigerant and capturing it for proper disposal. Then fresh refrigerant is installed. The fresh refrigerant will lubricate the system and will also help it cool better.

Alignment. Service centers like autoclinic of brandon make sure all four wheels are lined up and track with each other. This reduces tire and suspension wear and improves safety and handling.

Battery service. Service centers like autoclinic of brandon inspect the battery for corrosion, leaks or damage. Test the battery's ability to hold a charge. If the battery's still strong, clean it up. If not, replace it.

Brake service. This could be two things. A brake inspection to see if the brakes are working well mechanically and to see if the pads are still safe. If not, replace the pads and make any repairs that might be in order.

The other thing is to evacuate the brake fluid, clean out the system and replace it with fresh fluid. This is important, but often overlooked.

Cabin air filter. The cabin air filter is the filter that cleans the air that comes into the passenger compartment. It works like the filter on your furnace at home. It gets dirty and needs to be changed often.

Cooling system. This is the cooling system for your engine. Replace the old coolant with fresh to protect your radiator and other cooling system components from corrosion.

Differential service. Every vehicle has at least one differential. They don't require service very often, so people don't think of them much. The differential transfers power from the drive train to your wheels. Drain the old fluid and add fresh lubricant.

Engine air filter. This filters the air that's burned in the engine. It also gets dirty and needs to be replaced often.

Fuel filter. This filter cleans the fuel before it gets to the engine. Like the other filters, it too gets clogged and needs to be replaced in order to maintain good flow.

Give us a call.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686





What Is a Differential and Do You Have One?

Posted August 10, 2010 10:00 AM

With front-wheel drive being so common these days in brandon, florida, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most brandon drivers don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of brandon customers' minds. It's not uncommon for drivers to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

Call autoclinic of brandon in brandon at 813-654-8686 for information about differential service, or stop by our brandon, florida, auto center at 901A WEST BRANDON BLVD, 33511.

To better understand what a differential does, think about our local brandon high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars in the brandon, florida area weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.

That's a lot of work and requires very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool.

The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So vehicle manufacturers recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.

The professionals at autoclinic of brandon will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. Then they’ll replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Your autoclinic of brandon service advisor can look up the vehicle manufacture's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual. Give us a call at 813-654-8686 for more information about your differential service.

autoclinic of brandon
901A WEST BRANDON BLVD
brandon, florida 33511
813-654-8686



Search



Archive

December 2009 (3)
January 2010 (3)
February 2010 (4)
March 2010 (4)
April 2010 (5)
May 2010 (2)
June 2010 (1)
July 2010 (4)
August 2010 (4)
September 2010 (3)
October 2010 (3)
November 2010 (4)
December 2010 (5)
January 2011 (4)
February 2011 (4)
March 2011 (5)
April 2011 (4)
May 2011 (4)
June 2011 (1)
August 2011 (3)
September 2011 (3)
October 2011 (2)
December 2011 (4)
February 2012 (2)
March 2012 (4)
April 2012 (4)
May 2012 (1)
June 2012 (3)
July 2012 (1)
August 2012 (1)
November 2012 (1)
December 2012 (2)
March 2013 (1)
April 2013 (4)
May 2013 (1)
September 2013 (1)
October 2013 (5)
November 2013 (2)
January 2014 (2)
February 2014 (4)
March 2014 (1)
July 2014 (4)
August 2014 (7)
September 2014 (4)
October 2014 (5)
November 2014 (4)
December 2014 (4)
January 2015 (5)
February 2015 (4)
March 2015 (4)
April 2015 (4)
May 2015 (3)
June 2015 (5)
July 2015 (1)
September 2015 (2)
October 2015 (4)
November 2015 (5)
December 2015 (2)
February 2016 (2)
March 2016 (3)
April 2016 (4)
May 2016 (5)
June 2016 (4)
July 2016 (5)
August 2016 (4)
September 2016 (4)
October 2016 (4)
November 2016 (5)
December 2016 (4)
January 2017 (5)
February 2017 (4)
March 2017 (4)
April 2017 (4)
May 2017 (5)
June 2017 (4)
July 2017 (5)
August 2017 (3)
September 2017 (3)
October 2017 (4)
November 2017 (5)
December 2017 (3)
January 2018 (5)
February 2018 (4)
March 2018 (4)
April 2018 (5)
May 2018 (4)
June 2018 (3)
July 2018 (5)
August 2018 (4)
September 2018 (5)
October 2018 (4)
November 2018 (4)
December 2018 (5)
January 2019 (5)
February 2019 (4)
March 2019 (5)
April 2019 (4)
May 2019 (4)
June 2019 (5)
July 2019 (4)
August 2019 (4)
September 2019 (5)
October 2019 (4)
November 2019 (4)
December 2019 (5)
January 2020 (5)
February 2020 (4)
March 2020 (5)
April 2020 (4)
May 2020 (5)
June 2020 (4)
July 2020 (4)
August 2020 (5)
September 2020 (4)
October 2020 (4)
November 2020 (5)
December 2020 (4)
January 2021 (6)
February 2021 (4)
March 2021 (4)
April 2021 (4)
May 2021 (5)
June 2021 (4)
July 2021 (4)
August 2021 (5)
September 2021 (4)
October 2021 (5)
November 2021 (4)
December 2021 (4)
January 2022 (6)
February 2022 (4)
March 2022 (4)
April 2022 (4)
May 2022 (5)
June 2022 (4)
July 2022 (5)
August 2022 (2)
September 2022 (4)
October 2022 (5)
November 2022 (4)
December 2022 (4)
January 2023 (5)
February 2023 (4)
March 2023 (4)
April 2023 (5)
May 2023 (4)
June 2023 (4)
July 2023 (5)
August 2023 (4)
September 2023 (3)
October 2023 (3)
January 2024 (1)
February 2024 (4)

Categories

Air Conditioning (17)Alignment (16)Alternator (6)Auto Safety (6)Automotive News (8)Battery (20)Brake Service (4)Brakes (22)Cabin Air Filter (8)Check Engine Light (6)Cooling System (19)Customer Detective Work (1)Dashboard (3)Diagnostics (5)Diesel Maintenance (1)Differential Service (3)Drive Train (9)Emergency Items (1)Engine Air Filter (2)Exhaust (12)Fluids (16)Fuel Economy (10)Fuel Pump (1)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (2)Fuel System (46)Headlamps (6)Inspection (10)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (4)Maintenance (52)Monitoring System (3)Oil Change (7)Older Vehicles (4)Parts (7)PCV Valve (2)Safe Driving (1)Safety (6)Serpentine Belt (6)Service Intervals (9)Service Standards (12)Shocks & Struts (9)Shocks and Struts (1)Spark Plugs (2)Steering (14)Suspension (3)Timing Belt (6)Tire Rotation and Balancing (3)Tires (10)Tires and Wheels (40)TPMS (3)Transfer Case Service (1)Transmission (11)Trip Inspection (4)Warranty (1)Water Pump (1)What Customers Should Know (81)Wheel Bearings (1)Windshield Wipers (9)Winter Prep (7)Winter Tires (1)

tire-track-image

Get free Coupons

Take advantage of these great offers!

Oil Change Special!

$24.95 Conventional Oil up to 5 qts
(by appointment only)

A/C Special $9.95

With Appointment, check freon levels and pressures (R134 systems only).

partners

TECH-NET Professional Service Center
ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)
CARQUEST
BBB Reviews
NAPA  Auto Care
Monroe
Castrol
Car Care Aware