Skip to main content
  • Facebook
  • Google My Business White

Archive for March 2019

A Bright Idea

Posted March 31, 2019 12:09 PM

You've probably noticed how much easier it is to see when you're driving in the daytime as opposed to at night. It's one of the main reasons about half of all fatal vehicle accidents happen when it's dark.

That's why it's important that your vehicle's headlights are in top condition and working the way they should.  That means that they're aimed correctly and producing the amount of light they are intended to produce.

For many years, headlights were a standardized size and shape.  They were what is called a "sealed beam," and when you needed to replace one, it was pretty simple.  You just took the old one out and plugged a new one in. 

But now there are hundreds of different types of lighting systems on vehicles, producing light with such illuminating technology as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), halogen bulbs, high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs and more.  Some vehicles have systems that turn your lights in the direction you turn your steering wheel so you can more clearly see where you are going.

Now that it's not so simple to change headlamps or bulbs, it's wise to consult your service advisor.  She or he can tell you what your options are.  There may be ways you can upgrade your lighting with new headlamps or components, but it's important not to install new parts that could damage your vehicle.  For example, the headlight housing could be damaged if a bulb burns too hot for its design. 

It's also good to check regulations and laws where you live.  Some regulate the color of light your headlamps can shine and how bright they can be. It's wise to leave it up to a technician to replace your headlamps.  Some are tricky to get at, and modern engine compartments can be packed so tightly, it's hard to maneuver around all of the other engine components to reach the headlamp compartment.

Oh, one other thing to keep in mind.  Even if your headlamps are both working, you might notice people are flashing their lights at you, even when you don't have the high beams on.  That could mean your headlamps are aimed wrong; for the safety of the other drivers and yourself, have your technician check your headlamps' aim.

You'll see the light when you have good visibility at night.

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



Should brandon Soccer Moms Follow the Severe Service Schedule?

Posted March 24, 2019 8:15 AM

So you take your vehicle in for maintenance and the pro at autoclinic of brandon tells you that you ought to change your oil more often. What? You followed the maintenance schedule – but you take a second look at that “severe service” schedule and see some of the following:


1. Most of your trips around brandon are less than four miles/six and a half kilometers.
2. Most of your trips are less than 10 miles/16 km when outside florida temperatures are below freezing.
3. You don't do a lot of florida freeway driving, so you drive at low speeds most of the time.
4. You drive in an area with a lot of pollution, dust, dirt, mud or slush.
5. You frequently tow a trailer, haul heavy loads around brandon or use a car-top carrier.
6. The weather in your area can get very hot or very cold.

Surprising, isn't it? Severe driving isn't quite what you'd envisioned.

Ask yourself: "Which auto service schedule should I follow?" For some of us, it's obvious. But for most of us, it's not an either/or question.

One way to decide how often to maintain your vehicle is to picture a line. On one end, imagine ideal driving conditions: year-round moderate florida temperatures, only freeway driving, all trips are longer than 4 miles/6.5 km and travel is always at a constant speed of 60 mph/97 kph. At the other end of the line, put the severe driving conditions. Now, stop and think about how you drive, where you live, where you go in florida and what you plan to do with your vehicle in the near future. Consider honestly where your driving fits on the line.

For example, if the regular maintenance schedule recommends an oil change every 5,000 miles/8,000 km, the severe schedule recommends 3,000 miles/5,000 km and you fall in the center of the driving conditions line, then 4,000 miles/6,600 km is a happy compromise. Just be honest. You don't want that happy compromise to turn into auto repairs.

Learning why our vehicles need more frequent service can also help us brandon drivers determine a maintenance schedule. For example, fluids in your vehicle are depleted more rapidly the more heat there is in their environment. That heat can come from air temperatures, but also from the extra heat generated in the engine and transmission from stop-and-go driving. Towing a trailer or carrying heavy loads also generates more heat. So under these conditions, fluids must be replaced more often in order to retain their effectiveness.

Moisture naturally builds up inside of an engine because of the heating and cooling it constantly undergoes. When the engine is hot, moisture evaporates; when the engine is cool, moisture condenses. As long as the engine is getting hot enough to evaporate all of the moisture, your vehicle will remain healthy. But short trips don't allow for this and moisture can build up inside the engine. This moisture can lead to the formation of oil sludge, which in turn leads to clogged engine parts and damage.

In dusty or polluted brandon area conditions, filters and fluids just get dirty more quickly. Talk with your service advisor at autoclinic of brandon regarding service schedules and which one is right for you. Good car care means taking care of problems before they become problems. And in order to do that, you need to know how often to take your vehicle in to autoclinic of brandon for service.

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



Air Conditioning Service in brandon

Posted March 17, 2019 7:45 AM



Hey brandon! Let's talk about one of our florida summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It's real easy for brandon drivers to take their car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool.

Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked at autoclinic of brandon in brandon. 

When most brandon folks hear the words "air conditioning problems." it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's hard to repair.

What things can brandon drivers do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?

A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak into the system. It doesn't work as well with air in it and water can cause rust that leads to damage of the car A/C components. Also, refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system and making it work harder to cool the air. Periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

brandon drivers should run their air conditioner regularly, even during a florida winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out, which leads to leaks. Your owner's manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Of course, if it's not working right, now is the time to get it checked. The team at autoclinic of brandon in brandon can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. This helps you avoid repairs.

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



How to Get Better Gas Mileage in brandon

Posted March 10, 2019 9:15 AM

There is no escaping it: things work better when you take care of them. Something most of us in brandon can relate to is our computers. You've probably noticed how they get slower and slower over time. It takes longer to start up and programs take forever to load. Eventually, many of us just get a new computer at our nearest brandon computer store. But computer experts know that there are things you can do to delay the need for a new computer purchase. You can run utilities that clean off temporary files and clean your memory registry. You can optimize your hard drive and a number of other things.

What you're doing is maintaining your computer to make it efficient. It's the same thing with your vehicle. You maintain it to make it more efficient. It works the way it was designed to and that means it uses less fuel while you drive around brandon. And you save money.

To help organize our discussion, let's think of things that rob us of fuel economy in two ways: increased friction and inefficient fuel combustion.

Friction. Anything that increases friction increases drag or load on the vehicle engine. It has to work harder to overcome the drag – and that takes more fuel. The first thing that comes to mind is engine oil. Low oil means there's not enough to fully lubricate the engine so there's more friction. Dirty oil won't lubricate as well as clean oil. The same principles apply to transmission fluid. Getting your oil changed and transmission serviced on schedule at autoclinic of brandon will reduce friction and help you get better fuel economy.

Another friction related problem is underinflated tires. When your vehicle tires are low on air, it's like driving on florida highways through sand – your vehicle has to work harder to move every mile. Check your tire pressure at least once a month.

Wheels out of alignment and dragging brakes also increase friction. And your tires and brake pads will wear out much sooner as well. At autoclinic of brandon, we provide quality brake and wheel alignment services.

Let's move on to Fuel. You have to get the right amount of clean fuel to the combustion chamber at precisely the right time. A dirty fuel system has varnish and gum interfering, and the fuel injectors may be unable to deliver the correct amount of fuel at the right pressure  and in the spray pattern — that the engineers intended. A vehicle fuel system cleaning at autoclinic of brandon will get all of that working right and really improve fuel economy.

Replacing your fuel filter on schedule will help keep your fuel clean. Replacing a sticky PCV valve will allow unburned fuel from the engine to be returned to the intake system to be used. Replacing worn spark plugs will burn your fuel as efficiently as possible.

All of these things can help you save money on gas at brandon pumps.

Give us a call.

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



Fuel System Cleaning the Professional Way at autoclinic of brandon

Posted March 3, 2019 5:30 AM

Your fuel system needs to be clean to do its job properly. When it gets dirty, the results are lower engine performance, reduced fuel economy and impaired safety. It can even lead to costly repair bills for brandon drivers. So keep your fuel system clean as part of your routine preventive maintenance.

Fuel injectors have replaced carburetors in most of today's vehicles. These injectors deliver better fuel economy than a carburetor, but they can be compromised by rust, dirt and other contaminants. They need to be clean to maintain the correct pressure, spray pattern and volume of delivered fuel so that the vehicle engine can run at peak efficiency.

There are products on the market that brandon vehicle owners can add to their gas tank that will help keep your fuel injectors clean. These products will keep a clean fuel system clean but have trouble cleaning a system that has already gotten gummed up.

If your fuel system needs a major cleaning, autoclinic of brandon can help. We have the tools and chemicals necessary to clean up your fuel system. We can remove accumulated carbon, grit, gum and varnish and get your fuel system and those all-important fuel injectors back up to snuff. Once your fuel system is clean, you'll notice the difference in improved power and better fuel economy. You may not notice that your vehicle is now producing fewer emissions, but our florida environment will be better for it.

brandon drivers should consider adding a cleaning product to their gas tank after a fuel system cleaning. Those cleaners will help prevent your fuel system getting gummed up again, plus they can prevent rust and corrosion in your fuel system.

Ask your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at autoclinic of brandon if your vehicle is in need of a fuel system cleaning. That kind of auto advice can save you big bucks in repair bills down the road.

Your owner's manual and autoclinic of brandon service advisor can help you with other car care advice that can help improve the safety and performance of your vehicle. autoclinic of brandon in brandon can also help you set up a schedule to perform that maintenance and help you customize that schedule so it accounts for the climate and road conditions in your area.

brandon drivers should remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to vehicle care, that old adage has proven itself true.

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