Tip Tuesday: Winter Car Wash

With living in New Jersey or anywhere with a cold climate, it is very important to wash your car frequently in the Winter. It might sound silly since it is so cold out, but it will help protect your car. When it snows or when it gets icy, the Department of Transportation will distribute salt and sand on the roads to prevent ice. This salt and sand does help us from not slipping and sliding all over the road, but it can cause some problems with your vehicle.

Salt is extremely corrosive, and exposure can lead to rust.  Rust can eat away at the metal components of your vehicle and cause severe damage to your's vehicle’s body, under-body and even metal lines underneath such as your brake lines. If your brake lines succumb to rust, the brake lines themselves can potentially rot away and start to leak, which can lead to the unsafe possibility of your brakes not working properly when stopping.

Having your car washed frequently throughout the Winter is a great solution for this. Make sure that the car wash gets the underneath as this is a difficult part to get to. Getting the salt off every week or so is beneficial to keep your vehicle clean and free of potential corrosion and rust. I just got my car washed this weekend (pictured above).

If you have any questions about rust or corrosion please stop by or give us, Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center, a call at (609)-655-2886. Be safe out there!

What does my car battery do?

The battery in your vehicle has a huge responsibility, it is the powerhouse. Car batteries power all of the electrical components that your vehicle has. If you did not have a functioning battery, your vehicle would not even start.

The battery works by converting chemical energy to electrical energy that is able to power your vehicle by sending voltage to your starter. Not only does your battery start your vehicle, but it also sends an energy supply to your engine to keep it running.

Since your battery is such an important feature in your vehicle, you would want to take very good care of it. Here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center, we offer free basic battery testing as a part of our courtesy safety inspection. Our technicians will receive a printout and that will tell them the current health of your battery. With this information, our technicians may recommend a new battery, a battery recharge, or a battery anti-corrosion service. We do carry most standard batteries in house and we can always order them if needed. We can also charge your battery while the vehicle is here and is a $15.95 investment.

Having a healthy battery is very important, especially in the colder weather. You would not want to be stranded on the side of the road freezing. We will care for your battery through all of its life. If you have any questions or if you want to make an appointment regarding a battery issue you may have, please call us at (609)-655-2886. Hope you have a safe Winter!

Deer Accident

Driving during the Winter months can be difficult. The roads can be covered in ice or snow, it gets dark so early, and there are a lot of animals crossing the roads, especially deer. The vehicle pictured was involved in a deer hit.

You can see their bumper is cracked and the license plate frame is broken. Unfortunately sometimes these incidents cannot be avoided. 

This is a project for our auto body department. They will go through and repair or replace any damaged parts and components from the accident. If you find yourself in a similar situation, bring your vehicle down for a free estimate. We work with most major insurance companies for your convenience, if you decide to put a claim in with your insurance company. Please stop by Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center, or call us with any questions at (609)-655-2886. 

Why is it important to have coolant in the Winter?

Believe it or not, your coolant is a very important fluid you need in your vehicle all year round. As funny as it sounds since the word has “cool” it in, you would not think you would need it in the Winter. Well your coolant is also known as antifreeze, now it seems important right? Coolant contains a chemical called ethylene glycol. This chemical is responsible for stopping water from boiling or freezing in extreme temperatures. Coolant can also help metal features of your engine from rusting and corroding and keeping seals and gaskets soft so they are less likely to leak.

So it is very important that you have coolant in your car in every season but especially in the Winter months. Here in New Jersey we can have some pretty cold temperatures and you would not want your vehicle to freeze in anyway.

Your coolant can be topped off when you come in for a service appointment as this is something our technicians will check. You can also make an appointment for a coolant service which as per our recommendations should be done about every 2 years or ever 30,000 miles. Please stop by or call us, Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center, at (609)-655-2886 if you have any questions regarding coolant or if you’d like to make an appointment for a coolant service!