Getting Your Vehicle Ready for the Warm Weather Ahead

Spring is here, and that means soon the warm weather will be too! 

With warm weather just around the corner, make sure your vehicle is ready by checking these following items:

• Air conditioning temperature and air conditioning components
• Electrical system including the battery, alternator, and starter
• Cooling system including the antifreeze condition and all belts and hoses
• Tire condition
• Wiper blades and washer operation
• All fluids
• All lights

By checking these items and making sure everything is working properly, your vehicle should be all set for Spring!  Jerry Noonan's Auto Center offers our customers a Spring Check that will inspect all of these items and ensure your vehicle is in great shape for $29.95.  If you would like to schedule an appointment for a Spring Check, give us a call today!

How the Cold Weather Can Affect Your Car

With our region seeing below freezing temperatures, those temperatures can affect your car.  So what do you have to be aware of when it is this cold?

1. Your battery can die because of the cold weather.  The extremely cold temperatures actually pulls the voltage from a battery, making it harder to start your car.  Car batteries usually last an average of three years, so the best thing to do is have your battery tested to ensure that it is strong enough to withstand the frigid weather.

2. The fluids in your car can start to thicken, and not allow your car to run properly.  We suggest checking all your fluids before the temperatures drop to ensure that you have the correct amount and the fluid is clean.  Transmission fluid is an important one, since this fluid needs to be able to move quickly, and your car won't function if it is flowing at a slow pace.

3. Tire pressure can typically lose one pound per square inch (psi) for every 10 degree temperature drop.  Check your tire pressure to ensure that your tires are properly inflated.  Under-inflated tires do not perform well and can cause damage to the tire itself.

4. Wipers and windshield washer fluid can fail.  Wipers can easily rip because of the frigid temperatures and clearing off a windshield of snow, ice, or slush.  Clean off your windshield first before using your windshield wipers.  Windshield washer fluid can freeze in extremely low temperatures, so use caution when using the fluid.

Here at Jerry Noonan's Auto Center, we understand that the cold temperatures can be a burden to you and your car.  For that reason, we provide a Winter Weather Check that goes over all the components listed above as well as the heating system, all belts, and overall condition of the vehicle.  Call us today to schedule your appointment!

Preventive Maintenance - Brake Fluid Service

Brake fluid is one of the main components that keeps your brakes working and stopping on time.  When you push on the brake pedal, the master cylinder pressurizes the brake fluid, making sure the car stops.  

When your vehicle doesn't have the correct amount of clean brake fluid, it would lessen or possibly eliminate your braking power.  Over time, brake fluid attracts moisture, and because of this becomes corrosive.  This corrosive fluid can eat at the braking system, causing leaks in the system.  Some potential signs of a leak are reduced stopping power, hard pedal or a spongy pedal.  

Since keeping your brake fluid free of corrosive material and of contaminants is vital, we recommend performing a brake fluid exchange every 30,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first.  This will help keep your vehicle's braking system safe and fully operable.

Making sure you have the correct amount of fluid is just as important to keep the system properly pressurized.  At Jerry Noonan's Auto Center, every vehicle that comes in receives a complimentary safety inspection, or as we like to call it, a courtesy check.  Our technicians always inspect the brake fluid condition and level during the courtesy check.  

Not sure if you need to have your brake fluid or brakes serviced?  Give us a call, and we will be able to help you out with any of your brake system questions.

Preventive Maintenance - Oil Changes

It is important to never skip out on an oil change!

The oil in your vehicle keeps your engine running smoothly.  Having routine oil changes is very important to the longevity and life of your engine.  

Did you know that over time, oil can turn into sludge?  This sludge can clog up oil passages and restrict your engine from getting oil, which can prematurely wear out internal components of your engine.  The detergents and additives in the oil (which help clean your engine) break down over time as well.  

While the manufacturers all have different recommendations based on mileage, here at Jerry Noonan's Auto Center we recommend 3000 miles/3 months for conventional oil, and 5000 miles/6 months for synthetic oil.  At these intervals, we have seen the best results for keeping engine oil clean and efficient.  

Even if you don't drive too much, or only take short trips that don't really add on any mileage, it is just as important to get an oil change on time.  The more the oil sits in a vehicle, especially when it isn't constantly being used, the faster is can break down and become sludge.  

Oil is like the lifeline of your vehicle.  So it is very important to always keep on a schedule for your oil changes.  

Is Your Car Ready for the Winter?

Winter is here, and it's only a matter of time before the winter weather conditions start to hit New Jersey.

Is your vehicle ready for the inclement weather ahead?   We suggest checking these items to prepare for Winter:

• Battery - testing it to ensure it is still working properly
• Alternator and starter
• Antifreeze level and condition
• All belts and hoses
• Tire condition and tread depth
• Wiper blades and windshield washer fluid
• All fluid conditions and levels
• All lights, both interior and exterior

We can help you check all these items by performing our Winter Checkup on your vehicle for $29.95.  We can give you the peace of mind to know that your vehicle will be able to easily make it through another Winter in New Jersey.

Give us a call today and schedule your vehicle for the Winter Checkup!

Traveling for the Holidays - Is Your Car Ready?

With Christmas Eve only seven days away, people are gearing up to travel to their families for the holidays.  Holiday travel can be stressful with traffic and unpredictable weather.  Even though you can't control the traffic or the weather, you can make sure your vehicle is ready for your trip.

To make sure your vehicle is ready for holiday travel, check these items before you go:

• Brake system
• Make sure your battery connection is clean and corrosion free
• All filters and all fluids such as oil, power steering, brake, transmission, windshield washer and antifreeze/coolant
• Check windshield wipers, heaters and defrosters to ensure they are all working properly
• As a general rule, windshield wipers should be replaced every six months
• All hoses and belts
• Tire pressure, and tread on your tires to ensure they are safe for travel
• All interior and exterior lighting, especially headlights, taillights, brake lights, and directionals

Checking your vehicle before your holiday travel will help keep you safe on the road, and be able to spend your time with loved ones.

If you need help checking any of these items, give us a call today and we will make sure you are all ready for your trip!

Preventive Maintenance - Differential Service

Most people don't know what a differential is, and that their car has one.  Every car is equipped with a differential, whether it is front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, or all/four wheel drive.  The differential helps the car compensate for the difference in distance between the inner wheels and the outer wheels when the car is going around the corner.  So what exactly does that mean?  Think of a high school track starting lines.  The starting line for the outside lane is farther up than the starting line for the inside line.  This allows for the runners to run the same distance no matter what lane they are in.  

The differential allows for the inner and outer wheels to rotate at different speeds when going around a corner or making a turn.  The wheels have to travel together, but the differential allows them to do this even when they are traveling at slightly different speeds and distances.

For a front wheel drive vehicle, the differential function is handled by your transaxle, which contains both the transmission and differential in the same housing and share the same gear oil.  All wheel drive cars (including 4WD) have differentials on both axles, the front and rear differentials.  Rear wheel drive cars have the differential in the rear, which is pictured above.  

Differentials are built strong, and have heavy duty components because of the amount of work they do when you are driving your car.  All the power of the engine is transferred through the differential.  The differential fluid inside the differential lubricates and protects the gears and keeps them cool.  Eventually this fluid becomes dirty which requires it to be changed to make sure that the differential is working properly.  Fresh differential fluid will extend the life and operation of your differential.

Here at Jerry Noonan's Auto Center, we suggest having your differential fluid changed every 30,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first, to ensure that your differential is working at peak performance.

Have you ever had your differential fluid serviced?  Give us a call today, and we will be happy to help!