How Often Should I Rotate My Tires?

How Often Should I Rotate My Tires?

Tire rotation is an important maintenance duty that extends the life of your tires and ensures safe driving.

All that parallel parking. All those three-point turns. With each turn of the steering wheel, pressure is brought to bear on the front tires. Resistance causes friction, which in turn produces heat. The result? The front tires wear quicker than the rears. Because of this, it's necessary to rotate the tires front-to-rear multiple times during their life cycle to 1) equalize tread wear and 2) maximize the life of the tires.

Tires work differently, depending on their location on your vehicle. Right-side tires have more exposure to curbs and other road hazards; moving them to the other side of the vehicle prevents excessive outside wear.

Front tires will show more wear if you are driving a front-drive vehicle. If your car has staggered wheels - the front and rear tires are two different sizes - you can still swap the tires side-to-side, but not front to back. If your tires are unidirectional (specific to one side of the car) you can rotate them front to back but not side to side. And if you happen to have staggered wheels that are also unidirectional or asymmetrical, you cannot rotate your tires at all! But that's rarely the case.

Every vehicle is different, but most manufacturers recommend that you rotate your tires every 5,000 to 10,000 miles. According to Goodyear, one of the largest manufacturers of tires, "a good rule of thumb is to rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles." Which would equate to about every other oil change.

Check with your owner's manual for information specific to your vehicle.Rotating and balancing your tires on a timely basis will help keep maintenance cost down on your vehicle as well as help with lowering fuel consumption and increased safety. Rotating tires is a simple procedure that can be done at a reasonable price with your automotive professional. It is also a good time to perform a tire balance when rotating tires on your vehicle.

It is important to visually inspect your tires on a regular basis. The tread pattern has wear indicators built into it. These are little bumps or nubs manufactured directly into the tread. Inspecting them will tell you how close the tire is to needing replacement. They're located throughout the tread pattern. If the tread is wearing to the point where its height is approaching that of the wear indicator, you'll need to be shopping for tires soon. Obvious signs of wear need immediate attention.

Want more information?  We are here to help -Call us at Autovantage Service Centers 530-823-3456

Windshield Maintenance for your car

With money a little tighter, many families who might have jumped onto a plane for a jaunt to places far away are opting for a road trip to visit family and friends or a different region of the country.

Driving trips can be fun, what a great chance to get to know your family – probably more than you wanted but indeed an opportunity for bonding. Whether you're looking forward to 7 hours in the car with them or not, you do want everyone to arrive safely. Windshield maintenance is an often overlooked chore.

In snowy regions, we know that before we even take a short winter trip, we must have at least a half a tank of windshield washer fluid.

Salty, muddy road conditions can affect your vision instantly without good wipers and washers. But in temperate weather, we seem to forget that we need things to be up to snuff. Since in most cases, you'll be traveling to an area you don't frequent, take a minute to check out your needs.

If you're caught off guard by a storm, that's no time to realize your wipers are worn out. Do these quick jobs and you'll have some added peace of mind on your next road trip.

1. Replace your windshield wipers.
2. Top off your washer fluid.
3. Make sure your windshield washer nozzles aren't clogged and are aimed correctly.

Have more questions about repairs and maintenance – Call us at Autovantage Service Center 530-823-3456

When to have a Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balancing.and Why

Wheel Alignment is the process of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are making contact with the ground evenly as well as parallel to each other. Why align the wheels? The purpose of these adjustments is to maximize tire life and to keep the vehicle tracking straight when driving.

Wheel Balancing insures that the tires and wheels spin correctly and without vibration. Balancing is accomplished by checking for any heavy spots on the wheel and or tire and making allowances for it by placing weights in specific spots on the wheel.

The sign of alignment problems are:

• Uneven or accelerated tire wear
• Pulling or drifting from a straight line
• Wandering on a straight level road
• Steering wheel off center while driving on a straight, level road.

The signs of a balance issue are:

• Steering wheel vibration at certain speeds.
• General vibration at certain speeds.
• Scalloped or cupped wear on the tire surface

Wheel Alignment: Check each tire for uneven wear patterns. Some times visible patterns can indicate that it may be too late to save the tire.We recommend regular alignment checks to avoid this issue.

At each tire, take a coin or small ruler and insert it in the tread at the inside, center and outside.

• If the tread is deeper on the edges than in the center, the tire is over inflated.
• If the tread is deeper in the center than at the edges, the tire is under inflated.
• If the tread is deeper on one side than the other, your alignment is an issue, have it checked immediately.

Run your hand back and forth across the tread, checking for uneven surfaces.

If the tread is smooth in one direction, but jagged in the other you have what is called a "feathered" wear pattern caused by incorrect alignment angles. Check alignment as soon as possible to avoid rapid tire wear.

If wear patterns are pronounced ask your alignment specialist for advice.

Aligned and balanced wheels are critical to the maneuverability of your vehicle as well as your safety on the road. Save money, save time, keep safe.

Call us with any tire and alignment questions and for all your automotive service and repair needs - Autovantage Service Center - 530-823-3456

What Are Automobile Struts and How do they go bad?

The strut on an automobile is basically a shock absorber assembly for your car. However, the shock absorber portion, itself, is just one part of the strut. The main function of the strut is to dampen the bouncing of the vehicle when it travels over uneven surfaces.

The strut assembly combines the coil spring, the upper and lower coil seats, the strut bearing, the strut mount and the strut boot.

As in any case with mechanical devices, after wear and tear and aging, the strut and its components will weaken. This causes side effects shown as increased tire wear, poor rebound effects or "body roll" and lack of steering stability.

It is important to have the struts checked regularily to maintain your car's performance and safety.

We at Autovantage Service Centers can perform that service and keep you on the road where you belong. Call us at 530-823-3456

What are the Common Signs of a Bad Air Filter

What are the common signs that a car air filter is bad or faulty?

•  Reduced fuel economy
•  Reduced Power while running
• Increased emmissions
• Fouled spark Plus

A visual inspection of the air filter will also show a clogged and dirty filter.

 

We can answer any questions regarding your engine's air filter and many others to help you maintain your vehicle and keep you on the road where you belong. 

Call us at Autovantage Service Center at 530-823-3456

Spark Plugs, When do I change them?

There is no single correct answer to this question. As spark plugs age, they lose their sharp edges as material from the center and ground electrodes is slowly eroded away.

 As the gap between these two points grows, the voltage required to bridge the gap increases. Even the best ignition systems will be stressed to supply enough voltage to completely burn the fuel.

Replacing worn out spark plugs with new ones effectively restores the ignition system's efficiency. Misfires are reduced, power is restored, economy of operation is enhanced and emissions are reduced.

The best guide is the manufacturer's recommendation for your vehicle, as this particular service varies from brand to brand and model to model.

In the absence of this information or in conjunction with it, you can rely on the advice of a mechanic who is familiar with your type of vehicle.

Click HERE to call the technicians at Autovantage Service Center for expert advice to keep your vehicle running at its best. Call us at 530-823-3456/

What does Check Oil Light Reallty mean?

If this light turns on while driving you should pull over and turn the car off.

Check the oil level and add oil if necessary. An oil pressure warning light (or low gauge reading) means one of two things: either your engine has dangerously low oil pressure or the oil pressure sending unit that triggers the warning light has failed.

We recommend you contact your local shop or Autovantage Service Center so as to not cause any damage. Contact us at 530-823-3456.