How many of you in Cincinnati ignore the instrument cluster in your car? By count of some of the cars that this Cincinnati Car dealer has seen come through our service department lately, a lot of you ignore the warning lights on your instrument panel. Now don’t get me wrong, I know it’s really easy to neglect keeping yourself informed about your vehicle, even though gauges and lights are giving you constant information. I also know people who insist that their “Check Engine” light doesn’t really mean much and they’ve been driving with it on for “over a year”. Really? That’s not terribly smart. Make sure you read your new car manual to find out and take a look at something other than your speedometer from time to time.
Here’s a good (yet fuzzy) video I found that illustrates this well. WATCH IT! IT COULD SAVE YOU MONEY!
IF you have any questions feel free to ask and of our Superior Automotive locations. We service all makes and models including Cincinnati Hondas, Acuras, Hyundais and Kias. Don’t just ignore the warning light in your vehicle. Your Check engine light means just that: Check your engine!
Do you have a build up of residue, or grime in your headlight lens? Is there a haze that has developed that is cutting out some of the light your headlights are producing? How did it get there? Do you need new headlight lenses? The short answer is, “Probably not.” In fact you can probably take care of it yourself.
Foggy headlights are a common issue. Most modern new car headlights are made out of plastic, and as the years pass, light causes them to oxidize and it forms a yellowish tint over the lenses. Before the 1980s most headlight covers were made of glass which doesn’t react to the sun in the same fashion that our used car headlights do.
Modern car manufacturers put a coating on the headlights to help keep the oxidizing at bay, but given enough time, those headlights are still going to fog up. The Superior Automotive Group has seen a lot of cars with foggy headlights come through our service centers, so don’t think you are alone.
The good news is, if you notice your headlights are starting to turn yellow, you don’t have to throw them out and get new ones which a lot of people do, unfortunately. There is a very easy solution you can use to clean them, and with a little elbow grease, you can save yourself some money and make your headlights good as new by fixing it yourself. Even better, you’ll have that satisfaction of knowing that you played a part in keeping your new or used car in prime condition.
I found this do it yourself from Auto Amateur Bob that explains the process perfectly:
Of course, if you’d rather trust in a professional and save a little of your time, then you can always bring it into any Mike Albert Direct or Superior Automotive Group location for cleaning. We are here for all of your automotive needs.
I know, “It’s a new car, how can it have electrical problems?” Well, either that new car probably really isn’t as new as you think, or you have a valid issue. So, how can you tell the difference and what do you do about it? Ask Superior!
The electrical systems in new cars have definitely made driving a lot easier over the decades. The seemingly endless innovations in electrical systems have helped us enjoy a more comfortable and easier drive. However, for every Yin, there’s a Yang.
Let’s say, you have problems starting your car and notice other problems with the electrical system. Let’s cover some of the issues that you could face with your new vehicle’s electrical system:
Common Automobile Electrical System Problems Are :Car’s Battery Is Dead – This is the most common problem…and most obvious. Check your battery by engaging your headlights and judge by the illumination.
No Power Stored in the Battery – When you turn the key, what do you hear? A little click? Does it sound like it want’s to turn over? It is possible that your car’s battery does not have ample power to crank the starter. You need a new battery.
Alternator is Not Working – A damaged or broken alternator could be the culprit. No alternator? No battery recharge. If your car suddenly start to lose “juice” while drive, you’ll know it could be your new car’s alternator.
Problem with Starter or Solenoid – Good parts gone bad parts. If it’s the starter, it won’t turn over. If you have Solenoid issues, you might find it harder to brake.
Battery Cables Might Be The Problem – A loose cable might be the root of the problem…give them a wiggle before you run out and buy a replacement.
Electrical Fuses – Check for any blown fuses in your fuse box. Also, feel around for any loose wires.
Cracks In Alternator Belt – Too much or too little tension, as well as cracks in the alternator belt cause trouble.
Ignition System Has Problems – You have a busted ignition switch. Give your mechanic a call.
Loose Spark Plugs – Loose or old plugs will certainly affect the operation of your vehicle. Are you loosing power as gears change? Does it lurch as if the gears aren’t engaging? It might be the internal combustion and the culprit is usually the plugs and cables.
Now these are just guidelines you can crosscheck any issue you might have experienced. I you can talk with your mechanic about your new car logically by doing a little research, you help him help you even faster. If you have any questions, or you might think that you might need a great mechanic, feel free to visit any Superior Automotive Location.
What is your CV axle? Where is it located? What does it stand for? CV stands for “constant velocity” and the video below is absolutely one of the best informational videos that Superior has come across. Not only does the mechanic take the the time to explain what the CV Axle is, the components of the CV axle and what a bad one sounds like.
The CV axle in the video is a great example of the failure you can experience in your Cincinnati Honda, Hyundai, Kia or Acura. Take a look for yourself, the mechanic goes into extensive detail about the issues the CV axle was experiencing and how it can be fixed.
A CV joint or constant velocity joint is a type of mechanism that connects two fixed rotating shafts. This joint allows the shafts to be connected while axis pivots change, for example when suspension or steering operation occurs. CV joints are widely used in front-wheel and rear wheel drive cars. CV joints can deliver torque more evenly then conventional “U” joints. The CV joint is used because of its ability to transmit more even torque throughout a particular flex range. A CV joint can also deliver power on a wider range of angles then “U” joints, which makes them more desirable than its older counterpart. One difference between the two joints is the way they are serviced. A CV joint is constructed with a rubber boot that is meant to contain the lubricating grease. A typical “U” joint has grease seals on each bearing cap so a boot is not needed. The CV joint is virtually non-serviceable unless the boot ruptures or extreme conditions exist, like high mileage or abuse. When the CV joint fails simply replace it with a new unit. A “U” joint is much like the CV joint in that it too doesn’t require service unless fitted with a zirk fitting meant to allow grease to be inserted.
If you have any questions, or think that you may be experiencing a CV axle issue (knocking or clicking while turning or accelerating), don’t hesitate to bring it in to any Superior Automotive location. As the video above states, this is a repair you can do, but we don’t necessarily recommend it. Each manufacturer has their own installation process and to avoid causing any more damage to your vehicle, it’s probably a good idea to bring it it for service.
You have no problem jumping in your car, turning on the ignition and going about your daily business. It’s almost like magic, Until, of course, that magic engine has an issue and you don’t have any clue what it might be. One thing you can do to help our your Superior Automotive Service department, is to do a little research. Learn a little about your engine. The basic parts, the general mechanical working of it and any other main motor functions. The more you are able to tell us about your issue, the easier it will be for us to diagnose and fix what might be causing your car to not perform at it’s peak
Eric the Car Guy did a fantastic video that explains the absolute basics of the inner working of you propulsion system…your motor. The motor in your Honda, Acura, Hyundai or Kia, isn’t a very complicated machine. All engines are governed by the same basic principles of engineering an internal combustion engine. Eric, explains this very well in the video below. Take a look and educate yourself on the vehicle that you rely so much on. It really isn’t magic.
The bottom line is that the more you know about how your motor works the easier it will be for the Superior Auto Group to diagnose and fix your problem. Without your insight, the process of getting you back out on the road might take a little longer than we’d both like. Besides, it certainly can’t hurt to learn something new, can it?
Let me put it this way. We rely so much on our vehicles, when something goes wrong, we tend to panic and spend excessive money trying to explain what is happening and having your service experts run multiple diagnostics, many of which can be avoided if you just know a little about the mechanics of your motor. Watch the video again if you have to. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Superior, we know that not every driver can be a mechanical expert, but you can certainly help in diagnosing any issues you may be having.
If you are driving an older car, than you may start to notice that it isn’t as easy as it used to be to make turns as it used to be. Is it your tires? Nope. Superior Says, if you notice that you are having to use more force to turn the wheel, or that it starts to stick, then that means that you may need to add or flush your power steering fluid. Like many other parts of your car, your power steering works in tandem with a fluid that assists your power steering mechanism. Over time, the steering fluid may get low, or become dirty and contaminated, which means you have to get rid of the old, and add in the new.
This can be easily done at home, but there is more to it than taking off a cap and adding more fluid. The video below is a great walk through on how to flush your car’s power steering fluid.
If you are noticing that you are still having problems turning your steering wheel, then you may want to take your car to a mechanic to make sure there aren’t any bigger problems. Or better yet, why not just hop into a new car. If you are looking for a new car that you can control with ease, then come into Superior Cars.
So, you just discovered a giant, ugly scratch on your Cincinnati car. You don’t know how it got there, or how long it’s been there, but the good news is that 9 times out of 10 you could probably get rid of that scratch yourself. Of course, that is if you know what to do. Removing scratches from your car isn’t a very difficult thing to do. In fact, the entire process can be viewed in the video below, so give it a quick watch and learn how to get rid of that scratch.
Now, having a scratch on your vehicle doesn’t have to be the end of the world, in fact it’s highly likely that you can take care of it yourself. However, if you think that it might be too much work, or you’d rather not hassle with it, then just stop by any Superior Automotive Group location and we can take a look at getting that hideous scratch out.
By a show of hands, who like to see their check engine light on? Sometimes I don’t even have it looked at immediately because I’m either too busy, or not around, or a million other excuses, and I work at Superior! All I’d have to to do is drive it to the service department, but I don’t. Apparently I’d rather ponder one of these questions every time I drive it: “I wonder what’s going on? Is it serious? How long can I go without having to bring it in?”
The good news is that a common check engine light problem that we run into often would be a set code for the evaporation emission control system. Sometimes this code is caused by a loose gas cap. We’ve also seen defective rubber seals on the cap itself trigger the code.
Now, the gas cap is the easy solution, and let’s hope it’s just that. Please be aware that a gas cap is not the only problem that can set a check engine light code for this system. In fact vehicle manufacturers have actually made it much harder for a loose fuel cap to set a trouble code. But in the end it will still turn the check engine lamp on if it continues to leak fuel vapor.
This page will be about other causes of vapor leak codes. But if you are interested in more information on the loose or leaking fuel cap subject I found a gas cap code video that discusses this common check engine light problem. The video outlines steps you can take to correct the issue before spending time and money at the car repair center.
First a little background on what the system is all about, why it is deployed on the automobile and what other kinds of problems can cause a code to set. The fuel evaporation emission control system reduces the amount of raw fuel vapors that are emitted into the air from a vehicle’s fuel system.According to government standards, these vapors must not be allowed to escape from the fuel tank and into the atmosphere. Since the first systems were used nationwide in the late 70s several advances have been added. Some of the modern systems include a special gas tank designed to limit the amount of fuel that can be put in the tank.This unfilled space in the tank allows for in tank storage of vapor as well as expansion and contraction of the gas itself. It is hard to believe but in the old days they use to have a vented fuel cap to avoid pressure buildup in the system. Nowadays a completely sealed gas cap is used.
The on-board evaporation emission control system is responsible for venting fuel pressure to the intake manifold when it is required. One of the main parts of the fuel vapor emissions system is the charcoal canister. The canister is connected to the fuel tanks vapor line and is usually located in the engine compartment.Fuel vapors from the gas tank are routed to the canister and stored. When the vehicle is started vapors are drawn from the canister to the intake manifold by engine vacuum. Keep in mind that different vehicle manufacturers will deploy different methods of handling this function. On many new vehicles the computer will operate relays, solenoids and valves to burn this unwanted vapor at the right time.
Canister purge valve problems
Another common check engine light problem is the canister purge valve. This is usually an electronically controlled and vacuum operated device that has several fittings on it. One of the more common canister purge valves would be one with three fittings.
Most often these consist of a vacuum input signal that controls the device slaved to the car’s main computer, a vapor inlet port and a purge port that will run a vacuum line to the intake manifold. This component can turn on and off and burn fuel vapor at the most opportune times.
When common check engine light problems occur different codes can set for the different components that are mentioned above. If you have a code in the P0400 range this refers to an evaporation emission system malfunction. In my opinion your best bet would be to follow a diagnostic chart for that specific code this is often the shortest distance to a repaired automobile.
Of course the easiest way is to have a Superior mechanic take a look at your vehicle and take all of the guess work out of self diagnosis…you’ll certainly save yourself a lot of time and possibly, a few headaches if you bring it in.
First you hear it. The crack of the pebble, rock, or small piece of metal hitting your windshield. Then you see it. That nasty little pockmark. You might think to yourself. “OK, no big deal. It’s not that bad.” That is until that crack starts creeping slowly across the entirety of your windshield. Good luck trying to get your car inspection to pass now. A crack that obscures vision, or is otherwise significant enough to spread across the windshield will not pass inspection, and can be dangerous. The worst part of it is that, instead of addressing the issue early, which would have probably stopped its spread,you now will probably have to replace your windshield.
Did you know that you can fix the crack yourself if it less than 2-3 inches long? Everything you’ll need you can get from your local automotive repair store. They have small kits that are specifically designed for this type of simple windshield repair job. The sales associate should be able to direct you to the kits. Of course it has to be fixable first. How do you know if it is, or not? Check out the video below.
Of course, if you aren’t interested in doing it yourself, you can certainly take your new or used car to a car repair facility that specializes in professional windshield crack repair. If the crack is more than 2 or 3 inches and growing, this is where you should probably take your new or used car. They will have the correct equipment to not only analyze the damage but make the repair for you. Of course you can always bring your vehicle to one of our Superior Automotive Group locations, we certainly have the technology and the people to fix it quickly. If the crack is not fixable, and it very well can’t be, we’ll let you know the next steps that need to be taken so you can get a new windshield, which usually involves contacting your insurance and then moving on from there.
Regardless the Superior Automotive Group can help with any type of windshield issue you may experience.
An extended warranty could make a huge difference!
One of the questions we get here at Superior is, “Should I get an extended warranty for my new car?”. Without a doubt, you’ve received mail from companies requesting your patronage by adding an extended warranty to the vehicle you currently own. In many cases this has paid off for our customers. If you have been considering purchasing an automobile extended warranty for your new Cincinnati car or truck, there are some important things that you should know. If you are like most people you have spent quite a bit of money to purchase your new or used car, and you may want to consider an extended warranty to protect that investment.
When shopping for an automobile extended warranty, it’s important to have a full understanding of how each warranty program works. While many warranty programs offer the same basic features, upon closer examination you will find that the plans offered by each provider have significant differences. Comparing plans is a MUST! You don’t want to be stuck with coverage that has hidden charges or fees. The warranty is there to make your life easier and get you back out on the road as soon as possible.
If you’ve done your research and decide to continue your warranty services, one important thing to remember when obtaining any type of auto warranty plan is to select an automobile extended warranty program that not only covers unexpected mechanical breakdowns, but also wear and tear as well. This is important because, if your vehicle breaks down or needs repair, you will simply take your vehicle to an approved service center that accepts the warranty. The service department will repair your vehicle and simply file a claim with your extended warranty provider. However, you have to remember that many automobile extended warranty plans require you to pay a deductible. Not a big deal, but sometimes people forget about it, so just be aware of the requirements that your extended warranty policy warrants.
Again! Do your research and buy your extended warranty from a reputable company. This way you can guarantee that your auto warranty will be accepted at more repair facilities around the country. You never know when or where you may need service. Your extended warranty provider should provide you with a list of locations where you can take your vehicle repaired in the event of a breakdown. In fact, ask your provider if your plan also pays the cost of having your vehicle towed.
It’s essential that you fully understand all the terms and conditions of your warranty before signing anything.
There are a number of automobile extended warranty providers in the marketplace. Your options include brick and mortar providers, or you can purchase your warranty online. Thanks to the Internet, there are websites that can provide you with multiple extended warranty quotes from leading providers. Plus, if you have questions about the plan, there are generally toll-free numbers you can call where you can speak to a representative, or you can correspond via email. That certainly make things easier.
As with any major purchase, it is important for anyone thinking about an extended warranty for their new car to obtain as much information as possible. Compare different companies and plans to make sure you’re getting the absolute best plan at the best price. Choosing the right plan from the right company can save you a lot of time, trouble, and money!
IF you have any questions, any Superior Auto Group Dealer can help give advice on extended warranties and who the better providers are, just give us a call.
The Superior Automotive Group and Mike Albert Direct have been serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 1928. We care about you, your cars, your safety, and our community.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and any suggestions are always welcome at SuperiorAutomotiveGroup@gmail.com
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