AUTONET TV

It's (Not) Complicated (Engine Air Filter)

While many components of your vehicle are complex and composed of lots of mechanical and electrical parts, there's one that isn't complicated but still important.  It's your engine air filter.

(And, we should point out, the engine air filter isn't to be confused with the cabin air filter.  The cabin air filter cleans air that goes into the passenger compartment while the engine air filter cleans air that goes into the engine itself.)

Why does your engine need a filter? Think of all the stuff–dirt, dust, and debris in the air¬–that gets kicked up on the road.  If that were to go unfiltered into your engine, it could damage other components.

There are many different materials used in an engine air filter, including paper, cloth (frequently cotton), and other synthetic fabrics.  The material is usually folded tightly to maximize the filtering capability over a relatively small surface.  

Before computers were employed to determine the proper mix of air and gasoline, a dirty air filter could contribute to a decline in fuel economy.  But a study of engine air filters done by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009 found that in modern fuel-injected engines, computers can maintain the correct air/fuel mix even when an engine air filter is really dirty, minimizing effects on fuel economy.

That same clogged air filter, though, can affect your vehicle's performance, mainly how much power and acceleration it delivers.  In testing three different vehicles, a dirty air filter made the vehicles slower by about 6-12%.  That's something you'd definitely notice if you were driving.

But it happens slowly, over the course of several months, so you might not even know your engine air filter is dirty unless you bring it to us and have a technician inspect yours.  

There are many different types of engine air filters, from the ones made by the original vehicle manufacturer to aftermarket ones.  Some can increase your engine's performance; some can be washed and re-used but are generally more expensive.

Your service advisor can recommend several options for you, depending on the type of vehicle you drive and your driving habits.  Dirty, dusty roads will require more frequent engine air filter changes than cleaner drive routes, and each vehicle manufacturer recommends when your filter should be changed.  Keeping it clean will help your engine breathe a little bit easier.

Darrell's Firestone
23534 Farmington Rd
Farmington, MI 48336
248-477-9090
www.darrellsfirestone.net

Step Up your Stops

Let’s face it.  Many of us take our vehicle’s brakes for granted.  We step on the pedal, the brakes slow us down and stop us.  They’re also vital to helping us control our vehicles.  That’s why it’s important to think about brakes as one of the most important safety systems we have.  

Malfunctioning brakes increase our risk of accidents, can lower our fuel efficiency because of increased friction and can prematurely wear the other components of our vehicles.  

One of the ways we can keep our brake systems working properly is by periodically having the brake fluid replaced.  That means the old brake fluid in a hydraulic braking system is removed and replaced with clean, fresh fluid.  Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point and may cause the inside of the brake system to corrode. 

Replacing the brake fluid is not as simple as just draining the old fluid out and putting new in. Our technician uses specially-designed equipment to push the old fluid and contaminants (rust particles, dirt, air bubbles) out of the brake lines, calipers, wheel cylinder and master cylinder.  

When you come to us for a brake fluid replacement, you will find your braking performance will be as consistent and responsive as it used to be.  Your risk of brake fade or failure when you brake hard will be reduced. And brake fluid replacement will help prevent internal rust and corrosion in brake components. 

Some manufacturers recommend brake fluid replacement every 2 to 3 years, but it depends on what vehicle you drive, how you drive it and in what conditions. Your advisor will be glad to help you set up your next brake fluid service.

Darrell's Firestone
23534 Farmington Rd
Farmington, MI 48336
248-477-9090
www.darrellsfirestone.net

Lubricate Driveshaft

See if any of these are happening to your vehicle.  You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when it’s running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath.  Maybe it’s hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when you’re going slow.  Perhaps you feel a shudder when you step on the throttle.  

Any of those could be signs that your vehicle’s driveshaft might need lubricating, and it’s important to have one of our technicians check it out. Your vehicle’s engine puts out a lot of twisting power.  That force is called torque, and the driveshaft is the part that handles the job of transferring all that torque from your engine to the wheels.  If it’s a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle, it will have driveshafts front and rear. 

Some driveshafts have different segments which are connected by couplings called U-Joints.   So that everything can glide along fine, that whole assembly needs to stay well lubricated.  Our technician can inspect the driveshaft and U-joints to make sure there aren’t any broken or excessively worn parts.  

Many manufacturers recommend servicing and lubricating the driveshaft at certain intervals, and it’s important to keep on that schedule.  It’s essential because poor lubrication can lead to a failure while you are driving, possibly causing other expensive parts to fail.  Not keeping your driveshaft lubricated or failing to maintain it regularly is the top cause of driveshaft problems. 

Darrell's Firestone
23534 Farmington Rd
Farmington, MI 48336
248-477-9090
www.darrellsfirestone.net

That Squeal is Telling You Something (What Causes Squealing While Steering)

If you hear a squealing noise when you turn your vehicle, it's trying to tell you something is wrong.  After all, it never made that noise before, right?  The sound  you hear may becoming from a few sources.  Let's take a look (or a listen) to some of the possibilities.

First, you almost certainly have power steering in your vehicle. Without power steering, you practically have to have arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger to turn, so automakers have technology to assist your steering, either mechanically or electrically.  For a long time, the most common power steering has been hydraulic, using a belt to supply power from the engine that turns a power steering pump full of a fluid that helps you steer. 

Sometimes that fluid gets low because of a leak or some other problem.  The belt could wear out and start squeaking, and you might feel the steering start to become harder.  Your service repair facility can figure out the problem and offer some solutions.

Another cause could be in your suspension.  Some components may not be getting lubricated like they should.  Or you may be hearing your tires squealing when you are turning. 

Properly working steering is a huge safety factor for your vehicle's operation.  Your steering affects handling, vital to your well-being as well as that of drivers around you.  So take your vehicle over to your repair facility and have it checked out.  You'll be doing everyone on the road—including yourself—a big favor by listening to your vehicle. When it comes to steering, silence really is golden.  Get that squealing repaired and get back to safe driving.

Darrell's Firestone
23534 Farmington Rd
Farmington, MI 48336
248-477-9090
www.darrellsfirestone.net