Monthly Archives: February 2014

Air Conditioning Service In St. Peter

Hey Cleveland! Let’s talk about one of our MN summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It’s real easy for St. Peter motorists to take their car’s air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool.

Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked at Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter. 

When most Cleveland folks hear the words “air conditioning problems“, it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it’s broken, it’s costly to repair.

What things can St. Peter and Kasota motorists do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?

A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak into the system. It doesn’t work as well with air in it and water can cause rust that leads to damage of the car A/C components. Also, refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to cool the air. Periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

St. Peter motorists should run their air conditioner regularly, even during MN winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out, which leads to leaks. Your owner’s manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Of course, if it’s not working right, now is the time to get it checked. The team at Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. This helps you avoid pricey repairs.

New environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993. There is a very limited supply of Freon in  MN so the price is very steep. It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older minivan that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new R134-A refrigerant. It will pay for itself in the long run. So, if your A/C is just a lot of hot air, bring it in to Autotronics of ST Peter in St. Peter for an inspection.

Autotronics of ST Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290

At Autotronics of ST Peter we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

Suspension Service In St. Peter At Autotronics of ST Peter

When they hear the word ‘suspension,’ St. Peter motorists may think back to those energetic days of grade school. Well, your car’s suspension is actually a good thing because it keeps your car up off the road and helps provide a comfy ride around Cleveland. Its job is to keep your wheels firmly planted over bumps and through curves. Your suspension system has many essential parts. If you look under your car, it’s basically everything that connects your wheels to the minivan’s frame. These are heavy duty parts that do a lot of work. They need to be inspected for damage and excessive wear at least once a year. A good time for this is when you get your annual alignment service at Autotronics of ST Peter.

Here are some warning signs of suspension problems:

  • the car pulls to one side
  • it wanders
  • the steering is erratic
  • you see uneven tire wear
  • you experience a poor ride or handling
  • you see oil leaking from shocks

Basically, you just don’t feel in control when you’re driving.

Some suspension parts just wear out with use. Shocks and struts eventually lose their ability to control your ride. Wheel bearings need to be repacked every couple of years. And some suspension pieces need to be lubricated when you get your oil changed. Your knowledgeable tech at Autotronics of ST Peter can perform a diagnostic examination and tell you what problems you may have.

If you’re in an accident, your suspension can be damaged or knocked out of alignment. Even a minor accident, like hitting a curb around St. Peter or even a large rock can mess things up for St. Peter drivers. With a minor accident it’s tempting for many Cleveland car owners to just get an alignment or wheel balance to correct the problem. But if there’s damage, a simple alignment won’t actually fix the problem, and you’ll just have to align it again after the repairs are made. So if you have an accident, get your suspension system inspected right away. Suspension problems are a major safety issue because they can lead to unsafe handling.

One big cause of suspension damage for St. Peter auto owners is potholes – those nasty magnets that form in Cleveland roads in freezing weather. They seem to draw our tires right into them. Here are some tips for avoiding damage from potholes: First, keep your tires at their full air pressure. That gives tires their maximum resiliency and will hopefully keep your wheels or other suspension parts from crunching on a big hole. Next, just pay attention. When you see a hole you can’t miss, slow down before you hit it. Driving at a slower speed will limit the damage, and may keep your drink from spilling. But avoid the temptation to brake directly over the pothole. That will cause the car’s weight to shift forward and add to the potential damage.

Autotronics of ST Peter
Give us a call today at 507.934.9290
Or stop by at 111 Jefferson Avenue, St. Peter, MN 56082

Cabin Air Filter From Autotronics of ST Peter

Here is a questions for quick St. Peter car owners What is a cabin air filter?

Is it:

  1. A filter for a house in the middle of the woods?
  2. A fresh, piney scent?
  3. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car?

Clever you, it’s 3.

A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment. It filters out dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, sparrows, detrimental exhaust gas and odors.

These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.

Now not all vehicles in the Cleveland area have cabin filters. They are fairly new on the scene in MN. About forty percent of new vehicles come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year.

Cabin air filters can make for a very nice driving environment for St. Peter car owners. Your car can be a haven during MN allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. However, like all filters, your cabin air filter eventually gets clogged. When this happens, your heating and air conditioning flow can become restricted. The filter can even get kind of smelly.

Autotronics of ST Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290

Check your automobile manufacturer’s owner’s manual for recommended replacement intervals. Often, the owner’s manual forgets about the cabin air filter, so ask your knowledgeable Autotronics of ST Peter service professional for a recommendation. It’s usually every year or 12,000 miles/ 19,000 kilometers. Change it sooner if you drive in dusty St. Peter conditions or if you start to notice an odor from your ventilation system.

So, St. Peter drivers, keep your cabin air filter clean. It may not help with your brother-in-law in the backseat, but it will make your driving experience more enjoyable.