You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working.  There are no numbers on the display.  Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn’t do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning.  Are the two problems somehow related?

No, your vehicle doesn’t need an exorcism. This has all the signs of an electrical issue, and when you experience symptoms like those, you’ve probably blown a fuse.  Most vehicles have fuses just like most houses have circuit breakers (some houses still have fuses). They cut the power when it reaches a pre-determined threshold that could cause major damage if it was allowed to continue.  You might say fuses take one for the team.

Most modern automotive fuses are plastic with a thin strip of metal in them designed to melt when a calibrated amount of power passes through.  The philosophy is it’s better for an inexpensive fuse to be destroyed than your sound system or your engine’s main computer.

It can be tricky to figure out what fuse has blown and why.  Modern vehicles have many computerized electronic components; they can easily be damaged if too much electricity gets to the wrong spot.  At Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter, we have technicians trained to trace which fuse has blown and why.

While sometimes a simple fuse replacement will fix the problem, other times there may be some other electrical component that has failed, causing the circuit overload.  Our technicians have special equipment to track down where the power problems are, get to the root of the problem and fix it at the source.

Keep in mind, fuses are there to protect your vehicle. And when they shut down your radio, garage door opener, vanity mirror or anything else, just be thankful they’re doing their job. They may have saved you from a much more expensive repair. They’ve sent an important signal to you about your electrical system.  That’s why it’s good to keep up with “current” affairs.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

So you’ve bought a used vehicle in the St. Peter area. Do you know what you’re getting? It is hard to know what you’re getting because people in the St. Peter area sell vehicles for different reasons. Think about why you’ve sold vehicles. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both.

Used vehicles in MN with 25,000 to 35,000 miles/40,000 to 55,000 km on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most St. Peter buyers feel pretty confident about these because they’re newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?

St. Peter drivers who are planning to own a vehicle for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid repairs down the road. But, if you know you’re only going to have the vehicle for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think that skipping an oil change here and there wouldn’t ruin a brand new engine. Then it’ll be someone else’s problem when it comes time to pay for the damage.

It is very tempting for St. Peter drivers to skip the 30,000 mile/50,000 km service if they know they’ll be turning in their leased vehicle in a couple of months.

If the vehicle didn’t come with maintenance records, St. Peter used vehicle buyers need to assume the worst. Most likely the coolant system and transmission have never been serviced. The cabin air filter has probably not been changed and a fuel system cleaning at Autotronics of St. Peter may be in order.

You’ll want Autotronics of St. Peter to check the A/C, battery, engine air filter, serpentine belt and hoses. A used vehicle inspection at Autotronics of St. Peter is well worth the cost.

And if your “new” used vehicle has been driven an even longer distance, an inspection is even more important. Check your owner’s manual or talk with your service advisor at Autotronics of St. Peter about what should have been done. Please don’t forget the timing belt; that can be very expensive if it fails.

Autotronics of St. Peter will help you with a plan to take care of services and get the rest caught up. If your budget won’t allow you to take care of everything right away, we can help you prioritize your needs and get it taken care of over the next several months. And remember to keep your maintenance records. They’ll help you get top dollar on the MN used vehicle market when it’s time for you to sell.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

St. Peter auto owners may know that most automotive failures in St. Peter, MN, are tire related, but do you know the second most common cause of vehicle failure? Nope, it’s not teenagers. It is the coolant system. But if you take good care of your vehicle coolant system, it will take good care of you.

A vehicle’s engine creates a lot of heat – so much heat, that if it is not properly cooled, the engine can lock up, resulting in massive damage and repair bills. But when everything is working right, your vehicle engine operates at the proper temperature and all is well. Without antifreeze in your cooling system, the water could freeze and cause vehicle engine damage. This could be very expensive, not to mention inconvenient.

The right mix of water and antifreeze protects the engine against damage from freezing and overheating. Antifreeze also protects the coolant system against corrosion that could cause the system to fail. The thing to remember is this: coolant system failure is very common, but it is also very easy to prevent. Your St. Peter service center knows the manufacturer’s recommendations and can tell you when the coolant needs to be changed. At Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter, we can perform a coolant system service.

St. Peter auto owners can add water or antifreeze to the bottle themselves but should be careful. First, you never want to open the radiator pressure cap. The steam could severely burn you. Second, try to get to Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter immediately if your coolant is low. If that is not possible, follow the directions in your owner’s manual. Third, remember that you need a proper mixture of water and antifreeze or you will damage your engine. If you make an emergency addition to your cooling system, follow-up with a service advisor at Autotronics of St. Peter where they can make necessary corrections. Fourth, not all cars use the same type of antifreeze.

St. Peter technicians will need to check their vehicles owner’s manual to make sure they use the right kind. Mixing antifreeze types or using the wrong kind of antifreeze may void the manufacturer’s warranty on your vehicle cooling system. If you’re not sure, ask your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Autotronics of St. Peter for guidance.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com