STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT STEERING (Loose Steering)

Perhaps you’ve heard someone use the term “loose steering.” And it’s pretty much what it sounds like. You turn the steering wheel and the vehicle’s wheels don’t seem to go exactly where you thought you were pointing them. You have to constantly make steering adjustments.

Loose steering is sloppy steering, and it can be a safety hazard. You need to be able to control your vehicle with pretty much the same precision as the way it was when it came off the assembly line.

If the steering in your vehicle is starting to feel loose and sloppy, there may be some significant suspension issues that need examining by a trained technician.

How do you know if your vehicle needs to be looked at? Try turning the steering wheel and see how much play is in it. One rule of thumb: if you can turn it the distance of a quarter and a dime placed side by side without seeing the outside wheels move, it’s time to have it inspected by one of our technicians.

Our Autotronics of St. Peter technician will examine those components that are supposed to work together to make sure your steering is tight and precise. They are linked together by things called (of course) linkages.

When these linkage components were new, they all fit together tightly and moved together to make sure your wheels responded quickly and precisely to your movements of the steering wheel.

But hit a few potholes, travel over a couple of rough railroad tracks and those metal components can be damaged or bent. Given enough time, they will simply wear out. Our trained Autotronics of St. Peter technician can inspect all of those parts and determine what needs to be repaired and/or replaced.

Keep your steering tight. Loose or sloppy steering can be dangerous. Thank goodness it usually warns you in plenty of time before it fails completely. Just straight talk… about steering.

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

Put the Brakes On! (Brake Caliper Replacement)

Keeping your vehicle’s brakes in top shape is one of the most important things you can do for your safety and those on the road with you. Most drivers know a little about brake pads and rotors but maybe not so much about another brake component called the calipers.

Disc brakes work by a mechanical system that presses your brake pads against discs called rotors (you can usually see these discs through your wheels). The friction stops your vehicle smoothly when everything is working the way it should. The calipers use the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid to apply the stopping power.

After they’ve been on your vehicle for a while, the calipers can get stuck or wear out. If calipers on one side of the vehicle work correctly and not on the other, you might feel a pull in one direction. You might feel the same kind of pull if the caliper is stuck and is applying constant pressure. You might hear scraping or squealing coming from a stuck caliper and you might smell burning on that side. The friction from a caliper that’s always applying pressure may cause that wheel to heat up, so after you’ve pulled your vehicle off the road safely, the wheel with the stuck caliper will might feel hotter than the others

Because there are many different components to the brakes, it’s best to leave the diagnosis and repair to a trained technician. They will run each wheel through a series of tests and inspections that can pinpoint the problem. Sometimes it involves more components than just the caliper that may need changing at the same time.

The best way to make sure your brakes will perform well is to is to have our service center perform regular inspections and follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service. That way your brakes will be ready, willing and able when you call on them to put a stop to things.

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

Breathe Deep in St. Peter With a New Cabin Air Filter

Poor interior air quality is nothing to sneeze at, and St. Peter auto owners might be interested to know that more and more new cars are coming equipped with a cabin air filter. Check your vehicle owner’s manual, but they typically need to be replaced at around 12,000 to 15,000 miles (19,000 to 24,000 kilometers).

The filter is usually under the vehicle hood or under the dashboard. Some are a little tricky to get to, so you’ll want to have your friendly and knowledgeable Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor take care of replacing them.

As we said, many St. Peter people don’t realize they have a cabin air filter and come to Autotronics of St. Peter saying “my vents are smelling bad.” It usually turns out to be a dirty cabin air filter. A switch out and they’re on their way, smelling sweet.

St. Peter residents who suffer from allergies can really benefit from a cabin air filter as it keeps irritants to a minimum. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to replace your filter regularly.

If you do a lot of driving in dusty or polluted St. Peter conditions, you’ll need to change your cabin air filter more often.

Give us a call.

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