I’m Cool With That (AC Exchange)

On a hot day, you want your vehicle’s air conditioning to work. When the air blowing out of your vents isn’t cold, it’s easy to think, “I’ll just take it by the shop and have them top off my refrigerant.” But while some people think air conditioning is that simple, it’s actually not.

If your refrigerant is low, something has to have happened for it to be depleted. Perhaps there’s a leak in the system. Or some hoses or clamps have failed. If the system isn’t evaluated by someone who knows air conditioning, it’s possible that adding refrigerant will just be a band-aid solution.

It’s also possible that contaminants have gotten into the refrigerant, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, or air. Some of those gases do not condense like refrigerant does which can increase the pressure inside the system and strain the lines and other components. At that point, the best course of action may be to have the old refrigerant (with its contaminants) bled from the system and have your AC recharged with new refrigerant.

Bring it to us, and we can inspect and test the system and all its components. That will include a pressure test for leaks. Most vehicle manufacturers don’t have a service schedule for air conditioning systems, so one way to know when you should have it looked at is when it’s not behaving the way it used to. For example, it may not get cold as fast as it did before or even at all.

So, when hot air is exiting your vents when you want it to be cold, schedule an appointment and have a trained technician take care of it. Are you cool with that?

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

Rotation Explanation (Tire Rotation Patterns)

You may notice that when you get your vehicle’s oil changed, your service adviser may recommend that you have your tires rotated at the same time. The reasons are simple. That will allow your tires to wear more evenly and reduce the noise your tires make as you drive down the road.

There are different ways of rotating tires. If your vehicle has non-directional tires and the same size wheels at each corner, here are the different rotation patterns.

For all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles, one is called the rearward cross pattern. The rear tires are moved to the front and stay on the same side of the vehicle, and the front tires are moved to the rear on the side opposite of where they were on the front.

For all-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles, use the X pattern. The rear tires are moved to the front on the opposite side of the vehicle, and the fronts are moved to the rear on the opposite side of where they were on the front.

For front-wheel drive, there’s the forward cross. The front tires are moved to the rear wheels on the same side of the vehicle as they were on the front and the rear tires are moved to the opposite side of the vehicle than they were on the rear.

If you have directional tires (they only can be mounted in one direction) and the same size directional wheels, the rear tires are moved to the front on the same side of the vehicle where they were, and the front tires are moved to the rear on the same side they were on the front. And if you have tires with different sizes of non-directional tires and wheels on the front and rear, rotation will be from one side of the vehicle to the other.

If you have a spare, it’s put into the rotation using a forward cross or rearward cross.

Yep, that’s a lot to keep straight. So, we suggest letting your service advisor recommend the right rotation pattern for you at the interval your vehicle’s manufacturer specifies.

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

How Tired Are Your Tires? (Tire replacement)

Of the things you think about most, your tires are probably pretty far down the list. That’s understandable because today’s tires are engineered to do their job without needing you to pay too much attention to them. But they DO wear out, and worn tires can contribute to skidding in bad weather, not being able to stop, a ride full of uncomfortable vibrations and, even a sudden blowout. Yikes. Let’s figure out right now how to know if your tires need replacing!

Let’s face it. Most of us don’t know the first thing about tires. So, the best way to make sure what shape yours are in is to take your vehicle to a qualified service facility to have the tires checked out by a trained technician. Here are things they’ll check:

Tread. Tread is the part of the tire that touches the road surface. Different tires have different tread patterns and something called tread blocks – the raised rubber parts that contact the road. The longer a tire has been on a vehicle, the more of that rubber wears off. The technician will check to see if there’s enough of that tread left on your tire for sufficient traction to accelerate, steer, and brake.
Pressure. It’s important your tires be inflated properly so your tires will perform the way they’re designed while driving. If your tires have low air pressure, the technician will check to see why, perhaps cracks in the sidewall from age, a nail in the rubber picked up on the road, or bulges. It’s also important your tires are not overinflated too.
Wear. Your tires should wear evenly. If they haven’t, the uneven wear can cause vibrations that you can feel in the steering wheel. Maybe the whole vehicle shakes at a certain speed. Your vehicle may require other services such as balancing, alignment, or suspension repairs to prevent future tire damage.
Age. Your tires may have adequate tread, but if they’re too old, it’s time for new. Rubber gets old, and when it does, it loses its elasticity. Ever find an old rubber band and tried to stretch it? It’s brittle and will break easily. Hotter climates will age rubber—and tires—faster. All tires have their date of manufacture stamped on them, so your service adviser will be able to see when your tires were made.

If it’s time to replace your tires, you’ll find you have many choices for new ones: different brands, models, designs, etc. Your service adviser can help you figure out which ones are right for you. It’s much better—and safer—to do it before one of them fails at the least opportune time.

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