How Can You Tell If Your Battery Is On It’s Last Legs?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by jsellers
HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOUR CAR BATTERY IS ON ITS LAST LEGS?

Remember that any rechargeable battery, regardless of whether it’s in a cell phone, a laptop, a cordless phone, an MP3 player or anything else, can withstand only so many charge/discharge cycles before it starts to weaken.

Knowing when it’s time for car battery replacement can be a bit tricky. A car battery is such a common item, and one that never gets much attention until there’s a problem. Here, we offer a bit of car maintenance advice that relates to your car battery.

Remember that any rechargeable battery, regardless of whether it’s in a cell phone, a laptop, a cordless phone, an MP3 player or anything else, can withstand only so many charge/discharge cycles before it starts to weaken. Most batteries have punch-out tabs that show the date of purchase…that won’t necessarily give you a firm idea of car battery life, but it will at least remind you of how long you’ve had the battery. In extreme circumstances (heavy battery drain, heat, cold), a 36- or 48-month battery will often not last the entire 36 or 48 months.

So here are some tips for what to look for when it’s time for car battery replacement:

  • Weak cranking. The battery may crank the engine well for the first five seconds or so, but then the starter begins to drag.
  • Frequent need for jump-starts or overnight charges.
  • Frequent need to refill the battery’s cells (although many newer batteries have sealed cells that need no maintenance).
  • Slow cranking.
  • The battery drains after listening to the radio or leaving the headlights on for ten or fifteen minutes.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to predict the correct time for car battery replacement.  You can go to your local parts store and ask, “Please check my car battery,” and a bench test or in-car tester can get a rough idea of the battery’s status…but unfortunately they can’t get an accurate picture of what’s happening in the chemical/electrical processes inside the battery case, or how much service life remains in the battery.

Here’s probably the best rule of thumb for car battery replacement: if you’ve got a 36-month or 48-month battery, just be aware of how long ago you bought it, and what you expect as far as demands on the battery going into the summer or winter season. If you’re in doubt, spring for a replacement battery and remember that if your old battery hasn’t reached the end of its entire warranty, you can probably get a prorated discount on the cost of a replacement.

For car battery service, it’s better safe than sorry! Have questions about car battery service? You should come on down to your closest Big O Tires location and we’ll be happy to help.

 

Posted in Automobile, battery, car maintenance | Tagged | 1 Comment

Batteries and Heat

Posted on May 11, 2012 by jsellers
Batteries and Heat

The last thing you want in Arizona heat is a dead battery and no AC, and a bill for car battery replacement.

Heat is hard on everything associated with your car…tires, dashboards, paint, upholstery, tires, and drivers. Chances are, you may be looking at car battery replacement sooner than expected. But why is extreme heat so hard on car batteries? Here’s some car maintenance advice!

It gets pretty hot under the hood of a car. When you add in the heat of 110-degree ambient air, the acid in the battery’s cells starts to evaporate, putting more stress on the lead plates inside and shortening the battery’s service life. The last thing you want in Arizona heat is a dead battery and no AC, and a bill for car battery replacement.

You can put off the inevitable, though, by routinely checking the level of fluid in your battery’s cells (although many newer batteries are ‘zero maintenance,’ meaning the cells are sealed). Always remember to replace the fluid in the cells with distilled water and not tap water; tap water contains enough minerals and other impurities that they can accumulate inside the cells and cause corrosion.

Also check  the condition of the battery posts and cable clamps. Fluffy greenish-white corrosion can accumulate in those areas, keeping the battery from getting a good charge or sometimes even preventing it from starting the vehicle. Clean the posts with baking soda and water and a wire brush…special tools are available, especially for cleaning corrosion from posts and cable ends.

Car battery replacement is inevitable sooner or later, and it’s a sad fact that many batteries will not last through their entire warranty, especially in hot climates. When the time comes, though, remember that you can generally get a pro-rata on the price of a replacement battery, if your old battery falls short of its service life.

Got questions about car battery service? Wondering about your car battery life? Come on down to Big O Tires and we’ll help answer any questions you might have and give some good car maintenance advice as well!

 

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Proper Tire Maintenance: Tire Mounting

Posted on April 30, 2012 by jsellers
TIRE MOUNTING

Proper tire mounting may not be a complicated or highly-technical process, but it requires a trained tech and specialized equipment to mount a tire safely and effectively.

You might wonder about tire mounting and balancing fees that are added to your tire purchase. Mounting and balancing are the first step to proper tire maintenance, so let’s discuss:

There are a few steps to proper tire mounting. First, the tire tech releases air from the old tire using a tire stem removal tool. Next, the bead has to be broken on the old tire, using a “bead breaker” that gives the tech enough leverage to break that seal. The rim will need to be carefully inspected for any dings or dents that could interfere with proper tire mounting, because if the rim is damaged, nothing else is going to work right in the process.

The new tire goes onto the rim, using either tire irons or a tire-mounting machine. The tech installs a new valve stem and inflates the tire. The next step is balancing, using a spin balance machine; a trained tech will know exactly where to place wheel weights on the rim for the right balance. Improperly-balanced tires will let the driver know right away if there’s a problem!

The last step is for the tech to inflate the tire to its proper pressure and mount it back on the vehicle, torqueing the lug nuts to their proper manufacturer’s specs.

In other words, proper tire mounting may not be a complicated or highly-technical process, but it requires a trained tech and specialized equipment to mount a tire safely and effectively — it’s all part of the equation for a positive experience at your local tire dealership!

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Car Maintenance Advice: Keeping Your Car In Top Shape

Posted on April 27, 2012 by jsellers

This video gives great tips on keeping your vehicle in top shape by performing routine maintenance consistently. The tips include proper tire maintenance, routinely changing the oil and regular inspecting fluid levels. For more information or if you have any questions, check out our blog at bigotiresarizona.com. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at http://www.bigotiresarizona.com/contact-us/.

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Air, Fuel, And Cabin Air Filters

Posted on April 24, 2012 by jsellers
AIR, FUEL, AND CABIN AIR FILTERS

The air filter is the first line of defense for your engine, blocking out contaminants, dust, dirt, and impurities that would otherwise make their way into your engine’s combustion system.

There are numerous filters for cars, each of them serving a distinct purpose and each of them requiring a regular interval for replacement or service. Let’s run through those distinctions and cover a little bit of car maintenance advice while we’re at it:

  • Air Filter – The air filter is the first line of defense for your engine, blocking out contaminants, dust, dirt, and impurities that would otherwise make their way into your engine’s combustion system. It’s one of the most important filters for cars, but also one of the most neglected. Keeping your air filter clean will enhance both your car’s performance and fuel economy, and in these days of high gas prices, who can afford to waste fuel? Older air filter technology used to use pleated, disposable paper filters, but they’ve been superseded by permanent filters that offer almost zero restriction (for performance) and are cleaned with a special oil. Change or service your air filter every 15-20,000 miles, or more frequently if you’re often in dusty conditions.
  • Cabin Air Filter – Nobody likes breathing in exhaust fumes at rush hour, but they’ll make their way into your car (even with your A/C running). Older cars don’t have a cabin air filter, and it’s difficult to see how we ever drove without one. Along with exhaust fumes, cabin air filters prevent dust, allergens, and pollen from getting into your car’s passenger area. A dirty or clogged cabin air filter means a heating/cooling/climate control system that must work harder, compromising your fuel economy and performance, and introducing more bad allergens (and odors!) into your interior. It’s another of the frequently-neglected filters for cars, but the cabin air filter should be part of your maintenance schedule as well. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended service interval.
  • Fuel Filter – Located either in the fuel line or inside the fuel tank itself, the fuel filter keeps grit, rust, dirt, and other impurities from making their way to your fuel injectors (or carburetor, if you’ve got an older vehicle). The signs of a clogged fuel filter include poor fuel economy, sluggish performance (especially up-hill), or a vehicle that simply dies and won’t start again. Of all the filters for cars, the fuel filter is more complicated to replace and seldom needs replacement – maybe twice or three times over the vehicle’s life span.

Think maybe it’s time for a filter replacement? Swing by Big O Tires and let us take a look!

 

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Tire Speed Ratings Explained

Posted on April 19, 2012 by jsellers
Tire Speed Ratings Explained

Tire Speed Ratings are designed to convey a safe speed for a given tire

If you’ve ever wondered what your tire speed rating means, it’s part of your tires’ service description, which is stamped on the tire’s sidewall. It’s key to proper tire maintenance and important in  your decision to buy tires, so let’s discuss:

A typical tire size for passenger cars is P195/60R15 87S. To break down what that tire size and service rating means:

P = Passenger car

195 = Section width in millimeters (from one edge of the tread to the other)

60 = Aspect ratio (sidewall height as a percentage of the total width of the tire)

R = Radial construction

15 = 15” rim

87 = Load rating (in this case, 1200 lbs)

S = Speed rating (in this case, 112 mph)

For a complete chart of tire speed rating designations:

M: 81mph or 130 km/h

- N: 87 mph or 140 km/h

- P: 93 mph or 150 km/h

- Q: 99 mph or 160 km/h

- R: 106 mph or 170 km/h

- S: 112 mph or 180 km/h

- T: 118 mph or 190 km/h

- U: 124 mph or 200 km/h

- H: 130 mph or 210 km/h

- V: 149 mph or 240 km/h

- Z: in excess of 149 mph or 240 km/h plus

- W: 168 mph or 270 km/h

- Y: 186 mph or 300 km/h

Ratings for speed go down as low as 5 mph (A1), presumably for machines like riding mowers.  Tire speed ratings originated with the European market and the extreme speeds of the Autobahn, with open-ended speed limits and minimum speeds rather than top speeds. They’re designed to convey a safe speed for a given tire without the risk of overheating, tread separation, or other types of tire failure. However, be advised that a tire with a higher speed rating than needed isn’t necessarily a better tire. You might run across tires with W or Y ratings that are marked down at a tire dealer, but high tire speed ratings also mean shorter tire life in many cases. Police departments and racing teams can afford to replace high-speed tires as often as they need to!

Got a question about tire speed ratings or general questions about proper tire maintenance? Come on down to Big O Tires, and we’ll do your best to ease your mind and answer any questions you might have!

 

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Why You Should Drive Hands Free

Posted on April 11, 2012 by jsellers
WHY YOU SHOULD DRIVE HANDS FREE

It doesn’t matter if you’re texting, talking on a cell phone, or looking for a CD, anything you do that takes attention away from driving means you are compromising your safety

Let’s just be clear: when we say “drive hands free,” we don’t mean you should take your hands off the steering wheel! It’s common sense that distracted driving is dangerous. While this doesn’t fall into our usual topics of car maintenance advice, this safety measure is extremely important.

It doesn’t matter if you’re texting, talking on a cell phone, looking for a CD, messing with your MP3 player, disciplining a kid, eating a messy cheeseburger, or looking at a map —  anything you do that takes attention away from driving means you are compromising your safety (and the safety of everyone else on the road).

Some distractions are going to be unavoidable, but driving hands free can at least take one problem out of the equation. Studies show a cell phone conversation means the brain can process less visual information, and the divided attention of a cell phone call gets worse the longer the call continues. States and municipalities have also taken note, imposing fines on drivers caught texting or using a cell phone behind the wheel.

There is good news! As cell phone technology continues to evolve by leaps and bounds, there are more options available for drivers who want to drive hands free. There are programs that can read text messages to you, voice-recognition systems that can send text messages on your verbal command, and Ford’s Sync system, which uses Bluetooth to make calls for you (via a button on the steering wheel) and “reads” texts aloud through the car’s stereo speakers. No doubt more systems will come online as cell phone and automotive technology continue to advance.

Driving is stressful enough as it is, and we’re sure you have the good judgment to be a safe driver and not let distractions interfere with your driving. Driving hands free is one more way to help even the score in your favor.

Let’s just be clear: when we say “drive hands free,” we don’t mean you should take your hands off the steering wheel! It’s common sense that distracted driving is dangerous. While this doesn’t fall into our usual topics of car maintenance advice, this safety measure is extremely important.

It doesn’t matter if you’re texting, talking on a cell phone, looking for a CD, messing with your MP3 player, disciplining a kid, eating a messy cheeseburger, or looking at a map —  anything you do that takes attention away from driving means you are compromising your safety (and the safety of everyone else on the road).

Some distractions are going to be unavoidable, but driving hands free can at least take one problem out of the equation. Studies show a cell phone conversation means the brain can process less visual information, and the divided attention of a cell phone call gets worse the longer the call continues. States and municipalities have also taken note, imposing fines on drivers caught texting or using a cell phone behind the wheel.

There is good news! As cell phone technology continues to evolve by leaps and bounds, there are more options available for drivers who want to drive hands free. There are programs that can read text messages to you, voice-recognition systems that can send text messages on your verbal command, and Ford’s Sync system, which uses Bluetooth to make calls for you (via a button on the steering wheel) and “reads” texts aloud through the car’s stereo speakers. No doubt more systems will come online as cell phone and automotive technology continue to advance.

Driving is stressful enough as it is, and we’re sure you have the good judgment to be a safe driver and not let distractions interfere with your driving. Driving hands free is one more way to help even the score in your favor.

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When To Replace Your Alternator

Posted on March 26, 2012 by jsellers
When To Replace Your Alternator

The only surefire way to narrow it down is having the alternator tested to see how it’s performing.

Your car’s alternator will typically last for the life of the car, but they do fail sometimes. Let us discuss when to replace your alternator should it go bad. It’s one of the more common car maintenance questions we get!

What does the alternator do?

The alternator is driven by a belt from the crankshaft, along with the air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, water pump, and a couple other accessories. The alternator is designed to generate electricity as it turns, keeping a charge in the battery (older cars have a dynamo-type generator instead), as well as providing electric power for the car’s ignition, taillights, headlights, radio, and all other electrical parts.

How will I know if the alternator is going bad?

Faulty alternators are often mistaken for a failing battery, since a bad alternator won’t keep a battery charged up enough for positive starts. However, a driver can try a test as a field diagnosis:

  • Turn on the car’s headlights with the engine running. Rev the engine with the car in park – if the headlights dim or get brighter with more engine RPMs, there’s a good chance the alternator is failing. If the headlights stay just as bright, you’re probably safe.

So it’s the alternator – what then?

Replacing an alternator can get expensive so you’ll want to make sure that’s the problem. The only surefire way to narrow it down is having the alternator tested to see how it’s performing. If you suspect that may be the problem with your car’s charging system, come on down to a Big O Tires location and we’ll gladly help you out!

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Arizona Day Trips

Posted on March 19, 2012 by jsellers
Arizona Day Trips

Arizona has so much to offer, from saguaro cactus deserts to mountains to cool forests of ponderosa pines.

Spring is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about some fun Arizona road trips! Arizona has so much to offer, from saguaro cactus deserts to mountains to cool forests of ponderosa pines. After you’ve come to Big O for car maintenance advice, there’s a lot of destinations you can easily reach with a day trip from the Phoenix area:

  • The Mogollon Rim: State Highway 87 leads you through rugged, rocky terrain to Payson where you can split off onto Highway 260. Stop to see a replica of Zane Grey’s cabin on Payson’s Main Street, or go for a hike at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (about ten miles north of Payson). There’s also the Pine-Strawberry Museum in Pine, which is definitely worth a visit.
  • Galleries in Scottsdale: Within easy driving distance of Phoenix, Scottsdale’s Old Town offers several galleries along Marshall Way, as well as a few great options for lunch. You can also consider a drive to Consanti to visit the home and studio of Paolo Soleri, the artist renowned for his bells and wind chime designs.
  • Boyce Thompson Arboretum: There’s no better way to see the wide spectrum of cacti, succulents, and other desert plants of Arizona than a trip to Boyce Thompson Arboretum. It’s 320 well-cultivated acres of gardens crisscrossed by trails; it also includes plants from the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts of Mexico. While you’re there, spend some time watching the habits of hummingbirds in the Hummingbird-Butterfly Garden. If you’re in the mood for more strenuous fun, there’s a four-mile four-hour hike to the top of Picket Peak.
  • Whiskey Row in Prescott: Historic as Arizona’s first territorial capital, Prescott was founded in 1863 and still boasts its 19th century downtown, with Whiskey Row as a reminder of the town’s wild mining and ranching days. Most of the old saloons have been replaced by art galleries and boutiques, such as the Arts Prescott Cooperative Gallery and Van Gogh’s Ear –  both on Montezuma Street.

Before you head out, be sure to stop by Big O Tires to ensure your car is in top condition for a road trip. We’re always happy to help out with proper tire maintenance and any other car maintenance questions you may have!

 

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What Is Tire Load Rating

Posted on March 16, 2012 by jsellers
What Is Tire Load Rating

Tire load ratings play a very important role in safety and proper tire maintenance.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “tire load rating” and wondered exactly what it meant. Tire load ratings play a very important role in safety and proper tire maintenance, so let’s break it down:

  • Your tires will have a service description embossed on the sidewall. The service description includes proper inflation levels, tire size, speed rating, and other information. You’ll also find tire load rating on the service description.
  • The higher the load rating number, the more weight your car’s tires are able to handle. However, this doesn’t mean an actual weight limit; tire load ratings are coded according to federal standards. A rating code of 60 means actual weight rating of 250 kg/550 lbs.; rating code of 80: 450 kg/550 lbs.; rating code of 125: 1650 kg/3600 lbs.
  • Load ranges are also classified by letters, such as Load Range B tires or P-Metric standards.
  • Your tires’ service description will also include load ratings for hot temperatures. The standards are determined by the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) and the Tire and Rim Association (TRA).

Confused yet?

Load ratings are important for safety and should be kept in mind when it’s time to buy tires. Obviously ratings are more of a concern for trucks, vans, SUVs, and heavier vehicles than for passenger cars. Load ratings are of special importance when vehicles are used for towing or heavy hauling.

While tire load rating charts can seem arcane and confusing, your tire dealer should be able to clarify them for you when it’s time to replace your tires. That’s why it’s a good idea to come to Big O Tires; our trained, experienced consultants will give you straight answers to your questions and help you find the right tires for your needs, at a price that will make you happy!

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