Car maintenance can’t be overlooked, that’s why it’s hard to completely list all the benefits. Here are six reasons why preventive maintenance is important to keep your vehicle running smoothly, giving you peace of mind.  

Increase Safety

The more you maintain your car, the more safe you will be on the road. This will prevent parts from breaking and larger problems from occurring. By constantly maintaining your car and checking the systems that might malfunction, you will eliminate the risk of dealing with a malfunctioning vehicle.  

Keeps Car Performing at it’s Best

Aside from increasing safety, regular maintenance will also enhance your car’s performance. You can get better traction on your tires, more stable steering, and even more reliable engine starters. Those things are possible with routine maintenance. 

Saves You Money

By taking care of your car regularly, you will avoid larger, more costly problems. Is it better to spend a little more now to keep your car healthy or a lot more later in life because you missed a key service? The smartest way to save money is to book appointments for preventive maintenance at least twice an year.

Lower The Cost of Fuel

Maintaining your car properly will prevent it from wasting any fuel. However, if you skip one of the key services, you might decrease your gas mileage substantially. This means you will have to fill up your gas tank more often, wasting your time and money. 

Saves You Time

By staying on top of your maintenance schedule, you will be preventing larger issues which could keep your car from running. In the event that you experience a major auto repair problem, you might not be able to drive your car for some time. As a result, it is not only very inconvenient to do anything, but you also waste a lot of time which could be spent doing something you actually enjoy.  

Keeps Car Value

It is important to keep up with your vehicle’s maintenance if you plan to sell it soon or in the distant future. This will not only make driving your car a pleasant experience, but your car will also maintain its value. You will get more money if you take the time to prepare before you sell your car.

The simplest and most economical way of protecting the original investment is through preventive maintenance. Some examples of things you can do to maintain your vehicles include:

• Regular tune-ups
• Oil changes
• Checking fluid levels
• Inspecting brakes
• Monitoring tire treads and pressure
• Examining lights, signals, and wipers

A certified technician can handle all your maintenance needs. Ok Tire has experts who are ready to assist you and willing to explain everything you need to know about your vehicle. We will provide you with the information you need to repair your vehicle and keep it running for many years to come.  

Need an Inspection to see if you need any maintenance? Contact Us Below!

Tire Pressure

Studies have shown that up to 70% of vehicles on the road today have one or more underinflated tires, which can increase your fuel consumption by 4 to 8%.

Wheel Alignment & Balance

Wheels not properly aligned “drag” along the road instead of rolling smoothly. This can cause accelerated tire wear and an increase in fuel consumption of up to 25%.

Air induction system

A dirty air filter can increase fuel consumption by 2% or more and decrease the airflow available to your engine, causing an increase in environmentally harmful emissions. Using quality fuels with cleaning additives also helps, but does not replace a thorough, professional cleaning of the complete air induction system.

Gas Caps

17% of vehicles on the road today have loose, damaged or missing gas caps. This causes 556 million litres of fuel to vaporize into the atmosphere annually in North America. Fuel evaporation is one of the leading causes of hydrocarbon emissions. Topping off your gas tank can also cause unwanted emissions; never fill the tank past where the gas pump automatically shuts off.

Tune-up / Engine Management

Have your vehicle’s ignition and emission systems checked regularly for faults, and always follow the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended replacement intervals for all of these system components. A properly tuned vehicle can increase fuel economy by 6 to 13%.

Fuel and oil leaks

Don’t ignore a fuel or oil leak. Fossil fuel evaporation is one of the primary causes of ozone-depleting VOC’s and Hydrocarbons.

Don’t ignore a warning light

Today’s vehicles have very sophisticated engine management systems capable of making thousands of corrections per second to keep all systems operating in their optimum range. In some cases they can also compensate for a failure in one part of the system; this usually triggers a warning light to the driver even though the vehicle seems to be operating normally. Your vehicle’s onboard computer is telling you there is a problem and is trying to compensate for it! Have your vehicle inspected as soon as possible to identify the problem and correct it.

Cooling systems

Today’s engines run at much higher temperatures than before. Ignoring maintenance of your vehicle’s cooling system can allow the engine to run too hot, causing the right environment for Nitrous Oxide (NOX) emissions. Potentially severe engine damage can also occur from a cooling system failure with little warning, leaving you stranded.

Change your oil regularly!

Engine oil traps and holds acids, sludge and 19 other harmful by-products created by your engine in addition to lubricating and cooling all of its moving parts. Follow your vehicle’s oil change interval; it is its lifeblood!

Engine efficiency and emission levels go hand-in-hand with today’s modern vehicles. Improved engine designs, computerized engine management and controlled fuel metering all contribute to reducing the hazardous substances that our cars emit into our atmosphere. These improvements also provide reliable power, economy, and performance.

Numerous advanced technologies are present in your vehicle to actively reduce the number of harmful emissions leaving through the exhaust of your engine. Secondary air injection, EGR valves, and catalytic converters all play a significant role in reducing the levels of harmful toxins. Having a properly functioning fuel delivery system helps to keep your engine run cleanly and efficiently.

Dirty fuel injectors and other fuel system components can cause numerous problems for the performance of your engine. These include a lean fuel mixture, misfires, rough idle, higher carbon emissions (bad for the environment) and poor fuel economy.

One of the most critical components for controlling exhaust emissions is the oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor measures the amount of oxygen present in your vehicle’s exhaust and sends a signal to your vehicle’s engine management system. The onboard computer can then adjust the air/fuel mixture to ensure optimum performance with the lowest emissions. Worn oxygen sensors do not operate to their full capacity and therefore send the wrong signal to the onboard computer system. Neglected sensors can cause serious and expensive damage to your vehicle’s catalytic converter along with poor emissions and fuel economy. Most manufacturers recommend replacement anywhere between 50,000-90,000kms.

A properly maintained vehicle not only runs better but is also more fuel-efficient thereby saving you money and reduce harm to the environment. Regularly scheduled maintenance combined with diagnostic and emission control testing will help prevent early component failure, ensuring that your engine runs to the manufacturer’s specifications.

The use of proper engine coolant and the vehicle’s radiator is the key element of a vehicle’s cooling system and maintain the important task of keeping the engine from overheating.
Engine coolant is pushed through the coolant system by the water pump and circulates through a heat exchanger (radiator) and transfers the heat to the metal/aluminum cooling fins that surround the core. These cooling fins help to dissipate the heat from the hot coolant by exposing the surface of the fins to the cooler outside air. Air is forced through the radiator with the help of a fan.

Radiators are typically mounted in a position where they receive sufficient airflow from the forward movement of the vehicle, usually located behind an opening in the front grill. The radiator may also provide cooling assistance for the automatic transmission fluid as well.

Proper repair and maintenance of your vehicle’s cooling system are essential to the health of the engine. If you have ever seen a vehicle on the side of the road, hood up with steam billowing from underneath, chances are it is experiencing a cooling system failure.
Disappointments such as these can be avoided with regular inspections when you perform scheduled maintenance to your vehicle. Common items to be replaced are the thermostat and the coolant. Over time, coolant loses its ability to perform at its peak because as it ages, it becomes more acidic and requires changing. These variations in the coolant’s ph can cause severe damage to the radiator, heater core, and the radiator hoses. For the best result, the entire cooling system should be flushed out and a new coolant installed. By doing this, all the components can be inspected. However, your best bet is to follow the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals for these maintenance items.

Today’s modern engines use a pressurized cooling system that helps to raise the boiling point of the coolant helping your engine operate at higher temperatures for greater fuel economy. The faster the engine reaches operating temperature, the more efficiently it can run.
By maintaining your vehicle’s cooling system at the recommended intervals, you will help extend the longevity of your vehicle and provide peace of mind motoring.

Modern vehicles can have anywhere from 30 to 100 individual on-board computers feeding information to a central control unit, which is called the on-board diagnostics system (OBD 2). These different computers monitor everything from how far your vehicle is leaning in a corner to how much oxygen the exhaust contains. Often taking thousands of readings per second the on-board diagnostic system can inform the driver by illuminating a warning light on the dashboard.

No matter if your light is steady (make an appointment as soon as you can) or if it is blinking (indicating a severe misfire that needs immediate attention to avoid extensive engine or engine-related component damage) you will need to have your vehicle diagnosed by a qualified automotive technician. These professionals will use modern diagnostic equipment to determine where in the system the issue is by diagnosing failures in either the control units or the parts they are monitoring.

Things that you can keep an eye out for to indicate a start of a problem:

• Hard starting or extended cranking in hot or cold situations
• Hesitation when you first accelerate
• Increased fuel consumption
• Pinging or knocking under hard acceleration
• Routinely stalling
• Lack of power when accelerating or going up an incline
  

Don’t let just anyone “tinker” or guess when dealing with these components – only qualified automotive technician has the equipment and data required to diagnose and repair modern problems in modern vehicles.

TIP – if your check engine light comes on and is steady, try checking your gas cap to make sure that it is correctly tightened.  It may take a couple of trips to get the light to reset.

The function of your vehicle’s brakes is to assist you in the ability to control your vehicle by reducing speed and bring it to a complete stop, which is why your vehicle’s brake system is a critical element of you and your vehicles safety.

Braking systems operate using a hydraulic system, whereby applying pressure to the brake pedal, sends brake fluid throughout the vehicle’s brake system activating parts that come together to create friction; which then creates the stopping force required. Any weak or worn points in the brake system; hoses, seals or other hydraulic components, could result in a fluid leak and possibly a catastrophic failure of your vehicle’s brakes.

Brake fluid is specially formulated to operate in very high-pressure environments in all temperatures. Due to the constant heating and cooling of the liquid, water (or condensation) forms reducing the boiling point of the brake fluid. This build-up can cause a “mushy” feel in the brake pedal and can cause damage to other brake system components. Brake fluid requires regular flushing to remove water content and other contaminants.

To check or maintain the brake system of a vehicle, OK Tire’s certified technicians do both a visual and hands-on analysis of the brake’s systems.

Brake Maintenance Inspections include, but are not limited to:

• Examination of the overall quality and measurement of wear on all pads, rotors, drums & shoes
• Test brake fluid levels and quality
• Inspect E-brake (Emergency Brake)
• Signs of fatigue or cracks on brake lines, hoses, and Master cylinder
• Ensure there are no visible fluid leaks
  

After the technician has completed their inspection; or diagnostic, they will then determine the required maintenance/repair your vehicle needs to ensure an efficient and working brake system.

In many ways, a diesel engine is less complicated than a gas-powered engine, has a longer working life combined with greater reliability.
There is little difference in servicing a diesel engine compared to a gasoline engine except that the diesel engine has no ignition system. However, the fuel system is the lifeblood of the diesel engine and requires very careful attention in the way of regular service to prevent dirt and water from getting into the system which would eventually cause damage.

Unlike gasoline engines, diesel engines require occasional bleeding of the fuel system to rid the system of air that gets trapped in the system, and this would be part of the regular service maintenance of the vehicle. Most engines have an automatic bleed system that gets rid of the trapped air but others need bleeding manually as previously mentioned.

All in all the diesel engine has many benefits compared to its gasoline counterpart. They are as follows: better fuel economy, fewer emissions, less maintenance, more reliability, more torque and towing capabilities.

The most important thing to remember is to keep the engine and fuel services to an optimum. Changing ALL the filters is the best insurance to maintain the engine performing at its peak. Fuel filters, oil filters, and air filters are critical elements of the maintenance program and a prudent safeguard against untimely breakdowns.
Keep your diesel on the road, come and see us at OK Tire

One of the main things an exhaust system does is reduce your vehicle’s noise. However, did you know that your exhaust system also prevents harmful emissions from escaping into the environment as well?

The exhaust system is a vital part of your vehicle’s emission system, as it is responsible for removing several different emissions from your vehicle; these include the harmful gases carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen monoxide. Exhaust leaks can be very dangerous to you and your passenger’s health and must be fixed by a qualified automotive technician immediately. Issues with your exhaust system may also negatively affect your fuel economy or vehicle performance. Damage to the exhaust is typically the result of rust or water build up over time, in addition to cracks arising from normal usage.

Exhaust systems should regularly be inspected for leaks, damage, and broken supports or hangers; especially if there is an unusual noise. Take your vehicle into an OK Tire location, and the technician will inspect the entire exhaust system from the engine all the way to the tailpipe looking for any leaks, rust, broken components, or any unusual or loud noises. A back pressure test may also be required to determine if there are any blockages or restrictions within the exhaust system. Once a diagnostic inspection has been completed, the technician will repair or replace any defective, broken, or worn components. A final inspection is part of our exhaust service package, when completed we ensure that your system is working correctly.

When your exhaust system is doing its job properly you are then able to drive your vehicle safely, your overall driving experience will be enhanced, and it is helpful to the environment.