Tires Spend Their Entire Life on the Ground, Time to Check Them | Northridge Toyota Scion

It only takes a penny to see if your tires are worn or losing tread. Examining your tires for wear and tear, along with checking tire pressure and alignment, are essential to ensuring your vehicle’s safety on the road and helping to improve gas mileage and performance. It is recommended to check tire condition and pressure regularly.

The use of a single penny allows you to check the safety of the tire tread on your vehicle. Place the penny on its side with Lincoln's head facing down and if you see Lincoln's head, it is time to bring your car into Northridge Toyota. No one knows how to care for your Toyota better than the experts at your dealership. Tires are selected to provide an exceptional driving experience with characteristics including superior handling for wet or dry traction, stability, tread life, acoustics, comfort and rolling resistance, which impacts fuel economy. These considerations, as well as load and speed ratings, determine which brands and tire types are approved for use on your vehicle.

Vehicle owners should check the pressure of all tires, including the spare, on a monthly

basis and more often during colder weather. In addition, the tread should be checked for uneven or irregular wear as well as cuts or bruises along sidewalls. Tires should be inflated to recommended pressure levels, rotated every 6,000 miles to promote uniform tire wear and be replaced if worn or damaged.

If the vehicle shakes or pulls to one side, it could be a sign of an alignment issue. Because uneven or accelerated tire wear may indicate an alignment problem, it’s a good idea to have the alignment checked at least once a year. Wheel balance can change as a result of normal tire wear and unbalanced wheels can cause rapid wear of shock absorbers and struts.

About Northridge Toyota | Scion in Northridge

Ted Hitchcock, General Manager, would like to thank you for visiting Northridge Toyota | Scion - serving the San Fernando Valley for over 40 year. Located in the heart of Northridge, CA, and near Los Angeles and surrounding communities, we are conveniently located for prime shopping and eating. Northridge Toyota | Scion now serves the community with a new 75,000 sq foot facility that includes a service center that has almost 50% greater capacity.

The Northridge Toyota | Scion mission is to bring knowledgeable car specialists, enthusiasm, value, great inventory, unparalleled customer service, friendly staff, community awareness and simplicity to every customer interaction while making the positive feedback and experience of each guest our primary objective. We offer an amazing array of new Toyota cars, certified pre-owned Toyota’s, and have a huge inventory of pre-owned cars. We specialize in all forms of maintenance, from tires to brakes, including all Toyota Care, Toyota Care Plus, and Toyota ExpressMaintenance. Whether an oil change and tire rotation, or something more, we have a cutting edge facility to help you. Please visit our well stocked parts and accessories department as well as our waiting area with state-of-the-art hot beverage dispensers, numerous flat panel tv’s, free wi-fi and pet waiting area - See more at: http://www.northridgetoyota.com

Source: http://www.carcare.org/2015/05/check-your-tires-for-wear-and-tear-it-only-tire-safety/

Regular Car Checks Recommended During High Summer Temperatures

Staying on top of your car's systems during the height of Summer can help ensure a comfortable and safe ride.

Summer can be tough on cars, especially during high temperatures when heat can destroy batteries and stress the cooling system and tires. As a precaution, these vehicle components should be checked periodically during summer to help avoid breakdowns and car problems, according to the Car Care Council.

Excessive heat and overcharging shorten the life of a battery. Heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, which then damages the internal structure of the battery. A malfunctioning component in the charging system, usually the voltage regulator, allows too high a charging rate, which will eventually destroy a battery.

To get the most life out of a battery, the council recommends having the electrical system checked to make sure it is charging at the correct rate. If your car's battery is the type that needs to be topped off, check it often, especially in hot weather and add distilled water if necessary. Keep the top of the battery clean. Dirt can become a conductor, which drains battery power. If corrosion accumulates on battery terminals, it becomes an insulator and inhibits the current flow.

The cooling system also works harder during hot temperatures to prevent overheating of the engine. To keep the cooling system working effectively, the coolant and distilled water mixture for a vehicle's radiator should be 50:50. As a reminder, never open a hot radiator cap when checking the coolant level in the reservoir.

As a rule of thumb, the coolant should be changed annually on most vehicles. This will keep the cooling system fresh and clean inside, which helps prevent corrosion and assures that the coolant has the proper boiling point and protection. A pressure test, thermostat test, a cooling fan test and a visual inspection for leaks and corrosion should also be done annually. Hoses and drive belts should be checked for cracks, bulges or frayed edges.

The radiator should be kept clean by periodically using a garden hose and a soft brush to carefully remove bugs, dirt and debris.

Tires also need special care in warmer weather as high temperatures put added stress on them. To maximize tire life and safety, check the tire condition and inflation pressure monthly, and have the tires rotated every 6,000 miles. Summer heat will cause the pressure within a tire to rise, therefore, it's important to check the pressure when tires are cold. The owner's manual includes the recommended air pressure for your vehicle's tires.

"It takes very little time and money to make sure your car runs properly during summer, and although breakdowns happen, they can definitely be minimized by taking a few extra preventive maintenance steps," said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

The council reminds motorists that the vehicle's exterior also can be damaged by sunlight, UV radiation, acid rain, salt, dirt and air pollution. To protect the paint and finish, vehicles should be washed weekly and waxed every six months.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council's Car Care Guide or for more information, visithttp://www.carcare.org/.

Source: Car Care Council