If you're driving on the road, you hope that you can pay attention to everything that is going on around you. Unfortunately, you might be paying attention to your drive, when all of a sudden, a vehicle comes out of nowhere and almost runs you off the road. You're driving so you don't have the time to dig out a pen and paper to jot down the license plate number of the other person involved. 

There are numerous sensors and indicators in your vehicle that are designed to keep you aware of its condition. The tire pressure light is one such system and knowing why it may light up can be invaluable in planning for your vehicle's future.

The majority of cars will use a direct alert system.

Four-wheel drive helps you navigate tough road conditions such as unpaved roads, steep hills, slippery surfaces or driving off-road. The most common types of four-wheel drive are 4-high and 4-low. Each one has a unique function, and you must use them appropriately or you could damage your car or truck.

4- High sends power to all four of your wheels while you are driving at high speeds. Most manufacturers recommend you use this gear when you are traveling up to 55 mph. 4-high works best when road conditions are muddy, icy or rocky, but you are driving at normal speeds…

Cleaning your car is pretty easy, especially if you contribute just 30 minutes to it once a week. You can clean your tires first, because they are typically the most concentrated collection of grime and dust. You don’t want to splash this up on your vehicle as it will just make the process longer. When you clear your tires, use a professional grade cleaner that can work with any type of rubber, including ones with coating or anodization.

Once you’ve applied cleaner, you should wipe and spray them, rinsing the cleaner off entirely.  

When odors start to affect your drive, it's important that you take action to neutralize them as soon as possible. While perfumes and sprays can provide some temporary relief, they only mask the odors. We here at West Side Acura want you to know how to care for your car, so here are some easy odor neutralizers.

Baking soda is a product that's used to keeps smells in the kitchens at bay. The powder absorbs odors and changes its overall pH balance. You can use this to your advantage in your car. Simply sprinkle it on the floors…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program created their five star vehicle rating program as a way to rate new vehicles based on a variety of safety factors. An overall score is usually given to a vehicle, but one to five stars is also assigned to areas of the vehicle like side crash impact, front crash impact, rear crash impact, etc. This rating system has been around since 1978.

Safercar.gov is where you can find a comprehensive listing of all the vehicles on the market currently that have a rating listed. 

There are fewer frustrations than a dead battery in a vehicle. For many people the dead battery happens as a surprise. While the battery can give off some warnings, often your vehicle simply won't start. There are some precautions you can take, however, to know before it happens.

One is a simple question of how old your battery is. If your battery is over five years old, you can assume it's time to replace it. While a two-year-old battery can fail, one more than five years is assured to fail within a short time.

If you turn your…

There’s a lot of moving parts under the hood of your car, and they all need to be checked out occasionally. Like in other situations, prevention is always the best policy. This is especially true when it comes to timing belts.

The timing belt helps the camshaft and crankshaft turn at a synchronized rate. Without it working correctly, your engine can suddenly stop functioning and things could go downhill quickly. Your intake valves could get bent and your pistons could break. Neither of these situations would be fun to repair, both in terms of cost and time.

 

 

Traveling can be a lot of fun, whether it’s a short trip or across the country. Nothing can put a damper on your plans quicker than having a breakdown on the road. Having some good roadside emergency supplies can help you be more comfortable and get through the emergency better. Come to West Side Acura and check out what we have for supplies.

Here are some supplies that are worth having in your vehicle to help you get through your breakdown. • Jack and tire changing supplies

• Can of Fix-a-Flat
• Jumper cables
• Motor oil
• Antifreeze
• Household batteries
• Water
• Flashlight
• First…