June 2004

Gone are the days of taking your vehicle into the garage for a tune up every spring. Today's advanced electronic ignition systems and fuel injection have made your car a much more reliable machine that requires less annual maintenance.

Unfortunately we have not yet been able to improve our cold winters or hot summers or alleviate the toll they take on many of your vehicles systems. In winter your belts, hoses, seals, battery and tires are forced to go from -30 deg to operating temperatures of 100-200 deg in the matter of minutes. Moisture from condensation builds up in the engine, transmission, exhaust and drive line that, over time, will cause failure.

At this time of year you should give your vehicle a good check over to ensure that the winter has not damaged anything and to make it ready to meet the perils of hot summer driving. If you are an experienced D.I.Y. er this will mean enjoying an afternoon in the sun. Many people will want to take their car or truck to a shop where an experienced mechanic can lift it on a hoist and do a thorough job of inspecting all of the critical parts. An experienced eye can often pick out areas of concern based on your vehicle model, year, and the current mileage as well as your driving habits (do you drive only in town? Are you towing a trailer? Do you use the vehicle for work on dusty or rough roads?) While no one has a crystal ball to foresee every failure, this check, if done properly, will go a long way towards preventing the inconvenience of a break down while on holidays or when you can not plan for the down time.

Even if you do your own work, or have chosen an independent ship to do the work for you, an annual visit to your dealership is good preventative maintenance. The service advisor at your dealership is equipped to check your vehicle's serial number against the manufacturers data base to ensure that all required updates and recalls have been done. An annual visit to your dealership will also ensure that your name and address are kept on file and current. In the event that there is a critical update or extended warranty coverage offered, your manufacturer will contact you and make you aware of these issues, often before they cause you any problems.

If you have questions please feel free to call the service department at Rodeo Ford at 529-2777.