In this issue:

Winter Car Care Tips
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Battery Testing 101
Automotive News

Winter Car Care Tips

Now that winter is setting in for most of the country there are several things that you need to remember to make your car happy!

1) Check the air pressure in your tires. As the air in your tires cools it contracts and causes the pressure to go down. Be sure to check that it is within the range found in your cars owners manual.

2) Check the voltage in your battery. Anytime there are major temperature changes (like going from fall to winter or spring to summer) your battery is more likely to fail. You can test it yourself with a voltmeter or you can simply take it to your trusted mechanic or any good auto parts store. Most will do this testing for free.

3) Give your windows a good cleaning. You will most likely be driving in either rain or snow so you need to have a clean windshield for the best visibility possible. I highly recommend using a product called “RainX”. It is kind of like a wax for your windows. After applying it the rain just balls up and rolls off your window. I hardly use my wipers after using RainX.

4) Check your tires. Any time you will be driving in lots of rain, snow or ice it is important to make sure that your tires are in good shape. You want to make sure that they have enough tread (You can take your car to any tire shop and they can check for you, or you can check yourself by looking at the “wear bars” on the tire. If the tires are worn down to the bar it is time to think about replacing them. You also want to make sure they aren’t wearing unevenly. You can slide your hand across them and you will be able to feel it if they are wearing funny.

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Battery Testing 101

Here are some quick and easy ways to check the condition of your battery.

1) Check the voltage using a voltmeter with the vehicle off. It should read around 12.6 volts. If it reads less than 12.4 you need to have it tested.

2) An even better check of your batter is called a “load test”. This is a test that checks the voltage with a load on the battery. It tells the true condition of the battery. Have someone start the vehicle while you check the voltage on the battery. If the voltage drops below 9.6 volts (at 70 degrees) at any time you have a faulty battery and it needs to be replaced. Be sure that your battery has a full charge before you do this test.

3) Check your alternator. Simply hook up your voltmeter with the vehicle running and see what the voltage is. It should be 13.5-14 volts. If it is less then you might have an alternator problem.

My Top Automotive News Picks

Motor Trend Names the Ford F-150 its 2012 Truck of the Year

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Ford Recalls Fusion and Milan Sedans for Wheel-Stud Problems

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