Our winters have been odd in the past few years, which has meant a rollercoaster of ice and snow and random bouts of warmer, thawing weather. That much back and forth leaves an opportunity for black ice and other dangerous weather conditions. Whether you get stranded in a blizzard or spin out on hidden ice, it’s important to know how to prepare for, stay safe in, and act in the event of a winter road emergency. This week, we’ll go over how best to stay prepared for the winter conditions ahead.    Get a winter tune-up     As the seasons change and the year goes by, it’s important to get regular tune-ups on your vehicle. When you’re getting your car checked for the winter, you’ll want to make sure that you check on your battery, brakes, heating and cooling systems, components like belts, hoses, spark plugs, and other wires and cables, and all your fluids; oil, antifreeze, wiper fluid, etc. Check that everything is in working order ... read more

    It’s that time of year again. The leaves have fallen, the air’s getting chillier, and we’re all ready to get into the holiday spirit! We are excited to gather around the table with family and friends–some that we haven't seen for quite some time. For some, we’ll soon be hitting the road with hopes to see some family. All this sounds great, and it sure seems like you are ready, but is your car? With any road trip, it is extremely important to get your vehicle into your team here at Honest Wrenches to ensure that it is ready for the trip you are getting ready to take. Here’s how we can help you prepare for your holiday travels.   Tires   The only thing between you and the road is your tires. It’s crucial to ensure that your tread is wearing evenly, there’s plenty of the tread remaining, that no road hazards have damaged your tires, and they are filled to the proper pressure. And don’t forget the spare ... read more

  At Honest Wrenches, we strive to educate rather than just sell to our clients, so that we can make the best-informed decision to suit their needs and timeline of their vehicle. We find that transmission fluid service is a subject that our customers have questions on. So, do you need to service your transmission fluid? The short answer is yes.   The myth that if you service your transmission fluid, your transmission will go out, is absolutely false. The job of transmission fluid is to clean, cool, and lubricate the internal components of your transmission. This means that over time, the transmission fluid will lose its lubricity, as well as the ability to clean and cool the transmission so you’ll need to service it so that your system will work properly. This is especially true during the summer months when it’s so hot out, as your transmission fluid will further degrade at high temperatures.   When servicing, flushing, or changing your transmission flu ... read more

  With all the commuting we have to do on the day to day, stretching your gas money can be a great way to save. Monday, we shared our first tips with you, here’s our wrap up on gas mileage.        Check Your Air Filter         Your engine has to breathe too! A dirty filter reduces air flow to your engine,  reducing your engine’s performance, especially its fuel efficiency as well as horsepower. Making sure your filter is clean enough to let some fresh air through will keep a proper mixture of air and fuel, which will significantly help your fuel economy.       Take it Easy on the Pedal         With your air filter clean, your vehicle’s horsepower should increase, so you won’t have to put the pedal to the metal to get your vehicle up to speed. Hard acceleration greatly reduces your gas mileage, while a steady foot will help you get the most ou ... read more

With holidays, college football games, and school now in session, it seems like we are spending more and more time in our cars driving to and from obligations. With all that driving, comes a lot of gas, so we want to share with you our best tips to make the most of your gas mileage.   Tire Inflation         It’s a simple fix, but when it comes to an easy step to get the best gas mileage, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. When your tires are under inflated, heat and friction between the tires and the road increase, creating drag–which increases your fuel consumption. By properly inflating your tires, you can improve your gas mileage by at least 3.3 percent.        Alignment         When your alignment is off, it can cause your vehicle to dog-track (when your vehicle pulls to the side when you’re driving) which will cause you to have to fight the steering wheel to ... read more

In our vehicles today, our engines are highly complex and under extreme workloads, so the topic of changing your engine oil can be controversial and complicated. Let’s break it down so that you have the information you need to make the decision of when and how often to change your engine oil.     As you know, the engine of your car is absolutely crucial to your car’s operation, so taking care of it is very important. The oil system pumps oil through screens and filters to keep it clear of dirt and debris, it passes through pathways between components to lubricate and keep them protected, then back through to continue the cycle. In short, engine oil keeps your engine functioning properly, keeping components of the engine lubricated to reduce friction, regulates temperature, helps to seal connection points, and cleans as it pumps through the system.    However, we know that car manufacturers are in constant competition with other manufacturers to f ... read more

As we talked about on Tuesday, knowing when to change your engine oil has become more complex as changes are constantly made to new vehicle models. While you may think that relying on your car to tell you when it’s time for an engine oil change is the way to go, your car’s sensors don’t have all of the senses and information that you do. When you check your oil, you can observe and take into account these things that your vehicle does not:   Is the oil filter still working or is it completely soiled?     Your car does not have a sensor that has the ability to check whether or not your oil is still being filtered. Once the filter is full, a bypass valve allows the oil to bypass the filter in order to keep engine oil flowing in the engine. If your filter is full, it might be a sign that it’s time to change.    Color, Smell & Viscosity     Unlike us, our cars don’t have the physical senses that we do, so t ... read more

We hear this question quite often when we advise our clients on the needs of their vehicle. At Honest Wrenches, we strive to educate rather than sell to our clients, so that they can make the best informed decision to suit their needs and timeline of their vehicle. So, do you need to service your transmission fluid? The short answer is yes.   The myth that if you service your transmission fluid, your transmission will go out, is absolutely false. The job of transmission fluid is to clean, cool, and lubricate the internal components of your transmission. This means that over time, the transmission fluid will lose its lubricity, as well as the ability to clean and cool the transmission so you’ll need to service it so that your system will work properly. This is especially true during the summer months when it’s so hot out, as your transmission fluid will further degrade at high temperatures.   When servicing, flushing, or changing your transmission fluid it is e ... read more

5 Reasons Why Your Car is Overheating   No one wants to see a dreaded warning light flashing or the temperature gauge rising off the charts, but when you’re on the road and the alarm bells are ringing (literally and metaphorically) what do you do? The first thing you’ll want to do is turn your heat and fan on high and roll down your windows to help dissipate heat through the car’s heater core. Next, quickly find a safe place to pull over and shut the vehicle off right away. In these instances when your car is overheating, it is not recommended to open your hood immediately, in case of burst or broken equipment that could expose you to hot engine coolant and cause injury. Once you’re pulled off safely, you’ll want to call your trusted automotive repair shop, Honest Wrenches.    So what could have caused this overheating? There are many reasons, 5 of which we’ll dive into today to help you understand what’s happening with your ... read more

Troubleshooting an Overheating Car: What Can You Do   Last Thursday, we talked about high temperatures–not just the sweltering summer weather, but high temperatures in your vehicle causing it to overheat. We’re rounding out our 10 reasons for an overheated engine with our final 5 this week.    Failed serpentine belt     Your serpentine belt powers multiple essential systems, like your cooling system. A failed belt means that your water pump isn’t getting power, so your engine won’t be receiving any coolant.   Blown head gasket     Your head gasket is another vital part of your engine and system. A blown gasket could mean that coolant is entering your engine, where it either burns off or leaks out. As the coolant escapes the system, your engine can overheat.      Failed thermostat     Just like the thermostat in your home, your vehicle’s thermostat controls the temperatu ... read more