To Fix or Not To Fix (Tire Repair)

relayapi on June 25, 2023

You know that sinking feeling when you realize one of your tires has a problem.  It may be making an odd noise or behaving oddly when you’re driving.  You may hit a pothole or curb and one suddenly goes flat.  Or you may head back to your vehicle and discover it has one tire deflated without a clue of what must have happened to it.

With a lot of different tires hitting the streets these days, the issue of whether to have a tire repaired or replaced can be tricky, and we strongly recommend you have a trained technician help you make that decision. 

One of the most common causes of flat tires is picking up a screw or nail in the tread area.  Many of those can be patched and plugged if the puncture isn’t more than ¼ inch/6 mm in diameter. Most tires can handle two of this type of repair, but any more and you should buy a new tire. 

If there’s a puncture or bulge in the sidewall or shoulder, the rule of thumb is it’s not repairable.  The sidewall doesn’t have the reinforcements that the tread area does.  In fact, any puncture that’s more than a ½ inch/12 mm away from the edge of the tread should not be fixed. 

Many newer vehicles have no spare tires (to save weight and fuel) and instead have a type of tire called “run-flat.”  Sometimes, the only way you know they’re deflated is when the tire pressure monitor alerts the driver.  Driving on them more than 50 miles/80km can render them un-repairable.  They may be fixable if you pulled off to the side of the road before driving on them too long. Our technicians can evaluate whether they can be driven further or should be replaced.

Other vehicles with no spare include a can of tire sealant and a compressor.  If you use it, tire experts say to have the tire professionally repaired as soon as possible.

If you have had a flat tire, try not to drive on it unless it’s necessary to get your vehicle away from a dangerous situation.  Our technicians can evaluate any tire you may be having problems with and recommend whether repair or replacement is the best option. Your safety is riding on your tires.  

Tylers Auto TV
12485 SW MAIN ST
TIGARD, OR 97223
(503) 639-5588
http://www.tylersautomotive.com

Heat and your Tires (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)

relayapi on June 18, 2023

With hotter weather and brutal heat waves becoming more common, the pressure in your vehicle’s tires goes up.  After all, heat causes air to expand, and the air in your tires follows the laws of physics. Overinflated tires can reduce your vehicle’s traction, cause a hard, punishing ride and make your tires wear out faster; all are important safety issues.

Four out of every ten drivers rarely check tire pressure. Some rely on their vehicle’s tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) to keep an eye on proper tire inflation.  But it’s not designed to do that.

TPMS is a safety feature that has been required on vehicles made in 2008 or later, using sensors in the wheels that alert you to tire pressure problems.  That warning can be a light on your dash, a digital message or a readout of the pressure in each individual wheel.  But a study showed that more than 40 percent of drivers don’t even know what the tire pressure monitoring light symbol looks like!

One looks like a horseshoe with an exclamation point in the middle.  The other looks like an overhead view of your vehicle with the tires at all four corners.  They may even show the inflation number (usually in pounds per square inch, or PSI).

The TPMS is designed to alert you that your tires aren’t inflated within certain parameters, but the system shouldn’t be a substitute for frequently having your tires checked with a tire gauge.  A TPMS light is only required to come on when a tire is 25 percent under the recommended tire pressure; by that time, you’re driving on an unsafe tire and causing excessive wear.

Have your vehicle checked regularly by our professionals, and that includes tire pressure checks.  If you do see the tire pressure warning come on, have our service center look at it soon.  You may have a tire with a problem or the TPMS system may not be working right. 

Either way, since your tires are the only contact your vehicle has with the road, your safety depends a great deal on your tires being in top shape and correctly inflated.  Keep your tires properly inflated and your TPMS working to alert you of any problems. And that’s not just a lot of hot air.   

Tylers Auto TV
12485 SW MAIN ST
TIGARD, OR 97223
(503) 639-5588
http://www.tylersautomotive.com

Road Trip? Check! (Trip Inspection)

relayapi on June 11, 2023

After months of postponing travel far away from home, a lot of us can’t wait to hit the road and scream “Road Trip!” again.  But how long has it been since the vehicle you’re planning on taking has had a thorough inspection? And is it roadworthy for several days on the highway? Time to schedule a professional trip inspection in our service center. 

When it comes to long trips, before you go, make sure you can stop.  We can perform a break inspection.  Our technician will visually inspect your brakes for wear and how much life is left in the brake pads and rotors.  They’ll also check your brake lines and fluids for fitness and fill.

If it’s going to be a long trip, it’s important that your engine stays lubricated.  The technician will see when the last time you had an oil change, check the levels and inspect the system for leaks.  If you are close to needing an oil change, it’s best to have it done before the trip because no one wants to interrupt a vacation with an oil change in a strange place.  It’s also better for your engine to have fresh, clean oil rather than driving with dirty, worn-out oil.

Comfort in any vehicle depends partly on the suspension system.  Our technician can examine shocks and struts so you can avoid an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe journey.  Oh, and you’ll definitely want to make sure your wheels are aligned.  A long trip in an out-of-alignment vehicle can be a driving nightmare with potential steering problems and tire damage. 

A couple of little things some drivers take for granted are the engine air filter and wiper blades.  A dirty air filter can cost you money by reducing fuel economy; it adds up on a long trip.  And worn-out wiper blades can make visibility while driving in a rainstorm a blinding, unsafe adventure that you never want to experience, especially in unfamiliar territory.

If you’re in the habit of having your vehicle regularly maintained, many of these items may be in excellent condition.  But considering the extra stresses a long road trip places on any vehicle, it’s nice to have a set of our trained eyes give your vehicle a closer look. That way you’ll be able to gaze YOUR eyes on sights like the Leaning Tower of Niles or the Gopher Hole Museum. 

Tylers Auto TV
12485 SW MAIN ST
TIGARD, OR 97223
(503) 639-5588
http://www.tylersautomotive.com

Duke Is Beginning to See the Light (Check Engine Light Diagnostics)

relayapi on June 5, 2023

duke

Good Day, Duke here and you know we have all heard and maybe said the famous quote, “I’m beginning to see the light.” but today, we really are dealing with seeing the light in our vehicle, the Check Engine Light.  So let’s start barkin’ and venture into the unknown of the Check Engine Light!

It’s a light many drivers fear they’ll see turn on at the most inopportune time.  It’s the one on the dash that says “Check Engine,” “Service Engine Soon,” or it may be simply an engine-shaped light. Your first instinct may be to pull off to the side of the road and turn off the engine.

The truth is that the Check Engine light can be pointing to problems as simple as a loose gas cap. But it could be as serious as a severely misfiring engine.  Don’t ignore it because it’s there to help you avoid an expensive repair. It is designed to alert you, to tell you something’s not quite right.

Your vehicle has a connected system of computers and sensors constantly checking to see that all systems are working the way they should. If something isn’t, the system will turn on the Check Engine light.

If it’s flashing, that could be serious. Look at some of the other warning lights or gauges, such as heat or oil pressure. They could be telling you your vehicle’s problem should be checked right away. In that case, if you can, safely pull off the road and shut the vehicle down. If your vehicle loses power and the Check Engine light is on, try not to push the demands you are making on the engine, such as towing or accelerating hard.

Simply put, a flashing Check Engine light should be checked out by a professional as soon as possible.

If the Check Engine light is on steadily, manufacturers say it means there’s a problem, but it probably doesn’t require immediate service.  The system is designed to remember the problem it found and store it (as a code) so it can be retrieved later.

When you do bring your vehicle in to have us see what’s behind the Check Engine light coming on, we’ll hook your vehicle up to a diagnostics tool that can reveal the clues the engine’s computers have stored.  It takes a trained technician to understand those clues, like a doctor who can interpret a patient’s symptoms and come up with the correct diagnosis. Some newer vehicles can even be checked remotely.

Once we figure out the problem and repair it, you’ll be back on the road again. It’s nice to know the Check Engine light is your sentry, standing by to alert you the next time you begin to “see the light.”

“I never cared much for moonlit skies

I never wink back at fireflies

But now that the stars are in your eyes

I’m beginning to see the light” ~Ella Fitzgerald

Duke

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227
https://www.alliedautoworks.com/

Round and Round (Wheel Balancing)

relayapi on June 4, 2023

In a perfect world, all wheels and tires would be perfectly round and weigh exactly the same at every point of the wheel.  Unfortunately, they’re not, and if they’re out of balance, they can reduce the lifespan of your tires, make your vehicle shake like a carnival ride, and maybe even damage a few suspension parts along the way.  You don’t want that!

Wheel balancing, sometimes known as tire balancing, is a process by which a technician makes sure your tire/wheel assembly has evenly distributed weight.  If it isn’t, it can give your ride bad vibrations.  If you feel your vehicle’s steering wheel shaking, it can mean unbalanced wheels in the front. If you can feel a vibration in your seats, it could be unbalanced rear wheels.

In addition to your vehicle vibrating at higher speeds, there are other signs that your wheels are out of balance. You may see uneven tread wear, or you may notice you aren’t getting the kind of fuel economy you used to. 

When you experience these problems, bring your vehicle in, and we can put your wheels on a machine designed to detect any imbalance.  The technician will start your wheels spinning, and a computer will determine how much weight is needed where.  Then, the technician can add small weights on the inside or outside of your wheel rim to precisely balance out the uneven weight.  When the wheel is balanced correctly, it will spin evenly and smoothly.

Sometimes your vehicle will hit a pothole or object in the road that dislodges one of those weights, which can throw that wheel out of balance again.  If so, you’ll have to bring it in to have that corrected

Some drivers confuse wheel balancing with wheel alignment. Alignment is making sure the wheels are perpendicular to the road and parallel with each other.  Sometimes your vehicle will need both balancing and alignment done at the same time.

No vibrations are good vibrations when it comes to your wheels.  Bring your vehicle to us, and we’ll perform a balancing act to keep your vehicle riding smoothly down the road.

Tylers Auto TV
12485 SW MAIN ST
TIGARD, OR 97223
(503) 639-5588
http://www.tylersautomotive.com