Category: Car Care

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Stay Safe in TIGARD by Putting Your Cell Phone on ICE

We don’t want to think about it, but each TIGARD resident who drives or rides in a vehicle is potentially an accident victim. In the worst-case scenario, those people are unconscious and unable to communicate with OR rescue workers.

Rescue workers and TIGARD police are well aware of this difficulty, even if the rest of us don’t stop to think about it. They can all recount stories of searching through glove compartments, pockets, wallets, purses and cell phone directories for a person’s name and for contact information for someone who can help them get the person the medical care they need.

This contact information is critical in an accident because TIGARD medical workers need to know about allergies and potential drug interactions. Also, in OR, some medical treatments can’t be provided without authorization or consent, and there can be insurance and billing issues if the person’s medical care is not properly arranged.

ICE provides a solution for these concerns. ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and is a way for others to quickly identify emergency contacts in your cell phone.

Bob Brotchie, a paramedic from Cambridge, England, developed the idea for ICE in 2005. It soon spread around the globe. The system is simple, affordable and highly functional. TIGARD rescue workers can tell you that they can’t always find purses and wallets at the scene of an accident. But these days, almost no one in OR goes anywhere without their phone.

To add ICE to your phone, simply put ICE in front of the names of those people who should be contacted in case you are in an emergency. For example, “ICE-Dad,” or “Ice-Deborah,” or “ICE-Dr. Mitchell.” TIGARD rescuers can quickly identify and access this information, saving valuable time. The only thing TIGARD drivers have to do after that is to keep their contacts current. Every time you change the batteries in your smoke alarm, it is a good idea to double-check your phone and make sure your ICE cell phone numbers are up-to-date. Of course, we’d rather avoid an accident in the first place. It’s good advice to keep up with preventive maintenance (we can help you with that at Tylers Auto TV in TIGARD) and practice good car care and driving habits. Those can go a long way to keeping you safe on the road. Planning for the unthinkable helps your rescuers find the information they need quickly. Let’s put the world on ICE.

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

 

 

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Diagnosing Your Vehicle at Tylers Auto TV in TIGARD

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When we TIGARD residents get a car repair bill, we really shouldn’t be surprised to find “diagnostic fees” as one of the line items. When we get a computer fixed, there is usually a charge for the time it takes to diagnose the problem. When we go to a medical doctor, most of his fee is for his ability to diagnose what’s wrong. It’s no different with our vehicles.

Some diagnoses are fairly simple. Brake repairs at Tylers Auto TV usually require only a visual inspection, for instance. But other problems are much more difficult to diagnose. An intermittent engine problem, for example, takes time and expertise to pinpoint.

Modern vehicles have multiple computers that monitor a variety of sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of those sensors has a reading that is higher or lower than the standard parameters, the computer turns on the Check Engine light. Technicians at a service center such as Tylers Auto TV in TIGARD can scan the engine’s computer for a trouble code. This code tells the technician which reading is too high or too low.

That’s where some TIGARD residents get confused. They think that this reading concludes the diagnosis, and they don’t understand why the diagnostic fee is as much as it is when all the technician did was to scan the computer. But the truth is the trouble code is only the beginning of the diagnostic procedure.

Remember, the trouble code only tells which reading is out of parameter. It doesn’t say what is causing the reading to be too high or too low. Your Tylers Auto TV service technician still has to find the underlying problem. It’s a lot like going to the doctor. He can take your temperature and discover that you have a fever, but that doesn’t tell him what is causing your fever.

Automotive diagnostic technology can cut down the time it takes to figure out what’s wrong with a vehicle that isn’t running right. But it doesn’t do away with the need for your friendly and knowledgeable Tylers Auto TV service technician to make a proper diagnosis. Car care, like medical care, still requires the human touch.

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

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Automotive Tips from Tylers Auto TV: Timing Belt Overview

In your engine, valves over each combustion chamber open to allow fresh air in, close during the combustion event, and then other valves open to let out the exhaust. All of this happens over and over thousands of times a minute when you are driving around TIGARD. The timing belt’s important job is to make sure that all of this happens as it should – at precisely the right time. If the timing is off, your engine won’t run efficiently or maybe not at all – so a good timing belt is important. If it should break, you could end up at Tylers Auto TV with expensive engine damage.

Ask your friendly and professional Tylers Auto TV service advisor when your timing belt is scheduled for replacement.

Give us a call.

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

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What You Need to Know from Your Tylers Auto TV Service Advisor

TIGARD drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren’t sure how to ask. They don’t want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don’t want to make the service technician feel that they don’t trust him.

If your service advisor at Tylers Auto TV uses a term you don’t understand, just ask him to explain. Remember, they are the auto service experts. If they came to your place of work, they probably wouldn’t understand the jargon, either. When you take your vehicle in to be serviced, make sure you understand the financial issues up front. Ask about payment policies, warranties and, of course, the cost of the work being done.

It helps to understand basic services your vehicle needs. Know the difference between a quick check-up and a thorough inspection, which you are getting and which you are asking for. Understand that diagnosing a problem takes time, and time isn’t free. If you have concerns about cost, negotiate your limits before service is done. Don’t be afraid to ask your service advisor for auto advice on how to keep your vehicle on the road within your budget. He can help you prioritize your vehicle’s needs. Some repairs are for the safety and future health of your vehicle. Others can wait. Your Tylers Auto TV service advisor can help you set up a plan to get all the work done as you can afford it.

It may be tempting for TIGARD drivers to save money with budget parts. Your service advisor can help you to sort through the options to work within your budget. High-quality parts are always preferable for any auto repair. Your service advisor will make sure the parts used won’t compromise the safety of your vehicle.

Don’t leave your TIGARD service center without your paperwork, either. Ask about warranties for parts and labor. You may need these for claims or if there is a problem in the future. Get detailed explanations of the work done on your vehicle. These records will help you keep track of repairs, service and warranties.

Those records may also help close a deal when it comes time to sell your vehicle. After all, the biggest concern most people in TIGARD have when buying a used vehicle is that they are inheriting someone else’s problems.

Records of repairs and service are a good picture of your vehicle’s condition and performance and what problems a new owner can expect. People are always happier to purchase a vehicle they know has been well-maintained. Whenever we climb into a vehicle, we are entrusting our health and safety to it. Perhaps it’s time to take our vehicles’ health a little more seriously. Open up; ask and learn.

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

 

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A Cold Day in TIGARD ? Air Conditioning Service at Tylers Auto TV

Most TIGARD drivers worry about a breakdown or a tire blowout on a busy OR highway, but don’t worry too much about failure of their air conditioning system. A breakdown on the side of the road can be a miserable and dangerous affair during TIGARD rush hour, but so can a long ride in a hot vehicle.

A lot of TIGARD drivers judge their vehicles’ air conditioning systems as “non-essential” and so may neglect them in favor of repairs and maintenance that keep the vehicle running. But preventive maintenance of an air conditioning system is simple and inexpensive, while auto a/c repair can be very expensive.

TIGARD drivers should have the refrigerant in their air conditioning system checked regularly to ensure it is adequate and clean. Air conditioning systems often fail because air and water have contaminated the refrigerant. Air reduces the efficiency of the refrigerant, and water can cause rusting of the system’s components. If your refrigerant is contaminated, the system should be evacuated and recharged. This will actually extend the life of your air conditioning system, preventing repairs, and keep it at peak performance.

At Tylers Auto TV, we advise our TIGARD customers to run their air conditioner periodically in the winter. This will keep the seals from drying out and cracking, saving them the inconvenience of this relatively minor repair.

Check with your vehicle owner’s manual or with your friendly service advisor at Tylers Auto TV for information about how often your vehicle air conditioning system should be serviced.

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

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Easy Miles ? Do TIGARD Driving Conditions Affect Service Intervals?

Have you ever noticed that your vehicle has a schedule in your owner’s manual for what is called “severe service” maintenance? Let’s define what severe driving conditions aren’t: The easiest driving a vehicle experiences is traveling on the interstate for 20 miles (32 kilometers) or more at a constant rate of 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour) in 75°F (24°C) weather with only passengers on board. Change any one of those parameters and you are adding stress to your engine. Change them significantly and you are driving under severe conditions.

Let’s look at the parameters one a time. First, the length of the trip. Short trips around TIGARD are harder on an engine than longer ones. As your engine cools down, water in the air condenses onto the engine. When you heat the engine again, the water evaporates off. This is healthy. But on short trips, the engine doesn’t stay hot enough long enough for all of the water to evaporate. So it starts to build up in the engine oil leading to sludge, which can clog up your engine and lead to serious engine damage. If most or all of your trips around the TIGARD area are less than four miles, you should be using the severe service maintenance schedule. Changing your oil more frequently at Tylers Auto TV in TIGARD will help prevent the formation of sludge.

Most of us TIGARD drivers think of severe OR weather conditions when we think of severe driving conditions. And we’re right. Cold OR weather takes its toll on the oil in your vehicle. Remember how water has to evaporate out of the oil to keep your engine healthy? It can take up to ten miles of driving for an engine to get hot enough to get rid of moisture in the oil when the weather is cold.

Hot TIGARD weather is also bad for vehicles. When an engine runs, it gets hot. The longer it runs, the hotter it gets. If it gets too hot, it breaks down. So it has to be constantly cooled to keep running. Hot OR weather means your cooling system has to work harder to keep your engine from getting too hot.

So, in the end, most of us TIGARD auto owners drive under severe conditions some of the time. Smart TIGARD residents will ask themselves the question: “Should I follow the severe service maintenance schedule?” An honest evaluation of our driving habits is the best way to determine which schedule to follow.

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

 

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Automotive Tips from Tylers Auto TV: Air Conditioning ? Common Problem

Your auto air conditioning system cools and conditions the air in your passenger compartment when you are driving around TIGARD. It also removes moisture from the air to keep your windows from fogging up.

A common A/C problem for TIGARD drivers that visit Tylers Auto TV is contaminated refrigerant (the gas that cools the air). The inside of the A/C hoses deteriorates over time and tiny fragments of rubber clog passages. This makes the system less efficient and overworks various components.

Leaks can develop at seals and gaskets and may reduce the amount of refrigerant, causing the system to work too hard to compensate. Dirty components can have the same consequences.

Ask your Tylers Auto TV service advisor for an air conditioning system inspection to make sure everything is up to spec.

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

 

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Automotive Tips from Tylers Auto TV: Air Conditioning Inspection

Most auto manufacturers recommend an interval for an air conditioning system inspection. The inspection uncovers leaks, worn hoses and assesses the condition of the other components.

Environmental laws in some around TIGARD require leaks to be repaired before refrigerant can be added. Also some parts manufacturers require other components to be replaced along with certain failed parts in order to maintain the new part warranty. This is because a given failure may be the result of another worn or damaged part that will, if not replaced, prematurely damage the new component.

Tylers Auto TV in TIGARD is fully equipped to restore your flow of cool air.

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

 

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What’s up with Diesels in TIGARD?

Would you be surprised to learn that about half of the passenger cars in Europe have diesel engines? You might also be surprised to learn that most manufacturers produce a variety of diesel-fueled cars for purchase abroad.

Diesel-fueled vehicles haven’t been as popular in the North American markets like OR. But that won’t be true for long. North Americans are seeing a lot more diesel-fueled vehicles on the road. And we’re not talking about buses and trucks. These vehicles will be passenger cars, pick-ups and SUV’s.

There are two reasons for this. The first is a recent change in environmental laws that have upgraded emissions standards for diesel fuel in North America. Diesel fuel in North America used to have higher sulfur content than European fuel, meaning that it was a dirtier fuel to burn. That was okay for larger vehicles, but the lighter-weight engines in passenger vehicles just couldn’t tolerate it.

But that high sulfur content is now a thing of the past. Fuel producers are now required to sell cleaner diesel fuel in TIGARD. That opens the North American market to more diesel-powered vehicles. The second reason we’re going to see more of these vehicles in TIGARD is that they’re more fuel-efficient than their gasoline-powered counterparts. Diesel fuel has higher energy density than gasoline. That translates to more power per barrel of fuel. In your tank, that translates to better engine performance and about 20% better fuel economy.

People in TIGARD may associate diesel engines with black smoke, noise and a definite “shake, rattle and roll.” That’s also a thing of the past. Modern diesel engines are smooth, quiet and produce cleaner emissions than gasoline engines. Also, forget that three-second wait behind a diesel vehicle at a stoplight. Modern diesels are just as quick to accelerate as other vehicles on TIGARD roads.

Diesel engines have other advantages over gasoline engines. Diesel engines are heavier than gasoline engines because they require more heavy-duty parts, but that means the engines are more durable and can last longer than gasoline engines. Also, diesel engines may be the engines of the future since they can burn many of the new bio-fuels.

Bio-diesel can be manufactured from vegetable oils, including used cooking oil from TIGARD restaurants. Just think, one day you could fuel your vehicle on stuff that was once considered waste—one step closer to a cleaner environment here in OR. And if you think hybrid cars are environmentally sound, consider what a diesel-electric hybrid could mean. 

TIGARD drivers who are considering buying a diesel-fueled vehicle should know that  preventive maintenance and inspection schedules are different for a diesel engine than a gasoline engine. Diesel fuel is harder on emissions systems than gasoline, so the filters and other devices have to be changed and checked more often. Also, the fuel injection system operates at much higher pressures for diesel than for gasoline, so keeping it clean becomes a higher priority.

When you switch from a gas vehicle to a diesel, you’ll have to learn some new rules of vehicle care. But you won’t be alone. Most TIGARD service centers are aware that diesels are coming to North America and are already prepared to provide service for diesel engines. At Tylers Auto TV, we are well-versed in diesel technology. You can rely on our team of automotive professionals to provide quality service for diesel-powered vehicles.

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

 

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Automotive Tips from Tylers Auto TV: Where Should New Tires Be Placed

When TIGARD drivers need to replace tires, they need to know how many they should get and on which axle they should be placed. Replacing a damaged tire may leave you with three others with significant wear, which could affect your traction control, stability control and anti-lock brake systems.

If you can’t afford to replace all four tires at once, you should at least replace two on the same axle. New tires should always be put on the rear axle for stability in slippery conditions. Your friendly and professional Tylers Auto TV tire professional can help you know when your worn tires should be replaced, if you can have a damaged tire repaired as well as selecting the right tires for your needs.

Give us a call.

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