Battery Basics, Getting Bugs Off of the Vehicle, Fuel Efficiency Failure
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Term
solenoid
A solenoid is a small part that helps the starter work. It helps connect the battery to the starter when you turn the key to start the car.
Term
starter
The starter is a part of the car that helps turn the engine on. If it doesn't work, the car won't start at all.
Part
battery
A battery in a car is what gives it power to start and run things like the lights and radio. If the battery is dead, the car won't start.
Term
jumpstart
Jumpstarting means using another car's battery to help start your car when the battery is dead. You connect the two batteries with cables to give your car the power it needs to start.
Term
oil viscosity
Oil viscosity is how thick or thin the oil in your engine is. When it's cold, the oil gets thicker, which can make it harder for the engine to start.
Term
amperage
Amperage is how much electricity is flowing through a wire. When it's cold, a car's starter needs more electricity from the battery to work.
Car
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a popular car that many people buy because it's dependable and easy to drive. It's known for lasting a long time, so people often talk about how to take care of older models to keep them in good shape. If you have a 13-year-old Camry, you might want to know how to prevent rust and keep it running well.
Car
Honda Accordi
The Honda Accord is a well-known car that many people like because it's reliable and comfortable. The XL version usually has more features than the basic model.
Car
Toyota Avalon
The Toyota Avalon is a large car that is designed for comfort and space. The 2013 version has a strong engine and many features that make it easy to drive and enjoy.
Term
turn indicator stalk
The turn indicator stalk is the lever you use to signal when you're turning or changing lanes. It's usually found on the steering wheel column.
Term
high beam
High beams are the bright lights on your car that help you see far ahead at night. You should only use them when there are no other cars around to avoid blinding other drivers.
Car
Chevy Suburban
The Chevy Suburban is a large SUV that can carry many passengers and has a lot of space for cargo. It's popular for families and people who need to tow things.
Car
Toyota Land
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is a big SUV that can handle rough terrains and is also comfortable for everyday use. It's popular for its strength and luxury.
Term
rustproofing
Rustproofing is a way to keep cars from getting rusty. It usually means putting a special coating on the metal parts to protect them from water and salt that can cause rust.
Term
undercoating
Undercoating is a special treatment applied to the bottom of a car to protect it from rust. It helps keep the metal safe from water and dirt that can cause damage.
Car
Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra is a small car that is good on gas and has a lot of modern features. The 2020 version has a new look and some updated technology, making it a good option for people looking for an affordable car.
Term
intermittent issue
An intermittent issue is a problem that happens sometimes but not all the time. This can make it tricky to figure out what's wrong because it doesn't happen every time you check it.
Car
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a large truck that can carry heavy loads and is often used for work or towing. The 2018 version has many features that help with these tasks.
Part
brake control module
The brake control module is a part of the car that helps control the brakes, especially when towing something. If it's not working, the brakes may not function properly.
Term
flashed
Flashing means updating the software in a car's computer system. Sometimes, when you change parts, you need to do this so the new part works properly with the car.
Term
programming
Programming is when you set up a new part in a car so it can work with everything else. It usually needs special tools to do this right.
Term
external software
External software is a program that you use on a computer to connect to the car's systems. It helps fix problems or set up new parts.
Car
Ford F150
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that many people use for work or towing. It's known for being strong and reliable.
Term
fuel economy
Fuel economy is how far a car can go on a certain amount of gas. If it goes less far than before, something might be wrong.
Term
sensors
Sensors are devices in your car that check different parts to make sure everything is working properly. They help the car's computer make adjustments for better performance.
Term
emissions
Emissions are the gases that cars release into the air when they burn fuel. There are rules about how much pollution cars can produce to help protect the environment.
Term
miles per gallon
Miles per gallon tells you how many miles a car can drive using one gallon of gas. A higher number means better fuel efficiency, which is good for saving money on gas.
Term
dry rotting
Dry rotting happens when rubber tires get old and start to crack because of the sun and weather. It can make the tires unsafe to drive on.
Car
Pontiac Vibe
The Pontiac Vibe is a small car that looks like a hatchback. It was made by Pontiac and is known for being useful and dependable.
Part
wheel bearing
A wheel bearing helps your car's wheels turn easily. If it makes noise, it might be broken, and ignoring it could cause bigger problems later.
Term
labor cost
Labor cost is what you pay a mechanic for their time when they work on your car. It can change depending on how hard the job is.
Term
parts cost
Parts cost is how much you pay for the actual pieces that need to be replaced in your car. This can be anything from small screws to big parts like brakes.
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It is the 11th day of October.
It's a Saturday morning time once again to talk cars or trucks or vans
and the problems you may be having with yours.
And if you want to get a little analysis over the radio, easy to do.
Just call or text 6514619226.
And as if by magic, ASC certified technician, Nick Stoffel from Lloyd's Automotive will give you a little bit of an analysis over there radio.
And that's how it works.
Nick, good morning.
Good morning, Danny.
I was mentioning to you off the air that I had an unexpected trip.
Always a pleasure, however, to visit Lloyd's Automotive.
A couple of days ago, I went out to start my car and it did not do that.
And I don't usually have trouble with that at all.
And I went away in a minute.
I had some issues.
I felt something was going on the other day before.
And I thought, is this a starter?
Is it a solenoid?
Is this, you know, alternate?
What's going on?
Is it just the battery?
So I thought, well, I'm going to do a little test.
I'll take my wife's truck outside and I jumpstart.
Boom, popped right off.
I thought, aha, I'm guessing it's just the battery.
I called a big Nick and he said, yep, come on over.
So I hope and pray that it wouldn't stall on the way over.
And Mike, the technician, put in a new battery.
So just like that.
Is that usually the case when the car doesn't start?
And I know that there are a lot of variables.
But I think I've read, maybe you even mentioned that,
that usually it's the battery.
Well, especially this time of the year, you know,
as the temperatures start to cool,
engines get a little bit colder overnight.
The oil gets a little thicker.
That starter's going to need a little extra
amperage from that battery.
And if the battery's, you know,
I guess we can say on the ropes,
this is the time of year we start to see that.
So if you're noticing just as you described,
it's kind of hard to start or things don't quite see the
same, probably a good idea to get that looked at.
Cause the lesson you wanted on a very cold day,
that you're stranded somewhere.
And talking to your guys there,
I think the battery is around four years old or so.
And is that kind of a typical in these parts,
this part of the country, is that kind of typical?
Yeah, I think four or five years is definitely respectable
and reasonable to get out of the battery.
There are some, make some models, unfortunately,
see it more around three years.
And there's some opposite that goes six, seven, eight.
So I think four or five is a really good average.
So if your battery is in that window next time you're in,
have somebody test it to make sure it's going to have
enough reserve to get you through the winter.
I know we'll move on to other things,
but I wanted to ask is I didn't see the actual process,
but I know you and your crew,
when they are putting in someone's battery in a new vehicle,
there's something the technicians do to keep,
all your settings the same.
What is that process?
Well, there are some vehicles and manufacturers
that will actually add a little supplemental power
to the vehicle to keep it, to keep all the memory
and all the things that we've saved reserve.
Because once that battery gets disconnected,
in some cases you'll lose all that.
So like I said, in some makes a model,
we can actually attach another power source to the vehicle
while we remove the battery to keep all that memory saved.
Some vehicles don't require it and some vehicles,
no matter what you do, you still need to go soon.
Reset all your radio settings and your clock
and all those things that we have saved.
But needless to say, it can be done
and it is done at your shop anyway.
Yeah, absolutely.
Anyone that's been doing this long enough
has a way to try to apply a little power
to the vehicle while we're swapping out the battery
so we don't lose all that.
Well it works.
And it's gonna be a clean up day today
because I cleaned the engine compartment yesterday.
I didn't wash it.
I don't trust myself with a hose like that.
But I did clean up, clean, clean up
and we're getting text messages about that very thing.
Must be that time of year to get the car
cleaned up for winter.
But as far as our listeners go,
call or text any kind of a car care question you may have.
651-461-9226.
We always like to say do it sooner rather than later
because Nick will take his leave
in about 30 minutes from right now.
So call or text 651-461-9226.
Textor sent this in this morning.
What is the best way to keep a 13 year old
Camry relatively rust free for the next 10 years?
I'm pushing 80 and do frequent washes
but don't do my own hand waxing anymore.
It's in a heated garage, well that's good news.
What would you suggest minimal care
for somebody who wants to last 10 more years?
You know, I feel that the regular car
really does the trick, you know?
Even through the winter months,
there's window of time where you don't have to worry
about things icing over and freezing over
and then you spend that extra dollar
where they spray the undercarriage
just to get that salt off of there.
There's a lot of areas that the salt
will kind of work its way into it.
Those nooks and crannies and having that car wash
spray that pressured water on the belly of the vehicle
will help kind of clean that all out.
You keep from that rust starting and forming
and that's really the biggest thing you can do.
Obviously, you know, cabin inside of a garage
and some other things that this person's doing
after that but as simple as a car wash
on a regular basis year round makes a big difference.
Yeah, very good.
Good morning, guys.
Tester says, thanks for your help.
The dashboard indicator lights are the problem.
He or she says I'm the original owner
of a 2014 Honda Accordi XL, 80,000 miles on it.
During the hottest part of the summer,
several dashboard indicator lights
all started lighting up at the same time
and then the texture lists
a whole bunch of these different lights.
All of the systems seem to function properly.
They've tried to reset the indicators
by disconnecting the car battery for 30 minutes
that sometimes seems to work temporarily
but eventually all the lights come back on
sometimes in a couple of days, sometimes in a few minutes.
How serious is this is one question
and what do you recommend to do about that?
Well, it's concerning obviously
because those warning lights are just after your warning
so we don't want to not have any warning.
The fact that they're all coming on
makes us want to think,
what do they all have in common?
Is it a power, a ground,
some sort of driver within a computer?
And truthfully, the best thing you can do
is when it's acting up, it's all lit up,
take it into your dealer, your shop,
share that story with them.
Maybe they can get out and start checking powers and grounds
and trying to figure out what circuit this problem lies,
document that, maybe they go reset it,
maybe it happened a second time or a third time
and keep collecting information.
At some point they're gonna have a common thread there
that says, oh, something's related to this component,
this connection, this circuit
and they'll figure out what's going on.
Very good.
Again, our phone number is also our text number 651-461-9226.
Speaking of phones, let's grab a call this morning, Nick.
Tom calling in from Crystal.
Tom, thank you.
What is your question for Nick?
Morning, gentlemen.
I have a 2013 Toyota Avalon
and my high beams will not stay on
when you push the turn indicator stock in,
but if you pull it toward you, they do come on.
I'm wondering where I start looking to fix that.
Well, I suspect something with that switch,
that lever pulling it toward you
is like an instant or a moment while you hold it
and when you push it out,
it's supposed to stay illuminated on the high beam.
So something within that stock,
as we would refer to it, has gone faulty.
There might be a way with back to the wiring diagram,
which is my favorite thing to talk about.
We can check powers and grounds, check that circuit,
see as you move that stock,
when you pull it toward yourself, it makes contact,
they light up, when you pull it all the way away,
it's supposed to do the same thing
and stay lit until you pull it back.
Well, something in that circuit is not working, right?
Have improved that, and I think likely you'll find out
it needs that multifunction switch replaced.
All right, we're gonna take a quick break,
but let's remind our listeners, Nick,
to call in a text in there,
any kind of a car care question you may have.
At 651-461-9226.
Nice day today, especially if you're gonna get out there
like some people I know,
and the wash and wax, your vehicle.
I'm looking at the daytime hide today, 67, lots of sunshine.
And right now here on CCO 46 degrees.
Stay with us another Saturday in CCO,
and we'll be right back.
Here we are, we're back, talking cars, trucks, vans,
problems you may be having with yours
with Nick Stoffel ASC certified technician
with Lloyd's Automotive.
Well, fortunately I know the location.
I was there the other day, as I mentioned, Nick,
but for those that don't know, where's Lloyd's located?
Well, as you know, Denny, we're at 982 Grand Avenue
in St. Paul, that's two blocks east of Lexington Parkway.
Stop and say hi, you've mentioned the forecast
or whether it seems to be decent,
so if you're on a walk, stop and say hi.
If you have a question as always,
we will help or answer, you know,
just to kind of get you prepared
for when you take your vehicle and wherever you go,
you can reach us at 651-228-1316.
And then finally, if you do check out our website,
you can see all that information
and that is LloydsAutomotive.net.
And we will give you that info when Nick takes his leave,
which is about 7.45 this morning.
Again, our phone number is our text number,
6514619226, speaking of text,
speaking of cleaning cars, text,
I think this is an interesting one.
Do you think the wax in a car wash
is as good as doing it yourself?
I'm guessing no from my personal experience,
but what do you think?
I think in life, the shortcut's never better.
If you go ahead and, you know, I mean,
our friend Dan, as you know very well,
with hand waxes vehicle, and that takes a couple hours,
where you can go through a machine in 10 minutes,
you're not gonna get the same result.
Not saying that doesn't work,
because that's what I do
and we all do, my truck stays clean.
But if, you know, come pre-winter or in the springtime,
spend that afternoon and give a little TLC,
I think that goes a long way
and I think your car will appreciate it.
Well, like you always recommend,
and especially during the salty winter months,
is get that under body wash, pay the extra buck
or two, whatever the case may be.
And yeah, I mean, it's kind of like chicken soup.
It can't hurt, you know.
This wax they put on the vehicle.
I tell you what, let's do this.
Let's grab a phone call, Bruce,
checking in this morning from Ramsey, I believe.
Hey, Bruce, what's your question for Nick?
Good morning, thanks for the call.
I have a 2005 Chevy Suburban
that I bought primarily before the AFM
and its primary purpose is just to pull the pontoon
around all summer long.
I run 1540 Mobile One oil in it.
Is that okay to run?
You know, we always refer to,
I mean, it's what you've done always.
It seems to be working well.
I probably wouldn't change at this point,
but you know, the standard answer is going to be,
you know, check the owner's manual,
check with the manufacturer.
You know, just usually a certain weight
that's recommended for the vehicle,
for that engine, for that vintage.
I like to stick to that.
I don't like to vary too much.
If you've been using something for a period of time,
like in this case, I would stick with it.
Because I think changing also can create
a new set of issues.
So, you know, I think if it's been working fine,
you're good to go there on your next vehicle
or anyone's listening, you get a new vehicle.
Check that owner's manual.
It's going to give you a weight
and maybe some certain specifications of oil.
A lot of manufacturers now have
a little additive package that they like.
So just try to follow that the best you can.
You do that and you should be in good shape.
Very good.
Let's grab another phone call
before we get back to the text line.
Todd is calling in from Brainerd, Minnesota this time.
Thank you, Todd.
What's your question for Nick Stoffel?
Hey, good morning.
I've been struggling with a lot of sap and bugs
on the car and having found a really good
like car wash or product to get them off
and be safe for the paint.
So I'm wondering if there's any recommendations
like a homemade solution or product
that you can recommend that won't hurt the paint.
You know, I don't know offhand,
but I too park under a tree
that hurts a lot of stuff.
And, you know, the place where I take my vehicle
to get washed seems to get it mostly off.
But you're right, be very careful.
Don't use anything extremely abrasive.
Don't use any kind of scratch pad or anything like that.
You know, the last thing I wanted you to do
is, you know, heard that paint or clear coating.
So be very careful.
Read the product.
You know, go to the parts stores,
see if they have for car wash products.
There are some products, and Denny may know the name of it,
that help remove saps.
If you have a certain concentration
of a spot on the vehicle that can maybe help,
the entire vehicle, that might not be very efficient.
But once again, just be very careful.
Don't use an abrasive,
because you will damage the paint.
Yeah, I've used, in fact,
I think they call it like bug and tire remover.
There's all sorts of things that I find they do work.
And again, you've got to use some elbow grease,
as I used to say, to get it done.
But it does work and it doesn't hurt.
I found the clear coat on vehicles.
So yeah, like Nick says, get to an auto parts store.
They've got all sorts of bug remover.
Once in a while on a glass,
when you get that stuff from trees and bugs and whatnot,
I actually gently use a cleaner wax on the windshield.
You don't want to be too rough on it,
but that has a cleaner ability too.
So I've had some luck with that as well.
Check it out, all sorts of products are available at the store.
You know, Denny, I don't think our listeners know
that you are the car wash expert.
Definitely not me.
That you and our good friend, Dan Burns,
over the years have mastered,
whether it's with the clay or what have,
they're keeping your car looking like new.
Yeah, well, it's kind of like a fun challenge now,
because my car at this point is 10 years old
and it's got 97,000 miles on it.
And it's like you guys have always suggested
getting that underbody wash.
So I try to do that as often as I can.
But yeah, clay barring, waxing, polishing, love to do it.
It keeps me going.
All right, let's see.
Texter says this.
Thanks for the interesting, the informative show.
You're welcome.
I purchased, Texter says a 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
last year was wondering,
do I need to rustproof the underbody
to prevent any possible corrosion?
Toyota told me that they dip the frame during manufacturing,
but do not undercoat.
Is there a difference between the two?
We kind of get a similar question
about this rustproofing from time to time.
And what's your opinion of that, Nick?
You know, it depends on the product.
I can say over the years,
having been underneath most products and most vehicles,
some of the stuff I think probably can help.
There's some of the stuff that stays,
that doesn't really firm up,
that's kind of messy,
that we're not a big fan of.
It makes it difficult to work on things, obviously.
And the other piece of this is,
a lot of times those products,
they're kind of scanning from underneath the vehicle
and spraying it, which is helping the easy spots,
but it's a tough to get to spots
that don't get the protection
that you go through the winter months,
all the salt that on the road,
and now they use that liquid spray
they put down on the road.
That stuff still makes its way
through those nooks and crannies.
So, you know, I don't think it's necessary.
I don't want to speak probably of anybody's product,
obviously, because I don't have all the information.
But I don't think it's necessary.
I think, honestly, doing that car wash on a regular basis,
get the undercarriage, have it sprayed off.
I think that goes a long, long ways.
And, you know, as we get older,
and if you remember,
I can remember working at the service station,
you know, when I was in high school in the 90s.
Oh, my golly, we just lost Nick.
Well, I'll tell you what,
it probably is an opportune time to get Nick back on,
because we're gonna have a break for that forecast.
In the meantime,
while we're in the process of getting Nick back on the horn,
call us, text us any kind of a car care question.
Nick will be with us till about 7.45 this morning.
6-5-1, 4-6-1, 9-2-2-6.
We'll check out that forecast
coming along here in a moment on Newstalk A3-0 WCCO.
Good morning.
Welcome back to CCO's Car Care Show.
Thanks to Nick Stoffel from Lois Automotive.
We get this help coming your way every Saturday.
Right after the 7 o'clock news break.
Nick, we lost you for a bit.
We got you back, however,
and Nick will be with us for about another 10 minutes or so.
I'm looking at a bunch of text messages.
Let's see how many folks we can help out here.
Here's the 2020 Hyundai Elantra,
running lights, intermittent working.
Could this be a short?
Most likely, in any time we see an intermittent issue,
the fuse is not bad, you know, a bulb is not bad.
So usually if it's something that is coming and going,
we think it's a short, poor contact, a poor ground,
something like that that can vary with temperature,
vibrations in the road.
So oftentimes those are a little more difficult to pinpoint
because it's not always broken,
but equally important because if it does fail ultimately,
then you might not have whatever it is,
like in this case, the running lights that will operate.
Okay.
Another text here says this, Nick,
the trailer brakes on my 2018 Silverano have not been working.
I replaced the brake control module.
They still don't work.
Does it need to be flashed?
I'm not sure what that means.
What is that text you're saying?
In some vehicles, when we replace modules,
we have to program them or initiate them to the vehicle.
A lot of times it requires external software
that will plug into the vehicle and mate them.
So when he says flash, essentially,
you're putting that software into the computer,
into that module so they know to work together.
So I don't know actually on that particular module
or that system, but there are a lot on vehicles
that do require that.
So it's probably worth a phone call
to your shop or dealership and choir on that.
That is the case.
You have to take it in.
There'll be a charge with that.
But if you want that to work,
which if you're pulling the trailer,
you need your trailer brakes.
So don't ignore that and get that reprogrammed.
Yeah, very good.
I knew we were going to get some suggestions.
Our listeners are smart ones
about getting the bugs and tar off
and things like that.
This texture says bug off works good.
Have not heard that.
Another texture says best thing for bugs on a car,
bugs be gone.
And the texture suggests this
to spray bug and tar remover on the SAP,
whatever the case may be,
what you're trying to get rid of,
then saturate a piece of paper towel
with the bug and tar and place,
and let it sit for a while.
You may have to repeat the process.
So let it sit and kind of do more work with that.
So thanks for those suggestions.
Some, I don't think I do this.
This texture is very carefully used,
a razor blade to remove most of the SAP
without scratching the clear coat.
I don't trust myself to do that kind of service.
Yeah, I would avoid that for sure.
You know, it's always,
all these products follow the instructions,
use as design.
You know, if you're the expert
and you know the limitations by all means,
but if you're messing with the paint on your vehicle
and you let something sit too long
and it damages the clear coat or discolors of the paint,
that can be permanent.
So be very, very careful as you go down that road.
Absolutely.
All right, another text is this,
I have a 2011 F-150,
have lost approximately four miles per gallon,
have the injectors cleaned, coils are good,
no check engine lights,
any ideas, what else to look at?
You know, we get a lot of questions
about fuel economy and my opinion's always been
if a vehicle is using excessive amount of fuel,
it's not gonna be running well enough
for the satisfy the check engine light.
You know, there's a lot of sensors
and systems in place for emissions.
And if you're burning that much fuel,
oftentimes we're gonna have some sort of failure
or warning somewhere that's gonna turn that light on.
So the other thing I like to challenge people
is that we always, you know,
my vehicle tells me I'm getting this kind of mileage.
It says I'm getting 17 miles a gallon,
I used to get 22 or whatever it may be.
I'd like to tell these folks right down the mileage,
fill up your tank, drive it to a full tank
if you're like you normally do,
right down the mileage again, do that math.
See what your actual fuel economy is?
A lot of times these computers maybe can get out of sort
which can maybe cause an issue
where it's not reading properly.
So do the actual math, compare it for a couple of tanks.
If you're still having some issues,
check with your shopper or dealer.
But most often, like I said,
if you're using excessive amount of fuel,
there's gonna be something else going on there.
Yeah.
You know, just dawned on me,
I was talking with my daughter, Tina, whom you know.
And she was asking me my opinion about tires,
getting new tires, she wants to get some new tires.
And I thought her question was a good one,
and not what tires to get, but we discussed that
because you and I have talked about tires,
even if we don't put on a lot of miles,
that those, that rubber does age, does it not?
Oh, absolutely it does.
And you know, we don't see as much as we used to,
but we would call it like dry rotting.
You know, a tire gets up over a decade and years,
and you actually see in between the tread
where the rubber's cracking and separating,
which also could be quite dangerous
because you run the risk of a tire failure
and blow out a flat.
So if your tires, your car is 10, 12 years old,
it has the original tires on it.
When you're in for service,
have them carefully look at those tires
because that rubber will dry out.
We'll start to crack and cause a failure.
But her question was, I think a good one on that note.
Her question to me was, if I get new tires,
should I also get a new spare?
Which I thought was a great question.
That is a great question.
And it depends where the spare is.
A lot of times that the spare is inside the vehicle
or under a cover where it's away from the elements,
away from the sun, away from the heat,
not the heat necessarily,
but the salt and all the road grime.
So it doesn't have the same life
as the tire that's going down the road.
And if that's the case, it's likely still okay.
If it's on the bottom side of your vehicle,
like many trucks, they can inspect that also.
So it's not necessarily true
that you need to go and replace that.
Based on inspection, it might not be a bad idea.
All right.
Speaking of tires, Texter wants to know basically
about tire sensors.
Are they accurate?
I think for the most part, yes.
You know, it might have to be a one or two PSI difference.
I'm sure that can definitely happen.
You know, they're not perfect.
They live in a pretty tough environment.
But I think for the most part,
I would say they're accurate enough
where I would trust them for sure.
Okay.
I had mentioned earlier about cleaning an engine,
but for those of the folks that want to do that
with a garden hose, what do you say to that?
Be very careful.
I'm okay with the garden hose, not a pressure washer.
We get this question off often too.
And if you don't know what you can
and cannot get wet, don't do it.
You know, we don't want to force air
into the intake, into the engine.
A lot of electronics,
things are fairly weatherproof on a vehicle as it is,
but they're not designed to take
that full blunt of a pressure washer.
So don't do that.
A misting of a garden hose,
wiping it with a rag is just fine.
But once again, you know, do a little research.
If you don't know what can and cannot get wet,
you don't want to create a very expensive repair
for yourself.
Very good.
I think we have time for one more text
as I see just came in.
2006 Pontiac Vibe all wheel drive,
225,000 miles on it.
Dexter says I had a recent oil change
at a corporate auto mechanic.
And they said my right front wheel bearing is noisy
and recommended I replace it.
I looked on YouTube and saw it as a complicated procedure.
A recent quote said it would take $600 labor
and three to $400 for parts.
What if I let it go?
I myself have not noticed any noise or problems.
Well, I would say before I let it go,
get a second opinion.
Wheel bearings, there's one on each wheel.
If significant failure, obviously, is the wheel comes off.
Very likely, and quite honestly, never likely at all.
Usually what we hear is a humming noise.
And as we go down the road,
as we change the speed of the vehicle
or the load as we're bearing left to right,
you'll notice that this noise is changing.
It's getting louder, quieter.
And that's kind of the heads up,
the wheel bearing's not happy.
One of the ball bearings has gone bad.
That friction is creating that noise.
But if somebody had recommended it,
you're maybe not hearing it
because you're maybe not listening for it.
Get a second opinion.
If you have two places agreeing with that,
you need to get it replaced.
Obviously, with that second opinion,
you can get a second estimate.
Once again, if there are similar prices,
which they likely will be,
you know, you're getting a fair deal.
All right, Nick, I noticed
a couple more texts have just come in.
I thought we had it all solved.
But unfortunately, we run out of time.
I'm gonna alert those listeners
who just sent those texts in.
I'm gonna save those
and we'll open up the show with those next week.
I don't wanna leave somebody out of the picture here.
So as usual, I'll save any related texts
that have come in we didn't get to.
And we will take care of those next Saturday.
In the meantime, Nick, as we say goodbye,
tell us about Lloyd's.
How do we get in touch with you guys?
Yes, sir.
So if you are in St. Paul,
we're at 982 Grand Avenue.
Like I said, to Lex East of Lexington Parkway.
Stop anytime and say hi, ask a question.
If you have a question, you can always call us.
We will help you.
You can reach us at 651-228-1316.
And then finally, all that information,
a whole bunch more on our website,
which is LloydsAutomotive.net.
Very good, Nick.
We'll do that.
Thanks for the help.
But let's do this again next week.
Sounds like a date.
Thanks, Denny.
Thank you, Nick Stoffel from Lloyd's Automotive.
Now get ready for Ted Ferro from Haskell's One Chat
and get those Lana Garden questions ready
for Julie and John in the eight o'clock hour.
Here on News Talk 830-W, C.C.O.
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About this episode
Exploring essential car care tips, this episode dives into battery maintenance, rust prevention, and effective ways to remove bugs and sap from vehicles. ASC certified technician Nick Stoffel shares insights on common car issues, emphasizing the importance of regular checks, especially as temperatures drop. Listeners learn about the significance of battery age, the benefits of undercarriage washes, and how to keep older vehicles rust-free. With practical advice and listener questions, the episode is packed with valuable information for maintaining your car's performance and appearance.
Original notes
Denny makes an unexpected trip to Lloyd's Automotive. What is the typical life of a battery? Preventing rust on your vehicle. Why high beams may not be staying on. Best way to remove bugs from the vehicle. Trailer brakes malfunctioning. Signs of your vehicle having poor fuel efficiency. How accurate are tire sensors? Ask our car care expert Nick Stoffel of Lloyds Automotive. Visit lloydsautomotive.net 651-228-1316.
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