4 Safety Tips for Winter Driving from an Auto Center.

With winter at our doorstep, you may be planning to head out and visit family and friends for the holiday season. You will certainly want a reliable vehicle! Ask your auto shop to perform a standard inspection to prevent a roadside emergency and sabotaging your arrival at your holiday destination. Don't get stranded in a strange town looking for an auto shop for an emergency repair.

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These four tips from an auto shop will help you stay safe during your holiday travels:

1. Adhere to the schedule of maintenance services: Check all the fluids, and change or top-off as necessary. (i.e, oil, brake and transmission). High quality filters will make for a smoother ride. Be sure to have the brake system inspected, which includes the condition of the rotors, pads and calipers. Make sure all the exterior lights (headlights, brakes, back-up lights, blinkers, and fog lights) are all working properly. You want to see and be seen on a dark winter's night! Finally, check your wiper blades and replace them as necessary.

2. Clean out your car: For a more comfortable trip, clean out the interior of your car before you head off to grandma's house. All-weather floor mats will help protect your carpets and are easy to clean or replace. Clean your windows so there is nothing obstructing your view. Remove unnecessary items from the trunk and backseat to increase your vehicle's fuel efficiency, as well as make room for all your holiday food and gifts!

3. Check the tires: To avoid an unexpected flat tire, make sure all your tires have the proper air pressure. Inspect them for abnormal wear. If necessary, have a tire rotation, or if the tread is too shallow, you may need to purchase new tires. Remember to check the spare too.

4. Inspect the Radiator: Make sure the ratio of anti-freeze is adequate, and the hoses checked for cracks or bulges. This is especially important when driving in cold, freezing temperatures.

If you take care of these routine maintenance services, not only will your gas mileage and driving performance increase significantly, it will help you have a trouble-free holiday road trip. Don't spend your holiday in an auto shop!

Our staff here at Rum River Automotive would like to thank all of our customers for allowing our auto shop to take care of your vehicle throughout the year. As you head down the road to spend the holidays with friends and family, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season filled with family, friends and joy.

Need a dependable auto center for standard vehicle maintenance? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Rum River Automotive by calling (763) 389-3811, or go on-line at http://www.rumriverauto.com for more information. Rum River offers quality auto repair and detailing services. Since 1997, our auto shop has served vehicle owners in Princeton, MN and in the surrounding areas of Milaca and Zimmerman, MN

Car Alignment Problems?

"Ouch! I've just hit a pothole!" We've all said those words after hitting a deceptively deep pothole hidden by a puddle of water. Is your car now pulling or drifting to the left or right, or is there too much "play" in the steering? By endeavoring to pinpoint tire problems, the candor and castor of your front-end alignment, and taking your car for a road test, your auto mechanic can determine what kind of problem you are experiencing and then perform the right service, whether it's to correct the wheel alignment, or a tire rotation.

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4 Steps to Diagnosing Steering Problems:

1. Eliminate tire problems. Before attempting to diagnose a wheel alignment problem, eliminate the possibility that your tires are the cause of steering problems:

    • Make sure all four tires are inflated to the recommended pressure.

    • Check to see that the tread and tire size are the same on both front wheels. Don't drive with a snow tire on one side and a normal highway tire on the other side.

    • Check for unusual tread wear or damaged tires. A good time is when you have a tire rotation or the air pressure checked.

2. Examine your front-end alignment. There are different aspects to front-end alignments for rear-wheel drive vehicles:

    • Toe-in. The front of each tire, when driving straight, points slightly to the centerline of the vehicle. This gives an advantage when cornering so each tire has equal traction (bite), but if it is angled inward too much, the OUTSIDE of the tire's tread wears more quickly.

    • Castor. This is the vertices angle of the centerline of the tire from front to back. Unless the ball joints, control arm bushings, or king pins are seriously worn, the castor doesn't vary too much.

    • Camber. This is the vertical angle of the centerline of the tire perpendicular to the cross-section of your car.

3. Road test. While driving on a flat, level, smooth highway, on a dry and calm day, perform the following tests:

    • Loosen your grip on the steering wheel enough to let the car proceed on its own. If the car pulls to the left or the right, you may need a wheel alignment.

    • Listen for sounds from the front end of the car while driving slowly. Scraping, whining, or grinding sounds may indicate excessive friction as the tire tread rubs against the road.

    • Have someone follow you to observe the front to back wheel alignment. If the front wheels are not tracking in the same groove as the back, you may have a bent frame.

4. Abnormal tread wear. Besides a car alignment problem, there are also other causes of unusual tire wear, including.

    • Worn struts or shock absorbers.

    • Worn out or loose wheel bearings.

    • Worn or damaged tie-rod ends, ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, and other steering components.

    • A worn or damaged steering gear box.

    • Poor driving habits—uneven distribution of heavy loads, hard cornering, braking, or swerving.

Important Tip: After you have had your front end checked and realigned, repeat the tests above to make sure the car alignment has been done correctly.

Wondering if you need a wheel alignment? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Rum River Automotive by calling (763) 389-3811, or go on-line at http://www.rumriverauto.com for more information about our car alignment service. Since 1997, our auto shop has served vehicle owners in Princeton, MN and in the surrounding areas of Milaca and Zimmerman, MN