Go Straight With A Wheel Alignment
Ever been in your local Southwest Michigan grocery store and had one of those shopping carts – you know the one with a messed up wheel that wobbles like crazy. Your cart shakes and pulls to one side – if you’re not careful it’s clean up on aisle three.
Wheel alignment on your minivan is a lot like that. One or more of your wheels can get out of alignment; you feel a vibration in your steering wheel – which may also be off-center. Your minivan might pull to one side and your tires start to wear unevenly – you could chew through a tire in a few months.
Sometimes wheels get knocked out of alignment by something big like hitting a curb on a bumpy Benton Harbor road or slamming into a pothole. But everyday driving takes a toll and minivans lose alignment over time. That’s why manufacturers recommend an alignment check at regular intervals. At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc, we offer a full menu of quality auto repair and maintenance services including wheel alignment.
In your alignment inspection, your knowledgeable technician will check your tires and your suspension system for damage. He’ll test your alignment to see if it’s within manufacturers specifications. If not, he’ll make necessary adjustments to get your minivan wheels all pointing the same direction again.
If your minivan pulls to one side, you feel a vibration in the steering wheel or your tires seem to be wearing abnormally, talk with your service adviser. You may need to put an alignment inspection at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc into your shopping cart.
Give us a call!
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
269.926.2006
2094 South M-139
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc., we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
Tips to Maintaning Your Battery Electrical Power
In today’s Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc auto care blog, we are focusing on battery maintenance. Eventually your car battery will fail and you will need to replace it. In fact, 70% don’t even make it four years. There are some things Southwestern Michigan auto owners can do, however, to make their battery last a little longer.
It’s all about the flow of electrical power. When you start your minivan, the battery uses power to get your engine cranking. As your engine runs, your alternator generates electricity to run all your electrical systems: like lights, a half dozen computers, anti-lock brake system, traction control, power windows, electronic fuel injectors, stability control, air conditioning, transmission servos – the list goes on. Any leftover electricity goes to recharge your minivan battery. Then you turn on your radio and seat heaters; maybe plug in your cell phone and computer; the kids watch a DVD and pretty soon there isn’t much extra electricity to go back into the battery.
Now, if you were on a long MI road trip, no sweat – you’d have plenty of time to fully recharge your battery; but not if you’re making stops around Benton Harbor. Every time you start your minivan engine, your battery takes that big hit again. Multiple starts – multiple hits. By the time you get home, you have less than a full charge.
When the battery is continuously in a discharged state, it loses its ability to fully recharge. This starts a downward spiral in your battery life. Now when your battery is on its way to getting this bad, your alternator is working overtime trying to keep it charged – which causes the alternator to wear out prematurely. A lot of experienced technicians suggest replacing your battery after five years, even though it hasn’t yet failed, as a maintenance item to extend alternator life.
Now, there is something you can do to help your battery last longer by hooking up a battery charger once a month in the summer and every three months in winter. This will ensure your car, truck, SUV or minivan battery routinely has a full charge. You can do this less often in the winter because the electrochemical process slows down when it’s colder and less damage is done when your battery is low. Computerized battery chargers are real easy to use because they monitor and control the charging rate to keep the battery from overheating while it’s charging.
We recommend that you ask your knowledgeable Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc advisor to test your battery so you know how much life is left. If it’s good but needs maintenance service, he’ll have it cleaned up and make sure the connections and cables are good. If it’s looking like you ought to replace it, he’ll help you with a battery that’s right for your minivan and driving needs.
Give us a call
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
269.926.2006
2094 South M-139
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc in Benton Harbor MI (49022) we install quality NAPA replacement parts.
Time to Replace Your Engine Air Filter
Clean, Dirty!
When driving around Southwest Michigan, your minivan engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. This is where your air filter becomes very important!
All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually the filter gets completely full. Because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. This dirty air passes through the mass airflow sensor, and starts to accumulate on the delicate sensor element. The mass air flow sensor measures how much air is getting into your engine. When the airflow reading is incorrect, your minivan engine doesn’t get the proper amount of fuel. It runs rough and doesn’t perform as well as it should.
Eventually, the sensor is so damaged it needs to be replaced – which is pricy. In fact you could buy a case or two of air filters for the cost of a sensor replacement.
Of course, that dirty air keeps on going through to your minivan engine where it’s burned along with the fuel, which dirties up your combustion chamber and increases harmful exhaust emissions – not a good thing for Benton Harbor air quality, not to mention our lungs.
When your knowledgeable Pro Muffler & Brake Shop service adviser brings out your dirty air filter and recommends a replacement, remember the cost and poor performance that can be waiting for you down the road if you neglect this simple Pro Muffler & Brake Shop service. Ask your adviser if it’s time to replace your engine air filter.
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc. provides quality auto repair services for Southwest Michigan. Our specialties include winter preparation, tune up, and oil change.
Give us a call
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
269.926.2006
2094 South M-139
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop, we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.
Cooling System Service
Your car or truck’s cooling system’s job is to keep your engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the minivan engine to absorb more heat.
Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in Benton Harbor.
Without coolant, the minivan’s metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running. Expensive parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced.
Also, if it’s freezing outside, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the MI cold. This is why you check coolant levels frequently and have your cooling system inspected for leaks. Also your manufacturer has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check the owner’s manual or ask your service adviser.
The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the radiator and other cooling system components. Over time, the additives are depleted and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple pH test can measure the coolant’s acidity.
You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc: it is very important that you use the correct type. The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up. Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them.
So check with your knowledgeable Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc service adviser or owner’s manual for the right kind because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your minivan cooling system.
Ask us about tune up, winter preparation and oil change.
Give us a call
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
269.926.2006
2094 South M-139
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc., we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
Car Scent Is Good For Southwestern Michigan Drivers?
Here’s a Michigan travel tip that I’ll bet you didn’t know, and, it might keep you safer: The average American commuter spends two and a half hours daily in their car.
The government says a hundred thousand auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. Aggressive driving is the number-one traffic safety concern.
So what does this have to do with how your car smells?
Well, which scent did you think makes drivers more alert?
Is it:
A. Strawberry
B. New Car
C. Pine
D. Warm Vanilla Breeze
It’s C. Drivers in Southwestern Michigan are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the car, according to AroMetrics.
And, Michigan drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents.
And you thought they just smelled nice.
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc, we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
Need Your Car Battery Tested? We Will Do That!
Our cars and trucks have more electrical components and do-dads than ever before. This really strains your electrical system, making it hard for the battery to keep up. Think about it: electric seats, seat heaters, power locks, windows and sun roofs. And then we have all the power outlets for our cell phones, computers, and DVD players. We also have navigation systems and powerful stereos.
Plus there are all the minivan engine and transmission computers, traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes, sensors and on and on. Even the security system is running off the battery while the car is turned off. And of course, summer heat can take a real toll on battery life.
Fortunately, battery technology gives drivers resilient batteries that are able to meet these strenuous requirements. But the fact is; minivan batteries just wear out over time. Eventually, every battery gets to the point where it cannot hold enough of a charge to start your car. Sometimes batteries need to be replaced because they have developed a leak.
Replacement batteries come in all shapes and sizes. Some cars have limited space that requires a specially shaped battery to fit. Larger minivan engines require more powerful batteries to get them started. If you live in a cold climate you will need a more powerful battery because engines are harder to start when it is cold.
In Michigan, batteries come in “good”, “better”, and “best” grades. More expensive batteries may have a longer warranty and are guaranteed to last longer. As with most things Benton Harbor auto owners need to purchase to keep their cars in good condition, paying a little more up front saves money in the long run. Ask your knowledgeable Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc service adviser to test your battery and advise you on how much life it has left.
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc, we also offer brake service, winter preparation and oil change.
Give us a call - 269.926.2006.
Why Is My Check Engine Light On?
The Check Engine Light strikes fear into the hearts of many in Southwestern Michigan and is totally ignored by just as many.
Let’s get the urgency issues out of the way first. If your minivan’s check engine light is flashing, that means that something is wrong that could cause severe engine damage. Naturally, drivers should get that taken care of right away at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc.
If your check engine light is flashing, you shouldn’t drive at Benton Harbor highway speeds, tow or haul heavy loads.
If the light is glowing steadily, Benton Harbor auto owners should keep an eye on it for a day or two. If the light doesn’t go off, schedule an appointment with Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc to get it checked out.
An explanation on how the Check Engine Light works may be informative. Most of your minivan engine functions are controlled by a computer, not surprisingly, called an engine control computer. The computer is able to adjust many engine parameters for environmental conditions, engine condition and even the way you drive.
In order to make these adjustments, the computer relies on a network of sensors to provide data. The computer knows the proper operating range for each sensor. When a sensor reading is out of range the computer runs some tests and may turn on the Check Engine Light.
A simple example is a loose or missing gas cap. This may cause one of the sensors to read out of range. The minivan’s computer doesn’t know if it’s a serious condition that caused the reading or just a loose gas cap, so it stores a trouble code and turns on the Check Engine Light.
Now when you tighten up the gas cap the sensor readings will be in the correct range. The computer will keep checking on the report for a day or two. Since a bad reading didn’t come up again, it turns off the Check Engine Light. The computer will also try to make adjustments to compensate for some readings. If it can do so, it’ll then turn off the Check Engine Light. If the problem can’t be resolved then the light will remain on and you should get your minivan looked at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc.
Your Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc technician will plug a scanner into the on-board diagnostic port and read the trouble code stored in the computer. The trouble code will give the Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc technician a starting place as he diagnoses the cause of the problem.
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc in Benton Harbor MI (49022) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
PCV Valve Replacement-Car Maintenance
Today, we are focusing on PCV valve replacement. The PCV valve is a little, inexpensive part does a big job for your car and needs some looking after when it comes to car maintenance. PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation.
The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.
These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your minivan. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.
Car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.
Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many drivers don’t know about it.
Check your owner’s manual or ask your Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc adviser. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.
Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc in Benton Harbor we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
Serpentine Belt Replacement At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
Today’s Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc article focuses on your serpentine belt. Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine. It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems. Let’s go over them.
First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator.
The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. 
In some minivans, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.
And, on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump (on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).
Your Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.
Drivers should be aware that there’s a special, spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley call the idler pulley. Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.
All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your minivan. And it’s not that expensive to replace at Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc – so it’s good to do so before it fails.
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
Cooling System Service At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
Last week I was out running errands and my temperature warning light came on – total panic! I pulled over and my car was overheating.
After it cooled down, I went right in to Pro Muffler and Brake Shop to have them take a look. My knowledgeable service adviser told me my water pump was leaking and needed to be replaced. He said water pumps just wear out and that you need to replace them because they pump the coolant that cools the engine.
He told me they checked out my radiator hoses, serpentine belt and tensioner and that they were OK. But I was overdue for changing my coolant – like, embarrassingly overdue. I didn’t realize there was a schedule in my minivan owner’s manual for when to change my coolant.
My service adviser said that the coolant actually becomes corrosive over time and could damage my radiator, head gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, heater core, metal cooling pipes, expansion (frost) plugs, etc. That’s why they recommend changing the fluid on schedule.
So, we replaced the coolant with the kind my minivan manufacturer recommends – I learned there are different kinds of coolant and you need to use the right one – and I was on my way. It feels good knowing my minivan cooling system is healthy and I don’t need to worry about it.
Give Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc a call
Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc
2094 South M-139
Benton Harbor, MI zip code 49022
At Pro Muffler & Brake Shop Inc in Benton Harbor MI (49022) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 269.926.2006.
