Virginia Auto Service

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Auto Repair Phoenix Arizona

Why You Should Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

Maintaining the proper tire inflation is one practice that can help drivers save money and help maintain their vehicles health and longevity. Keeping all four tires properly pressured provides you with better efficiency and safety out on the road.

In fact, the benefits of maintaining the proper tire pressure have become so evident that almost all newer vehicles come with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). If your vehicle is not currently equipped with a TPMS, here are three important reasons why you should check your tire pressure regularly and maintain the optimal pressure for your vehicle.

 

1.       Better Fuel Economy

Saving fuel saves you money. When your tires are properly inflated your vehicle gets better gas mileage, which allows you to travel further without needing to fill up. One study shows that tires under-inflated by 30 percent lost up to 10 percent fuel economy.

2.       Decrease in Tire Wear

Low air pressure causes erratic wear and is the number one cause of tire failures. The Tire Maintenance Council reports that tires running 10 percent under-inflated lose up to 16 percent of their tread life. Along with regular rotations, balancing, and alignment, maintaining the appropriate tire pressure in all four tires will help to decrease your chances of developing bad tire wear patterns.

3.       Increased Safety

Appropriately inflated tires provide better vehicle handling. When tire pressure is too low or too high the vehicle is not able to maintain the right amount of traction on the road, and driving gets more dangerous. According to the  Society of Automotive Engineers, 260,000 accidents, resulting in 79 deaths and 10,600 injuries, each year are due to low tire pressure. This may be, in part, because low tire pressure increases the vehicles required braking distance and has a dramatic affect on steering and handling. Also, tires that are correctly inflated help extend the tire casing life, resulting in less overheating and blowouts.

Determining Tire Pressure

To find the correct tire pressure for your vehicle you can refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual or look for the tire specification decal on your driver-side doorframe. In vehicles that were made prior to 2003, this information may be found on the glove box door, trunk lid, or fuel filler flap. Never use the pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire. This indicates the number required to meet the tires full rated load carrying capacity.

Tire Inflation Tips

For your safety, and longevity of the tires, you should be checking and maintaining the tire pressure regularly. Optimally you should check once a week, but no less than once a month, and before any long road trip. Here are some tips for the next time your check your tire pressure:

  • You should always check and adjust your tire pressure first thing in the morning before driving on them. Cool, unused tires give the most accurate reading. When tires are hot, it is common for there to be an increased pressure reading.
  • The weather will affect your tire pressure. Winter weather may cause the pressure to drop, while summer weather can cause the pressure to increase. When the weather changes, check your tire pressure!
  • Use a quality tire pressure gauge when you check the tires. Digital and dial gauges are the most accurate, and usually cost between $10-$20. If your vehicle has a TPMS it should alert you when you are losing air or have fallen below the recommended tire pressure. Even with a TPMS you should keep a tire pressure gauge in your glove box. Using the same gauge each time you check your tires will help to ensure you are getting a consistent reading every time.
  • Check your owner’s manual to see if your vehicle manufacturer recommends that you increase pressures for towing, carrying heavy loads, or extended highway travel.

At Virginia Auto Service, we like to help people with their vehicles and road safety in any way that we can. We are your go-to in Phoenix, AZ for reliable, high-quality auto repair services. Call (602) 266-0200 or schedule an appointment online.

 

 

How to Get the Most Miles Out of Your Tires

The tires are the only link between your vehicle and the road- making them a very important feature of the car. Keeping up with tire maintenance is just as important as engine maintenance.

We all know that a new set of tires- though important -can be a hefty investment. Like the life of your car, you want your tires to work as good as they can for as long as they possibly can. Follow these four tips to maintain your safety on the road, improve your ride, and extend your tires’ life to get the most miles out of them as possible:

Check the Tire Pressure Monthly

Maintaining the correct air pressure is a simple and important step in extending the life of your tires. When your tire pressure is low it can increase wear and tear on the tire and heighten the risk of a blowout. The wrong air pressure also causes sluggish handling and increases your stopping distance.

Tires lose about a pound per square inch (psi) of pressure monthly and should be checked and corrected accordingly. Tire pressure is affected in the winter when colder temperatures lower air pressure, and in the summer when warm weather increases the air pressure. During these months, it is especially important to watch your tire pressure.

Not only will maintaining the tire pressure save you money by extending the life of your tire, it will also improve your fuel efficiency- keeping money in your pockets. Underinflated tires result in you getting fewer miles to the gallon and paying for more gas than you need to. In fact, you can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper psi, according to www.fueleconomy.gov.

Correct tire pressure affects vehicle safety as well. According to a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Crash Causation Survey, tire issues were involved in one out of 11 crashes.

Have Your Tires Rotated Every 6,000 Miles to Promote Even Wear

Most vehicles only use one or two wheels to “drive” it at a time resulting in uneven tire wear. As an example, with front-wheel drive vehicles, the front tires wear faster. With rear-wheel drive vehicles, the back tires will wear faster. All-wheel drive vehicles can experience uneven wear as well due to the fact that most shift the drive from one wheel to another. So, they are not exempt from the need for tire rotation. Having a technician rotate your tires by moving them to different wheel positions on the vehicle to give drive wheels a rest and even out wear will prolong the life of your tires.

Make Sure the Wheels are Balanced

Each wheel and tire have heavy spots. Even when brand new, they are not 100 percent perfect.  The differences are slight-measured in quarter to half ounces- yet that difference can cause vehicle vibration and uneven tire wear. A technician can balance the wheels using a special machine and small weights. As a tire wears the weight may need to move or be changed. The process is quick and easy, and it costs much less than new tires. The perfect time to have your wheels balanced is when you are having the tires rotated.

Have the Alignment Checked Twice a Year

When your tires are not properly aligned it may make your “toed-in” (pigeon-toed) or “toed-out” (duck-footed). If you notice your vehicle actively pulling or drifting to the left or right, or the steering wheel shakes and/or vibrates, you may have a problem with your alignment. However, your vehicle could be driving normally and still be slightly out of alignment. Even the slightest misalignment can increase tread wear and reduce your fuel efficiency. Bumping into parking lot barriers or the curb, and hitting potholes can all negatively impact your alignment. Have your alignment checked every six months, or sooner if you feel something is off.

Showing your tires a little TLC can help save you a lot of money. By following these inexpensive, easy tire maintenance tips you can prolong the life of your tires. Also, you will notice an increase in gas mileage, extend the life of your vehicle, and make your drive safer.

We hope you find this quick guide to getting the most miles out of your tires helpful. For high-quality auto repair services, give the experts at Virginia Auto Service a try. Call (602) 266-0200 or schedule an appointment online today for quality care and information to help keep your vehicle performing at its best.

How to Use Snow Chains

Over the last week or so Arizona has had back to back winter storms. It made for lots of rain here in the Valley, and quite a lot of snow in the Northern parts of the state. Parts of the state saw so much snow that ADOT felt it was safer to shut some roads down and advised people to avoid travel if possible until road conditions improved.

With this much snow falling, many Valley residents are heading North to play in the snow or visit one of Arizona’s ski resorts. If you plan on spending time in the snow, make sure your roadside emergency kit is fully packed and snow ready. Also, keep in mind that ADOT is recommending snow chains or four-wheel drive for those headed to the high country. Living in the Valley, snow chains are not something we need to be accustomed to, and if it is your first trip to go play in the snow, you may not know how to use snow chains properly.

 12 steps to safely and properly apply snow chains:

These are 12 steps, provided by Les Schwab Tires, to applying snow chains. You can also view their snow chain installation video here.

  1. Find a safe spot and pull off the road as far as possible on the shoulder. Turn on your hazard lights.
  2. Installing chains on all four tires is ideal unless it says otherwise in your owner’s manual. If you use only two, make sure the chains go on the drive wheels. Generally, for four-wheel drive and front-wheel drive vehicles, the chains go on the two front tires, and on the back tires for rear-wheel drives.
  3. Unroll the chain making sure the hook ends are facing the ground.
  4. Push the yellow end of the chains behind and around the tire, then pull the two ends over the top and fasten them.
  5. Grab the chains from both sides of the tire and pull them together toward the center of the tire.
  6. Hook the red fastener into one of the links as snug as you can. It’s okay if there are extra links.
  7. Push the cable to the back of the tire, position the chains loosely over the tread.
  8. There will be another red fastener and draw chain at the bottom of the tire. Pull them towards you until there’s no slack. Then, feed the red draw chain around the opening on the fastener and pull it tight. Lock a link into the notch on the fastener.
  9. Next, feed the rubber end of the draw chain through the red rings. You may only be able to get it through one of the two rings, depending on tire size, but try to get it through both. Tightly stretch the rubber end and hook it to a link in the side chain.
  10. Repeat process on the other tire(s).
  11. Chains should be tight against the tread. Drive forward 15 feet and stop. The chain will have created some slack, tighten the draw chain on each tire, then you are ready to drive.
  12. Once you are through the snow zone, find a safe place to pull off the road, turn on your hazard lights and take off the chains. DO NOT drive for any distance on bare pavement with chains.

Other Snow Chain Tips

  • Purchase the right chains. When obtaining your tire chains, you must first make sure they will fit your tires. Most tire chain packaging has a guide that indicates which tires it fits. You should not attempt to use chains that are too small or too large for your tires. Doing so could damage your vehicle as well as result in dangerous driving.
  • Practice installing them before you need them. Doing this will make it less stressful and easier to do when it matters.
  • Immediately stop and fix a cross chain if it fails. Driving on broken chains can cause you to lose much-needed traction, as well as cause damage. Listen for a loud sound of slapping, or metal on metal.
  • Don’t drive over 30 mph. Make sure you accelerate slowly and evenly when you have chains on your tires, and keep your speed low. Don’t spin your tires.
  • Be mindful of your driving. How you drive will affect your chains. Use extra caution and avoid locking the wheels when you brake, hitting curbs, and driving on pavement that is not covered in snow and/or ice. Doing these things could cause your chains to wear down prematurely and could potentially damage your tires.
  • Lay them out to dry before storing. The chains will rust if they’re stored wet. Lay them out to dry first.

At Virginia Auto Service, we love to help you with your vehicle and safety in any way we can, we hope you find these snow chain tips helpful.  For high-quality auto repair services, give the experts at Virginia Auto Service a try. Call (602) 266-0200 or schedule an appointment online.

 For further safety information on driving it the snow and rain please read the following posts:

Prepping Your Car for The Snow

How to Be Prepared to Drive in the Snow

14 Monsoon Road Safety Tips

Driving in the Valley: El Niño Road Safety Tip