This time of year with all the salt and muck on the road, you’ve probably already noticed your windscreen is getting dirtier quicker. Therefore it’s more important than normal to ensure your screen wash levels and dilution are at optimum levels for your make and model of car.
Ensuring this will allow you to clean your windscreen more regularly and with better effect, keeping a clear view of the road ahead. Screen wash and other levels are advised to be checked weekly, but at this time of year with more use, we advise checking/ topping up every couple of days. We also advise keeping a bottle of water in your car in case of emergencies. You’ll find the screen wash by popping your bonnet and looking for a cap with a symbol that looks like the image below. You can also double check in your owners manual which will show you exactly where it’s located.
An example of what to look for when topping up your screen wash.
Normal dilution of screen wash is approximately 50/50 between the screen wash soliton in the bottle and normal water, although with colder months ahead, we recommend a stronger mix of approximately 75/25 screen wash to water. This can help prevention of the screen wash freezing in the bottle, pipes and jets. We strongly discourage the use of boiling water on cold mornings when the windscreen is frozen as the extreme change in temperature can cause the glass to crack.
Here at Maitland Motors we’d recommend using a solution of 75/ 25 screen wash to water in the winter months.
If you have any questions or concerns about using screen wash or topping up your levels, then just leave a comment below or call us in the office.
This week’s tip from Maitland Motors, Check your MOT Advisories.
Your vehicle has been in for a MOT and has passed, happy days! However, be sure to check if any advisory repairs have been noted by the MOT tester. These issues or repairs should be seen to in the near future to ensure the continued safe and sound running of your vehicle. The wear and tear that vehicles are constantly under mean that just because your vehicle has passed its MOT it may still need maintenance work carried out.
The good thing about knowing any advisories is that you can plan ahead, booking in for any works when its convenient time wise and financially.
Any MOTs carried out with us, we’ll let you know of any advisories when you pick your car up. We can also put a no-obligation, quote together to give you an idea of the costs involved. As we always say, prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to cars. Nipping a repair inn the bud sooner rather than later will save you money in the long run and, more importantly, help keep your car safe on the road until your next MOT.
If you have any questions please leave a comment below, call the office or send us a message.
Your suspension system works to keep you on the road and ensure your car handles many different driving conditions and surfaces safely. The suspension includes many individual parts of your car, so nipping any potential issues in the bud and keeping up with maintenance will help prolong your suspension and save on very costly repairs.
Parts of your suspension system include – Shock Absorbers, Springs, Wishbones, Antiroll Bar, Mounts & Bushes.
Things to keep in mind to help prolong your suspension:
avoiding pot holes and bumping up curbs,
taking speedbumps slowly,
being aware of the condition of the road,
ensuring your tyres are at the correct pressure which will lessen the impact on your suspension,
fitting good quality parts helps massively. Outlasting cheaper ones and providing a better handling and a more comfortable drive,
ensuring your wheel alignment it set up properly,
following your make and model’s maintenance schedule and general care of your car (eg yearly service, pre-mot, getting any knocks or banging noises checked asap.)
Good quality parts will last longer so you’ll get more value for your money.
If your car’s suspension is not operating to its best then you’ll find your car may handle the road poorly, pull to one side, is sitting low, is making noises or your tyres are wearing unevenly. If you have any concerns we’d recommend booking in with a technician asap: ignoring minor repairs can soon turn into large costly ones where you could be without your car for some time, and more worryingly, driving an unsafe car. Issues with your suspension is also a MOT fail.
A very broken spring compared to a new one. Getting nocks & bangs checked will help prevent such damage from occurring.
If you have any concerns about your suspension then leave a comment below or call the office. We offer a Free Vehicle Health Check where we will check all areas of your suspension and give you a full report of the condition of your car.
#tipthursday from Maitland Motors this week is check your oil levels regularly. Your car runs smoothly and effectively thanks to serval different fluids which ensure correct lubrication of eternal parts, the most important being your oil. Oil levels being too low or over-filled can cause issues for your car, and in worst case scenarios, result in costly and timely repairs.
You can check your oil level by popping the botnet and looking for this sign. (It looks like a oil can.)
If you’re still unsure, your owners manual will advise of where to look exactly, how much oil is optimal and the preferred oil. To use the dipstick, wipe it with an old cloth first then replace before checking it to see where your oil levels are sitting. You will see a minimum and maximum line; your levels should be near the maximum. If its low or below the minimum, top it up accordingly asap. A low reading could also indicate a leak or your car is burning oil. Keep an eye on this and if you find you are going through oil quickly, book your car in with a technician for a check.
The Dipstick can be seen with the orange handle. Just pull that out, wipe, replace and you’ll be able to see where your oil level is.
We check all levels as part of our Free Vehicle Health Check if you’re unsure how to do it yourself. Any questions or would like to book in with Maitland Motors, just leave a comment below and we’ll get back to asap.
Automotive technology has rapidly developed over the past few years, with more sensors and computerised elements used now in vehicles than ever before. Essentially, our cars are evolving into computers that we can drive. One way these sensors tell us something is wrong is by triggering a dashboard warning light. Here is a quick look at some of the most common warning lights we see here in the Maitland Motors workshop and what they mean for your car.
Engine Management Light This light indicates there could be an issue with your engine. These issues could range from simple repairs such as replacing spark plugs to more serious problems which could result in a damaged engine. Ignition coils, Lambda sensors or DPF faults, to name a few, could also be the reason behind your EML being on. If this light is on at the time of an MOT, your car will fail straight away.
Engine Management Light Example
Service Light This light is mainly designed as a reminder to check your car’s levels and annual maintenance. This could be as simple as an oil and filter change, or a more in-depth service depending on how you drive and how many miles you’ve driven since your last service. Your owners manual will detail age/mileage when certain repairs will be due to ensure your car performs to its best and up to spec. (We have a basic car maintenance secluded here to help keep you right; prevention is always better than cure.)
ABS This light means there are issues with your Anti-Lock Braking System and its been disabled. The ABS is a safety feature to help stop your brakes from completely locking up if you have to brake suddenly or in an emergency. If this does happen without ABS then you won’t be able to steer your car which can be very dangerous especially when avoiding an accident. Repairs that may affect the ABS include a faulty wheel sensor, wiring issue or a faulty ABS-ring.
ABS warning light example
Tyre Pressure Monitoring This light means there is an issue with the TPMS system or that at least one tyre has low pressure. To help with this, ensure all your tyres are at the correct pressure. (We have a previous #tipthursday here for more details.) If the light is still present even if your tyres are at the correct pressure, then further investigation is required by technician.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring light example.
Traction Control Traction control is another safety feature which helps to reduce/ prevent wheel spin, meaning you stay in control of the car in an emergency or wet/slippery driving situations. When this light is on, your traction control won’t work and it’s much more likely you could lose control of your car. This is also an MOT failure, so not one to ignore.
Traction Control light example
Also be mindful of the warning light colour, which indicates the seriousness of the issues. Red lights mean you should not drive your car as there is a serious problem and it may be unsafe to drive. Amber means you need to check your car asap, and green is everything is as it should be.
Dashboard warning lights examples. There are loads more than what we’ve mentioned here.
We’d always recommend booking in with a garage to get any warning lights checked sooner rather than later. Most garages will have specialist equipment they can plug into the car which will tell the technician the fault code and where the issue lies. Sometimes further investigation is needed for more in-depth/ complicated repairs.
If you have any questions about dashboard warning light or would like to book in with Maitland Motors, then just leave a comment below or call our office.
Almost every aspect of life has been effected by Covid, including the servicing and maintenance of our cars. Many people were automatically given a MOT extension at the height of lockdown. These extended MOTs are now due or overdue, which is why we’d recommend double checking yours to avoid fines and more importantly, driving a unroadworthy car.
Its really straightforward to check on the Gov website and we also have more info on a recent blog post. All the extra MOTs on top of regular MOTs for this time of year mean that garages are more busy than normal, so be sure to get booked in sooner rather than later.
If you have any questions or would like to book your MOT with Maitland Motors, leave a comment below of call the office.
The clock changing means we’ll be driving a lot more in the dark, along with winter weather on the way, now is a good time to give your car a check over. We’ve put together a few easy checks you can do at home to help make sure your car is safe and ready for adverse driving conditions.
Lights Ask someone to check that all your lights are working as you turn each one on and off including your indicators, headlights and brake lights. Replacing bulbs is quick and cheap but essential in keeping you and other drivers safe. We have a #tipthursday with more details.
Brakes Check your brake fluid levels. If it’s low, top it up asap as this will affect the efficiency and safety of your brakes. Also, check your car’s manual to see when/if a brake fluid change is due. Visually inspect your brake discs. If there is a lot of corrosion, this can be a sign it’s time to replace them. We do advise as good general car maintenance to replace your discs & pads every 2 years. Any noises, judders, or sudden changes while driving may mean your brakes are needing to be checked over and there could be an issue with them.
Tyres Give your tyres a good look over and inspect for any cracks, tears, bulges and wear. Ensure the tyre pressure is correct for your car, we have more on this here. Tyres that are in poor condition can affect your handling of the car, stopping distance and can make your car unsafe to drive.
Wipers & Windows Checking your wipers and windows is easy. (You can find out more here.) Check your windows for any cracks and chips, as these can impact the safety of the glass. You can also check your wipers yourself by lifting them away from the window, and inspecting them for any cracks, tears or nicks in the rubber.
If you have checked anything on your car and are concerned about it, then we can investigate further with our Free Vehicle Health Check. From there, we can advise of any repairs or parts needed to ensure your car is winter-ready and safe. We always say prevention is better than cure, so nipping issues in the bud as soon as you can also help to save time and money. Leave a comment below or call the office for more details.
Sometimes after a quick look on online, it may be tempting to buy car parts yourself: they seem a lot cheaper compared to your local car garage. We understand that when there are other bills, priorities, etc to pay for the “savings” you are seemingly making may seem like a good idea. However, more often than not, this isn’t the case and is in actual fact false economy for you and your car.
As a garage we have a duty of care towards you and your car, and with parts supplied from online or elsewhere, we can’t guarantee the safety, integrity or any warranties that come with these parts. Often “cheap” parts are cheap for a reason; you get what you pay for. We feel that it isn’t worth the risk.
When we order OE quality parts from our known and trustworthy suppliers, we have confidence that it will be of a high standard that keeps you and your car safe. We know the guarantees that come with each part and if are faulty or malfunction, then we can get it replace quickly and efficiently at no extra cost to you. For example, the brake pads and discs we use from Pagid, come with a 25 month/ 25,o00 mile guarantee. If parts supplied by customers are faulty and fail, then unfortunately if there is no warranty, then it means paying for the part again.
With all our years of experience in the trade, we know which brands give you the best value for money meaning that you won’t need to replace more often than needs be. Cheaper parts often wear through sooner and you’ll find it’ll need replace again and again. This all adds up, and what did save you money to start with is now costing you extra.
There are times when sourcing second hand, or refurbished parts is the right thing to do to for your car (older, discontinued make/model), if you know what you are looking for. Our technicians ensure that the parts sourced are correct and up to the job to keep you on the road. We would never put our name to any part substandard.
We really do strive to give our customers the best service which is why we believe fitting parts we know, trust and that gives you good value for money, while keeping your car safe is so important to us.
If you have any questions or would like to know more, then just leave a comment below or call the office. We’re always happy to hear from you.
Here at Maitland Motors, we believe in helping you get the most from your car, which is why we recommend using a fuel additive. Over time, a car’s fuel system builds up with contamination which can affect its efficiency, fuel consumption and performance.
Fuel additives work with your car to help optimise engine performance, maximise fuel economy and help to maintain car parts. It’s like a spring clean for your car’s internals. Cleaning and lubricating the fuel system means you get more value for money when filling your car up and lower emissions.
We’d recommend a treatment every 6 months to help your car run smoothly and for its general upkeep & maintenance. We are proud to work with Forte, who has over 40 years of experience in the industry, supplying all our engine treatments and additives.
Leave a comment below or message us to find out more.
This is a really easy one all of us can do in just a few minuets every few weeks. Check your windows and wipers regularly, especially your front and rear windows looking for any cracks or chips. If you do find anything, most insurance companies will replace your windscreens as part of your policy, so be sure to give them a ring. We’ve all seen the adverts, a damaged windscreen can be fatal.
You can also check your wipers easily yourself by lifting them away from the window, inspecting them for any cracks, tears or nicks in the rubber. Any damage will stop them from working as well as they should and will make diving in poor weather conditions more difficult. If you do spot any damage, you can go ahead and replace them yourself, though it can be a bit fiddly.
These are really easy checks you can do at home, especially as we approach the winter months, but any questions regarding your windows or wipers leave us a comment below or call the office.
