Maintenance Tips

Today we're talking about suspension integrity. Your skeletal structure provides the framework to hold up your body weight. Your joints cushion you as you walk and allow you to change direction. Your auto suspension system is similar: It bears the weight of your vehicle, controls the vehicle as you steer and absorbs bumps in the road.

Car suspension parts, like the bones in your body, are connected by joints that allow all the components to move as they should. Over time the suspension starts to become loose and the joints wear. Your suspension will stop operating as it should in turn reducing proper tire contact  with the road. Running over a pothole, getting into an accident or hitting a curb can also damage or break auto suspension components.

Have you ever hurt your foot? Think about how you walk afterwards in an effort to keep from putting pressure on it. Overcompensate with a limp long enough and your ankle, knee, hip and even your back will start to hurt from the strain. The same thing happens in your car. When one joint or part is worn or damaged: it will stress everything else and can cause premature wear  to the entire system.

Signs of suspension problems include vibration, uneven tire wear, pulling to one side, rattles or other strange noises.

If you think you may have a suspension problem, ask your NAPA AutoCare service advisor for an inspection of your suspension system. Have them check your alignment while they're at it. Request an auto repair quote and take care of any damaged or worn suspension components before they lead to future damage and more costly repairs.

We're often asked questions about the cooling system – the system that cools your engine and keeps it at the proper operating temperature. Let's examine the topic in two areas: first the coolant itself and, second, the parts that make up the cooling system.

We’ve all heard that incredibly loud car going down the street that obviously needs a new muffler. But did you know that there is more to the exhaust system that just the muffler?

Your brakes are extremely important. Having good brakes just keeps you out of trouble. You'll want to carefully maintain your brakes. With disc brakes, brake pads rub on a disc – or rotor – to slow the wheels. The pads are attached to a calliper that squeezes the pads against the rotor. It's kind of like how squeezing the handbrake on a bicycle pushes the brake pads against the wheel of the bike.

You can make your tires last longer with regular tire rotation and wheel balancing. Let's start with tire rotation. In normal driving, your front tires wear more on the shoulders because they handle much of the cornering forces in turns. Front-wheel drive vehicles have even more force on the front tires.