If you’re among the millions of Americans who used to be a regular driver but haven’t started up your car engine in days, you may think that you don’t need to keep your vehicle on its maintenance schedule. In fact, it’s more important than ever to make sure your car is getting maintenance during the pandemic.

1. Change your oil

The general advice goes that you should change your oil every 3,000 miles. In fact, the exact frequency depends on your automaker’s advice, as well as your own driving habits.

Since you aren’t putting those miles on your car during the pandemic, you might think that you can postpone oil changes until later. In fact, it’s more important than ever to change your oil.

Changing the oil will help keep the parts in your vehicle lubricated and any additives in the oil fresh, which helps protect the inside of your engine. The oil can also deteriorate while sitting unused, which can cause additional issues when run.

In general, you’ll want to change your oil every six months in a car that isn’t driven regularly.

2. Check your belts and hoses

Your belts and hoses can be easy to forget about, but it’s important to check them when your car hasn’t been driven for a while. These vehicle components naturally degrade over time, but disuse can accelerate this degradation. For example, rubber hoses can dry out and crack when fluids aren’t regularly flowing through them.

If you aren’t comfortable checking your vehicle’s belts or hoses, consider getting your local mechanic to assess the condition of these parts.

3. Check your car battery

Your car battery relies on the engine being run to recharge it. When your car isn’t being driven, the battery doesn’t have the chance to regain any power lost while your car has been sitting idle. A car battery tester can help you quickly identify how much charge your battery currently has, helping you eliminate the chance of getting stranded on the road.

It’s also important to check for corrosion on your battery terminals and remove it, as this can impact your vehicle’s normal startup (or prevent it from starting entirely).

4. Check your tires

Your tires likely won’t need a rotation if your car hasn’t been driven much, but it’s still important to make sure that they are properly inflated since your tires naturally lose air over time. This can impact the tread wear when you do take your vehicle out.

Tires that haven’t been moved for a month or more can develop flat spots due to the constant weight on them. You can easily remedy this by pushing your car slightly forward or back.

Older car tires are also at a higher risk of cracking, flaking, or developing bulges that can lead to a tire blowout. You’ll want to check your tires before you drive to make sure they look normal and healthy.

5. Check under your hood for new residents

A less frequently considered part of car maintenance during the pandemic has to do with ‘new residents’. When your car is sitting idle and unused, it suddenly becomes prime real estate for certain rodents, such as mice and chipmunks. This is especially true for cars that are parked outdoors.

Although it may not seem like a big deal to clean out nut caches or nests, rodents have a tendency to chew, and they can cause a lot of damage to your car if they start gnawing on wires or hoses. They may also use the sound-deadening cloth in your vehicle to build their nests.

You can prevent rodents from causing damage to your car by making it an unappealing home, such as by adding mothballs or peppermint oil to your engine compartment. (Just make sure you take them out before you drive!)

It’s also important to take steps to keep rodents out of your garage, so now is the time to plug any holes you’ve been meaning to get to.

Fast And Easy Car Maintenance During The Pandemic At T3 Atlanta

Whether your car has been sitting unused or you’ve needed to drive regularly throughout the pandemic, it’s important to keep your car in top condition. If you need to get your vehicle inspected for any reason, T3 Atlanta can help. We are dedicated to providing fast and friendly service in the metro Atlanta area. Give us a call and we’ll book you in for an appointment today!

It often seems like everyone has a different opinion about how you should care for your car. Although all of these tips are meant to help preserve the lifespan of your vehicle and save you money, some of them actually aren’t all that helpful for your vehicle. Today, we talk about 5 common car maintenance myths that you can safely leave in the past.

1. Premium fuel is better for your car and its gas mileage

The reasoning behind this myth is that there are fewer impurities in premium gas, so your car can run cleaner and more efficiently with a tank full of the expensive stuff.

As we discuss in the difference between fuel grades, premium gas is worth every penny for cars that are designed for this type of fuel. However, your average engine doesn’t need the higher octane because it isn’t designed to burn premium fuel efficiently. Average engines are actually designed to perform their best with lower-grade gas.

It won’t hurt your vehicle to put premium fuel in an engine that’s designed for low or mid-grade gas, but it also won’t impact your gas mileage or performance. If you have a car where premium fuel is required, DO NOT put lower grade gasoline into it. You may save some money now, but you could shorten the lifespan of your car and see a lower miles per gallon with long-term use.

2. You can wash your car with dish or laundry soap

The train of thinking here is that you already have all the tools you need on hand to wash your car – assuming you have dish or laundry soap, of course. You save yourself cash and a trip to the auto supply store, all while getting the same results as a specially-formulated car washing solution, right?

Not quite. Dish or laundry soap may be effective at cleaning dirt and grime off of your vehicle, but that’s all it can do. Car wash solutions are designed to do more than make your car shiny; these formulas remove dirt and grime that can eat away at your paint job, protect the paint, and improve visibility while it’s raining with a thin layer of wax.

3. Rolling down the windows while driving will improve fuel economy

Whether your car’s air conditioning wastes gas actually depends on where you’re driving.

If you’re driving in the city, using your air conditioning can use extra gas in conjunction with frequent stops, starts, and sitting traffic. As long as it’s nice weather out, you can save yourself some gas – and get some fresh air – with the windows rolled down.

However, if you’re driving on the freeway, it’s a different story. The drag caused by open windows makes your car work harder to maintain cruising speed, which in turn burns more gas.

4. Refueling in the morning will save you money at the pump

The idea behind this myth is that gasoline, like other liquids, expands in warmer temperatures so pumping warm gas in the middle of the day means you’re getting less – literally – bang for your buck.

However, the gasoline reservoirs at gas stations are stored underground for a reason. Underground, fuel stays at a more consistent temperature throughout the day. The temperature would have to get quite warm – or cold – to significantly impact the temperature of the fuel going into your gas tank regardless of the time of day.

5. You should get all 4 tires replaced at the same time

One of the most common car maintenance myths is that you need to get all of your tires replaced at the same time. This isn’t necessarily true. For front and rear-wheel drive vehicles, you can replace one, two, or even three tires at once. Just make sure they’re the same type as the remaining tires on your vehicle.

If you have an all-wheel drive vehicle, however, you’ll typically need to replace AWD tires in pairs, if not all at once. This will depend on the amount of wear on them.

Preventive Car Maintenance And More At T3 Atlanta

Whether you have questions about car maintenance myths, need routine maintenance, or  require comprehensive repairs on your vehicle, T3 Atlanta can help. We provide fast and friendly service for Nissan, Infiniti, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles at our convenient Smyrna and Decatur locations. Give us a call and we’ll book you in for repairs so you can drive with the confidence and peace of mind that your vehicle is in top condition.

Carbon monoxide is usually associated with homes and furnaces, so you may be surprised to learn that it’s just as possible to have a carbon monoxide leak in your car. Since this problem can have potentially dangerous consequences, here’s how to detect a carbon monoxide leak in your car.

How can carbon monoxide enter your vehicle?

Carbon monoxide is a natural byproduct of your engine’s operations, and the designers of your vehicle have gone to great lengths to make sure your exhaust system keeps harmful fumes out of the cabin.

Despite this, carbon monoxide can enter your vehicle when there’s a problem in your exhaust system, such as a leak.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Carbon monoxide is odorless, invisible, and tasteless, so you may not know there’s a problem until you start to notice lightheadedness, dizziness, or headaches when you’re on the road. In worst case scenarios, you can even pass out while driving.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Blurry vision
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Dull headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness

As mentioned, carbon monoxide is designed to be diverted away from your vehicle’s cabin by the exhaust system. If you’ve recently had work on your exhaust and started noticing symptoms after the repairs were done, and also notice that your symptoms go away after you’ve arrived at your destination, there’s a good chance carbon monoxide may be leaking into your car.

If you need to continue driving your car even though you think there is a carbon monoxide leak, roll down all of your windows while driving to help prevent gases from getting trapped in the cabin.

How can you detect a carbon monoxide leak in your vehicle?

Aside from noticing the symptoms mentioned above, there are two ways to detect a carbon monoxide leak in your vehicle.

• CO2 detector: A carbon monoxide detector is a handheld device that’s designed to detect how much of this gas is present in the air. If you plan to use it in your vehicle, DO NOT sit in the car when you run your test. Instead, turn on the sensor and leave it in your idling vehicle for at least 10 minutes (this gives enough time for the gas to build up). After 10 minutes, check your sensor and consult the instruction manual to interpret your results. If your results are high, it’s time to make an appointment with your mechanic.
• Fire or carbon monoxide alarm: This may seem like a strange solution, but there’s no reason a fire or carbon monoxide alarm won’t work in your vehicle, even if it may be quite loud if it goes off. You’ll want to put it somewhere within easy reach of you so that you can turn it off if needed. As above, you need to make an appointment with your mechanic as soon as possible if your fire alarm does go off while you’re driving.

Fast And Friendly Auto Service At T3 Atlanta

Carbon monoxide poisoning from your car is very dangerous and is important to fix promptly. T3 Atlanta can help detect the location of the leak and make repairs so you can get back on the road with confidence and peace of mind. Give us a call and we’ll book you in straight away for a diagnostic and repairs.

There’s a good chance that your car is an integral part of your daily life, helping you get to and from the store, work, school, and more. Keeping your car in good shape is the best way to minimize the inevitable trip to the repair shop, so what are the most common car problems and how can you prevent them?

The 5 Most Common Car Problems

1. Dashboard warning lights

As we’ve discussed previously, there are quite a lot of reasons that your dashboard warning lights come on, ranging from minor issues to critical problems. The best way to prevent an unexpected warning light is to keep your car on its maintenance schedule so it’s always in top shape.

Although some dashboard warning lights may not indicate an urgent issue, they can sometimes lead to larger problems – such as whether your car passes or fails an emissions test – so it’s always a good idea to get any dashboard warning light checked out for your peace of mind.

2. A dead battery

There’s nothing quite like the surprise of hearing your engine struggle to turn over when your battery doesn’t have enough juice to get it started. Car batteries can last anywhere from 2 – 5 years, depending on your driving habits, the temperature of where you live (batteries drain faster in very hot and very cold climates), and other factors.

You can maintain your battery life by limiting the number of short trips you take, regularly cleaning any corrosion off the battery terminals, and avoid using electronics when the car is off.

The best way to prevent a dead battery is to get a car battery tester and check the voltage levels in the battery at least twice a year to know when it’s time to get a replacement. Otherwise, if you haven’t already packed a pair of jumper cables in your car emergency kit, make sure to do so.

3. Flat tires

Flat tires are, unfortunately, one of those car problems that always seems to happen at the most inconvenient time. It’s also very difficult to completely prevent a flat tire, as there’s simply no way to know when and where there are nails or other sharp debris on the road.

However, you can go a long way towards preventing a flat tire. Regular rotations, replacing your tires when they get old, and not overfilling – or underfilling – them can help keep your tires in good shape. Check your tires at least once a month for any bulges or loose rubber that might indicate poor tire health, and replace your tires when necessary.

You can also prepare your vehicle in case you do have a flat tire on the road. Make sure your spare tire is filled properly (and, of course, in the vehicle at all!) and that you have all the tools necessary to make a repair. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of replacing a tire on your own, you can also keep a tire repair kit on hand, although these may not work depending on how big the hole in your tire is.

4. Overheating

Overheating is among the common car problems that can be the most dangerous for your vehicle. Your car can overheat for several reasons, including low coolant levels, problems in the water pumping system, a broken thermostat, and fan problems, to name a few. Getting your car checked regularly can help ensure that all of these components are in working order.

It’s important that you pull over as soon as possible if your car overheats, turn off the engine, and call a tow truck. If you continue to run your vehicle when it’s overheating, your engine can lock up or fail, leading to costly repairs – and potentially the need for a replacement engine.

5. Failed emissions tests

Failed emissions tests are one of the most common car problems, and it can be a frustrating problem to address since there are many reasons your car can fail an emissions test.

Like many of the other items on this list, the best way to prevent your car from failing an emissions test is to keep your vehicle on its maintenance schedule.

Comprehensive Car Care At T3 Atlanta

Whether your car needs significant repairs or routine maintenance, T3 Atlanta is your metro area solution. We offer fast and friendly service for Nissan, Infiniti, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles at both our Smyrna and Decatur locations. Give us a call and book an appointment for your car care needs today!

A wheel alignment is the process of adjusting your vehicle’s wheels to the manufacturer’s standards for a safe, smooth ride. Alignments help prevent your tires from wearing down poorly, meaning you’ll have to replace your tires less frequently over the lifespan of the vehicle. How do you know when it’s time to take your vehicle in for maintenance? Today, let’s talk about the top signs your car needs an alignment.

5 Signs Your Car Needs An Alignment

1. Your steering wheel sits at an angle when you are parked, stopped, or while you’re driving

Your steering wheel is designed to return back to a neutral, level center when you let go of the wheel. When your car is aligned properly, your steering wheel should be sitting evenly, and the emblem in the center of your steering wheel should be level whether you’re parked or in motion.

A tilt a couple of degrees in either direction is normal, but if your steering wheel is noticeably crooked, you should visit your mechanic to see if it’s time for an alignment.

2. Your car is pulling to one side of the road – and the road is flat

A car that pulls to one side or the other on a straight road very likely has an alignment problem. Your vehicle is designed to coast down straight roads with minimal input from the driver.

Since this sign can impact how your car handles, especially in situations where you have to react quickly, it’s best to get this problem addressed as quickly as possible.

3. Your tires are wearing down unevenly

When your wheels are aligned properly, your tires will wear down at an even rate. Misaligned wheels, on the other hand, can cause unusual wear marks such as worn sides, centers, or even patches around your tire.

It’s a good idea to check the depth of the tread on your tires on a regular basis. This may be when you refill your tires with air or when you do your fall or spring maintenance. While you’re at it, make sure the tread on your tires is wearing down evenly and visit your mechanic if the wear marks look off.

4. Your vehicle’s handling isn’t what it used to be

Your wheel alignment doesn’t just impact how your car rides or the way your tires wear down; it also changes the way your vehicle handles. Misaligned wheels can cause your vehicle to handle in a ‘loose’ or ‘sloppy’ way.

There are several potential reasons for your vehicle’s handling to change, such as worn out shock absorbers or trouble with your suspension system. In any case, since responsive steering and handling is important for your safety and the safety of others, it’s important to get this issue diagnosed promptly.

Is there a difference between a ‘wheel alignment’ and a ‘front end alignment’?

‘Wheel alignment’ is a blanket term that may refer to two or all four wheels, while ‘front end alignment’ specifically addresses the two front wheels on your car. Regardless of the term, the process remains the same.

Wheel Alignment And More At T3 Atlanta

Unlike routine maintenance items such as oil changes, there isn’t an exact mileage at which you need to get your wheels realigned. Factors such as road conditions, driving habits, potholes, speed bumps, and others can throw your wheels out of alignment. T3 Atlanta can help determine if your vehicle needs a wheel alignment and straighten out your wheels if needed. Give us a call and we’ll book you in for fast and friendly service!