If you have been driving cars for some time, you know that there are signs that you need to pull over immediately. Maybe it’s a sound you hear, a weird movement, or just a feeling that you need to slow down and pull over to check something out. Most often than not, these moments reward you with the relief of knowing you prevented a bigger accident from happening because you pulled over.

But if you are pretty new to driving or driving a new car, this sense might not be as developed, or you may not be able to identify the car’s quirks. So to help you out (or to refresh your knowledge), here is the list of the signs you need to pull over immediately.

5 signs you need to pull over immediately

Lack of visibility

If you want to drive safely, you need to see what is in front of you. Just imagine, you are driving a 3000-plus pound vehicle traveling at 65 miles an hour. This means you need at least 316 feet to get your car into a complete stop – and this is during ideal conditions.

Visibility can be hampered by several reasons – fog, rain, mud or dirt, a broken windshield, and snow/ice. The thing is, if you feel like you can’t see well (or at all), you should pull over and fix the problem or wait for the weather to change before charging on.

A loud noise

Nothing good is ever going to come out of a loud or sudden noise that comes up while driving. A car in good condition will make no loud or sudden noise, so you need to pull over when you hear something. In the best-case scenario, you just hit a rock that ricocheted or hit a bump.

Worst case, one of your spark plugs is now nowhere to be seen. What you need to do is to pull over, do a quick check of the engine and the under-chassis to see if anything is loose, hanging, or missing.

Seeing your temperature or oil light on

There are several lights on your dashboard that can tell you what condition your car is in. Of all these lights, there are two that can signify that your car is about to incur a big repair bill within minutes. These two lights are the temperature and oil lights. When they turn on, it means your engine is overheating, or you are losing oil pressure. Once they go on, stop and pull over right away.

Don’t even think about driving another mile “to see how far I can still go.” The damage caused by low oil pressure and overheating can amount to thousands. Sure, you might need to drive a little bit to get to a safer area before calling a tow truck but don’t push your luck.

A weird smell

We all know how our cars smell like, and if you are traveling with people, then there are a few kinds of smells you are already anticipating during a drive. However, when you do get hit by a weird smell that can’t be traced back to somebody’s armpits or dinner, then you should pull over ASAP.

Again, it could be anything, but it could also be your catalytic converter telling you that something is wrong. Most of the more common smells that should initiate a stop include the smell of burnt wire insulation or a gas leak.

Smoke and fire

If your car is smoking and if you see fire, then you should stop and pull over as soon as you can. You can also stop and get out right away as long as it is safe to do so (eg. you are driving on a remote country road with no one in sight).

Smoke or fire indicates something is already burning within your car, so it is in your best interest to stay away. At this point, you may need to call the fire department to help you put it out.

Call T3 Atlanta For All Your Car Problems

If you have pulled over due to the situations and signs mentioned above, don’t hesitate to give T3 Atlanta a call. We’ll get your car to tip-top shape in no time. We specialize in servicing Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, and Infiniti cars. Reach out to us, and we’ll take care of you and your car right away.

If you are like any of the hundreds of thousands of people who haven’t had the chance to drive through dense fog, you are also probably wondering how fog lights work to help you in near-zero visibility fog conditions. After all, they are still “lights,” right?

Don’t worry. Most car owners don’t know how fog lights work or how they can help you up until they experience their first foggy drive. We’ll break down what makes fog lights work and how they can keep you safe during dreary conditions.

What are fog lights?

Fog lights, or fog lamps, are a unique set of lights installed in cars with the specific purpose of helping out the driver in situations with reduced visibility. They can often be found below the headlights (how low depends on the car model).

A fog light can be identified by its bar shape and the sharp angle of illumination. Most of the time, they are rectangular or bar-shaped and give off a selective yellow light.

The fog light in your car differs from your regular headlights in their position and orientation. Your high beam and low beam are aimed at shallower angles to illuminate the road ahead. A fog light, in contrast, is aimed at a very sharp angle to the point where it illuminates what is directly in front of the vehicle.

People have this notion that all lights that are colored yellow are fog lights. This is not true as many older cars use selective yellow lights on their headlights as it is less likely to glare for other drivers.

Due to the orientation and angle of regular fog lights, they are unnecessary to use in normal driving conditions. While most people think it’s just better to light up everything in front of your vehicle while driving, using your fog light on a routine drive tends to make your eyes dilate due to having more light than usual in front of you. As a result, it will be harder for you to see a darker road in front of you.

How fog lights work to help you drive in poor driving conditions

As the name suggests, fog lights are used during foggy weather or weather that offers poor to zero visibility. If you’ve had the chance to drive under heavy rain or fog, your regular headlights often provide little to no help improving your vision. In some cases, the setup of your headlights can even cause glare to the driver, making it much more dangerous. This is because the light being given off by your headlight gets bounced off (or back to you) in fog, making them useless.

Fog lights, on the other hand, illuminate the ground just in front of your car. The selective yellow light and the angle make it less likely to bounce off or back to you in heavy rain or fog. In moments when your high or low beam makes it harder for you to see what’s in front of you, it is better to switch to your fog lights.

Just a word of caution, though. Fog lights only provide illumination on what’s directly in front of your vehicle. This means you should be going at a relatively slower speed for the fog light to help you out. Traveling at high speeds in poor visibility conditions with only your fog lights can cause accidents.

Your One-Stop Solution For Auto Repairs

If you are in Atlanta and you are looking for a trusted name to work on your Toyota, Nissan, Infiniti, or Lexus, then you can give T3 Atlanta a call right away. We specialize in providing affordable and quality service to all customers who go through our doors.

With 23 years of experience in the industry, you can rest assured knowing you are in good (if oil-greased) hands with T3 Atlanta!

Ask car owners what they fill their tires with, and you’ll probably get a litany on why nitrogen vs air is much better than the other. Some people claim one is better than the other, and they swear their life on it. Some claim one option is much safer than the other. But let’s separate the chaff from the wheat, shall we? Let’s try to find out the truth behind using nitrogen or good ‘ol air in your tires. Lastly, let’s try to find out if there is indeed any reason why you should choose nitrogen over air. Ready? Let’s start filling!

Why should you even bother?

Before we go and discuss what to fill your tires with, let’s try to talk about why you should be inflating your car’s tires. Well, you need your tires to be inflated to be able to drive the thing, but we’re talking about proper inflation. If you are wondering why we are talking about this now, then just hold your breath. We’ll get there.

Any car owner knows that if you want a smoother drive with better fuel economy, then you should always inflate your tires properly. Not only that, a properly inflated tire helps in ensuring your tire wears evenly and slowly. Lastly, a properly inflated tire provides a much safer drive.

How special is nitrogen in tires?

Since time immemorial, car owners have filled their tires with regular air. There’s no real reason why you would think to fill it up with anything else. But some “specialty” vehicles like airplanes and race cars use nitrogen to fill their tires.

Why use nitrogen vs air? It’s due to several things that can be attributed to the natural properties of nitrogen. However, do these unique attributes mean anything to Michael, who owns a 2003 Honda Accord? Let’s talk about the many claims and the natural world implications of these claims to your average car owner.

Claim #1: Nitrogen does not leak as fast as compressed air and will help keep your tire pressure at a safe level for a longer time.

• Truth: No regular car tire is ever “leakproof,” and tiny molecules of air (or nitrogen, for that matter) still escape over time. The amount you lose is almost close to negligible (in the event you notice you are losing more pressure than usual with zero punctures or valve damage, then you need to replace your tire), and it does not matter if you use compressed air or nitrogen. Also, when you do get a valve malfunction or puncture, compressed air and nitrogen escape at a similar rate.

Claim #2: Nitrogen does not get affected by temperature changes and will be a better choice in keeping consistent tire pressure regardless of climate.

• Truth: While it is true that nitrogen inflated tires can maintain pressure longer than regular compressed air-filled tires, you can only feel the difference when the change is severe. This is the reason why airplanes use nitrogen in their tires, as the temperature can change significantly between landing and takeoff. You can’t expect to experience these dramatic temperature changes in normal driving conditions, so this quality has little to no benefit to a regular car owner.

Claim #3: Using nitrogen will make your tire maintenance-free as you do not need to check the pressure as much.

• Truth: Nothing is truly “maintenance-free” if you want a safe ride. Whether you put nitrogen or compressed air in your tires, it is still good practice to check the pressure from time to time to check for slow leaks.

Claim #4: Compressed air is full of oxygen and moisture that can damage your tire’s inner linings, which can damage your wheel.

• Truth: Most modern compressed air systems you can find in tire shops already have moisture separators in place that remove water vapor from the air supply. Not only does this protect the tires and wheels of their customers, but also their very own tools. Also, the chances of your tires suffering damage solely from oxygen and moisture are rare if not unheard of.

So when should I use nitrogen vs air?

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with choosing nitrogen over compressed air, but there’s nothing too special either. You can always fill your tires with nitrogen, but be wary that places that offer such services can be sparse in certain areas. This means that if you need to refill in an unfamiliar location, then you might have a hard time doing so.

Compressed air is still the best if you are looking for a no-nonsense solution. There are no studies showing nitrogen to be superior to compressed air, so plain air is just fine if you don’t feel like changing.

Fast And Friendly Auto Repair At T3 Atlanta

After filling up your tires with nitrogen or compressed air from your favorite tire shop, you can then head down to T3 Atlanta to get everything else checked up. We are one of the most trusted auto repair shops in the Atlanta Metro Area. We service Lexus, Infiniti, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles of all shapes and sizes. Give us a call today, and let us handle all your auto repair needs.

It should go without saying that your brakes are the most important safety component on your car. Replacing brake pads and rotors is par for the course to ensure your vehicle stops when you want it to, but what’s this you’ve recently heard about a brake bleed or brake flush? Today, we talk about the differences between these maintenance items and which you need.

First, an overview of your brake system

To understand why you might need a brake bleed or flush, you first need to have a basic understanding about how your brake system works.

Your brakes work on a hydraulic system. When you press the brake pedal, the system transfers the pressure of your foot to your vehicle’s brakes. The lines that connect your brake pedal to the brakes themselves are filled with brake fluid. This fluid also keeps the hydraulic system lubricated and corrosion-free.

The lifespan of brake fluid varies from vehicle to vehicle, with some manufacturers recommending that you replace it every 3 years, others saying that it should be checked every 40 – 60,000 miles, and others yet saying that brake fluid will last the life of the vehicle. You’ll want to check your maintenance schedule to learn the exact recommendations for your car.

Regardless of interval, your brakes may be either bled or flushed at the time of service.

Does brake fluid need replacing between services?

For the most part, you shouldn’t need to touch your brakes between services. However, it’s still important to check your brake fluid as part of your maintenance schedule.

Ensuring that your vehicle has the right amount of brake fluid helps them work their best, so top off the reservoir if your levels are running low (just make sure to use the type recommended by the manufacturer in your owner’s manual).

What is the difference between a brake bleed and flush?

Now that you know how your brake system works and how brake fluid is a part of it, what does a brake bleed or brake flush have to do with it?

Brake bleed

A brake bleed involves pumping new brake fluid into the system in order to eliminate air that might be in the lines. Air bubbles can decrease the braking power of your vehicle, so a bleed may be recommended if you’ve noticed that your brakes aren’t as effective as they used to be.

Brake flush

A brake flush involves draining all of the old fluid out of your brake lines and replacing it with new fluid. This service may be valuable if your brake fluid has gone bad.

How does brake fluid go bad?

Even though your brake fluid is designed to last several years, it’s possible for it to go bad. Brake fluid that has gone bad will reduce the effectiveness of your brakes, making it harder to stop.

Your brake fluid can go bad when:

• The fluid has absorbed moisture, which can cause corrosion and damage in the braking system
• The fluid has been contaminated with dirt and/or debris from components in the braking system
• The fluid starts breaking down due to frequent exposure to high heat, such as hard stops from high speeds

Which should you choose, a brake bleed or brake flush?

A brake bleed is often all your vehicle needs to top off the fluids in your brake system and make sure that your brakes respond like they should when you press the pedal.

Whether your vehicle needs a brake flush or not depends on the performance of your vehicle and the manufacturer’s recommendations. If your brakes are still working normally and your manual doesn’t recommend a brake flush, there is likely no need to get this service performed.

If you’ve noticed any change in the way brakes handle, it’s important to get your vehicle serviced.

Talk to your mechanic if:

• You’ve noticed problems with braking
• Your vehicle is needing longer and longer distances to stop
• You’ve noticed that your brake pedal feels squishy
• Your brake fluid looks dark or has particles/debris floating in it

Brake Repairs And More At T3 Atlanta

If you need a brake bleed or brake flush, want to keep your car on its maintenance schedule, or require more intensive repairs, T3 Atlanta can help. We provide fast and friendly service for Nissan, Infiniti, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles. Give us a call and we’ll pen you in for an appointment today!

We’ve all heard about the value of a car tune up for its performance and lifespan, but fewer people know what this type of maintenance entails. Let’s talk about what a tune up is and when to know if you need to get one.

Tune ups then and now

Tune ups as we know them today are completely different than they were when the term was first coined. A tune up in an early car was routine maintenance work on the vehicle’s ignition system to ensure that ignition and fueling worked in perfect tandem with each other.

A tune up was a complicated, precise process that might include replacing spark plugs, resetting the ignition timing, adjusting the vehicle’s carburetor, and more. More than that, old vehicles required tune ups on a regular basis to ensure the vehicle worked properly.

With so many improvements in technology, modern vehicles no longer have the need for regular recalibrations to ensure the ignition and fuel systems work in tandem. New cars do still need regular maintenance to perform their best. The term ‘tune up’ has carried over from those early models even though the items in a modern tune up are different than they used to be.

A ‘car maintenance schedule’: a car tune-up by any other name

Every modern vehicle comes with what’s known as a ‘maintenance schedule’. This schedule consists of routine work that is required after a certain amount of miles have been driven. A modern tune up is another way to refer to this routine maintenance.

What does a modern tune-up include? Let’s take a look.

Checking filters, belts, and hoses

Belts and hoses are essential parts of your engine, ensuring that your drive system can power components such as water pumps and timing belts. Although they last longer than they used to, belts and hoses don’t last forever. They can wear down, crack, or break, potentially leading to expensive repairs.

Replacing oil and other fluids

You may not think of an oil change as part of a ‘tune up’, but replacing your oil and other fluids help keep your engine lubricated and cool. Your car will still function with old fluids in it, but it’s still important to get these changed regularly as debris, build-up, and deposits can decrease the lifespan of your engine.

Checking/replacing spark plugs

Modern spark plugs can last most of the life of the vehicle, depending on the type of material they are made of. Since spark plugs are key to combusting the fuel needed to make your car move, it’s important to ensure that they are in top condition. Dirty or worn spark plugs don’t combust fuel as effectively and can decrease your gas mileage, ultimately costing you more at the pump.

How do you know if your car needs a tune up?

Back in the day, old vehicles might need a tune up every 10,000 miles or so. Newer vehicles are designed to last longer and may go 20 – 30,000 miles between maintenance items. Depending on the condition of your vehicle and driving habits, you may need to get a car tune up earlier than this.

Signs your car may need a tune up include:

• Your car has begun to stall or is having difficulty starting
• Your engine operates or idles roughly
• Your check engine light is on

Time For A Car Tune Up? Routine Maintenance And More At T3 Atlanta

Whether you are diligent about keeping your vehicle on its maintenance schedule or you want to get onto a good routine, preventive maintenance can reduce the chance that you will need extensive repairs in the future.

T3 Atlanta is here and ready to help. With our friendly service and two convenient Metro Atlanta locations in Smyrna and Decatur, we make it easy to get the service your car needs to perform its best. Give us a call and we’ll book you in for a prompt appointment!

You’ve probably heard that you should always warm up your car for several minutes before you start driving. For those who have started driving immediately while in a rush to get to work or to an appointment, we have good news for you: you probably didn’t need to warm it up in the first place. The truth will actually depend on what type of vehicle you are driving – and how old it is.

Where the wisdom of warming up your car came from

Like all stories, there’s a reason that letting your car come to operating temperature became common knowledge.

We’ll need to step back to a time when cars had carburetors to explain why. These vehicles had a choke that controlled how much air could get into the fuel combustion chamber. This, in turn, warmed up the engine oil and prevented damage to the engine from running too rich (too much air) or too lean (not enough air).

In early models, you would have to switch off the choke manually once the engine had gotten to operating temperature, but later models had electronic chokes that took care of this for you. Even with the addition of automatic chokes, engines still needed to be warmed before driving since the technology had yet to optimize the air-to-fuel ratio for the vehicle to perform well from a cold temperature.

Similarly, early fuel-injected engines, like their automatic choke predecessors, didn’t have sensors inside the engine to measure how much air was coming into the engine.

Modern vehicles, modern solutions

Modern vehicles are equipped with complex electronic systems that monitor how much air and fuel can enter the combustion chambers and make adjustments as needed. These sensors are as fast as they are accurate, and they ensure that your engine gets the correct amount of fuel regardless of whether you immediately put your car into ‘drive’ or not.

In short, modern vehicles do not need to be warmed up before you begin driving. Older vehicles, especially those with early fuel-injection systems or carburetors, will need to get to operating temperature before you put the car into gear.

Should you warm up your car in cold weather?

Modern vehicle or otherwise, it’s always a good idea to let your car warm up for several minutes during colder months. This is more for comfort and safety than actual operation or performance.

Letting your car warm up in the winter will give your vehicle time to heat the cabin, defrost the windows, and let your fingers thaw if you’ve been digging your vehicle out of the snow!

Routine Maintenance And More At T3 Atlanta

Whether you need routine maintenance or more intensive repairs, T3 Atlanta can help. We provide fast and friendly service for Infiniti, Nissan, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles in the metro Atlanta area. Give us a call at our Smyrna or Decatur location and we’ll book you in for an appointment today!