3 Service Tips for Maintaining Your Toyota

Seasonal maintenance for your Toyota will help it perform its best, no matter the weather. A quick trip to the Toyota dealer a few times a year can make sure your car is always ready for the road. Spring Maintenance After a harsh winter, you need to wash your Toyota thoroughly, including the underside. Salt build-up can lead to rust and damage to the frame. Clean the interior as well, vacuuming the seats and carpets, washing the windows, and disinfecting surfaces that are touched frequently. more Check the air pressure in your tires and top them up if needed. Then, check under the hood. Inspect your hoses and belts for wear, and check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, and windshield washer fluid. Spring is also a great time to check and replace the engine air filter and cabin air filter, if necessary. Check the condition of your wiper blades to see if they should be replaced, too. Summer Maintenance If you're planning to travel during the summer, you should change your engine oil and filter to keep your engine lubricated. It's also a good time to head to the dealership to have your tire alignment checked and your brakes inspected. Check your fluids again, including power steering and transmission fluid. As temperatures rise, check your tire pressure more frequently to make sure they are properly inflated. Fall Maintenance Perform a visual check of your battery. Make sure the cable and terminals are clean and free from corrosion. For extra peace of mind, have your battery tested to be sure it still carries a strong charge. Test all of your lights to make sure they work properly and replace any dim or burned-out bulbs. Test the heater and defroster to ensure they will keep you warm in freezing temperatures. Then, have your steering, suspension, and tires inspected at the dealership to be sure they're up for the challenge of winter weather. Take the time to have your tires rotated and balanced. Winter Maintenance As soon as temperatures consistently dip below 45 degrees, it's time to switch to winter tires. These tires provide better traction on snow and ice. Fill up your antifreeze or coolant to avoid engine freezing, and take another look at your wiper blades to see if they are ready for the upcoming weather. Freezing temperatures can also cause low tire pressure, so check them every week to help maintain traction on slippery surfaces. Prepare an emergency kit to keep in your vehicle in case of trouble. Include gloves, an ice scraper, flares, a blanket, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight with fresh batteries, a cell phone charger, bottled water, and non-perishable snacks. Don't neglect your Toyota's maintenance needs. Visit Priority Toyota of Chesapeake in Chesapeake, VA, and let us help you keep your car running well in every season.

Motor oil is one of the most important parts of your car. Without fresh, fully functioning oil, the moving parts inside your engine will rapidly wear down and generate harmful friction and heat. It's essential to have motor oil refreshed at least twice a year; more frequently if you experience the severe driving conditions outlined below. For the sake of your car's health, it's best to schedule routine oil changes at Priority Toyota Chesapeake and never miss an appointment. How Long Has It Been Since Your Toyota's Last Oil Change? For most drivers, it's unwise to let more than six months pass between changing your oil. These days, modern synthetic motor oil can last in great shape for 7,500 to 10,000 miles. For most car owners, this is usually a little more than six months of driving. more If you rarely use your car, you might be safe having your motor oil refreshed once per year. No matter how infrequently you drive, you still need to have the oil refreshed to keep it fresh. Adhere to the Interval in Your Powertrain Warranty If you have a valid powertrain warranty, there will be a recommended schedule for changing the oil in the warranty's conditions. It's best to stick to this required schedule in order to keep the warranty valid. And if you use your car under more severe driving conditions than most drivers, you may decide to have it changed even more frequently than the warranty stipulates. Severe Conditions Necessitate More Frequent Changes There are various driving conditions and habits that put a car's engine under increased strain, wear, and tear. One such condition is driving along particularly dusty, salty, sandy, or muddy roads. Another is driving long distances while towing a trailer or carrying especially heavy loads. Urban driving habits can also take a toll on a car's engine and motor oil. If you commute regularly in heavy stop-and-go traffic, your engine oil may be wearing down faster. Also, regular short trips of under five miles can be tough on engine oil, as these short journeys don't give the engine and oil enough time to properly warm up. During cold weather, any journey under ten miles might be considered a short trip that's tougher on the engine. Set Up a Routine Schedule at Priority Toyota Chesapeake In the hectic hustle and bustle of modern life, it can be easy to forget when it's time to have your oil refreshed. The surest way to never miss another oil checkup is to set up a regular schedule at your local dealership. Your dealer can then remind you whenever your next scheduled visit is coming up. Have your motor oil refreshed today at Priority Toyota of Chesapeake. We're the region's number-one Toyota dealership, providing an extensive range of excellent vehicles and top-notch maintenance services.

Ignition coils are tough, durable engine components that you may only need to replace once or twice during the life of your car. But when an ignition coil finally begins to malfunction, your engine's performance will suffer, and you'll soon notice the problems laid out below. It's best to replace a faulty ignition coil promptly at Priority Toyota Chesapeake before it leads to more expensive repair jobs in other parts of your car. You Can't Accelerate as Quickly An engine with a failing ignition coil will rapidly lose a portion of its power. This happens because the cylinder with the bad coil won't be able to fire consistently. more You'll find your acceleration becomes sluggish, which can be dangerous when crossing intersections or overtaking. So if you suddenly find it hard to speed up, have your ignition coils checked right away. Your RPMs Are Revving Erratically As well as losing power, the cylinder with the malfunctioning ignition coil will start misfiring. This makes the engine jump and sputter, producing erratic RPMs, especially when driving at lower speeds. If you see the RPM gauge on your instrument cluster suddenly rising and falling unpredictably, you may have a failing coil. Your Exhaust Fumes Are Thickening When a cylinder starts misfiring, the fuel being injected into the combustion chamber isn't being burned away properly. This unburned fuel can start to escape into the exhaust system, where it may partially ignite and turn into black smoke. So if your exhaust fumes are suddenly thickening with smoke, one of your coils may be to blame. You're Struggling to Start Your Car The surge of electrical voltage that a healthy ignition coil provides is most needed when starting your engine. Without a complete set of fully functioning coils, your engine might struggle to start in the morning. If more than one of your ignition coils has a problem, you may not be able to start your car at all. You're Spending More on Gas Each Week When an ignition coil isn't working and a cylinder isn't firing as it should, your car will be traveling far less for each gallon of gas the engine consumes. If you notice an unexpected spike in your weekly gas budget, ask a technician to check your ignition coils, especially if you're also experiencing any of the other problems listed above. Clean Coils Often at Priority Toyota Chesapeake One excellent way to extend how long your ignition coils last is to have them cleaned occasionally. Ignition coils tend to become dirtied by carbon emissions, grease, or dust. It doesn't take long for a technician to clean a dirty coil, and regular cleaning might save a coil from fouling for several years.   Have your ignition coils inspected and repaired or swapped out by experienced technicians today at Priority Toyota of Chesapeake. We have friendly, knowledgeable staff and a commitment to providing exceptional customer service.