Your car's radiator keeps the components and engine cool to prevent overheating. When your Toyota 4Runner, Avalon, or Camry gets too hot, you may notice leaks, or you might see smoke – these are signs that your vehicle needs a radiator repair. You’ll want to schedule an appointment with Priority Toyota Chesapeake fast to avoid further damage to your investment. Below are some of the signs you should be aware of. 1. Your Car Is Overheating When your car is constantly overheating, your radiator is likely to be the culprit. The radiator fan could be faulty if your vehicle overheats when driving slowly or idling. If your car gets too hot when you drive to work or the shop, there may be something wrong with the thermostat. Should your car overheat, pull over in a safe spot, and while you wait for the engine to cool down, feel free to give us a call for a service appointment. more 2. Your Car Is Leaking Coolant If you pull out of your garage or a parking space and see a bright yellow, orange, pink, or green puddle on the ground, that means your car is leaking coolant. You could also have a coolant leak if you have to top off the coolant more often than usual. If there is not enough coolant in your car to cool down all the moving parts, your car will overheat. It's best to get your vehicle to your reliable dealership as soon as possible for repairs. 3. The Radiator Is Rusty The last thing you want is a rusty radiator. Once rust sets in, it creates holes that cause leaks and contaminate the coolant. If you notice that the coolant has a brownish color, the rust from the radiator has contaminated it. Dirty coolant will become thick, resulting in this sludge clogging up the radiator, which in turn causes your car to overheat. 4. The Fins Are Clogged The fins in front of the radiator carry hot coolant, and the air that flows through works to reduce the temperature. Dirt, insects, and leaves can clog up the fins. The fins are delicate, and high pressure from water as well as stones can also damage them. If the fins are unable to work properly, it will prevent cool air from flowing through, and your car will also overheat. 5. You See Smoke If you notice smoke billowing out from under the hood or the tailpipe, it's never a good sign. When your radiator is malfunctioning, it can't perform the task of cooling, and your car will start to overheat. Smoke means it's getting too hot under the hood, and white smoke from the tailpipe could indicate an internal coolant leak. Call your trusted dealership immediately and fix the radiator to avoid extensive damage to your engine and other components. If your car regularly overheats, you notice a coolant leak, rust, or the radiator fins are clogged, schedule a radiator service at Priority Toyota of Chesapeake today. The qualified Toyota technicians will repair your radiator expertly and ensure your car's overheating problems are a thing of the past!
Your tires are extremely important to your vehicle. Not only do they make the car move, but also they affect fuel efficiency and safety. This is why vehicle owners must take proper care of their tires, or else they could suffer a dangerous blowout, or be spending more money on fuel than needed. Here are a few tire maintenance tips that we feel every vehicle owner needs to follow in order to keep them rolling in tip-top condition. Rotate the Tires Regularly Your tires should be rotated every 5,000-7,000 miles, or what the owner’s manual recommends. During a rotation, each wheel and tire is removed and the put back in a different position on your vehicle. This ensures that the tires wear evenly and last longer. more Maintain Proper Pressure In order for your tires to perform optimally, to be safe, and to provide proper fuel economy, they must be inflated to the proper pressure. Every month drivers should check their tires, when the tires are cool, with a pressure gauge. It is difficult to tell by sight if a tire is under- or over-inflated, so a properly working gauge is necessary. If you’re not sure what the pressure should be, check the owner’s manual. Sometimes these numbers can be found in the doorjamb, fuel hatch or glove box. If you have a tire pressure monitoring system in your vehicle, do not ignore any alerts. Avoid Excessive Spinning If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being stuck in the snow, mud, ice or sand, avoid spinning your tires to try and break free. If you get the tires spinning too fast, they could actually explode or shoot out debris that will hurt a bystander. It will also wear them out tremendously. Instead, use a gentle back and forth rocking motion to free your vehicle, and never exceed 35 mph. Contact our service department if you have any questions or concerns about your vehicle’s tires. Image via Pixabay
Now that summer is officially underway many people will hit the highway for a family road trip. We don't want you to find yourself stranded on the side of the road, when you should be enjoying quality time with family, so follow these 5 essential summer road trip car care tips and it'll be smooth sailing to your summer destination! Squealing or vibrating brakes can not only be an annoyance, but that can also mean your braking capabilities are not optimal. Low tread on your tires can be dangerous in wet weather conditions, and no one wants to sit through a road trip without AC! And just like you, your engine needs to stay cool during the hot summer months and long hours on the road. You also want to be prepared in the event of an emergency, having an emergency kit, first aid kit and spare tire in your trunk is essential. Remember that at Priority Toyota Chesapeake, we are here for all of your vehicle service needs. Brakes, tires, AC system checks, engine coolant and much more. Give us a call today at 757-366-5000 and schedule an appointment today. You can also schedule your vehicle maintenance on our website by clicking here. As an added bonus we have a tire special going on right now - buy 3 tires and get the 4th tire for $1. Plus, eligible tires purchased at your Toyota dealership come with 24-month tire road hazard coverage. You just can't beat that. Check out all of our current service and parts specials today! *tire offer: Toyota and Scion vehicles only. Run flat tires excluded. Must present coupon when order is written. Plus tax & shop supplies. Not valid with any other offer Must be installed at time of purchase. Valid only at participating Toyota Tire Center dealers. Buy three tires at the Toyota suggested retail price. Get the fourth for $1.00. Fourth tire must be of equal or lesser value. Prior sales excluded.