AUTONET TV

Don’t Be Hosed (Radiator Hose Replacement)

If you are like most drivers, you don’t worry too much about what shape your radiator hoses are in.  But they are a vital part of your coolant system, helping carry engine coolant from the hot engine to where it is cooled off in the radiator.  

When the cooling system has a problem, you will likely see your vehicle’s temperature gauge showing you it’s running at a higher temperature than it usually does. Or maybe the low coolant light has come on.  If either of these happens, it’s important that you not drive too long since a hot, running vehicle can suffer expensive damage quickly.

Radiator hoses can be damaged by being subjected to temperature extremes, both hot and cold. In addition to the temperature gauge climbing or low coolant light illuminating, there are other clues that may tell you your vehicle is leaking fluid.  You may notice a green, yellow, brown or purple fluid pooled on the ground around your vehicle.  

At any of these signs, it’s time to bring your vehicle in for service soon.  A technician can inspect hoses for leaks, deformities and other problems, as well as looking for cracks and wear.  They’ll also check the condition of the water pump, since problems with it can be another reason coolant will leak out from under your vehicle.

It is better to periodically have your hoses checked rather than waiting until they fail.  How often you should have yours replaced depends a lot on what vehicle you own, and in what conditions it is driven. Rubber degrades not only by temperature but also by what materials it comes in contact with.  For example, oil leaking on a radiator hose can prematurely cause that hose to fail. Age is another factor.  

We recommend you have one of our technicians inspect your cooling system regularly so you don’t get “hosed” by a failure at an inconvenient time.

American Brake Centers Inc.
3435 Bashford Ave Ct.
Louisville, KY 40218
502-459-0355
www.americanbrakecenters.biz

"Current" Affairs (Blown Fuses)

You may be driving along and find that suddenly your radio stops working.  There are no numbers on the display.  Then when you get home, you notice the garage door opener doesn't do a thing when you press the button. Hmm, this was working just fine this morning.  Are the two problems somehow related?

No, your vehicle doesn't need an exorcism. This has all the signs of an electrical issue, and when you experience symptoms like those, you've probably blown a fuse.  Most vehicles have fuses just like most houses have circuit breakers (some houses still have fuses). They cut the power when it reaches a pre-determined threshold that could cause major damage if it was allowed to continue.  You might say fuses take one for the team.

Most modern automotive fuses are plastic with a thin strip of metal in them designed to melt when a calibrated amount of power passes through.  The philosophy is it's better for an inexpensive fuse to be destroyed than your sound system or your engine's main computer.

It can be tricky to figure out what fuse has blown and why.  Modern vehicles have many computerized electronic components; they can easily be damaged if too much electricity gets to the wrong spot.  At American Brake Centers Inc. in Louisville, we have technicians trained to trace which fuse has blown and why.

While sometimes a simple fuse replacement will fix the problem, other times there may be some other electrical component that has failed, causing the circuit overload.  Our technicians have special equipment to track down where the power problems are, get to the root of the problem and fix it at the source.

Keep in mind, fuses are there to protect your vehicle. And when they shut down your radio, garage door opener, vanity mirror or anything else, just be thankful they're doing their job. They may have saved you from a much more expensive repair. They've sent an important signal to you about your electrical system.  That's why it's good to keep up with "current" affairs.

American Brake Centers Inc.
3435 Bashford Ave Ct.
Louisville, KY 40218
502-459-0355
www.americanbrakecenters.biz

Busted! Air Conditioning (Air Conditioning Maintenance)

Your vehicle's air conditioning is something you count on when the weather heats up.  But there's bound to be a day when you turn it on and one of these things happens:

• Only warm air blows out
• Cold air starts blowing out but then it turns warm on its own
• It's not blowing air at all
• It blows smelly air out

Some people are tempted to try to make the diagnosis—and the repair—on their own.  They think it's just run out of refrigerant and they can pick up a can at a local auto parts store and re-charge it.   If only it was that easy.

A vehicle's air conditioning system is complex and made up of many parts.  A compressor, evaporator, condenser, tubing, hoses, sensors, valves… the list goes on and on.

Each of these components could be the reason for the problem.  It could be a leak that's letting the refrigerant escape, but simply re-charging the system hasn't fixed the problem. You have to find the source of the leak and fix it. Service facilities have a device called a "sniffer" which can sniff out refrigerant chemicals. And they can use black light to locate refrigerant that has an ultraviolet dye in it. 

But often other components wear out; blower motors go bad, resistors blow, tubes clog, compressors fail. And diagnosing that takes training and special equipment you'll find at your service facility.

One other thing to keep in mind.  It's always better to catch any problems in the air conditioning system before it fails. Ask your service advisor about having

the A/C checked as part of the vehicle's maintenance.  That's the cool way to go. 

American Brake Centers Inc.
3435 Bashford Ave Ct.
Louisville, KY 40218
502-459-0355
www.americanbrakecenters.biz

Wobbly in Turns? Your Sway Bar May Be to Blame

When you take a corner in your vehicle, it’s supposed to feel controlled and stable.  But you might notice one day that your vehicle feels like it is unstable, or even like it’s floating.  It can be a scary sensation that gets your attention.  If you feel that as you change lanes or when turning a corner, it’s important that you not ignore it because the culprit may be your vehicle’s sway bar.

Another term for it is an anti-roll bar, and helps keep your vehicle balanced while you take a turn.  The sway bar connects your suspension’s left and right sides, helping to distribute its weight evenly.  When it’s working the way it’s supposed to, those turns feel predictable and rock-solid.  But when there’s a problem, you’ll notice your handling isn’t as reliable as it used to be. 
 
One of the most common issues involves worn sway bar links or bushings. A sway bar link is a small rod that connects the sway bar to the vehicle’s suspension.  A bushing is what secures the sway bar to the vehicle’s frame or subframe. Keep driving on rough roads and they’ll begin to wear out.  Your vehicle might lean in turns, “clunk” when you hit a bump or your steering will feel loose.

Don’t ignore these symptoms.  While you might think you can put up with an uncomfortable ride, failing sway bars can increase stopping distances.  Plus, you might find it harder to keep your vehicle under control on a slippery road. You might be wearing out other parts of your suspension, too, which can lead to expensive repairs down the road.

Bring your vehicle to us so a technician can inspect the sway bar, links and bushings. When the problem spots are found and fixed, you’ll get back your solid, precise handling, turn corners with confidence and enjoy the safe handling you remember.

American Brake Centers Inc.
3435 Bashford Ave Ct.
Louisville, KY 40218
502-459-0355
www.americanbrakecenters.biz