AUTONET TV

Today’s Headlights: Brighter, Smarter… and Harder to Replace

Maybe you’re old enough to remember when headlights were essentially all the same on every vehicle.  They were so cheap and easy to replace, most people could do it themselves.  Those days are gone.  Now, headlights put out more and better light and are more efficient.  Those all contribute to better visibility for you, the driver.  But those improvements mean they’re more complicated and, therefore, harder to repair or replace. 
 
The new headlight technology basically takes two approaches, HID (High-Intensity Discharge) or LED headlights.  The LEDs put out a brighter light that can illuminate more of the road ahead.

Another new feature in today’s headlights allows them to turn when you turn your steering wheel.  The advantage is you can more clearly see where you are going.  They can dim parts of the beam so oncoming drivers aren’t blinded.  You’ll notice the difference most on dark, winding country roads.

Because these new headlights are far more complex than the previous generation, in most cases you can’t just unplug a lamp and plug in another.  Today’s headlights often come as a sealed assembly, and in some cases to replace it means taking off the bumper, the grille or the headlight housing. Some may require you to get a whole new assembly.

That, of course, raises the cost.  A new headlight assembly with LEDs, sensors and control modules may cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, especially on high-end vehicles. Plus, the installation is complex.

That’s why when it comes to modern headlight assemblies, it’s best to have a technician diagnose the issue.  What you thought might be a simple burned-out leadlight could be any number of things, such as a wiring problem or a failed module. Having a professional diagnose it helps make sure you get the correct repair, and you won’t be replacing parts that don’t need replacing.

Kingwood Service Center
3318 Northpark Dr
Kingwood, TX 77339
(281) 360-7323
www.kingwoodservicecenter.net

Braking Good (Brake Drum Replacement)

Maybe your vehicle feels like Breaking Bad.  In other words, when you brake, things are bad.  You may find it takes you a longer distance to stop, you feel a vibration, or it’s pulsating when you depress the brake pedal, or perhaps your vehicle pulls to one side.

Those can be symptoms of failing brake drums.  While a lot more vehicles these days have disc brakes, many vehicles still have brake drums, almost always in the rear wheels. The drum is a cast iron shallow cylinder that surrounds the other parts, including curved brake shoes that press pads against the drum to slow you down or stop the vehicle.

Any time you have things going wrong with your brakes, you should get them fixed soon.  Safely operating any vehicle depends on having the brakes be able to slow and stop you dependably.  It can make the difference between avoiding a collision and having one. 

When you bring your vehicle in, a technician will inspect your braking system. Depending on the wear, drum brakes can be resurfaced or replaced. Sometimes it’s cheaper to replace the drum than to resurface it.  It’s important for all the other brake system components to be inspected first and all worn parts replaced.  

Most of the time, when you have your drums resurfaced or replaced, the brake shoes should be replaced at the same time. You have brakes at each end of your axles, and the same brake service should be done at both ends so that both sides can have consistent, even stopping power. 

Your brakes can save your life.  If their braking power is bad, you owe it to yourself and others on the road to let us help make them good again.  Good and safe.

Kingwood Service Center
3318 Northpark Dr
Kingwood, TX 77339
(281) 360-7323
www.kingwoodservicecenter.net

Motor Oil—The Synthetic Advantage (Synthetic oil vs Conventional)

You’ve probably already heard that regular oil changes are extremely important for the health of your vehicle’s engine. That’s sound advice.  But what you might not know is when it comes to motor oil, the real thing may not be the best thing for your engine.

There are different types of motor oil:

• Conventional oil, extracted from the ground and refined.
• Synthetic oil, manufactured from high-quality base oils and artificially-made chemical compounds.
• Synthetic oil blend, a mixture of conventional and synthetic oils.

The first thing you need to know is that most new engines require synthetic oil.  If synthetic oil is recommended for your car – you MUST use it.

For the rest, there are many advantages to using synthetic oil over conventional oil.

• Synthetic oil provides better protection for your engine while helping it to perform better.
• Conventional oil breaks down over time, while synthetic oil lasts longer.
• Synthetics can stand higher temperature extremes, both heat, and cold.

Synthetic oil can be a better choice if you live in an extremely hot or cold climate or put a lot of strain on your engine by towing or carrying heavy loads.  It also may be good for older engines that sometimes have a tendency to develop sludge.

Synthetic oil is a more expensive option, but you likely won’t have to have your oil changed as often.  Some synthetics are recommended to last 10,000-15,000 miles/16,000-24,000 km between changes.

You might also consider a synthetic blend that gives you some of the advantages of synthetic oil at a lower cost. Have a talk with your service adviser about recommendations for what will best suit your vehicle and driving habits.

It’s interesting to note that in recent years, more than one out of two vehicle owners are opting for synthetic oil or a synthetic blend when they get their oil changed. Sounds like they’re on to something. In the long run, if you have fewer oil changes with synthetics, you’ll use less oil, a bonus for our environment.

Kingwood Service Center
3318 Northpark Dr
Kingwood, TX 77339
(281) 360-7323
www.kingwoodservicecenter.net

Fuel System Cleaning at Kingwood Service Center in Kingwood for Better Performance

A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle's engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine.

Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized.

The pressure in a fuel injection system varies depending on its type. Many gasoline engines use port injection systems, which operate with a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Newer direct injection systems operate at 10 to 30 times that pressure. Some diesel passenger vehicles have fuel injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch.

Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Your vehicle's control computer constantly monitors the engine and various sensors in the vehicle.  It also adjusts the fuel injectors accordingly so that they can deliver the proper amount of fuel to the engine. As you can see, fuel injectors are a sophisticated and vital part of your vehicle's engine.

Because fuel injectors are such precision instruments, dirt and contaminants are a serious detriment to their performance. When an injector gets gummed up, it affects the pressure, pattern and timing of the fuel delivery. The result is a decrease in fuel economy and loss of engine performance.

So it's important to keep your fuel injectors clean. That starts with keeping the fuel in your tank clean. High-quality fuel contains detergents and additives that help clean your engine. Brand-name TX fuel companies also deliver a more consistent quality of fuel than do bargain stations in the Kingwood area.

The second way to keep your injectors clean is to keep your fuel filter clean. This filter screens dirt and rust out of the fuel as it travels from the tank to the engine. If the filter clogs up, fuel will bypass it and carry its load of dirt into the engine.

Check your owner's manual or ask the pros at Kingwood Service Center in Kingwood to find out how often you should change your fuel filter. This should be part of your regular preventive maintenance. Also, remember that if you use bargain-brand or low-grade fuels, or if you drive an older vehicle, your filter will need to be changed more often.

You can also purchase cleaners that will protect your fuel injectors. These cleaners are added to the fuel tank. They work best at preventing build-up in your fuel injectors and can clean up small amounts of carbon, gum and varnish. But they won't be able to clean a fully gummed-up injector. Read the labels before using any of these products for full directions on their use.

If your fuel injectors are gummed up, you can get a professional deep cleaning service at Kingwood Service Center in Kingwood that will result in better fuel economy and improved vehicle performance.

Good vehicle care will prevent serious damage to your fuel injector system. And this is one system that you want to keep in perfect condition.

Kingwood Service Center
3318 Northpark Dr
Kingwood, TX 77339
(281) 360-7323
www.kingwoodservicecenter.net