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7 TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR CAR FOR A ROAD TRIP

Road trips can be fun and exciting for the entire family. Whether you plan to travel for just a few days or a few weeks, these trips provide a great way to see the world around you. The most important thing to do before you go on any road trip is to prepare your car. A little preparation ahead of your trip can prevent unnecessary problems with your vehicle while your away.

Here’s a look at seven tips to help you prepare your vehicle for an upcoming road trip

MAKE SURE ALL LIGHTS ARE WORKING

The first thing you want to do is to check to make sure all the lights and signals, including headlights, taillights, fog lights, brake lights, and turn signal lights, on your car, are working. Replace any bulbs if necessary.

TEST TYRE PRESSURE

Use a tyre gauge to check and fill the air of all four tires. You can find the appropriate tyre pressure for your vehicle on the sticker inside the door of the driver’s side. Maintaining the right tyre pressure will not only extend the life of your tyres, but it will make sure you get the best fuel mileage possible.

EXAMINE TYRE TREAD

You don’t want to take your car on a road trip if the tread on the tyres is too worn. If your tyre’s tread is less than 2/23 of an inch, you should get new tyres before your trip

REPLACE WIPER BLADES IF NECESSARY

Check the condition of your windshield wipers and replace if you detect any damage, tearing, or wearing.

CHECK MOTOR OIL

Find out the date of your last oil change. If it’s been more than 5,000 km ago or you will reach the 5,000 km point during your road trip, you should schedule an oil change before you leave. If you recently had an oil change, then you only need to check the oil level and add more if necessary.

TOP OFF ALL FLUIDS

 

Check and top off all fluids, including brake fluid, transmission fluid, engine coolant, windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze, and power steering fluid in your car. You also want to check the air filter in your car and replace it if needed.

LOOK FOR CRACKS, LEAKS, AND TEARS

Perform a thorough examination of your vehicle and check for any types of leaks, cracks, or tears in the belts and hoses. If you notice any damage, replace the belt or hose before your trip.

 

Preparing your car for a road trip can help keep you and your passengers safe on the road and maximize the performance of your vehicle. If you know enough about cars, you may be able to complete this checklist on your own.

 

Otherwise, schedule an appointment with Honda Lahore (042 111-042-042) a week or two before your trip and we’ll be happy to make sure your vehicle is ready for your trip.

TYRES ROTATION

Can you remember the last time you rotated your tyres? For most people, the answer is no. This simple yet important maintenance task is often overlooked. Forgetting to rotate your tyres will be more expensive and potentially dangerous in the long run.

Tyre manufacturers say you should rotate your tyres every 10,000 km. If you aren’t sure, you can check your owner’s manual or with a maintenance professional.

 

HOW TYRE ROTATION EXTENDS THE LIFE OF YOUR TIRES, WHY ROTATE?

Each wheel has a different task while you are driving. This means they each have a different wear pattern. By rotating your tyres from side to side and front to back your tyres will wear down evenly.

Front tyres usually wear down from turning left and right. The tyres that receive the power to move your car also receive extra wear. You’ll know which ones these are by determining if your car is front, rear, or all-wheel drive.

 

BENEFITS

If your tyres have an even amount of tread, your car will have better traction and handling. This is especially important through turns or on wet roads. The tread in the tyres directs the water away from the wheels. This won’t happen if the tread is worn down in some places and not others.

By rotating your tyres, you will ensure all four tyres are replaced at the same time. You need to do this to maintain optimum handling. You don’t want to have one tyre with much thicker tread and the other with shallow tread. It may not look like a big difference, but it will be noticeable in the ride of your car.

 

DANGERS OF NOT ROTATING

All too often, rotating your tyres isn’t a concern until something bad happens. You don’t want to be traveling at a high speed when a thin spot on your tyre finally gives out. These blowouts can be dangerous and cause loss of control.

You may notice a strange noise while driving. This happens when the tyre doesn’t have uniform contact with the road. The different tread depths will cause the tyre to create noise. Uneven road contact can also cause vibration in your steering wheel. The extra vibration will put unnecessary stress on the rest of your car.

If you can’t remember the last time you rotated your tyres, it’s time to give us a call here at Honda Lahore (042 111 042 042). With years of experience, we will inspect your tyres to determine the best rotation pattern to extend their life. Once rotated, make a record so you know when to schedule your next rotation.

Contact our professionals today at Honda Lahore at 111 042 042 to schedule your appointment.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT O2 SENSORS

Have you ever taken your car to a shop to diagnose a Check Engine light, and an hour later the mechanic comes out and confidently declares that you have a bad O2 sensor? For many car owners, the word “sensor” means easy, not important, or something very simple. But have you ever wondered what an O2 sensor actually does? Here is a basic overview of O2 sensors, also known as oxygen sensors.

 

WHAT O2 SENSORS DO

 

Put simply, O2 sensors help regulate your car engine’s air-fuel ratio. Each explosion in your car’s combustion chambers is caused by an ignition of air and fuel. When the ratio of air and fuel taken into those chambers remains optimal, your car will run and idle just fine. However, when there is too much fuel taken in, that means the system is running “rich,” and your car’s performance will suffer. Same thing when there is too little fuel taken in, also known as running “lean”.

 

Because of this, there are at least two O2 sensors installed in your car: the upstream and downstream sensors. They both work basically the same way: they sense the amount of unburned oxygen at different points in the exhaust system, and emit a voltage that corresponds to that amount. The voltage emitted determines the level of fuel taken into the combustion chambers. If your system is running lean, the O2 sensors will signal for more fuel; if it’s running rich, they will signal for less. Amazingly, this process is constantly taking place as you drive your car!

 

The main point of all of this is to consistently keep your air-fuel ratio at the optimal level for your car.

LET HONDA LAHORE HELPS

The tricky thing with O2 sensors is that when your Check Engine light comes on, your OBD2 codes will indicate that you have a bad O2 sensor, when in reality you don’t! The reason for that is simple: many of your car’s codes only tell you about the symptoms of the problem, not the actual cause. So before you shell out those Thousands of rupees just replacing parts, make sure your mechanic has thoroughly diagnosed and tested the entire system to pinpoint the true, correct failure and reason for setting off the Check Engine Light.

At Honda Lahore, we have trained professionals, who will not hastily replace parts that are still working, but will work hard to determine the true cause behind that pesky Check Engine light. Please come see us today!

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OIL CHANGES FOR YOUR CAR

Regular maintenance lengthens the life and maximizes the efficiency of your vehicle. Oil changes are among the most frequent and inexpensive tasks which will help to maintain your car. Clean oil and a new filter ensure that all the moving parts of your engine run smoothly and with minimal heat and friction. The combination of heat and friction can warp the tight-fitting engine parts, and if you ignore your oil warning light long enough, the engine may fail completely. It’s not worth it.

Which oil type to use and how often it should be changed depends on your vehicle, the manufacturer’s recommendations can be found in your owner’s manual. But there are some guidelines you can use to help you make good decisions regarding your oil changes. You can also ask the Service team at Honda Lahore if you have questions about oil changes, or other maintenance needs.

CONVENTIONAL OIL

All motor oil comes from the same place — oil wells, which pump crude oil from deep underground. Conventional oils are a crude oil product, processed into a cleaner substance so it can be used in engines. Despite processing, this type of oil has the shortest useful life in an engine, and is the least refined of the modern motor oil products. Conventional oil is less effective in cold weather, taking a long time to warm enough to properly lubricate your engine.

SYNTHETIC OIL

Fully synthetic oil is almost always still refined from crude oil or its byproducts, but each manufacturer has its own method of refining and synthesizing. Regardless of the method, the effects are the same: a longer lasting, more refined, cleaner oil. Synthetic oil has the highest cost, but the increase in lifespan and quality generally make it a more economical choice over the long term.

 

Choosing the right oil for your vehicle is a critical part of vehicle maintenance. Clean oil ensures smooth movement and maximum engine life. For most people, a vehicle is one of their largest investments, and regular and proper oil changes are an inexpensive way to protect that investment.

TRANSMISSION SERVICE: WHAT IS IT, REALLY?

An auto mechanic can tell you that your car needs transmission service, but what does that really mean? Some auto mechanics may not always explain things clearly. Maybe they don’t want customers to know, or maybe they think that there’s no way to explain what needs to be done in terms customers will understand.

 

At Honda Lahore we don’t operate that way. If your car needs transmission service, you deserve to know exactly what needs to be done.

 

In this post we describe four of the most common types of transmission service and what they entail.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID EXCHANGE

An auto mechanic can tell you that your car needs transmission service, but what does that really mean? Some auto mechanics may not always explain things clearly. Maybe they don’t want customers to know, or maybe they think that there’s no way to explain what needs to be done in terms customers will understand.

 

At Honda Lahore we don’t operate that way. If your car needs transmission service, you deserve to know exactly what needs to be done.

 

In this post we describe four of the most common types of transmission service and what they entail.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID REPLACEMENT

Your car is equipped with a filter to remove dirt and debris as transmission fluid circulates through the system. Over time, this filter becomes dirty and will decrease the performance of your vehicle.

 

We start by removing the transmission pan and replacing the old filter with a new one that meets manufacturer specifications. We also remove and replace the gasket material before reinstalling the transmission pan. We finish everything up by ensuring your system is filled with new transmission fluid as recommend by your manufacturer.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID REPLACEMENT

Manual transmissions are similar to automatic transmissions in their mechanical operation. The only difference is that the driver works the clutch instead of the car doing it automatically. Manual transmission service involves evacuating the system completely before refilling it with the appropriate grade of transmission fluid.

 

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION SERVICE

A complete transmission service is the most comprehensive form of preventative transmission maintenance offered. Not only do we replace transmission fluid and filter, we also check various components to make sure they are in good working order. We examine the transmission sump and pan. We clean the transmission pan. We replace the pan’s gasket material. While we have the pan removed, we also look inside your transmission to check for friction damage and metal particles. We will advise you if your transmission shows excessive wear serious enough to be of concern. Any serious issues will lead to a recommendation from our auto mechanic as to your best course of action.

We hope we have provided you with a better understanding of what transmission service really entails. So when you’re looking for a new automotive repair & maintenance services you can trust with your transmission, look no further than Honda Lahore.

GETTING YOUR OIL CHANGED: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Although everyone who owns a car understands that they must get oil changes, there is still some mystery as to how often, what kind of oil, and why regular oil changes are so vital to your car’s health and longevity.

 

The team at Honda Lahore wants to remove the guesswork from your auto repair; Call us now for best customer services in sales & aftersales.