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Our Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Car Care

top 10 tips and tricks for car care
top 10 tips and tricks for car care
  1. Our top 10 tips and tricks for car care - image 1Use toothpaste to clean your headlights – if your headlights are looking a little dull or cloudy, buff them with toothpaste and a soft cloth and you’ll be surprised how amazing they look.
  2. Create a car bin – keep your vehicle neat and tidy by having a small bin in the backseat. You can craft one out of a plastic cereal container and just add a plastic bag inside.
  3. Check your mirrors are set correctly – safety experts recommend that no part of your car should appear in your mirrors so that you can negate blind spots.

– All your mirrors should slightly overlap your field of view –
See this neat diagram we found from Car and Driver:

Our top 10 tips and tricks for car care - image 2

  1. Use a shower caddy to keep kid’s meals on their laps and not on your seats or floors.
  2. Get a parking app on your phone so you never forget where you left your car, or take a photo on your smartphone whenever you park the car.
  3. A shoe organizer from the dollar store is a great way to organize all your travel supplies; hang it on the back of the front seats and you have everything within reach.
  4. Cool a car down without air conditioning by rolling down one window and then opening and closing the door on the other side five to six times. Your car will cool down without the need for air-conditioning by sending all the hot air out the window.
  5. Keep a microfibre cloth in your centre console so you are always ready for any spills, or you can dust off the dash while you’re sitting in traffic and notice all the dust build up!
  6. When you next clean the inside of your car, put a few drops of your favourite essential oil on the cloth you use to wipe down your car seats so that the lovely aroma lingers in the car.
  7. Each time you fill up your car with fuel, check your tyre pressure to make sure they’re all at the right levels so you’re getting the best fuel economy.

Keep calm and know your dashboard:

Cars are incredible machines and year on year their technology expands bringing you safer, more efficient and more powerful driving experiences. Although they may be mechanical wonders, they are not immune to faults or damage, but luckily when something does start to go wrong your car is able to tell you what’s happening beneath the hood…. so long as you know how to read the signals!

Taking time to understand your vehicle’s warning signals will not only reduce the stress levels when you see your dash illuminate, but you could also save yourself time and money by accurately understanding the message your car is sending.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 1ECU / Engine Warning Light

If you see this warning light you’ll probably also experience other unusual symptoms including loss of power as your car goes into safe mode, or a stuttering as you accelerate. Although it may only be a small issue such as faulty wiring, any time the engine warning light illuminates you should get your auto technician to look at it as soon as possible.

It may be a bigger issue than you think and driving around with a faulty engine could continue to cause damage to your car.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 2Coolant Warning Light

This could either mean your coolant levels are low and need a top up (check the gauge on the side of the coolant tank under the bonnet) or your engine is overheating. If your coolant levels are fine then book in with your auto technician to take a look.

If your engine gets too hot it can breakdown, taking one small problem and turning it into a big expensive problem for you… so don’t let that happen!

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 3Brake System / Brake Fluid Warning Light

Get this checked by your auto technician ASAP… you don’t want to drive anywhere with dodgy brakes.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 4Battery Charge Warning Light

Your battery charge warning light should illuminate when you first turn your car on, but if it doesn’t go out a few seconds after the engine starts, there could be a problem with your car’s electrical system.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 5Airbag Warning Light

This warning indicates an airbag in your vehicle is malfunctioning. Although you may think you can get away with leaving this a while you never know when you will need your airbag to deploy. I’m sure you also don’t want the airbag to deploy unexpectedly while you’re driving along… it may cause a crash.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 6Tyre Pressure Monitor Warning Light

If this warning light comes on you may have a puncture in your tyre setting off the tyre pressure monitor. Pull over and take a look at all your tyres to make sure.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 7DPF / Diesel Particulate Filter Warning Light

Most modern diesel vehicles are fitted with a diesel particulate filter, which removes harmful soot from the exhaust gases to reduce emissions.

top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 8If this is faulty it’ll trigger a warning light and could not only mean you’re releasing a toxic cloud of black smoke every time you press the accelerator, but that you could be causing damage to your engine. Get this checked out straight away as DPFs can become blocked and can be expensive to replace.

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top 10 car care tips and tricks - light 9Oil Warning Light

Your oil warning light may flash up if your oil temperature gets too high, the level is low or oil pressure too low. It’s the latter two you want to avoid at all costs.

Oil is what lubricates your engine, with the oil pump used to spray the fluid to all corners of your engine. If temperatures get too high, or even worse, level is low or oil pressure drops, the effectiveness of the lubrication can be reduced or lost all together.

The result? Expensive engine damage, so if you see this warning sign, stop and phone a professional right away.

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Warning light woes:

It could be something as minor as a faulty sensor or a broken wire, or it could be something more serious that, if left unchecked, will cause lasting and expensive damage to your vehicle.

Regular servicing and maintenance can help protect your vehicle from firing off a fault, so keep a close eye on your car and its warning lights to save you money and avoid those expensive garage bills. Phone (07) 5456 4859 to book your next vehicle service with SVS Autocare.

Car Service Tips: Your Roadworthy Requirements Checklist

checklist
checklist

Even the most modern vehicles will require servicing from time to time. Normal issues can include flat tyres, malfunctioning brake lights, a worn-out transmission or cracks in the windscreen. Making certain that a vehicle is roadworthy is another important variable. Let us take a look at some of the areas which a quality repair centre will address. This checklist can come in handy to make certain that your car is “up to speed” before a roadworthy certification is granted. Read more “Car Service Tips: Your Roadworthy Requirements Checklist”

The Right Way to Care for Your Auto Air Conditioning in the Winter

Air Conditioning
Air Conditioning

As winter approaches, you’re probably starting to use your car’s air conditioning system less and less. Pretty soon, you may cease to use it altogether. Most car owners believe that they can forget about their AC system until the warm weather comes around again, but this kind of thinking could cause an AC system to decline to the point needing the services of a good Sunshine Coast mechanics. Here are some simple ways to ensure that your AC system will still be in tiptop condition once the cold season is over. Read more “The Right Way to Care for Your Auto Air Conditioning in the Winter”

What Our Clients Say

As a former sales rep in the automotive industry, I’ve had the opportunity to visit over a thousand workshops between Brisbane and Bundaberg, including all of the major prestige dealerships. The SVS Autocare workshop is one of the most pristine …

Michael Lane

We have had a cars serviced with SVS Autocare several times and they are amazing!! From the moment you walk through the door, the service is fantastic and they go above and beyond what they have to. All of the …

Katrina Scotland

I’d like to thank the crew at SVS Autocare for their great service throughout the years. My car broke down last week and from the first second on the phone they were 100% professional and understanding to my needs as …

Alexander Symonds

A few months ago I had an issue with the timing chain on my Mercedes CLS. This immediately became a MAJOR problem when I received a quote from the local Mercedes dealer for over $19,000!!! As I was familiar with …

Natalee Nancarrow

I can’t speak highly enough of the service and workmanship of all at SVS. My experience began with a friendly, warm reception by the owners wife and staff. After a sympathetic ear, the owner / technician was summoned and came …

Stephen G Rado

Dear Catherine, Martin and the fabulous team at SVS, I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who had a hand in putting my Mitsubishi Pajero back on the road. After the months of drama and …

Gwyneth

The service provided by SVS Autocare is secondary to none. All their staff are friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. They send regular reminders. They pick up our cars from work and drop them back before the end of the day or …

Dr Oliver Gunson