I know that sometimes things can happen. Tires go bald, radios short out, etc. It can be frustrating. Why does your power sunroof start acting funny? How do you fix it? What happened!?! It can be maddening. Well thanks to Online Auto Repair for the tips and hints on how to take care of this problem. Sure you can call your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer for help but some of you are do it yourselfers and there is nothing wrong with that at all!
Many malfunctions in the sunroof system fall into 2 categories that can often be related to each-other. Water leak issues and electrical problems. Sometimes wiring or switch corrosion can be caused by the water leaks.
A power sunroof can slide the roof panel open or closed. You can also tilt the roof panel up in the back to allow fresh air into the passenger compartment. When driving down the road this can also pull a vacuum and remove stale air from the interior cabin.
In most cases power sunroofs are not that much different than electrically operated power window systems found in most automobiles. Many common parts are shared such as system relays, a master control switch and the motor assembly to perform the movement.
Note that most power sunroof systems are protected by a circuit breaker instead of a fuse. This is in case the sunroof begins to bind. It protects the motor by opening the circuit breaker. Often when people have power sunroof problems they will begin to look for the fuse when there is actually none. A circuit breaker will reset automatically when it cools down.
Power sunroof common problems
Often power sunroofs are a popular option that does not get used very often. When this system sits for months or years without being used often components can develop corrosion that may hinder operation when it is finally desired.
Since a sunroof is part of the exterior surface of the vehicle a complete watertight seal is necessary. If this seal fails or the automatic drain becomes clogged with debris and water sits around the components the corrosion mentioned above will be accelerated. For this reason a very common sunroof problem is water sealing and drainage.
Diagnosing power sunroof problems is pretty straightforward. The first thing to check would be the circuit breaker. Next you would want to verify power at the motor connector. In that case you would be working from the load back towards the battery. If there is no power at the motor you can break out a wiring diagram and do some pinpoint checks at the relay and switch.
To read the full article you can see OnlineAutoRepair.com
Have you ever had issues with your power sunroof? How did you fix it?
You want the perfect garage don’t you? It’s the place where you park your baby. It’s the place where you tinker with your toys. It’s your man cave!! Ladies don’t worry it can be your cave too if you love cars like I know most of you do.
Here’s the thing. You want a perfect garage? There are some things that can help you on your way. If you want to see all the tips check out Jalopnik, but I will share with you a few of my favorites. My garage is my secret getaway and it’s the place I park my Chevy. So I am proud of it.
Why You Need It: For those cold winter nights when you’ve almost got that last bolt un-siezed and you’re this close to getting the old part out, keep your feet warm with radiant tile. Heck, why stop in the garage? Get the whole house done while you’re at it!
Why You Need It: Van Sarockin suggests a lift of the hydraulic nature, but really whether it’s hydraulic or electric, having a lift in your garage is a luxury that truly makes it perfect. It’s often the one thing everyone wishes they had in the garage, but few get to the point of actually installing one.
Why You Need It: Need a tool from across the room? Forget to bring the part you needed under the car with you? No problem! With a live-in shop assistant, you can stay working under the car and send your assistant off to grab parts, turn up the stereo, and bandage your hand. Also, they’re good for delivering pizza.
Why You Need It: Snapoversteer says: “There’s something about a garage that makes it perfectly acceptable to drink a beer at 11:00 a.m.” For as long as mankind has toiled away in the garage, there has been beer there to help the process along. And that beer needs to stay cold, yet close at hand. The garage fridge is the perfect solution.
Why You Need It: For when you absolutely need to scribble something down, but don’t want to stop to find a pen and paper, these walls are covered in paint that replicates a dry erase board. Diagram out your whole build, get shopping lists together, and draw on the wall the whole time! It’s all erasable, so when you’re done with that list, get a new one going in its place!
Those were just a few of my favs. What do you have to have in your garage? What’s important to you? If you have any questions or need any help getting your garage together give your Texas Chevy dealer a call. They have some pretty good ideas!
Do you know what spark plugs are used for? Do you know how important they are? Well they are a very important part of your new or used car or truck. They must be properly working for your vehicle to be working.
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark. – Wikipedia
Ok… So why are these funny looking things so important?
In a gasoline engine the importance of good sparkplugscannot be denied. The electrical arc between the electrode and the ground strap is like a miniature bolt of lightning that ignites the air fuel mixture and in turn generates the power that drives the wheels.
These miniature lightning bolts are commonly called sparkplug firing by most mechanics. If the sparkplug doesn’t fire, the engine doesn’t start. When diagnosing a no start condition some mechanics will say the reason the engine won’t start is because there is no fire.
It is the ignition system that produces the electrical energy that fires the plug. Spark also must be maintained long enough to allow complete combustion of the air fuel mixture in the cylinder. The ignition system then has to deliver this electrical energy to each sparkplug at the right time. – Online Auto Repair
Can you now understand why it is so important to have good spark plugs? Bad spark plugs = car can’t/may not start. When you come to visit your Fort Worth chevy dealer for a tune-up make sure you ask if they will be replacing the spark plugs. Feel free to ask me any questions.
So how many of you out there use water to clean your windshield instead of windshield washer fluid? Did you know that using water could potentially make you sick? I came across this article from Consumer Reports and I thought I needed to share it with my readers. You should use windshield washer fluid instead of water regardless if it makes you sick or not. It will clean your windshield better and when you get your regularly scheduled oil change at your Dallas Chevy dealer they will fill it up for free.
The AFP (Agence France-Presse) reports that using only water in your car’s windshield washer reservoir could increase your chances for contracting Legionnaires’ disease.
The report, coming from a recent Health Protection Agency (HPA) study, stated that motorists could increase their chances of getting the disease by around 20 percent if additional washer fluid isn’t added to the mix.
The researchers for the study interviewed 75 patients in England and Wales who had recovered from community-acquired Legionnaires’ disease between July 2008 and March 2009, comparing them to a group of matched people who had not experienced any similar infection. Willing participants were questioned on their driving habits, possible Legionella sources in vehicles, and known risk factors.
The bacteria that cause Legionnaires’ disease usually grow in the water or ventilation systems of large public buildings. When inhaled, the bacteria can cause pneumonia.
The AFP reports that this is the first time a link has been made between the disease and windshield washer fluid, and it goes on to say that “adding screen wash could mitigate the transmission of Legionella bacteria to drivers and passengers.” An HPA spokesperson commented that “further studies are now needed to determine whether the use of screen wash in wiper fluid could play a role in preventing this disease.” The HPA is exploring ways of taking this study forward with other organizations participating. The study found two exposures associated with vehicle use where there was an increased risk of Legionnaires’ disease: driving through industrial areas and driving or being a passenger in a vehicle without windshield wash in its wiper fluid. These associations had not been previously identified.
The abstract stated that “Not adding screenwash to windscreen wiper fluid is a previously unidentified risk factor and appears to be strongly associated with community acquired sporadic cases of Legionnaires’ disease.”
The HPA carried out the study after finding that cases of the potentially fatal disease were five times more prevalent among professional drivers in England and Wales than expected.
Between 400 and 550 cases of Legionnaires ’ disease have been reported in England and Wales in the last two years, with around one third of those infected as a result of travel to another country.
So next time your windshield wiper fluid needs to be topped off, use a washer detergent, not just plain water. It may cut down the risk of disease and certainly will keep the windshield cleaner.
A lot of people change their oil in their cars and trucks themselves. Lots of people don’t know how to change their oil and would rather just take their cars to their local Dallas Chevy dealer. I found this video that does a really great job of explaining how simple it can be to change your oil yourself if you want to. It’s a fairly simple task but you better make sure you don’t make a mess in the driveway.
With recent flooding in Tennessee and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, I thought it was important to share with you some things to look for when purchasing a used car or truck so that you are sure it’s not flood damaged. Flood damage at times can be difficult to detect but I am hoping these tips from Consumer Reports will help you when you are on your search. You can always get a Car Fax report on the used vehicle you are researching or call your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer if you have questions.
Here are some hints on what to look for:
Inspect the carpets to see if they are wet, damp, or muddy.
Check the seat-mounting screws to see if there is any evidence that they have been removed. To dry the carpets, the seats must be removed, not generally a part of normal maintenance.
Inspect the lights. Headlights and taillights are expensive to replace, and a visible water line may still show on the lens or reflector.
Inspect the difficult-to-clean places, such as gaps between panels in the trunk and under the hood. Waterborne mud and debris may still appear in these places.
Look for mud or debris on the bottom edges of brackets or panels, where it wouldn’t settle naturally.
Look at the heads of any unpainted exposed screws under the dashboard. Unpainted metal in flood cars will show signs of rust.
Check if the rubber drain plugs under the car and on the bottom of doors look as if they have been removed recently. It may have been done to drain floodwater.
If you need to dig deeper, remove a door panel to see whether there is a water mark on the inside.
If you are from an area impacted by a flood and have a car that was not damaged, be aware that buyers may still suspect that it was. Consider having a mechanic inspect the car before you sell it so that you can present potential buyers with a clean bill of health.
Likewise, months and even years after a major event like the Tennessee flooding, damaged cars can surface in other parts of the country. It best to be vigilant when considering a used-car purchase.
Here is a good video with some tips from Car Fax:
Have you ever purchased a flood damaged vehicle unaware of it? Did it cause you any headaches?
So it’s time to start thinking about your car or truck. Time for some maintenance right? Well there are a few misconceptions out there. I found a great article from Consumer Reports on the myths of car care. Even if you have no ill intentions it’s true that you could do stuff which will lead to spending more money, causing damage to your car or truck and even putting your safety at risk. Below are the myth’s from Consumer Reports and a link to a nice video that helps spell it all out while adding some additional myths as well. When taking your car or truck to a Dallas Chevy dealer for some maintenance at least now you’ll know if you caused the damage yourself or not. Right?
Myth: If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better. Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won’t hurt, but it won’t improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it’s often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don’t waste money on premium. Only use premium if your car’s owner’s manual says “required.”
Myth: Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving. Reality: That might have been good advice for yesteryear’s cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they’re driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don’t rev the engine high over the first few miles while it’s warming up.
Myth: A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car’s factory warranty valid. Reality: As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner’s manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you’re knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.
See Consumer Reports for the cool video and additional information on car or truck care myths.
Your new or used car or truck has a weak link…. It’s TRUE! Believe me when I tell you….YOUR TIMING BELT IS THE WEAKEST LINK IN YOUR ENGINE!
What is a timing belt?
A timing belt, timing chain or cam belt is part of an internal combustion engine. It connects the crankshaft to the camshaft(s), which control the opening and closing of the engine’s valves. Some cars only have one camshaft; others have more than one. Timing belts are used with engines that have overhead camshafts in place of the old timing chains because they’re easier and cheaper to manufacture. – EHow
If your car has less than 100,000 miles well maybe you don’t need to worry but if you have more miles than that on your new or used car or tuck then the mere mention of the timing belt should fill you with spine tingling fear. Why? A worn timing belt will quickly deteriorate into a BROKEN timing belt which could then result in catastrophic engine damage. You never want to be stranded right? I’m sure you like walking but not 20 miles to work… I wouldn’t.
Timing belt service is not inexpensive and trying to save money going for the lowest bidder can be a prelude to disaster. I suggest using top quality parts, done by a mechanic that knows your type of vehicle. A local Dallas Chevy dealer can help to. They will know if there are common faults that prevent the service from lasting through another full service cycle.
BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY - Typically, thousands of dollars or more in damage can be donw when a timing belt fails. A lot of times the engine is destroyed.
So your car or truck is new, that doesn’t matter, just remember that the weakest link is the one that takes the rest of the car or truck with it. That’s just one of the many many reasons you must follow the manufacturers recommended mileage intervals for timing belt replacement, so an experienced mechanic and or Dallas Chevy dealer can inspect the timing components to ensure they ALL can keep on driving with confidence. The basic timing belt service on most four cylinder vehicles starts at around $300.00. Be sure to read your owner’s manual for your actual mileage to have your timing belt looked at.
Does anyone have any timing belt horror stories? Send them over to me…. I’ve heard some pretty interesting ones in my time.
Brakes are one of the most important parts on your new or used car or truck. They will need to be replaced every now and then when they are going bad. Here are some symptoms to look for.
1) Ever heard that annoying high pitched squeal from your brakes when you apply pressure to stop? A majority of vehicles brake pads contain a thin hard metal tab within the brake pad that acts like a fingernail on a chalkboard when pads are worn down to the minimum thickness. This is the sound of warning. The sound that tells you it is time to replace your brakes.
2) You should never notice any grinding when listening to your brakes. No squealing, no dragging, no thumping either! If you hear any of this then you should take your car or truck into the shop and have your brakes checked. Any of these sounds could lead to further damage if left unchecked.
3) If your new or used car or truck has anti-lock brakes or ABS, then you will most definitely notice a pulse of the brake pedal in certain weather conditions like heavy rain, snow, ice, or if you have to slam on your brakes. If for some odd reason your brakes are pulsating and you are not currently dealing with these weather conditions then you better high tail it over to see your mechanic. Normal braking should be a smooth operation.
Why Good Brakes Go Bad
Obviously, certain driving conditions can accelerate brake wear. Stop and go traffic creates the most wear, but there are other types of driving that cause premature wear. Aggressive driving certainly will cause more wear, as will unnecessarily riding the brake pedal during driving. It follows, then, that the best way to maximize the life of brake pads is to avoid aggressive driving and avoid stop and go situations when possible.
It’s also good to coast as much as possible, and to not rest feet on the brake pedal in non-braking situations.
Brakes will wear out eventually, but there are ways to make them last as long as possible. That’s a good thing, since brake jobs are among the more costly of basic maintenance services, due mostly to labor involved. Keeping brakes in good shape may be costly, but it’s worth it. – Car Reviews
Check out this video on brake replacement if you think that you can handle the job. If you need help from a local dallas chevy dealer feel free to bring it down to us we’ll take a look!
Cars and trucks have had diagnostic systems for years something that had greatly benefited us for a long time. Now this concept has gotten even better. There’s a way for your car or truck to send you an email every month and let you know if your new car or truck is having any issues or needs any attention. This is pretty much the idea behind General Motors’ OnStar diagnostic system. In January Onstar sent an email to 1.8 millions Chevy owners and here’s what they learned about their cars: 11% were told they are overdue for an oil change, 38% got the news that they have a least one tire with low pressure, and 1% had some sort of mechanical problem, most of those were just annoying issues like the gas cap wasn’t on tight enough.
When you get your new GM car or truck you can sign up to get a monthly e-mail which then will let you know what’s wrong with your new car or truck. That’s pretty great in my opinion.
“At Chevrolet, we have significantly reduced customer warranty claims over the past few years, as we continually strive to make the most dependable cars and trucks on the road. A key part of that success is OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, which helps Chevrolet and our customers keep vehicles in top running condition,” says Chevrolet General Manager Jim Campbell.
It’s just another reason why you want and need OnStar in your new car or truck.
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, husband, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at: hagen@classicchevytexas.com
I know that sometimes things can happen. Tires go bald, radios short out, etc. It can be frustrating. Why does your power sunroof start acting funny? How do you fix it? What happened!?! It can be maddening. Well thanks to Online Auto Repair for the tips and hints on how to take care of this problem. Sure you can call your local Fort Worth Chevy dealer for help but some of you are do it yourselfers and there is nothing wrong with that at all! 
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