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Our Lithia Nissan of Eugene service department often encourages customers to schedule seasonal checkups to address possible oil changes, tire rotations and battery issues. People often wonder why, especially about batteries. Batteries, even new batters, are apt to work inefficiently or fail entirely in summer and winter. Why? Here's why.

All About Electrolytes

Just like your muscles cramp and shut down when you lack electrolytes, something similar happens to your car battery. It produces electricity when lead and lead dioxide on its interior plates react 

A battery alone is not enough to provide electrical power to your vehicle. Besides accessories such as lights, stereos and power windows an electrical charge for spark plugs to ignite internal combustion. A battery can be drained in a matter of minutes without a charging source.

This is where the alternator is vital. The alternator is a form of generator that uses engine revolutions to continuously recharge the battery. A belt is connected from the driveshaft to the alternator which allows is to spin and generate electricity. 

If your vehicle takes a daily pounding during work commutes and errands, having your tires rotated is a must. Tire rotations keep your tires in optimal health, extend your tires' life and gives your ride maximum traction on Eugene roads and beyond.

Back, Forth, Left, Right

Tire rotations just mean that a trained service department tech changes each of your tires from their existing position on your car to another position: back tires to the front or front tires to the back, for example. Some rotations call for tires to swap sides and move from front to back/back to…

weather isn't always kind to a car or truck. Owners should take steps to protect their vehicles from harm when winter arrives. Little things such as not cleaning snow off the body could lead to surprising problems over time. Salt could corrode the paint. And there are other issues of concern.

Check your battery with a volt test device. Better yet, let a professional do it. Cold weather can kill a battery even when it has a good charge. Find out if your battery needs replacing long before the thermostat shows frigid weather.

Coolants protect the engine from suffering…

Winter driving can be treacherous, and our team at Lithia Nissan of Eugene wants you to be informed about the best type of winter tires. Even in the best of driving conditions, snow and ice can be problematic if you don’t have the right kind of tires on your car. Come and see our selection of winter tires and learn what tires will best meet your driving habits. Here are the three types of tires and when they’re best used.

• Studded winter tires – They’re very good on snow but not as good on ice unless the studs…

Lithia Nissan of Eugene wants to take a moment to tell you how important it is to take a chipped windshield seriously. You might not realize it, but such a chip can really create problems down the road. The problem will not go away on its own, so you will want to look at getting it repaired as soon as you can.

You will be pleased to know that chip repair can be done in under 30 minutes in most cases. That is as long as you have it taken care of before it is allowed to expand and impact…

There are many gases and fluids circulating in a vehicle at all times. Learning what gaskets do is essential to maintain the longevity of your vehicle. If any of the gases and fluids escape from your vehicle, this can potentially be detrimental to your vehicle and can also be dangerous.

One sign that your gasket is failing is when you observe foaming and bubbling within the radiator. You may also notice white smoke coming from the tailpipe. These are both indicators that your gasket is failing.

 

There are some points when it is safe to use winter tires. Then there are cases when it is never a good idea or necessary to use winter tires. The type of tire you have on during certain seasons can make your ride miserable or make it go smoothly.

If you are in an area where it is never cold enough to snow, then you might be okay with all-season tires. They won't get that stiff in the cold. Also, all season tires are good for the spring and fall because they provide adequate traction.

 

 

When parts of our vehicle, such as brake pedals, break down or quit working, this seldom happens with no warning. Often, being aware of other problems can help you be on top of issues happening. This is especially true with brake pedal problems. Stop at Lithia Nissan of Eugene and talk with our technicians if you have any questions about brakes or anything automotive.

We offer brake replacement and maintenance as well as many other automotive services and supplies. Call for an appointment or stop and visit our shop today.

With the exception of lithium-ion packs, battery technology has remained relatively unchanged for the past 50 years. Lead acid batteries still dominate the automotive market because of their relatively low price, stable and reusable cells, and resistance to wide temperatures and vibration. However, while the lead-acid battery is able to handle a wide range of temperatures, extremely high or low temperatures can begin to expose faults in older batteries. Water is a major component in lead-acid batteries.

Just as water freezes at low temps and boils at high temps...