Category: Uncategorized

What’s Wrong With My Car? White’s Automotive Answers Your Questions

It’s time for an Ask the Expert segment with White’s Automotive. Questions can be submitted here and will be answered on a future WTVM Business Break.

For today’s first question, a viewer asked about their 1997 Honda Accord that doesn’t start in the morning, but for the rest of the day, it starts fine.

First, I’d like to say I enjoy these types of challenges. In an earlier Business Break, I talked about the details of the problem that you have. This is a perfect example. When it doesn’t start, does the starter engage or is it just clicking? And what do you do to get it started in the morning?

If you are having to jump it off, I would have the battery tested and make sure the cables are clean and tight. If the battery is good and the cables are good, then you may have something drawing the battery down overnight. I just need more details so that I can accurately answer and possibly give you a viable solution.

Today’s second question was about a Chevy Equinox jerking to the left. The driver stated an alignment has been done and the brakes are good.

When does it jerk? I assume it’s when you apply the brake that it jerks to the left. You can have good brake pads, but if one of the calipers is seized and not working properly, that can cause a jerk. Also, the proper procedure for doing an alignment is to check all front-end parts before the alignment. If the alignment was done properly, you shouldn’t have any worn-out ball joints or tie rods.

Thank you both for submitting your questions! If you need further assistance, I would be glad to help. Just call 706-323-1060 or stop by White’s Automotive in Columbus during our regular business hours: Monday Friday: 7:30a m-6:30 pm | Saturday: 7:30 am-2:30 pm

The importance of car maintenance

How important is an oil change? In short, it is very important for modern vehicles. On modern vehicles, the tolerance of the way engine parts fit together is closer than it used to be. Almost all vehicles manufactured today utilize variable valve timing systems that have oil passages that are as small as the point in a ballpoint pen. As you can see in this picture, this is oil sludge. This is what happens when you don’t change the oil regularly and on time. As you can see, the oil has hardened and is covering up the bolts that hold this part on. Imagine what it does to the small passages that the timing system needs to operate.

This engine sludge will cause the timing chain to get loose which causes you to hear a rattling noise in the morning at first start-up. This sludge can and will starve the key engine components of oil. This in turn will cause catastrophic engine failure way before it should. So, get your oil changed regularly. If you use a conventional oil, also known as the cheapest oil change, I recommend every 3 months or 3000 miles. If you use a high-quality full synthetic, you can push to 5 months or 5000 miles. The best quality of oil allows you to go 7 months or 7500 miles.

The other part I want to discuss is your battery. We all know that when your battery fails, it can leave you stranded. What I want to talk about is before it completely fails, it needs to be tested at least every time you change the oil. The main reason is a weak battery puts a lot of stress on the alternator, starter, and computer system. If you notice your vehicle starting slower, you should be able to hear it. Get it tested and replace it. I have a rental car fleet of 40 to 50 vehicles, and I have only replaced about 3 alternators and about 2 starters in 30 years. I keep the vehicles up to about 150,000 miles and I test the battery every 4 months and every other time it comes in for service. By doing this, I don’t have customers that need to be jumped off, and alternators and starters don’t get overworked and damaged.

So, get that oil change and battery tested regularly. It is the cheapest repair you can do for your vehicle to last a long time. Come see us at White’s Automotive Center – we’re here to help and answer your auto repair questions.

Purchasing a Used Vehicle

So, you’re thinking of buying a used car. Well, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the vehicle inspected before you purchase. With today’s market and used or new car availability, there is just not much out there. Most of the available vehicles are in “bottom of the barrel” condition. The reason is that people aren’t trading in their vehicles to buy new ones. Most people are getting rid of vehicles because the repair bill is too high or there is something wrong with the car. Now there are good used cars…just not very many. Therefore, you need to get it inspected by a professional, preferably by a third party.

I have two levels of inspection that I can perform on a vehicle that you want to purchase. The first level is at no cost to you, and it involves checking the overall condition of the car. That usually involves checking for bodywork to see if the vehicle was in a major accident. Small fender benders are not a big problem, but suspension and frame damage can be very serious. We also check fluid levels and the condition of fluids. We also look for leaks and possible major engine or transmission repairs. And, we check the A/C, heater function, and interior condition. We see if the vehicle looks “tired” or worn out.

If we pass the first inspection then you can opt to have it put on the rack and have a more detailed inspection. This inspection comes with a fee and may need to be worked into the schedule. I always recommend at least the first level. If a vehicle has been taken care of, it will most likely be a good vehicle for you. Remember to test drive the vehicle and have it inspected before you sign or purchase the vehicle. This can save you a lot of money on repair bills. Let us know if you have any questions and come see us at White’s Automotive Center.

When Do You Need New Tires?

Tires…it’s an investment for your vehicle and a rather important investment. A lot of people don’t think tires are that important until it’s too late. They try to squeeze every inch of life out of the tire to save a couple of dollars. Let’s say your tire costs $150.00 and you wear the tire down to the last 10%, you only have $15.00 worth of tire left. With only 10% left, you have a higher risk of hydroplaning. Is an accident caused by hydroplaning worth $15.00? No.

As you can see in this example, the tread bar indicators are made into all tires. These four bars are in a line, and when they become even with the tread, it’s time for a new tire. At this point, the tire becomes less efficient at treading water and your risk of hydroplaning is severe. So, as you get closer to these tread bars, you need to start shopping for tires.

In this example, we have a tire that had a broken belt which caused the tire to deform and caused this one spot to wear out. You can see the steel cords are exposed. This tire caused severe vibrations before reaching this level of wear. This other example is a tire that has been on a vehicle that was out of alignment. As you see, one side has good tread and the other side is worn out. This tire causes a pulling problem. Even if you align the vehicle properly, it will still pull until you replace the tire.

Finally, people always ask about used tires. Used tires have a place, but I never recommend them. In this next example, you see the cracks in the tread…this is called dry rot. This happens when the tire gets old and has been dried out by the sunlight. This rubber is brittle and has cracks. It is no longer able to hold the belts in place properly. This tire has a very high risk of a broken belt causing sudden catastrophic failure. Also, used tires range from $40.00 to $75.00 each, and most only last 6 months to a year. In comparison, a new tire may average around $150.00 and can last 5 or 6 years.

So…with a little planning and attention to your tires, you can start saving for a new set. That way you are never caught by surprise with worn-out tires. You also have the money saved to buy new instead of used.

Things To Look For When Your Car Won’t Start

We have customers who come in all the time saying, “My car didn’t start this morning.” Or they’ll say it didn’t start one time last week. Of course, we get in it, look at the vehicle, and the vehicle seems fine. These problems are the worst kind to have. You, as an owner of the vehicle, now can’t trust it and we can’t get it to duplicate the problem to run an accurate test.

What most people don’t realize is that all tests we perform are only good if the problem is currently happening. Also, for this example, some multiple components and wires can cause a car not to start. Now I bet you’re wondering what to do in this situation. Well, the best thing you can do is pay attention; is it first thing in the morning, at lunch, or did you go to the gas station, buy a drink, and try to leave? Write down or remember as many details as you can and let us know so we can have a better chance to duplicate the problem and get it repaired.

This also applies to other systems in the vehicle. If you hear a noise, did you go over a speed bump or road construction bumps, when taking a right turn? All these symptoms can help diagnose your problem. Is your car running poorly when you’re on the highway, in town, at a drive-thru?

So, when a problem is “Ghosting” you, just get as much information as you can so we can duplicate the issue. If we can duplicate it several times, we can find it and repair it and then give it back to you with confidence that your vehicle is repaired properly. Come see us at White’s Automotive Center.

Always Hiring, come in and fill out an Application.