Looking after your car battery

Summer is still lingering, but colder months are just around the corner.

Before we get there it's a good time to start thinking about our cars and take some precautions now to avoid the winter blues later on.

The component that tends to come under the most stress in winter, and usually fails first, is the battery that powers our car.

We might think it's the engine that powers the car, but it won't be going anywhere if the battery is flat. And we all know that there are few things worse than being stuck with a car that won't start on a cold morning when you're already late for work.

A first step to avoid the worry is to know how to check the battery. If you’re not sure where it’s located have a look at the owner’s manual. In most car’s it’s quite prominent in the engine bay under the bonnet, but on occasion it can be found in the boot of the car.

If your car is old, then it’s most likely that the battery will be old too. If that’s the case, i.e. three years or more, then it’s worth having it checked by your mechanic to ensure it's going to be capable of doing its job in the colder months ahead.

Once you’re familiar with where the battery is located, have a look at the state it’s in.  It's quite common to find the build-up of corrosion on the terminals (terminals are hard to miss once you’re looking at the battery); it's a white crystalline substance that can affect the battery's performance.

Pouring boiling water over the terminals is enough to clean the corrosion off the outside of the terminals, but to clean them properly it's necessary to disconnect them. To disconnect the terminals loosen the terminal clamps, negative first and positive last, and then wash the corrosion away from the battery terminals and the clamps with boiling water.

Dry the terminals and clamps and reconnect the leads, positive first and negative last. To help stall the build-up of corrosion apply a smear of Vaseline or other petroleum jelly over the outside of the terminal.

Do not apply the jelly to the terminal before you connect the leads as that could affect the conductivity and lower the battery's performance.

If you’re not confident in doing any of this then bring your car in to Cooper Automotive and we’ll make sure you’ll be safe on the road this winter.

Handy hints:

If you are going to disconnect the terminals on the battery make sure you have your radio's security code as you'll need that when you reconnect the battery again. If you don't have it, get it from you dealer or manufacturer before you go any further. Without it you won't be able to use your radio!

It’s also worth noting that your engine may run rough, idle poorly or the engine may cut out at idle after the battery has been disconnected. This occurs in some cars because the car’s computer has lost its memory while the battery was disconnected. Once you have driven the car for a while the computer will re-learn and will idle normally again.

Tune up your driving with these great apps!

We live in an age of seamless connectivity.

These days drivers expect their car to connect to their smartphone (or other device), so that it can instantly provide all the information, communication and entertainment they could want to their fingertips.

But that’s not all. Did you know that you can use the power of technology to improve your driving habits, or to optimize your car for better performance?

We've compiled a list of our three favourite apps that can help you track your car’s overall performance, provided you have a smartphone (Samsung Galaxy, iPhone, HTC, Motorola, etc.). There are plenty of apps for cars out there with varying emphasis on safety, driving experience and maintenance - but these are our picks to get you started!

• aCar: With more than a million downloads so far from Google Play, this car management app is an ideal tool for car owners who want to track and keep records of fuel efficiency, mileage, fill-ups, services, expenses and trips. Check out aCar on Google play.
• Torque Pro: Torque Pro is a powerful app that you can utilize to optimize your car's performance. One good feature of this app is that it allows you to see you what your car is doing in real-time! You can also get OBD fault codes, performance info, sensor data and more from this application. In order to fully use this app; you’ll need an OBD II Bluetooth adapter. Check out Torque Pro on Google play.
•  iOnRoad: If driving safety is one of your major concerns (and it should be!), then iOnRoad is for you. This app uses your phone camera, GPS and sensors to detect vehicles in front of your car. It maps object in front of the driver in real-time, calculates the driver’s current speed, and alerts the driver of coming danger! iOnRoad is fully loaded with heaps of features; you can check it out here.

How important is it to change your engine oil?

Saving fuel = Saving money = Saving the environment!

We all want to do our bit for the environment - and we all want to save money at the pump.

Well here's the good news - we've compiled our five top tips to help you both reduce your fuel consumption costs and diminish the impact your car has on the environment!

1. It may sound obvious, but keep your load light! Don't keep a heavy load in your car if it doesn't need to be in there. Tools, power equipment, sports gear and general luggage will all increase the weight of your car - and thereby increase your fuel consumption! Also, consider removing roof-racks and bullbars if they're not needed - tyou'll notice the difference!

2. Keep an eye on your tyre pressure. By keeping the pressure near the upper limits of the manufacturer's recommend range, you'll reduce rolling resistance and improve your fuel consumption (and keep your tyres in better condition for longer!).

3. Regular servicing will save you money! Not only at the fuel pump, but on the general maintenance of your car. Things can go wrong in between your scheduled services, and even simple things like replacing a dirty air-filter can decrease your fuel consumption by nearly 5 per cent .

4. If your car has a manual transmission, get a feel for making smoother down-changes. Rev the engine lightly, with the clutch disengaged, just before the lower gear is engaged - the result of smoother down-changes is that you'll drive more smoothly, which will in turn reduce fuel consumption and wear on your clutch and gearbox.

5. Flow with the traffic and avoid "hard" braking and accelerating. Anticipate traffic movements and give yourself plenty of warning about approaching traffic lights and lane congestion. Comparative tests have shown that an aggressive driving style can increase fuel consumption by up to 35% when compared to a smooth driving style.

What Does Your Car Taste Like?

The five human senses are; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. How can you use these to keep your car running longer and your repair costs down? We'll go over the five different senses and see what your car might be trying to tell you. This is not intended to diagnose any problems, but instead help you be "aware" of what's going on when you operate your vehicle and how you might be able to prevent more costly repairs.

Smell and Taste

Most people might instantly think of gas. Yes, any fuel smell should be promptly checked out by a professional. I think this goes without saying..... But what are some other smells that you might encounter that can also be a safety concern? Coolant is one. Sometimes when a heater core starts to leak, the coolant will be evaporated and blown through the vents before it starts dripping inside and becomes an obvious problem. When this happens, you can "smell" the coolant and even "taste" a sweet taste in your mouth for no apparent reason. This is not safe and you need to have your car checked out promptly as coolant is poisonous.

As your engine warms up, any leaks on or around your engine these can also be noticed with your sense of smell. More noticeably if it happens to be leaking directly onto hot exhaust components. This can be a fire hazard.

On the other hand - Carbon Monoxide has NO smell, so any exhaust leaks need to be sealed up as soon as possible!

Look At Your Car!

The five human senses are; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. How can you use these to keep your car running longer and your repair costs down? We'll go over the five different senses and see what your car might be trying to tell you. This is not intended to diagnose any problems, but instead help you be "aware" of what's going on when you operate your vehicle and how you might be able to prevent more costly repairs.


Sight

As you walk out to your car in the morning do you see anything out of the ordinary? A crooked tailpipe can be an indication of a muffler or exhaust pipe hanger problem. Any leaks that are causing visible drops on the ground are sufficient enough to be repaired. 

There are a lot of plastic covers that protect your engine and associated moving parts from the elements during operation. These shields are commonly located on the lower front sides and in the lower front. They can become loose and damaged from age and coming in contact with curbs, etc. These can usually be easily reattached before they become more damaged and need to be replaced.

You may notice many different warning lights on your dash. Sometimes they can be overwhelming to the average person. Air Bag, ABS, and Check Engine lights should always be checked out as soon as possible. Sometimes a Check Engine light can be as simple as a loose gas cap. We have many tools and resources to properly diagnose the tough problems too. 

Listen To Your Car

The five human senses are; sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. How can you use these to keep your car running longer and your repair costs down? We'll go over the five different senses and see what your car might be trying to tell you. This is not intended to diagnose any problems, but instead help you be "aware" of what's going on when you operate your vehicle and how you might be able to prevent more costly repairs.


Touch and Sound


While driving, some problems might be "felt" as well as "heard". Wheel bearings, brakes, tires and suspension components can exhibit these very characteristics. Does your steering wheel vibrate while braking? This is a common complaint when the front brake rotors are warped. A simple (but thorough) brake inspection can find the exact problem. Worn or unbalanced tires can also cause your vehicle to not "feel" right as you are going down the road. Loose suspension parts can cause premature wear on your tires, so periodic inspections are well worth your time.

Recall of almost 10,000 Holden Cruzes in Australia

Around 10,000 Holden Cruzes are being recalled by Holden Australia.

The recall applies to 9,547  locally built 2012 and 2013 units of the sedan fitted with the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine. Holden said a condition has been identified where the car’s belly pan can catch oil that might drip from the engine if an oil change is not done properly. 

Holden's statement said: “If oil makes contact with hot engine parts such as the exhaust manifold or catalytic converter, a fire could occur.”

The move follows General Motors’ recall of 475,418 Chevrolet Cruze sedans in North America and Israel due to a similar fire risk.

So far there have been no reported cases of engine compartment fires caused by this problem in Australia.

Holden Director of Warranty, Customer Satisfaction and Quality, Craig Porritt said the recall is a precautionary measure and that Australia’s standards of servicing significantly reduce the risk.

“
We believe Australia’s high standards in servicing procedures significantly reduce the risk of improper oil changes which almost eliminates the risk of a thermal incident. However we will always err on the side of caution when it comes to initiating safety recalls and campaigns. Even if there have been no reported cases in our market we will take action to assure our customers and their vehicles are safe.”

Holden is contacting customers to arrange a free-of-charge modification which it expects to take around 40 minutes.

Owners are urged to contact 1800 632 826.