The Scariest Car Issues You'll Want to Avoid this Halloween

OKEMOS, Mich.,–– There's nothing scarier than having your car break down out on the road. Repair costs, towing expenses, and having to pay for a rental car can be a nightmare for your wallet. With proper vehicle care and routine maintenance, however, you can keep your vehicle and your bank account safe from a potential scare this October. Make sure you know what to do if you encounter any of the scariest car issues you'll want to avoid this Halloween. Following our advice will prevent your trick-or-treating from taking a turn for the worse!

Dead Battery

Problem: Your vehicle won't start! If you don't hear any noise when you start up your vehicle, it could mean that your battery is out of energy and may need to be jumpstarted back to life. (Think Frankenstein's monster, but in battery form.)

Solution: If you're having difficulty getting your vehicle going, phone a friend or ask a nearby driver to help you jumpstart your vehicle. Follow these steps to avoid the scary experience of a dead battery:

1. Get the other vehicle as close to yours as possible (front to front) and put both vehicles in park. Shut them off and set the parking brakes.
2. Next, open both vehicle's hoods and locate the batteries in each car. Make sure to identify the positive and negative terminals (typically, red means +, and black means - ).
3. Using a pair of jumper cables, attach your red, positive clamp to the positive terminal to the vehicle with the good battery. After that, attach the other red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
4. Next, attach the black, negative clamp to the negative terminal of the good battery. After that, attach the remaining black clamp to an unpainted metal part of your vehicle away from the battery  (this is extremely important, and ensure a safe jump.)
5. Start the vehicle with the working battery and let it run for a couple minutes. After that, start the car with the dead battery and allow it to run.
6. Remove the cables in reverse order (negatives first, positive after) and thank the person that helped you. Congrats! You've restarted your battery!

Preventative Measures: If your vehicle is having difficulty starting itself, bring it into our Service Center! We can test the strength of your battery to determine whether or not it needs replacing so you can get back to trick-or-treating in no time!

Brake Wear

Problem: If you can hear screeching, squealing, or grinding when you try to slow down your vehicle, it isn't a monster - it's your brakes! Over time, your brake pads wear down through to the metal caliper and cause it to make contact with the disc/rotor. This metal on metal contact will cause grinding to occur and do serious damage to your brake system.

Solution: If you experience any of these symptoms, don't be scared! You may need to have your brakes repaired or your brake pads replaced. Have our service team inspect your brakes to determine whether or not they require maintenance, then take advantage of our brake specials to receive a discount with your next service!

Preventative Measures: Follow our 5 tips to increase the life of your brakes to ensure that these integral safety components are kept intact throughout the year.

Low Oil Level

Problem: If your vehicle's "check engine" light illuminates, or if your engine is much louder than normal, it could mean that your oil needs to be replaced. Since your engine's oil is used to lubricate and cool your engine, a low oil level can cause your engine's components to grind and push against one another, creating friction, increasing the heat in your engine. This can cause it to overheat and can create serious problems and warping in your engine!

Solution: Typically, you should have your oil changed every 3,000-5,000 miles, or whenever your vehicle owner's manual tells you to do so. Having your oil regularly serviced will prevent damage to your vehicle and save you from the nightmares of overheating!

Preventative Measures: If you aren't sure when you last changed your oil, check it from home to determine whether or not you need an oil replacement. You can also keep a service log to maintain a record of services performed on your vehicle. That way, you'll be able to estimate when you need an oil change!

Overheating Engine

Problem: If you notice smoke coming from your engine or if this symbol appears on your dashboard, pull over immediately. Your engine is overheating!

Solution: If your engine overheats, fear not! At Graff Okemos, we offer free pickup and delivery. Give us a call and we'll pick you up right away to get you and your vehicle to safety. We're here to help you avoid any unnecessary scares this Halloween.

Preventative Measures: An overheating engine can be caused by a variety of factors. The most common, however, are low coolant and low oil levels. You should have your coolant replaced every 30,000 miles, or whenever your vehicle owner's manual tells you to do so. Not sure when you last had it looked at? You can check it at home with these three simple steps:

1. After turning off your car, pop your engine's hood.
2. Locate your coolant reservoir. Typically, your coolant reservoir is located on the right side of your engine, but if you aren't sure what it looks like, look for the "coolant" or "antifreeze" labels on the cap of the large plastic container.
3. Using the dotted lines on the side of the reservoir, you can determine whether or not you need to replace your coolant by the "FULL" and "EMPTY" indicators.

Dead Headlight or Taillight

Problem: If you're having difficulty seeing at night while driving, your headlights may need to be replaced. Without properly working headlights, you may encounter reduced or obstructed vision, making the road an unsafe and scary place for you and other trick-or-treaters.

Solution: When dawn breaks again, make your way to our Graff Okemos Service Center. We'll inspect and service your lights right away to ensure that you're able to take on the night once again. Whether you're vampire hunting or just enjoying a night out, make sure your lights are in good working condition this October to keep you and all the trick-or-treaters safe!

Preventative Measures: Luckily, your vehicle has built-in measures to remind you when it requires replacement lights. Besides the reduced visibility on the road, you may notice that your turn signals blink at a much faster rate than normal. This a signal to indicate that you'll need to have your turn signal light replaced as soon as possible! We can also check your lights for you at our Service Center and answer any questions you may have about them.

You might be in store for a scare or two this Halloween, but they certainly shouldn't have to do with your vehicle. Use our preventative measures and tips to fight off the scariest car issues you'll want to avoid this Halloween. While you're at it, take advantage of our Fall Car Care guide to ensure your vehicle can take on the changing temperatures. If you happen to run into a scare this Halloween, call us and schedule service to take on the new weather. Plus, you can utilize our coupons to save some money that you can spend on cool costumes or unique decorations. Enjoy Halloween this year and avoid the scares of a breakdown while you're on the road!

Located conveniently just outside of Lansing, Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is here to help you with your car buying and servicing needs. Our goal is to create a transparent experience and a comfortable environment for all of our valuable customers. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach us at (517) 349-8300, or stop by the dealership at 1748 W. Grand River in Okemos, MI 48864

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Battle Winter With These 5 Essential Car Care Tips

OKEMOS, Mich. –– If you thought it was important to prepare your car for fall, just wait until winter hits and your vehicle isn't prepared to handle the harsh realities of months like January and February. You can avoid any major issues that cold weather and winter elements can easily exacerbate for your vehicle if you take care of any necessary auto service by visiting our Delta Charter Township area Chevrolet dealer before the snow falls. Take our word for it and battle winter with these five essential car care tips to make sure your vehicle makes it through to spring.

1. Equip your vehicle with a new set of tires.

Your vehicle should first and foremost have a new set tires specifically designed to handle slick roads packed with snow or sheeted by ice. If your vehicle's tires are balding or haven't been rotated in more than six months, there's a good chance they aren't up to par for winter and could pose a serious risk to you and other drivers on winter roads. Check your vehicle's tires for smooth spots or diminishment of tread. If they seem unsafe, let our technicians equip your vehicle with a new set.

2. Have our technicians inspect your brakes.

Along with making sure your vehicle's tires are ready for winter, it's vital to have a good set of brakes. To ensure your vehicle's brakes are ready to battle winter, have our technicians inspect them for corrosion and other negative signs. Likewise, if you notice your vehicle's brakes are squeaking, or if you're coasting when you come to a stop, both are signs that you need to see our technicians.

3. Inspect your battery for corrosion.

It could be difficult to start your vehicle if its battery isn't ready to handle the frigid temperatures of winter. It's also likely your vehicle could become dysfunctional or struggle to operate properly while you're driving if its battery is in bad condition. To make sure your vehicle's battery is ready to battle winter, inspect it for corrosion. If your vehicle is having trouble starting or its interior lights and headlights seem dim or are flickering, it could also be a sign that the battery won't be in a condition to handle the harsh temperatures ahead. Go here to learn more about the battery services we offer.

4. Make sure your coolant level is where it should be.

Many drivers assume coolant for your vehicle's cooling system is only useful in the heat of summer to keep a vehicle's engine from overheating. However, coolant also keeps your vehicle's engine from freezing in the winter from cold temperatures. If your vehicle's coolant level is too low, the engine could stall or your vehicle could have a hard time starting up. Before it starts snowing, check your vehicle's coolant level, as well as other fluid levels. If your vehicle's fluids are low or you think there may be a leak in a line, let our technicians take a look.

5. Install a new set of wiper blades.

Don't assume wiper blades are only useful in the spring and summer when it rains. Snow, of course, is simply a different state of water, and it can easily obscure your vision when it hits your windshield if your vehicle isn't equipped with an updated set of wiper blades. Old wiper blades will leave streaks and struggle to clear moisture from your windshield, making it difficult to see during a snowstorm. Visit the service page on our webstie to see what poor visibility looks like: http://bit.ly/1I4id39

There's plenty of other auto service you should have our technicians take care of before winter hits, but at the very least you should be able to battle winter with these five essential car care tips. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you. Call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

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