Autoprotocall Frequently Asked Questions- Auto Repair Service in Chapel Hill NC

Below are some of the most frequently questions we have been asked. We hope that the questions and answers below help you. If you have nay questions about any of the services we offer please contact us by phone at 919-967-2271 or use our contact form to send us your questions.

1. Can my driving affect the life of my tires?
2. Do new tires require any special treatment?
3. How do I inspect my tires for wear problems?
4. How will I know when I need new tires?
5. How long should the tires that came with my new car last?
6. How much air pressure should I put in my tires?
7. Is it safe to repair a flat tire?
8. Isn't it easy to mount a tire on a wheel? Can't I do it myself?
9. Do I have to replace my current tires with the same size tires?
10. What could cause my tire to go flat?
11. Can I use different tire types on my car?
12. Should I rotate my tires?
13. What is alignment?
14. How important is wheel alignment?
15. How can I tell if my car is out of alignment?
16. How often should I have my car aligned?
17. What should I do if I feel a vibration?
18. I bought two new tires, should they be put on the front or rear?
19. Why do tires need to be balanced?
20. Can I drive normally on my spare tire ?
21. What is an all-season tire?
22. What are the consequences of postponing maintenance ?
23. I see fluid leak under my car, what is it?
24. I smell something in/around my car what could it be ?
25. My car is making a terrible sound, what could it be?
26. How often should I change my oil ?

1. Can my driving affect the life of my tires?

Yes it can. These three thing can result in long tire life:

Don't drive too fast!: excessive heat is generated when driving at high speeds. This heat increases the rate of tire wear and reduces the tire's life.
Avoid making fast turns, fast cornering, panic stops and quick starts.
Avoid riding on the edge of the pavement, drive over curbs, potholes.

2. Do new tires require any special treatment?

You will need to drive carefully as you become familiar with your new tires. Take it easy when accelerating, braking, cornering, or when driving in the rain, because this is when the differences will be most noticeable.

3. How can I inspect my tires for wear problems?

Your tires often will give you signs of problems in plenty of time to have them corrected. If you learn to "read" these warning signs you can prevent many wear problems that shorten tire life by thousands of miles.

4. How will I know when I need new tires?

Many tires have tread wear indicator bars molded into the tread. It is time to replace the tire when, the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread. Here's another test you can perform to measure tread depth on your tires. Place a penny into a tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to get a new tire.

5. How long should my tires last on my new vehicle?

It is difficult to provide specific mileage expectancy, due to the variety of styles, construction features, treat compounds, vehicle applications, geographical conditions and driving habits .

6. How much air should I put in my tires?

Proper inflation is the single most important part of tire care. Check or adjust inflation every few weeks and always use the inflation recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can findthis information in your owner's manual, posted on the edge of the driver's door, on a door post, in the center console, or on the inside of the glovebox door. Be sure to check inflation when tires are COLD: when the vehicle has been driven less than a mile or one hour or more after driving. Use a good quality tire gauge. And don't forget to check the spare!

7. Is it safe to repair a flat tire?

If a tire loses all or most of its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection to be sure it's not damaged. Tires that are run even short distances while flat are often damaged beyond repair. Most punctures, nail holes, or cuts up to 1/4 inch -- confined to the tread -- may be satisfactorily repaired by trained personnel using industry-approved methods. Don't repair tires with tread punctures larger than 1/4 inch, or with any sidewall puncture. Also, never repair tires that are worn below 1/16 inch tread depth.

8. Isn't it easy to mount a tire on a wheel? Can't I do it myself?

Never mount your own tires, if you try to do it yourself, you run the risk of serious injury to yourself as well as possible damage to the tire and rim. Tire mounting should be done by people who have the proper equipment and experience.

9. Do I have to replace my present tires with the same size tires?

Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation or approved options. Never choose a smaller size than those that came with the car.

10. What could cause my tire to go flat?

Here are some common causes of slow or sudden air loss:

Road hazard injuries (punctures, cuts, impact damage to the liner, ply material or sidewall rubber).
Valve stem or valve core leakage (damaged or aged rubber stem or a loose or damaged valve core).
Leaking from the bead seating area (corrosive buildup on the wheels which prevents a proper seal between the wheel flange and the tire beads, bead seating area damage from accidental mounting or dismounting injury, foreign material between the rim flange area and the tire bead seating area, bent rim flange).

11. Can I "mix" tire types on my car?

It is recommended that all tires be the same size, construction (radial,non-radial) and speed rating. If tires of different speed ratings are mounted on the vehicle, it is important to place the same size, type and speed ratings on the same axle, . Tires of different size designations, constructions, and stages of wear can affect the vehicles handling and stability.
Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle.

12. Should I rotate my tires?

The main purpose of regularly rotating tires is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. It is recommended thay you rotate your tires at least every 6,000 miles or uneven wear may develop.

13. What is alignment?

When a vehicle is properly aligned all suspension and steering components are sound and the tire and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Wheel alignment provides safe, predictable vehicle control as well as a smooth and comfortable ride -- free of pulling or vibration.

14. How important is wheel alignment?

It is very important! Having your wheels aligned helps in prolonging the life of your tires.
Research indicates that the average car is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A car with toe alignment just 0.34 degrees (Just 0.17 inches) out of specification has dragged its tires sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year!

15. What are the "symptoms" of a car that's out of alignment?

Have your car checked if you notice:

Excessive or uneven tire wear.
Steering wheel pulls to the left or right.
Steering wheel vibration.
Steering wheel is not centered when car is moving straight ahead.

16. How often should I have my car aligned?

It is important that you follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation noted in your owner's manual. But, as a general rule, have your vehicle's tires checked at least once a year or every 10,000 miles.

17. What should I do if I notice a vibration?

Vibration is an indication that your car has a problem.You should have your tires, steering system and suspension system checked to help determine the cause and correction of the vibration. If the problem is not corrected, the vibration could cause excessive tire and suspension wear.

18. When buying just two new tires, should they be put on the front or rear?

We recommend you put them on the rear axle. A single new tire should be paired on the rear axle with the tire having the most tread depth of the other three. Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle.

19. Why do my tires need to be balanced?

Unbalanced tires can cause vibration, resulting in premature tire wear and unnecessary wear to your vehicle's suspension.

20. Can I drive normally on my spare tire?

Many newer vehicles come equipped with a temporary spare. These tires are usually much smaller than the other tires on your car. It is important to realize that these spares have far more limitations than a typical tire, including speed and recommended driving distance.

21. What is an all-season tire?

All-Season Tires are designed to provide good traction in a variety of road conditions, including wet, dry and mud and snow.

22. What are the consequences of postponing maintenance?

Many parts on your vehicle are interrelated. Ignoring maintenance can lead to trouble: specific parts - or an entire system - can fail. Neglecting even simple routine maintenance, such as changing the oil or checking the coolant, can lead to poor fuel economy, unreliability, or costly breakdowns. It also may invalidate your warranty.

23. I see a fluid leak under my car, what is it?

You can identify fluids by their color and consistency:

Yellowish green, pastel blue or florescent orange colors indicate an overheated engine or an antifreeze leak caused by a bad hose, water pump or leaking radiator.
A dark brown or black oily fluid means the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or gasket could cause the leak.
A red oily spot indicates a transmission or power-steering fluid leak.

A puddle of clear water usually is no problem. It may be normal condensation from your vehicle's air conditioner.

24. I smell something in /around my car, what could it be?

The smell of burned toast - a light, sharp odor - often signals an electrical short and burning insulation. To be safe, try not to drive the vehicle until the problem is diagnosed.
The smell of rotten eggs - a continuous burning-sulphur smell - usually indicates a problem in the catalytic converter or other emission control devices. Don't delay diagnosis and repair.
A thick acrid odor usually means burning oil. Look for sign of a leak.
The smell of gasoline vapors after a failed start may mean you have flooded the engine. Wait a few minutes before trying again. If the odor persists, chances are there's a leak in the fuel system - a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate attention.
Burning resin or an acrid chemical odor may signal overheated brakes or clutch. Check the parking brake. Stop. Allow the brakes to cool after repeated hard braking on mountain roads. Light smoke coming from a wheel indicates a stuck brake. The vehicle should be towed for repair.
A sweet, steamy odor indicates a coolant leak. If the temperature gauge or warning light does not indicate overheating, drive carefully to the nearest service station, keeping an eye on your gauges. If the odor is accompanied by a hot, metallic scent and steam from under the hood, your engine has overheated. Pull over immediately. Continued driving could cause severe engine damage. The vehicle should be towed for repair.

25. My car is making a terrible sound, what do you think it is?

Squeaks, squeals, rattles, rumbles, and other sounds provide valuable clues about problems and maintenance needs. Here are some common noises and their definitions.

Squeal - A shrill, sharp noise, usually related to engine speed.

Click - A slight sharp noise, related to either engine speed or vehicle speed.

Screech - A high-pitched, piercing metallic sound; usually occurs while the vehicle is in motion.

Rumble - a low-pitched rhythmic sound.

Ping - A high-pitched metallic tapping sound, related to engine speed.

Heavy Knock - A rhythmic pounding sound..

Clunk - A random thumping sound.

The more details you can provide us, the better chance of locating the problem quickly. Does the noise occur when the engine is cold or warm? Hot or cold outside, rainy or dry? Does the noise occur while driving or only when parked? These clues help the technician diagnose your problems faster, saving you time and money!

26. How often should I change my oil?

Most car manufacturers say to change your oil every 7,500 miles unless you drive in severe conditions. Severe conditions are defined as dirty or dusty roads, extremely hot or cold climates, a lot of stop and go driving, taking short trips or if you tow a trailer. If you live anywhere near Auto Pro To Call, your vehicle falls into the severe conditions category, or the 3,000 mile oil change interval. We recommend every 3,000 miles