What Causes Car Radiator Overheating

A common problem that many drivers may encounter during the summer is having their car overheat, especially if you are driving an older vehicle. There are a few reasons why your car may overheat; but usually it is because you are low on coolant. However, the solution to your car radiator overheating may not always be as simple as adding additional coolant.

Common Cooling System Issues
You will want to rule out reasons why the coolant level is low in the first place. If you add coolant to your vehicle and still experience frequent overheating that requires you to add more, it is very possible you have a leak in your cooling system. A telltale sign is drips or puddles under your car. This leak could be coming from a hose, your radiator, or water pump. Your mechanic can pressure test your system to determine the source of the leak.
Other common cooling systems that could cause overheating, including:

• The radiator cap needs to be replaced because its gasket has deteriorated
• Your accessory belt that drives the water pump is slipping
• The thermostat needs to be replaced
• Your radiator is clogged and needs to be steam-cleaned
• The bottom radiator hose collapses under pressure
• Broken fan belt or fan malfunction

Additional Reasons for Overheating
Problems that are not related to your cooling system could cause your car to overheat. Your engine may be dry because you are low on oil. This could cause major damage to your engine, so be sure to check your oil regularly and have it changed as recommended. Your timing may also need to be adjusted because late timing can also cause overheating.
For no pressure car sales in the Dupont area, visit the Olympia Auto Mall.

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New Car Technology Advancements

Today's new cars offer more dynamic and cool features than ever before. Best of all, you can get these awesome new features at an excellent cost. Continue reading to learn some of the newest features of vehicles available to Lakewood area residents through the Olympia Auto Mall.

Multi-Directional Cameras

Cameras are no longer just for backing up. The newest vehicles out there can have cameras that cover almost every angle of the vehicle. These cameras can provide you with a full 360 degrees of coverage that will alert you if another object or person is around the vehicle. These multi-directional cameras make parking much easier and simpler to control.

Internet Compatibility

By using cellular technology, some new vehicles allow you to access the Internet in your vehicle. This technology turns your vehicle into a 3G or even a 4G hotspot by using a small portable router located in a hidden area of the vehicle. This hotspot router allows you and your guest to have a fast, uninterrupted signal no matter where you are. This can come in extremely handy if you are in a remote location or in a tunnel.

Parental Control Devices

Most parents are extremely nervous about turning their young teenage drivers loose on the road. With today's GPS technological advances, this is no longer a big deal. Most new vehicles include GPS tracking and several other parental control devices that allow parents to limit various factors, such as the speed of the vehicle and the volume of the radio. Some vehicles even sound a continuous alarm if the teen driver isn't buckled up. With these additional features, parents can feel a little easier about letting their young driver loose on the highway.

For the best prices and selection of new and used vehicles near Lakewood, call or visit the Olympia Auto Mall.

The Olympia Auto Mall – Washington's Largest!!!

Manual Transmission Facts

If you are considering buying a manual transmission vehicle from the great car dealers at the Olympia Auto Mall near Centralia WA, there are a few things for you to consider. There are many pros to owning a car with this type of transmission, and the following are some of the most popular benefits.

Stick Shifts Save You Money
Often the car, truck, or SUV you want will cost less if you purchase it with manual transmission instead of automatic. Aside from the initial savings, replacing a manual transmission can cost up to half as much as replacing an automatic transmission. They are also less technically complicated and can cost less to repair. Your vehicle will also be lighter, so you will save money on gas too.

Stick Shifts Prevent Distracted Driving
When you drive a stick, you need both hands and all of your attention. This eliminates the temptation to text, tweet, or check other social media accounts. You’ll also be forced to talk hands-free on your phone, if you chose to talk on the phone at all.

Stick Shifts Are Fun to Drive

Driving a manual transmission is fun. You are more involved in the driving process, and it is almost as if you can feel every turn and feel the vehicle hugging the road when you drive a stick.
If you are considering buying a new vehicle from the Olympia Auto Mall near Centralia WA, check to see if the model you want comes in a manual transmission. You could save money now and in the future, and you could have a more enjoyable driving experience. 
For excellent prices and selection, visit the friendly car dealers near Centralia, Washington.

The Olympia Auto Mall – Washington's Largest!!!

How to Check Your Tires for Adequate Tread

Tires are essentially some of the most important part of the exterior of your vehicle and the safety as well.  Literally, tires are where the rubber meets the road when it comes to driving on the highways and city streets.

Get Professional Advice about Tire Treads
Oftentimes, I check with the service professionals and specialists at my local car dealerships in Olympia WA, trusting their advice and counsel when it comes to my vehicles.  Such advice is highly valuable when it comes to safety and prevention.

Tire Tread Matters
If you are anything like me when it comes to driving, especially on the highway or the Interstate, you tend to push the accelerator to its limits.  That means that you should also have some good tread on your tires, especially for when the Northwest's weather conditions shift into rainy season or a sudden hail storm.
All tire treads are not made alike. You want a tire tread with a pattern that matches either:

• Your main driving style
• Your main driving conditions

Driving Style
High speed or high traffic driving might require more of a standard tread, while off-road racing and mountainous terrain require a vastly different tread pattern with deeper treads and even crosscut patterns. 
Driving Conditions
You need to also consider the type of tread that you need based upon the driving conditions including:

• Wet or icy roads
• Rugged terrain
• High speed driving or racing

Penny Test the Tread
When you cannot check the tread of your tires visually, try the penny test.  Sit a penny between the treads of your tire.  If you can see mainly the head on the penny, you still have plenty of tread left.  If you see more than the head on the penny, checkwith the professionals at your local car dealerships in the Olympia AutoMall.

The Olympia Auto Mall – Washington's Largest!!!

Car Ignition Problems

We have all experience it, we wake up in the morning short on time and car won’t start. Nine times out of ten it will be ignition problems. Tumwater’s favorite used car dealers at the Olympia Auto Mall have some tips that might get you running again without the need to call out a garage. Some small faults can be easily fixed at the roadside.

Car engine won’t turn      
If you turn the key and get nothing not even a click, odds on it is the battery, check the battery contacts for corrosion and try to start the car with jump leads. No luck, next check your fuses. 
If the starter motor doesn’t turn and there is an audible click, the fault is the solenoid on the starter motor; it may just be a loose connection. It could be a bad tooth on the starter motor or fly wheel. If the car has a manual transmission, try pushing the car in gear, it may surprise you and start, but the problem will reoccur in the future.
If your battery is in good order but car is having trouble starting then there may be an ignition problem. Turn the key on and if the red warning lights on dash board light up then it means switch is ok if not it means your ignition switch is faulty.

Car starts and runs just for a few seconds
If this is happening to you, turn to the used car dealers at the Olympia Auto Mall for assistance. They suggest checking for problems in either in the fuel, compression, or spark.  Check that the fuel tank is filled with fuel or empty, compression is correct and spark is working properly. If any one of three is not in order, then visit the great car service centers at the Olympia Auto Mall. Professional ignition services in your area … give them a call and get back on the road.
For great new and used cars in the Tumwater area, visit the Olympia Auto Mall.
The Olympia Auto Mall – Washington's Largest!!!

Car Battery Problems -- Problems Starting?

Car battery problems can lead to other problems with even the best used small SUV and compact cars available today.  When it comes to car battery issues, you need to stay on top of your regular maintenance and routine inspections of your vehicle, including but not limited to its electrical system and battery connections.

The Power Source for Your Engine
The battery is at the core of your engine's power system.   It serves as the primary component of the engine's electrical connections for everything from the starter to the radio.  You can hardly have the lights illuminate the highway or the dashboard without the battery in place or fully functioning.  No matter if it is a new compact car fresh from the factory to the dealership or the best used small SUV available on the local lot, the battery remains the main power source for your vehicle's engine and its electrical system.
Preventing Major Problems Starting
The battery is the primary power source for your vehicle, so it goes along with reasoning that you need to ensure that your vehicle's battery is both properly powered up and connected.  Depending on your vehicle make and model, you may need to check more than the basic connections, but here is a simple list of connections to keep in mind:

• Battery connection to the starter
• Battery cables 
• Frayed or exposed cable wiring
• Corroded connections
• Battery connection to the alternator

Keep in mind that modern car batteries do not require being filled with fluid in the battery cells like much older batteries.  However, modern car batteries do need to be replaced periodically.  Some have a life of three years, some five and others somewhat longer.  
For more information on car batteries or to find the best small SUVs and prices, feel free to visit the Olympia Auto Mall.

The Olympia Auto Mall – Washington's Largest!!!