Ask Pete

Have you ever wondered where the term “idiot light” came from? According to Merriam-Webster online, the term first appeared in 1966 and is defined as “a colored light on an instrument panel (as of an automobile) designed to give a warning (as of low oil pressure).”

No, I’m not talking about a personal weight loss program—I’m referring to the average refrigerant loss some vehicles experience each year. I have seen some consumers and their technicians go nuts trying to find a refrigerant leak in an air conditioning system—a leak that doesn’t exist. 

Oftentimes, when I’m asked a question about a particular problem or symptom, one of the first things I do is access one of my repair databases and look for any applicable Technical Service Bulletins—or TSBs. 

Most of us probably grew up living by age old adages such as, “The early bird catches the worm,” “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and “If you’re going to do something, do it right the first time.” Growing up in a household where my father was a machinist by trade and my mother worked for a major electronics company assembling printed circuit boards, precision and accuracy was drilled into me from an early age.

I’m always amazed to hear some of our visitors and short-term residents comment on the lack of seasons in the South. While some of these people may not have an appreciation for our region’s year-round greenery or the fact that you can pretty much play golf (or most any outdoor sport) 12 months out of the year, one of the telltale signs that the season has changed here is the amount of pollen in the air. 

We’ve all heard there are two ways of looking at things in life. For the optimist, the glass is half full, and for the pessimist, the glass is half empty. When it comes to some car repairs, the opinion of whether a repair should be made can be just as subjective.

Having worked in the automotive industry for more than 30 years, I have witnessed technology improvements firsthand that make our lives easier while helping preserve our planet and its resources. Remember when the fuel filler cap was located behind the license plate under the rear bumper? Most vehicles today have the fuel filler on the side of the vehicle, and emerging technologies have done away with the gas cap altogether.

I occasionally hear from members who believe a repair shop tried to sell them something they didn’t need or used a scare tactic to frighten them into authorizing a repair they hadn’t budgeted for.

A chipped or cracked windshield doesn’t necessarily require replacement of the windshield. Under certain conditions, the glass can be repaired. This repair method involves filling the chip or crack with a resin whose sole purpose is to stop the chip or crack from spreading and preventing moisture from getting into the laminent or plastic liner between the sheets of glass. 

Successful companies rarely undertake business expansion and new initiatives without first calculating the ROI—return on investment. Similarly, but on a more personal level, have you ever tried to calculate the ROI from diligent vehicle maintenance? No? Then let me start by saying, “You’re welcome,” before presenting a list of expenses you may incur if you neglect your vehicle’s routine maintenance.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, time has become one of our most valuable resources, and we find ourselves looking for every opportunity to recover as much of this resource as we can. But in our search for ways to save time, we are often forced to make a choice between “fast” and “complete.”

I’m on vacation, but feel free to post questions and I will get to them as soon as I can after I return. In the meantime, I trust that all of you will take good care of your vehicles...and Drive Carefully!

ou know the year is winding down when you start seeing Christmas trees being transported on the roof of cars and minivans. It seems we were just talking about all the plans we were making for 2012, and now 2013 is right around the corner!

For most AAA members, the number-one reason they join AAA and renew their membership is because of our flagship product: Emergency Road Service. One of the most popular (and most important) benefits of Emergency Road Service is towing/roadside assistance. This service is provided to members who are locked out of their vehicle, need a flat tire changed, have run out of gas, and so on. Our trained road service technicians work hard every day to keep you safe and on the go.

With the economic challenges we face today, many of us are tightening our purse strings whenever and wherever possible. This holds true when dealing with automotive repairs, as well. 

Years ago, whenever the topic of extended warranties came up, my typical response was that if you were thinking of purchasing an extended warranty, perhaps you didn’t have enough faith in the product you were buying and maybe you shouldn’t make that purchase. My line of thinking was not exclusive to vehicle purchases; it included cordless phones, entertainment equipment and so on. 

I’m not talking about my lower back or my knees, but rather the parts under the hood (or anywhere else on the car for that matter) that are victims of planned obsolescence. Sooner or later, parts will wear out and need to be replaced. So what do you do when the vehicle is getting on in years? 

The kids are back in school, the love bugs are out in full force, and we’re in the middle of hurricane season. This can only mean the end of summer is approaching quickly as we transition from the summer that is filled with family vacations and lazy days at the beach to the summer of running the kids back and forth to school and getting back to business at work. This time of year often leaves little opportunity to safeguard your vehicle from potential breakdowns.

With the recent storms that affected much of Florida, AAA was looked upon to rescue many vehicles that fell victim to rising floodwaters. While many of these events were unavoidable, there were some that clearly could have been prevented had the driver followed some very basic rules when it comes to rising water.

When drivers are faced with a seemingly high repair expense, the question often comes up as to whether they should proceed with the repair or trade in the car. While in many cases this is a question only the owner can answer because of the emotional attachment most drivers have with their automobiles, here are a few points to consider that may help make the decision easier.

One maintenance item that tends to attract very little attention but can have a direct effect on your driving environment is the cabin air filter. These filters were introduced to the automobile industry over the last 20 years or so and are designed to filter the outside air coming into the passenger compartment. This filter is usually a pleated paper filter and, contrary to popular belief, is not a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter.

I was recently engaged in a conversation with a neighbor who was experiencing a slow leak in one of his tires. He mentioned he thought it had a screw or nail in it and wanted my advice on what to do.

The first thing I warned him of was to NOT pull the object out of the tire until he was at a place of repair. He had already mentioned the tire was losing air, so I told him that once the object is removed, the air loss would increase.

Automotive fluid leaks can be one of the most challenging symptoms to ever plague a car owner and an automotive repair technician. What sometimes seems like a run of the mill oil or coolant leak can stump even the best repair professional.

Well, last week marked the beginning of summer! When most people think “summer,” they think swimsuits, sunscreen, barbeques and maybe even a summer vacation. Not me! I think love bug season, time to change the engine coolant and, in general, readying the car for summertime travel!

We live in a world where just about everything we own runs on a battery that periodically needs to be recharged. It seems we have accepted the fact that a battery power source doesn’t last forever, and the call to action for a consumer is to just (re)charge it!

Every year the summer heat roasts and toasts us like marsh mellows around the campfire. Lucky for us, we’re able to escape the elements and seek sanctuary in the A/C but our cars are not so fortunate. Stuck outside at the mercy of Mother Nature, the summer takes a large toll on our vehicles. This year we’ve turned to Pete Candela, our resident auto guru, for some tips to help our cars survive the record-high temps, suffocating humidity and frequent, always unpredictable thunderstorms that are all part of the “Summer Games.”

Hand position, that is… As safety device technology has changed over the years, so have the recommendations for driving position. This is especially true for your hand position on the steering wheel.

Have you ever wondered what about a vehicle influences a person’s buying decision? Is it the look, the color, the shape or the horsepower? Or is it safety, reliability, quality or price?

I love options! In a conversation with a co-worker the other day, he was telling me (quite proudly) how he had saved so much money by replacing his brake pads himself. He told me the parts store he used gave him “options” on the brake pads.

I recently corresponded with a member who had taken her car to a place of repair for some very minor service work and one noise concern. The service experience went fine, but when it came time for the shop to evaluate the noise, it was like they had no interest in solving the problem. The member was a little surprised when I suggested she change her place of repair versus changing any parts on her car.