Albert Lea Auto Repair

Should I warm my vehicle up in cold weather? Warming up a vehicle before driving it in cold weather has been a topic of debate for a long time. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this. The determining factors have also changed a bit with modern vehicle designs. Let’s explore this topic and see what the correct answer is for your situation. The first question we should ask is, what is considered cold weather? For the sake of this discussion, we will call cold weather anything below 32°F or freezing. Very cold will be any temperature in the single digits or below. Properly maintained vehicles with multi-port or direct fuel injection systems start much better in cold and very cold conditions. As the temperature decreases, the fuel does not mix with the air as efficiently. Fuel injectors are better at getting fuel to atomize (mix) with the air than carbureted systems. Carbureted vehicles require a much longer warm-up period in cold weather due to this fact ... read more

So, you purchased your first vehicle or are new to maintaining a vehicle. What do you need to know about keeping your vehicle reliable and on the road? What are the vital steps to take to make sure you can count on your vehicle when you need it most? Waiting until you are broke down on the side of the road is by far the most expensive way to maintain your vehicle. Here are some great ways to prevent that situation! 1. Get to know your vehicle. Each vehicle has its own quirks and peculiarities. Almost like a personality. Get to know the personality of your vehicle. Learn how to operate the systems that your vehicle is equipped with. It may have many creature comforts, but do you know how to use them? Your owner’s manual will have more details about each system related to your specific vehicle. Headlights. Know how to manually turn them on and off if the automatic function quits. Door Locks. It may seem silly but with most vehicles using power ... read more