Car care guides
Know your car. Spot trouble early.
Plain-English help with the lights on your dash, the maintenance that comes due as the miles add up, and the seasonal care that keeps your car, mower and snow blower starting when you need them.
Dashboard warning lights
What’s that light on my dash?
Tap a symbol to see what it usually means, how urgent it is and what to do next. Symbols and colors vary by make, so your owner’s manual has the final word.
- Red: stop safely soon
- Amber: check soon
- Green or blue: info
Every warning light should glow for a moment when you start the car. That’s the bulb check.
Amber: get it checked soon
Check engine
What it means
The engine computer has spotted a problem in the engine, fuel, ignition or emissions systems and stored a trouble code. The cause can be as small as a loose gas cap or as serious as a misfire.
What to do
If the light is steady and the car drives normally, it’s usually okay to drive for now, but book a diagnosis soon. Make sure the gas cap clicks tight, and note any changes in how the car runs.
Flashing? That usually means a severe misfire, which can overheat the catalytic converter. Ease off, avoid heavy loads and have it checked right away.
Don’t see your light here? Look it up in your owner’s manual, or give us a call and describe it.
Maintenance by the mile
What’s typically due, and when.
Pick a milestone to roll the odometer and see the service items that commonly come due. Every vehicle is different, so treat this as a guide and your owner’s manual as the rulebook.
Odometer
030000Around 30,000 miles
The first big checkup. Often includes:
- Replace the engine and cabin air filters
- Test the brake fluid; many makers call for new fluid every 2 to 3 years
- Check coolant condition and the cooling-system hoses
- Inspect the transmission fluid, and service it if your schedule calls for it
- Battery test (many batteries last about 3 to 5 years)
- Spark plugs on some older engines
Typical intervals only. Always follow your owner’s manual. Towing, lots of short trips, dusty roads and extreme heat or cold often call for the severe-service schedule.
Seasonal checklists
A little seasonal prep goes a long way.
For the car in the driveway and the equipment in the shed. Work through the list yourself, or bring it all in and we’ll check it for you.
Your car
Shake off winter
- Rinse road salt from the underbody and wheel wells
- Check tire pressure and tread, and swap off winter tires once temperatures stay mild
- Replace wiper blades worn down by ice and snow
- Pothole check: pulling, a crooked steering wheel or new vibrations can mean alignment or suspension damage
- Test the A/C before the first hot day
- Top off the washer fluid
Mowers & small engines
Tune-up time
- Mower tune-up: fresh oil, a new spark plug and a clean air filter
- Sharpen and balance the mower blade
- Start with fresh fuel, and drain any gas that sat all winter untreated
- Charge or replace the riding mower battery
- Check belts, cables and tire pressure on riding mowers
- Service trimmers and blowers: line, filters and the right fuel mix
Your car
Beat the heat
- Check the coolant level with the engine cold, and look for leaks
- A/C blowing warm? Have it checked before a small leak becomes a bigger repair
- Heat is hard on batteries, so test yours before a road trip
- Check tire pressures, including the spare, before long drives
- Pack water, a phone charger and a basic emergency kit
- Check the oil more often if you tow or carry heavy loads
Mowers & small engines
Peak mowing season
- Keep the mower deck clean and the blade sharp
- Change the mower oil as your manual suggests, often every 25 to 50 hours
- Clean the air filter more often in dry, dusty weather
- Run the generator with something plugged in for about 20 minutes each month so it’s storm-ready
- Buy only as much fuel as you’ll use in about a month
- Never run a generator indoors, in a garage or near open windows
Your car
Get ready for the cold
- Test the battery before the first cold snap
- Check the heater, defroster and rear defrost
- Make sure the coolant has the freeze protection your winters need
- Check wipers, headlights and taillights as the days get shorter
- Inspect the brakes and tire tread, and consider winter tires
- Put an ice scraper and a blanket back in the car
Mowers & small engines
Put summer away, wake up winter
- Winterize the mower: stabilize the fuel and run it, or run the carburetor dry
- Change the oil and clean the deck before storage
- Charge the riding mower battery and keep it on a maintainer
- Snow blower prep: fresh oil, a new spark plug and stabilized fuel
- Check shear pins, the auger belt and skid shoes
- Start the snow blower once before the first storm
Your car
Cold-weather ready
- Winter battery test: cold weather cuts a battery’s starting power
- Check tire pressure often, since it falls roughly 1 psi with each 10°F drop in temperature
- Use washer fluid rated for freezing temperatures
- Keep the gas tank at least half full
- Carry jumper cables, a flashlight, a blanket and a scraper
- Stuck in snow? Clear the tailpipe before you run the engine to stay warm
Snow blowers & generators
Storm season
- Use fresh, stabilized fuel in the snow blower
- Clear clogs with a clean-out tool and the engine off, never by hand
- Keep spare shear pins and a spark plug on hand
- Run the generator monthly and keep stabilized fuel ready
- Keep generators outside, well away from doors, windows and vents
- Book the mower tune-up early, before the spring rush
Small engine storage & fuel
Store it right, and it starts right up.
A lot of spring no-starts come down to fuel that sat all winter. A few minutes of prep now can save a carburetor cleaning later.
Safety first: disconnect the spark plug wire before touching the blade or reaching under the deck. When you tip a mower, keep the air filter and carburetor side up so oil and fuel don’t soak the filter.
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Buy fresh, buy small
Most pump gas is E10, with up to 10% ethanol. Ethanol attracts moisture, and fuel can start going stale in about a month, leaving gummy varnish in tiny carburetor passages. Buy what you’ll use in about 30 days, and never use E15 or higher in small engines.
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Stabilize when you fill the can
Add fuel stabilizer at the pump, not just in the fall. Then run the engine for a few minutes so treated fuel reaches the carburetor.
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Store it full, or run it dry
For the off-season, either fill the tank with stabilized fuel or drain it and run the carburetor dry. Your equipment manual says which it prefers, and some carburetors have a bowl drain that makes it easy.
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Change the oil before storage
Used oil carries acids and moisture that sit on engine parts all winter. Change it while the engine is warm, and check the level before every use.
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Clean the deck
With the spark plug wire disconnected, scrape packed grass from under the deck. Buildup holds moisture, rusts the deck and hurts the cut.
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Sharpen and balance the blade
A sharp blade cuts cleanly; a dull one tears grass and leaves brown tips. Sharpen it once or twice a season and balance it so the mower doesn’t shake. We’re happy to do it for you.
Don’t wait
Call us right away if…
These can mean damage is happening right now. Pull over when it’s safe, turn off the engine and give us a call. We’ll help you decide whether to drive it in or have it towed.
See flames or heavy smoke? Get everyone out, move well away from the vehicle and call 911 first.
- Your check engine light is flashing
- A red oil pressure or engine temperature light comes on
- The brake pedal feels soft or sinks, or the red brake light stays on
- You smell something burning: hot oil, rubber or wiring
- Steam or smoke is coming from under the hood (don’t open a hot radiator cap)
- You smell gas, or fuel is leaking from a car, mower or generator
- Steering suddenly gets heavy, or the car pulls hard to one side
- A new loud grinding, knocking or clunking noise