KANSAS CITY AND OVERLAND PARK AUTO REPAIR

For most of us, it is hard to remember life without power steering – cranking those great big steering wheels? It was a pretty good workout. Now power steering is standard. The heart of any power steering system is its pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid that provides assist for steering. Most pumps are driven by a belt that is run by the engine – a few are electrically powered. A high-pressure hose passes fluid from the pump to the steering gear. A low pressure hose returns the fluid back to the pump. These hoses can develop leaks, so it is a good idea to inspect them at every oil change. Low fluid can damage the power steering pump. That is why fluid level is on the checklist for a full-service oil change. The fluid needs to be compatible with the hoses and seals, so check your owners’ manual for the right type – or just ask your service technician. The fluid cleans, cools and lubricates the power steering system. It breaks do ... read more

See if any of these phone apps or devices can help you keep your hands on the steer wheel and your eyes on the road. I have noticed I have had to give a quick touch to the horn to get the drive in the lane next to me to stop coming into my lane because they are messing with their phone. Most all of us do it but spend some time and see if any new phone apps or phone devices can help you out. Hands-Free Driving Devices Several hands-free devices have hit the market and made for a safer driving experience. Hands-Free Calling for Vehicles (Like OnStar) OnStar revolutionized the way to place phone calls and receive help with hands-free driving in GM vehicles. Since then, several other models have come on the market to make hands-free calling available to everyone. Hands-free calling is not only helpful for when you’re lost or needing to find an address, but the system also allows you to “call home” or “call mom” with ... read more

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? Do you promise to lose weight? Eat better? Be nicer? Read a book that doesn’t have a vampire in it? We all make promises to ourselves to live better but how about your car? How about this year you make a few resolutions for your friend in the driveway? Fix those little things before they become bigger things. That noise under the hood isn’t going away no matter how high you turn the radio. Give it some love now and then. Routine maintenance will go a long way toward keeping your car on the road. Don’t neglect oil changes, proper tire care, even windshield wiper replacements. Keep it clean. If you have a long commute you’ll have a nicer one if you don’t have to stare at (or smell) Taco Bell wrappers, newspapers, old mail or toddler drippings. And you’ll avoid the stare at your shoes when a co-worker asks, “Who’s driving ... read more

If you’ve ever driven a car you’ve probably seen the Multi-Tasking Driver. They’re the ones who think they can eat, read, apply makeup, text, talk, dress (or undress) and deal with the kids all while keeping an eye on the road and reloading the CD player. 18% of injury crashes in 2010 were reported as distraction-affected crashes. Distracted driving isn’t good for anyone. Then there are the drivers who take it really personally. They can be aggressive or even angry if they don’t get their way on the road. These drivers cause one third of all traffic crashes. The worst is the inebriated driver and whether its drugs or alcohol they are a major danger to others on the streets and highways. Almost half of all drivers who were killed in crashes and tested positive for drugs also had alcohol in their system. But there are also drivers who just aren’t paying attention and wander in and out ... read more

Most parents usually train their children how to drive during their teenage years. Teenage driving brings a lot of freedom to the teenagers and some of them do not fully understand the need to exercise safe driving practices. Most teenagers are not even aware that unsafe driving practices could actually lead to death or serious injuries. Much of this is related to the idea of “that would never happen to me.” If there’s one thing a teen can’t seem to live without, it’s their smartphone. This article will highlight how teens and parents can effectively use mobile applications to ensure that they exercise safe driving while training. 7 Safe Driving Mobile Apps Text Arrest is a mobile app that helps to deactivate the text message or email function in the smartphone of a teenager. This is aimed to help the teenager maintain focus on the road while training and helps avoid accidents. This application works by closing the phone’s screen, ensuring that no text ... read more