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Automotive Tips from Walker Automotive: Rotor Problems

The brake rotor, or disc, is attached to your wheel. The brake pads rub on the rotor to slow your car when you are driving in Wilmot.Rotors can warp, crack or become misaligned. They can also be damaged by worn out brake pads that scratch grooves into the surface. These conditions result in less contact surface for the brake pads, leaving you with reduced braking power.Over time and miles, rotors can also wear down below safe specifications. It is important for Wilmot drivers to know that simply replacing brake pads on a wheel with a bad rotor will not solve the problem. Depending on their condition, rotors may be resurfaced or replaced.Brake noise or a pulsation in the brake pedal are signs of potential brake problems that should be addressed right away. If you have any brake concerns, please have your friendly and professional Walker Automotive tech perform a thorough inspection.Give us a call.Walker Automotive3 Deerwood DriveWilmot, NH 0328760

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Brakes

Cool Running in Wilmot

Unless you live in Death Valley, you really don't hear much any more about cars overheating. That's because cooling systems in vehicles have been much improved. That doesn't mean you can't overheat your vehicle engine, though. Without proper preventive maintenance, you could still find yourself on the side of the road in Wilmot waiting for your vehicle engine to cool down.When you service your cooling system at Walker Automotive, your technician will check the condition of the coolant. It can become corrosive over time, which can damage a radiator — leading to an overheated engine. Changing the coolant periodically is good vehicle care. Your vehicle owner's manual can give you guidelines on how often to replace it.If your engine overheated, your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor will also check your coolant system for leaks. Check the vehicle radiator for cracks a ... read more

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Air Conditioning

Know Your Towing Limits in Wilmot

Some Wilmot drivers figure that anything they can attach to their trailer hitch can be towed by their vehicle. Nope. If you're going to do any towing around Wilmot, you should be aware of safety issues, NH towing laws and potential liability.Understanding tow ratings is important for safe towing. A tow rating is the weight limit that your vehicle can safely tow. They calculate the tow rating for every vehicle, but different options on the vehicle can affect that rating. Wilmot drivers need to read the towing section in their owner's manual to get the specific tow rating for the vehicle they own.Your trailer hitch also has a weight limit, and it may not match the tow rating for your vehicle. Your vehicle may be rated for 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), but if you have a 2,000-pound (900 kg) hitch limit, you shouldn't be towing more than 2,000 pounds (900 kg). If you tow a 10,000-pound (4,500 kg) trailer on that hitch, it could break free and you would be liable for any resulting damages.Anoth ... read more

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Safety

ICE - In Case Of Emergency In Wilmot NH

When accidents occur in Wilmot, NH, the victims' emergency contacts are extremely important. Too often, those involved aren't able to provide rescuers with phone numbers and medical information.When NH police and rescue workers must sift through pockets, glove compartments, wallets, purses and cell phone directories, they waste precious time.In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, you have people in the Wilmot, NH, area who you'll want to be contacted to arrange help, give consent to treatment and inform Wilmot paramedics of medical conditions, allergies or medications.A brilliantly simple solution is now spreading through Wilmot and around the globe: ICE. ICE – standing for In Case of Emergency – is a way to identify emergency contacts in your cell phone directory.Simply put 'ICE' before a contact name in your cell phone, like 'ICE – Dad,' 'ICE – Nancy.' or 'ICE – Doctor ... read more

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Air Conditioning

Combustion Choreography: Timing Belt Replacement at Walker Automotive in Wilmot

Have you ever seen a ballet performance? Have you wondered how all of those dancers manage to travel all over the stage jumping and twirling and never crash into each other? That's the job of a choreographer.Our auto engines are also highly choreographed. Pistons travel up and down inside cylinders. Valves at the tops of the cylinders open to let air and fuel in or exhaust out. These valves have to open and close at precisely the right time or the engine will run poorly if at all. The movement of the valves and pistons must be in harmony with each other. This choreography is the job of the timing belt or timing chain.Timing belts, or chains, rotate the shafts that control the opening and closing of the valves. Timing chains are metal and durable enough that they may never need to be replaced.Most vehicles, however, use a timing belt. Timing belts are tough and flexible, and considering the work they do, they last a long time for Wilmot auto owners . But they do wear out. If they b ... read more

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Timing Belt

Maintenance on My Mind

Ask any Wilmot man or woman if they've taken their vehicle in for preventive maintenance lately, and the answer may well be “no.” Surveys indicate that over 80% of vehicles on the road today are in need of some kind of repair or maintenance. Now, ask that same person why he hasn't taken his car in for care. The answer will probably be that he forgot or that he just didn't think about it. Most Wilmot residents seem to have a hard time remembering about scheduled maintenance for their vehicles.Funny, because most of us in Wilmot have no trouble remembering to wash our clothes, mow our lawns or brush our teeth. It isn't that we can't remember to take our vehicles for service; it's a matter of making it a priority.When it comes to our vehicles, Wilmot drivers like myself, need to be a little more maintenance-minded. The fact is, we can choose to do it, or we might find ourselves being compelled to do it.For example, when we consistently forget ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Automotive Tips from Walker Automotive: Causes of Wheel Misalignment

When properly aligned, all of your wheels are pointed in the same direction. Your vehicle will track true and handle the way it is designed. Wilmot drivers often associate our wheels being “knocked” out of alignment with an event like a major crash, hitting a pothole, curb or some other object. While these can certainly take your wheels out of alignment, the bumps and bounces of everyday Wilmot driving take their toll on wheel alignment as well. Your car can lose alignment over time with just normal driving. When your wheels are out of alignment, the team of automotive professionals at Walker Automotive in Wilmot can return your wheels to the factory settings. Most owners’ manuals suggest an inspection every year or two.Give us a call.Walker Automotive3 Deerwood DriveWilmot, NH 0328760

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Air Conditioning

Which Item Is Most Stolen from Vehicles in Wilmot?

  Which item is most often stolen from vehicles in Wilmot?Is it: Stereo Wheels Air Bag DVD System Well, if you said stereo – you used to be right. But airbags have now surpassed stereos as the biggest target for theft in NH – approximately 50,000 a year are stolen across the country. New airbags cost about $1,000, but go for $50 to $200 on the black market in NH.Stolen airbags are making their way back into cars that have been in an accident. Of course, the danger to the consumer of having a stolen airbag installed is that you can never be sure what may have previously affected them and if they will work right when you need them. Contact us at Walker Automotive for more information about where to get your airbags checked or replaced.Find us at 3 Deerwood Drive, Wilmot, NH 03287You can reach us by phone at: 603.526.4848 There are reports that 1 in 25 airbag replacements are stolen  ... read more

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Air Conditioning

Positive Crankcase Ventilation ? PCV Valve Service at Walker Automotive

Hello Wilmot! Did you know that the first federally-mandated emissions control device was introduced in the 1960's? The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve, or PCV valve, has been installed in NH vehicles since 1964 and represents the first legislation by the United States government to regulate harmful emissions as well as to improve performance in the country's vehicles.The PCV valve, as you can probably guess, is located on the crankcase. The crankcase is the lowest part of a vehicle's engine. It houses the crankshaft and the engine oil. The crankshaft connects to the pistons that power the engine.Pistons are pushed down when fuel is burned in an engine. This causes the crankshaft to rotate, which sends power to the transmission.  It ultimately turns the axles and causes the vehicle to move. Some of the gases released by the burning fuel squeeze around the pistons and down into the crankcase.If the escaped gases mix with the engine oil in the ... read more

Categories:

Exhaust

Deep Clean Your Fuel System at Walker Automotive

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your vehicle into Walker Automotive for a check up.In today's Walker Automotive auto post,we're talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. Wilmot residents need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better mileage .A clean fuel system saves money for Wilmot drivers at NH gas stations. We guess you could say it all starts and ends at the pump. One of the most important things Wilmot residents can do to keep their vehicle fuel system clean is to buy good quality gas. Major brands have detergents that keep gum and varnish from rapidly building up in the fuel system.So buying cheaper gas in NH can actually be more expensive for Wilmot drivers in the long run. Now, most cars on NH roads are more than five or six years old. That means they've had time for some dirt and rust to start acc ... read more

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Air Conditioning
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