Tag Archives: car parts
Possible Causes of Brake Warning Lights Turning On
Are your brake warning lights always flashing while you drive? If so, do you know exactly what they mean? There are several possible causes if your brake warning light is always flashing repeatedly. One simple possibility is that you forgot to release the parking or emergency brake. Note that the brake warning light remains on when the brake is set as a reminder. So when your warning light remains lit even when you release the parking brake, then it is a sign of a more serious problem.
In other cases, the brake warning light may remain on if there is some errors in the adjustment on the parking brake pedal or lever. If this is the case, then it means that your brake system is fine, and a you can easily readjust the parking brake pedal to solve the problem.
There are also cases when the brake warning light turns on even when you apply the brakes, or just flashes or is turned on constantly. This can mean that your hydraulic pressure has been lost in one side of the brake system or it could also be that the level of the fluids in the master cylinder needs to be checked. If the fluid is running on dangerously low levels, this can mean that there is a leak somewhere in the brake system. In both these cases, you should carefully check the fluid levels in the master cylinder. If you simply add enough brake fluid to the reservoir of the master cylinder, this may temporarily solve the problem. However, if there is presence of a leak, despite frequent refills, all will soon be lost, and when this happens, the warning light will turn on again.
Leaking of the brake fluid can be a serious problem because they may cause the brakes to stop working. As you may know, brakes are one of the most safety-related components of your vehicle, so you should avoid driving your car, especially in highways or express ways, until you are sure that there are no critical problems with your brake system. Leaks can occur in brake hoses, brake lines, disc brake calipers, drum brake wheel cylinders or even the master cylinder itself. In order to spot those leaks, always watch out for some wet spots at the hose or any of the line connections, and make sure you fix it as soon as possible.
You should also be aware that leaking of the brake fluid can contaminate the brake linings, which may cause them to slip or grab. This can result in uneven braking action, which may ultimately cause your car to swerve to one side unintentionally when you apply the brakes. If your brake shoes or brake pads have been contaminated with brake fluid, they cannot be dried out and thus must be replaced.
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Troubleshooting Rotor Problems
Most people don’t know that when it comes to disc brake rotor problems, often the rotor is not the culprit at all. It may surprise many that when you troubleshoot the problem, it reveals that the root cause is anything but the rotor. The good news is, when you closely examine the rotor, it can help you identify what the actual problem is. Check out these tips to help you spot the true defect, as well as the causes and possible solutions to each one.
Cracked Pot or Hat. If you see that the disc pot near a wheel bolt is cracked, one possible cause is that one or more of the bolts are poorly press-fitted. To solve this problem, you should simply make sure to press-fit the bolts according to your manufacturer’s recommendation.
Judder and noise. If you hear any abnormal noise, or through visible checks, find some overheating marks on the outside of the friction ring as well as some pad material deposits and cracks, it might be caused by some jammed bushings and guide. To solve this, you must replace those bushings or perhaps the complete caliper set, if necessary. Other possible causes include the possibility of the brake not releasing, or the pistons are jammed or rusted solid in caliper, or the pads are jammed in the caliper. If the guides stiff, it might also be a reason for the problem. In order to avoid and repair these, you must check calipers for free movement, the residual pressure in the system and inspect the pads and bushings. Also, you must be careful the next time you are driving not to overstrain the brakes.
Shimmy and Noise. If you notice heat bluing on both sides of the friction ring after every little use of the car, check for possible inadequate bedding-in, overstraining of brakes, residual pressure in the system, pistons jammed in the caliper, and stiff guides. Another possible clue, which you can inspect visually, is if the layer of rust on the friction ring is lifting. This might be caused by some water damage or an extended service life that has resulted in a badly rusted disc. To solve these problems, follow some of the same advice given above, and thoroughly inspect the hydraulic system. Avoid overstraining of the brakes and follow bedding-in and operating instructions. You must also check the caliper channel and the pads for free movement and lightly grease the caliper and pad contact surfaces.
So the next time you think you have a problem with your disc brake rotor, think again. It is closely related to so many other car accessories that may be the actual causes of the problem. Knowing the roles of these parts will also help you properly maintain your vehicle.
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Top 10 Car Brands in the US, Europe and China
The recent Detroit International Auto Show set the stage for which trends would rule the North American market, or possibly even a wider market. But did you know that the list of Top 10 best-selling cars in the US, Europe and China are quite different from each other? With automotive markets merging and being more globalized, it is very interesting to check which cars are famous in other parts of the world.
It is always noteworthy to feature the Top 10 list of the US, being a significant market in the industry. Same goes for Europe, which collectively is still the biggest automotive market in the world. But, as an individual country, it is China which has the biggest overall market share. In 2010, more than 11 million cars were sold in China alone, which showed a 35.5 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, US sales reached over 9.6 million, while Europe had a total of over 11.6 million vehicles sold collectively from 27 countries.
Here’s a quick look at the Top 10 lists in each country: (partial results compiled at the end of October 2010)
U.S.A.
1. Ford F-Series (434,920). America’s longtime bestseller stays on top, with sales strengthened by farm, construction and home repair workers.
2. Chevrolet Silverado (301,998). Even combined with heavy duty and GMC Sierra sales, GM would still be in second place, with a total of 405,216.
3. Toyota Camry (275,844) Loads of incentives keep it ahead of archrival Honda, despite severe hits to its reputation.
4. Honda Accord (236,278) Midsize stays strong halfway through its lifecycle, and is more profitable than Camry.
5. Toyota Corolla (227,822) Many people automatically buy the Corolla, even as it quickly ages.
6. Honda Civic (215,393)Though no longer sold in its home country, Civic stays strong in the last year of its cycle.
7. Nissan Altima (187,875) Another familiar midsize sedan due for replacement.
8. Ford Fusion (178,943) The 2010 Car of the Year has been aggressive in its pursuit of dominant Asian competitors.
9. Chevrolet Malibu (175,599) GM has moved up development of the ’12 Malibu, now expected mid-year.
10. Hyundai Sonata (166,628) Redesign helps it crack the Top 10 and push Hyundai’s U.S. sales over 500,000 for the first time.
EUROPE
1. Volkswagen Golf (420,344 ) Hatches have long been Europe’s favorite. .Jetta is not nearly as popular in Europe.
2. Ford Fiesta (351,177 ) Ford is struggling a bit in Europe, and Fiesta sales started to slide toward the end of ’10.
3. VW Polo (301,107) VW’s Ford Fiesta/Honda Jazz (Fit)/Opel Corsa fighter is like the Corolla to Golf’s Camry.
4. Renault Clio (286,100) Golf competitor shares its platform with Nissan’s compacts, including US Versa.
5. Opel/Vauxhall Corsa (266,878) Sales of GM’s B-segment hatchback started to fade in the fall.
6. Peugeot 207 (259,402) Competitor to the VW Golf and Renault Clio from the Peugeot-Citroën Group.
7. Opel/Vauxhall Astra (247,706) Another Golf fighter, and one of four cars on this list trending with better sales than in ’09.
8. Ford Focus (224,130) Sales started to trail off as Ford prepared to introduce the all-new One Ford model.
9. Renault Megane (221,671) Bigger than the Clio, with two- and four-door hatch, sedan, coupe, and cabrio variants.
10. Fiat Punto (221,213) Fiat’s C-segment hatchback
CHINA
1. BYD F3 (217,300) Build Your Dreams’ tidy four-door borrows much of its styling from Toyota’s Corolla.
2. Shanghai Volkswagen Lavida (201,500) This China-only model is derived from a MkIV Jetta floorpan, with a stretched wheelbase.
3. Beijing Hyundai Elantra Yuedong (191,800) A mildly restyled variant of the outgoing 2006-’10 Elantra four-door sedan.
4. FAW VW Jetta (191,800) VW partner FAW still builds the second-gen Jetta – face-lifted three times.
5. Shanghai Buick Excelle (186,200) The next gen of this Suzuki Forenza variant will be sold here as the ’12 Buick Verona.
6. Shanghai VW Santana (167,200) Based on the early ’90s Passat, it has long been a taxi fleet staple. A decade ago it was China’s most popular car.
7. Tianjin FAW Xiali (155,500) Its not clear which model leads sales, but several are based on Toyotas and Daihatsus.
8. Shanghai Chevrolet Cruze (147,900) Chinese version of the US’ Chevy Cruze.
9. FAW VW Bora (142,600) The Chinese share US preference for sedans over hatchbacks.
10. Guangzhou Honda Accord (140,600) US number 4 is China’s number 10. Guangzhou builds the North American, not the European (Acura TSX), Accord.
Looking at these lists, if a conclusion was to be made, it would seem that the US market seems to favor C and D segment sedans, while China and Europe prefer the C-segment sedans and hatches.
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U.S. data compiled by Forbes magazine; China data from China Association of Automobile Manufacturers; Europe data from Jato Dynamics
New Side Air Bag Regulation Aims to Save Lives
As part of its mission to prevent deaths related to rollovers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently announced the approval of the regulation that aims to increase safety standards through compeling automakers to install better side airbags, particularly for vehicles 10,000 pounds or less. The first phase of implementation will begin in 2013, while all vehicles are expected to be covered by 2018.
Based on expert studies, rollovers are one of the leading causes of vehicle-related deaths. In 1999 alone, over 8,000 fatalities were caused by rollovers, and about 47% of those are killed by being ejected after the crashes.
Through this proposal, the government wants to prevent the chance of drivers and passengers being ejected during a rollover. With bigger airbags, there will be more coverage to the window opening, and since they will also have stronger quality, they will remain inflated longer and keep the passenger from being ejected through the side windows. Moreover, this regulation is one of the most inexpensive ones for automakers and buyers, as it will add only an estimated $31 per vehicle.
Automakers are currently reviewing the regulation; however, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers has already expressed their support to this regulation. Representing Detroit’s Big Three, Toyota, and other top automakers, Wade Newton said “We certainly agree with NHTSA’s conclusion that head protecting/rollover airbags are the safest way keep people inside their vehicles when a rollover occurs.”
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