Premier Diesel

Myth Buster Friday: you only need to think about your battery once it dies. That is the expensive way to do it. A load test takes a few minutes and tells you whether the battery still has real cranking power or is just barely holding on. Most batteries warn you first with slow cranking or lights that dim at idle. Testing turns a tow into an appointment.

Transmission fluid does not get talked about much until it becomes a problem, and a transmission is one of the most expensive things on your vehicle. Slipping, hard shifts, or a delay when you put it in gear are all worth having checked early. Catching it is a service. Ignoring it is a rebuild.

Trivia Wednesday: at around zero degrees, roughly how much of its cranking power does a car battery lose? A) About 10 percent B) About half C) None at all. Take a guess below.

All-season tires are a compromise, and that is not a criticism. They are built to do a lot of things adequately rather than one thing perfectly. What matters is tread depth and rubber that has not hardened with age. Once temperatures drop and the tread gets shallow, grip falls off faster than most drivers expect. We can measure yours and tell you exactly where they stand.

Mechanic Monday tip: walk around your vehicle once this week with the lights on. Headlights, brake lights, turn signals, reverse lights, and the plate light. It takes two minutes with a helper or a storefront reflection, and a burned out bulb is one of the most common and most preventable reasons drivers get pulled over.

Myth Buster Friday: a check engine light means pull over right now. Not quite. A steady light means get it scanned soon, and carefully driving it to the shop is usually fine. A flashing check engine light is a different story. That points to a misfire that can damage your catalytic converter, and it does mean stop driving. Steady, make an appointment. Flashing, call it in.

October is Fall Car Care Month, and the timing is not an accident. This is the last comfortable stretch before the weather turns. Battery, tires, brakes, wipers, lights, and fluids are the short list. We can go through all of it in a single visit. Stop in or book your next appointment today.

Trivia Wednesday: besides keeping coolant from freezing, what else does engine coolant do? A) Raises the boiling point and fights corrosion B) Cleans the engine oil C) Nothing else. Guess below.

Your heater and defroster run off the same cooling system as your engine. A weak heater, a slow defrost, or a sweet smell inside the cabin can all point back to a coolant problem. Much better to sort that out now than on the first frosty morning.

Mechanic Monday tip: check your tire pressure this week, and check it in the morning before you drive anywhere. Pressure reads lower when the tires are cold, and cold is exactly the condition you will be starting in every day from here. Correct pressure improves handling, braking, and fuel economy all at once.