McKinney & Bonham Auto Repair

Regularly inspecting and cleaning your battery terminals will ensure it lasts you a long time. Otherwise, corrosion can eat away the battery life and necessitate a premature battery replacement. Fortunately, you can clean your battery connection points right from your driveway. Here are the six steps on how to clean your battery: Step 1: Find the Battery Most car batteries are located under the hood, with the exception of a few being in the trunk. It is a square-like structure that you can't miss. If you have difficulty finding it, you can always refer to your owner's manual. Step 2: Remove the Terminal Covering The terminals on a battery are typically protected by a plastic or rubber covering. You must remove them to access the connection points. At this point, we recommend putting on a pair of gloves so that you don't get corrosion on your fingers. Step 3: Disconnect the Battery Remove the clamps that are held by nuts and bolts. Start with the negative one first, th ... read more

Each dashboard light has different meanings, and one you should never overlook is the engine/coolant temperature light. When glowing read, it warns you that your engine is on the brink of overheating. Allowing your vehicle to overheat can lead to devastating consequences, such as costly and time-consuming engine repairs. What Does the Engine Coolant Over-temperature Alert Mean? Not all cars have this particular temperature warning light; some vehicles only have a temperature gauge, which has a needle pointing in between "H" = hot and "C" = cold. However, for those with the special light, it looks like a thermometer dipped in coolant fluid. Regardless of the appearance of this cautionary light, the message means that your car is overheating. You should never ignore the engine temperature warning light. If the light comes on your dashboard, you should immediately pull over to a safe area and turn off your engine. You should call for roadside assistance to get your ... read more

If you want to maintain your automobile running smoothly, you should pay attention to the kind of odor it emits. Some odors should alert you to the fact that anything is wrong, therefore if your automobile emits an unusual odor, you should not disregard it. The following is a list of several uncommon automobile odors and what they signify: CARPET BURNING The smell of burning carpet frequently suggests braking problems. As a result, if this occurs under normal driving circumstances, you should get your brakes examined straight soon. ROTTEN EGGS The odor of rotten eggs suggests a problem with the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter converts the hydrogen sulfide in the exhaust into sulfur dioxide. As a result, when it isn't performing correctly, hydrogen sulfide isn't transformed into hydrogen dioxide, resulting in the rotten egg stench. If the problem is not resolved quickly, it may result in a catalytic meltdown, which will cost you ... read more

The holidays are quickly approaching, and many families are looking forward to finally seeing each other again! If you plan on taking a holiday trip this year to visit your family, you should know that the Nortex Lube and Tune team is looking out for your safety. Dealing with holiday traffic is much easier and stress-free if you know that your vehicle is properly serviced and won't break down. We highly encourage you to take your vehicle to our shop for a pre-trip inspection before you hit the busy roads. To escape the pains of holiday highway traffic, please consider the following tips:  Holiday traffic peaks the day before Thanksgiving and several days before and after Christmas. If you can, we advise you to travel outside of those days. Don't forget the entertainment if you have kids. Traveling with children can put additional stress on you. To ensure everyone is happy and calm, don't forget those entertainment devices. Also, feel free to play some road trip games ... read more

The average driver does not have a very good understanding of brake fluid. We all know our cars need it, but that's it. For instance, there are different ratings for brake fluid, and that they can affect how your vehicle performs.  Understanding what brake fluid does, what the ratings mean, and the difference between these types of brake fluids can help you make better choices for your vehicle's brake system long-term. How It Works Many cars use a hydraulic braking system, which means it relies on fluid. Without brake fluid, your vehicle won't be able to go through the processes it does to stop. As a responsible car owner, you need to change your brake fluid over time. Brake fluid is prone to absorb moisture, which makes it lose its efficiency. You might be wondering why moisture is harmful to your brake fluid? New brake fluid has a boiling point that is a higher temperature than the conditions produced while braking. And water has a much lower boiling point. If moi ... read more