Don't get tricked with bad performance this Halloween

Halloween is practically already here! Can you believe how fast October went? With all the preparation of getting costumes together, decorating your house, and trying to not eat all the candy you bought for trick-or-treaters, you may have forgotten to keep track of your car’s performance. The auto service experts at Toyota of Orlando want to make sure your car is prepared for driving on Halloween. That’s why we’ve picked out some auto service suggestions that you should look into in order to have a safe Halloween full of treats.

Treat yourself to Halloween auto service

Check your brakes

It’s important to make sure that your brakes are in good working condition before you head out on Halloween. That’s because you never know when exactly you’ll have to stop to avoid an accident. If you’ve been hearing a strange noise when you brake or there’s a lot of vibration in the brake pedal, we recommend getting car maintenance in Orlando just to be safe.

Is it time for tire service?

It’s important to maintain your car tires. You wouldn’t want to have to change your tire while dressed up in a costume instead of enjoying your time at a party. Make sure your tires are inflated at the right pressure. Not only will this prevent your tires from being damaged, it might also increase your fuel efficiency. And if you’re worried about your tread, all you need to do is take a penny, place it upside down with Abraham Lincoln facing out. If you can see the top of his head, it’s time to get that tire replaced. 

Working windshield wipers

You never know when a surprise storm might appear. Make sure you’re prepared with working windshield wipers! You can find the perfect set for you at our Toyota parts center. And if you don’t have time to get them professionally changed out, don’t worry! Changing your windshield wipers is an easy DIY auto service that even a beginner can do! 

Are your lights shining bright?

Once you get out of the bright lights of Downtown Orlando, it can be pretty dark! That’s why you should make sure your headlights are working properly and are clear. If you notice that your headlights are a little foggy, a quick and easy tip is to clean them with ordinary toothpaste. They’ll be cleared up afterword!

Get all your car maintenance needs handled at Toyota of Orlando

If you think you need some quick auto service help before Halloween, be sure to come down to our Orlando dealership. The team at our Toyota service center will be sure you help you with any car maintenance help that you need. We’re located at 3575 Vineland Road just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall.

Improve your fuel efficiency with Toyota of Orlando!

We’re sure gasoline is high up on your list of most expensive weekly purchases. That being said, it’s very important that you’re getting the most out of your car’s gas mileage to give you and your wallet some extra time before your next gas station visit. So Toyota of Orlando is here to help with a couple of quick and easy tips on how to up your fuel efficiency game.

Tips for better gas mileage

If gas prices are climbing up and you feel your Orlando Toyota is running out of gas far too quickly, there are a couple of things you can do to make sure your next gas station visit doesn’t come around quite so quickly.

Tip 1: Refrain from unnecessarily aggressive driving

If you’re the type of person who likes to pretend they’re competing in the Daytona 500 on their morning commute to work you’re most likely the reason for your frequent trips to the pump. This kind of driving is characterized by constant speeding and rapid acceleration and deceleration. Obeying the speed limit and driving sensibly saves a significant amount of gas and more importantly, is a whole lot safer.

Tip 2: Stay away from heavy loads.

Any unnecessary weight added to your vehicle, especially on the roof, makes it that much harder for your car to move forward. So whenever possible, avoid hauling any heavy cargo to prevent lowering your car’s fuel efficiency.

Tip 3: Utilize cruise control.

Whenever you’re on the highway, our technicians recommend driving in cruise control. Remaining at a constant speed conserves gas.

Tip 4: Obey the speed limit.

As mentioned before, if you’re driving like a speed racer you’re only hurting yourself. The fuel economy of your car dramatically decreases with faster speeds.

Tip 5: Remove heavy clutter from your car.

Any unnecessary items that you store in your car add more weight to your vehicle. This makes you car work harder and use up more gas to drive.

Tip 6: Take care of your engine.

If your engine is taken care of properly you will avoid a lowered fuel efficiency due to engine problems.

Toyota of Orlando can help!

A car free of heavy clutter with some safe sensible driving can do wonders for your car’s fuel efficiency and the thickness of your wallet. Next time you’re driving to work, make sure to follow these money saving tips and give yourself some extra spending money for the weekend.

If you follow all of these tips and still feel that your car is using up gasoline too rapidly then stop on into Toyota of Orlando. We can inspect your engine and determine the problem quickly. The good news is we are always running incredible service specials for you to benefit from! We are open 7 days a week and are just a quick stop off I-4 near the Millennia Mall. Call us at (407) 298-4500 to schedule an appointment today. See you soon!

What to know about engine air filters!

We’ve talked a lot about what to do to keep your car in good shape on this blog. Whether it’s knowing how to change your oil or knowing the dangers of potholes, there are plenty of things to make yourself familiar with to maintain the integrity of your vehicle and its performance. One thing that you may not being doing as often as you should is changing the engine air filter.

The engine air filter is important to the overall function of your car’s performance. It’s important to replace it regularly as a part of your own auto service. Our team at Toyota of Orlando is here to talk to you about what issues old engine air filters can cause, and some benefits to changing them out when you should.

Toyota of Orlando tips to know when you should replace an engine air filter

You may be wondering what signs you need to look out for in order to tell when you need to change your engine air filter. Our auto service techs in Orlando have put together a list of signs you should look out for. 

A decrease in gas mileage

Have you noticed that your Orlando Toyota isn’t getting the gas mileage like it used to? This may be caused by a dirty air filter! Since the air isn’t as clean as it couldn’t be, it could affect your fuel economy. 

Ignition problems

Does it take a little bit more effort to start you engine as of late? Problems with your ignition can be linked to faulty spark plugs. But did you know a dirty engine air filter could cause your spark plugs to foul?

It’s been over 15,000 miles since your last change

You know that you said get your oil changed approximately every 5,000 miles as part of routine auto service. But did you know that you should get your engine air filter changed every 15,000 miles? Following this schedule will make sure that you always have a clean filter so your car’s performance doesn’t falter. 

Your filter is visibly dirty

Do you remember what color the filter was when it was first put into your car? Usually, engine air filters come in white or off-white. If you’re filter is looking a bit darker than that, it’s time to change it! A dirty filter means it is clogged, or almost clogged. That means clean air can’t come through.

Add engine air filter replacement to your routine auto service

Our staff at Toyota of Orlando wants to make sure that you’re keeping your car in good condition. Whether you are conducting some auto service on your own or bringing into our Orlando service center, we’ll be there to help you! Our service center and dealership is located at 3575 Vineland Road just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall.

The auto service you need after hitting a curb

We’ve all experienced the unexpected jolt that occurs when you hit a curb. Most people assume this is just a tiny bump in the road with little to no repercussions. You might get a scratch here or a ding there, but nothing worth worrying about, right? It’s true that this is a common and small driving mistake, but did you know that coming in contact with a curb can do some major damages to your car? These damages may not be visible at first glance, but the consequences can be severe. Therefore, we picked the brains of our Orlando Toyota service staff to give you the inside scoop on the dangers of curb hitting and what auto service you’ll need after and why.

Potential damages to your Orlando Toyota 

If you come to that fateful meeting day of car and curb, we encourage you to not ignore it! After hitting a curb you’ll need to stop by our auto service center to have an inspection so minor damages don’t turn into major ones. The most common issues our certified technicians see are:

• Tire wear damage: You might think that if you hit the curb when driving slow, 5-10 mph, you’re in the clear, but your car can still experience some serious tire wear damage. This damage can occur as little as 200 miles after curb impact. You’ll want to have your tires inspected immediately, not only for safety reasons but also to get the best fuel efficiency out of your car. 
• Tie rods: Your tie rods are responsible for connecting your steering system and your car’s wheels. Hitting a curb can severely impact these rods and affect your overall steering abilities. This is especially important to pay attention to in fall when roads are slick from increased rain.  
• Steering knuckle: The spindle or wheel hub is contained within your car’s steering knuckle and attaches to your steering components. If your car experiences damage to the steering knuckle this will impact your ability to steer properly as well as your car’s suspension. 
• Control arms: The control arms of your car permit your suspension to move up and down while keeping the knuckles, spindles, and axles in place. The jarring that comes with hitting a curb will most likely cause severe damages to the control arms and the suspension of your vehicle. 

What Orlando auto service you’ll need

The most likely auto service you’ll need is an alignment check. This check-up is a small expense in comparison to the money and miles that it can save you. If we find that you do need a wheel alignment, you’ll be assured maximum fuel efficiency, no costly future repairs, and restored confidence in your ride.

If you end up getting up close and personal with a curb make sure to call our Toyota of Orlando service center at (407) 298-4500 to schedule an appointment for an inspection right away! Our experienced technicians know all of the tell-tale signs of a vehicle suffering from curb damage and will get you taken care of right away to help you avoid expensive repairs down the road. We are open seven days a week at 3575 Vineland Road. Safe travels!