If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle, you know when things don't feel quite right. You may feel some pull in the steering or hear noises that weren't occurring before. The vehicle may feel like it is losing power or not braking as well as it should. Any number of issues can compromise the safety of your automobile. Which is why it's of the upmost importance that Creech Import inspect your vehicle for maximum safety on a routine basis.
If your steering and suspension are damaged or excessively worn, it is easy to lose control of your vehicle and crash. The problem may be manageable when you are cruising around town to get groceries on a nice day. However, if you let the problem go, it will magnify on days when the weather is bad or in other traffic situations. Creech Import will thoroughly inspect your vehicle. We check all the ball joints, tie rods, and front-end bushings for excessive play and signs of damage.
Testing the suspension for problems is a little trickier. Traditionally, the rocker test was used to determine the strength of the suspension. The mechanic would simply rock the vehicle up and down to determine if there was excessive travel or play in the suspension. Nowadays, this test is still used but is not as reliable if the vehicle simply has a softer suspension.
Checking the shocks for leakage, corrosion, or damage to the dust boots that prevent this problem is another essential aspect of an inspection. The seals on the struts can get damaged if the dust boots deteriorate. Then, the hydraulic fluid will leak out, and the shocks won't dampen the road vibrations. We also check the springs to see if they are rusted out or broken.
Another essential part of any safety inspection is a complete brake system check. At Creech Import, we can check the quality of your brake fluid and flush it if it has deteriorated. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, a fancy term meaning that it absorbs moisture from the air. Because it absorbs moisture so rapidly, it has to be flushed every 2 or 3 years to ensure optimal brake performance. Too much moisture in the fluid will cause it to boil off under heavy braking, which causes pressure losses and a spongy pedal. The moisture will also cause internal corrosion if it is not replaced with fresh hydraulic brake fluid.
We also check the pads for excessive or irregular wear and the rotors for the same. We often find that customers have warped rotors from having poor service performed at other shops. When shops remove your wheel lug nuts, they often lack the specific torque specs to properly mount the tires. They may over-tighten the lug nuts and warp the face of the rotors. When this happens, the brakes will send vibrations through the subframe and steering wheel when you brake hard at high speeds. This is very unsafe and can cause an accident if it goes unchecked.
Your engine produces vacuum (suction power) as an inherent result of the piston downstrokes creating negative pressure. This vacuum pulls in the air needed for combustion in a naturally aspirated engine. If you have a leak in an injector seal, a vacuum hose, or the vacuum brake booster, itself, you will notice a considerable loss of braking power.
If your master cylinder is worn, this can, likewise, compromise the effectiveness of your braking. You may feel excessive pedal travel, a worn master cylinder is usually the case. In other cases, it can be an improper adjustment of the eccentric in a hybrid rotor and drum brake system. These self-adjusting mechanisms may need to be lubricated or replaced to function properly.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the key aspects of a thorough safety inspection. At Creech Import you can rest assured that your vehicle will be among the safest on the roads when you bring it in for service. We have a depth of automotive knowledge to spot any tiny issues and can repair them before they wax worse.