January 27th, 2010
Wow.
That’s what we have to say about Toyota’s massive recall of 2.3 million (yes, million) vehicles, halting of production, and preventing dealer sales of cars and SUVs such as the Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Highlander, and Sequoia, among others. This is on the back of a 4.3 million recall last November for a similar issue – the pedals in these vehicles are getting stuck to the floor mat or just outright stuck on their own. Let’s look at this issue from a couple perspectives:
How this affects you: Be careful! If you own one of these vehicles, be safe. Follow Toyota’s response, talk to your dealer and mechanic, and be on the lookout for recall notices. There is talk that Toyota is close to finding a repair for the problem, but who knows.
One thing you should all know is that experts have come out with a response talking about what you should in the event your pedal gets stuck. This is good for all drivers, not just those driving a Toyota! Send it to your wife, husband, kids, and anyone else you care about that’s on the road. Everyone should know how to react in this situation. The basic advice is this: hold your foot firmly on the brake (do not pump), put the vehicle into neutral, and pull safely off the road. Read the details here
How this affects Toyota: Not good. The affected cars make up over half of Toyota’s sales, and its reputation will certainly be tainted. This is much worse than the Ford tire recall a while back. The company is going to have to come up with a fix, and I mean fast. The car business is a competitive as ever and other companies are going to push their safety rankings, so Toyota is going to lose market share.
How this affects other auto makers: As I said, car companies such as GM, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, and Honda are all going to sell more cars because of this problem. GM is already offering 60 months of no-interest financing for a new GM with a Toyota trade-in. Good deal? Sorta, although what is the discount that they will apply to that tainted Toyota you trade in? The money you lose on the Toyota may not make up for that cheap financing. If you are doing this, share with us how the trade-ins go.
Tags: Recalls, safety, Toyota
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December 30th, 2009
With the joy of the holiday season comes the less joyous onset of ice, snow and sleet (unless you live in FL…in which case, can we come over?)
Yesterday, a friend of ours slid his monster truck into a ditch. Luckily, no injuries other than being stuck in 4 feet of snow. Made us wonder….do we stand a chance against the elements in our little 4-door sedan?
As such, we’re putting together some tips for driving safely in this miserable lovely weather.
1) Buckle up. No, seriously.
2) Accelerate/ decelerate slowly. When you see that red stoplight, stop slowly to allow for traction and to avoid skidding. When it’s time to get going again, accelerate slowly.
3) If you get stuck, don’t let your wheels keep churning – you’ll just dig yourself deeper into the snowy oblivion (trust me on this one). Instead, turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way. Then, lightly touch the gas and ease your car out. Still suck? Get your shovel and some sand.
4) Do NOT use cruise control.
5) Make sure you have at least 1/2 a tank of gas, a ice scrapper, an extra tire and a cell phone. For good measure, keep a blanket or extra clothes in the trunk. If you ever get stuck in the snow, you’ll be thankful you did.
Tags: driving, ice, safety, snow, winter
Posted in Winter Driving | 3 Comments »
December 25th, 2009
Happy Holidays HMW readers!
Wishing everyone a safe holiday season.
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September 8th, 2009
One of the guys here has a girlfriend who just got a new car. Her main focus when purchasing her new vehicle? Just that it drives and looks “pretty.”
Well, we want to make sure her car keeps driving the way it should, so we’re putting together a basic maintenance checklist for her. And, since the Internet is a plethora of knowledge (and we didn’t feel like re-creating the wheel), we just included links to articles if you want more info.
Monthly:
Tire Pressure and Damages – maintaining proper tire pressure is an easy task that not only keeps you safe, but also provides for better fuel efficency. While you’re at it, give your tires a quick scan…leaks, uneven wear, bulges = not good. Read More.
Antifreeze / Coolant – this is an easy one. Read More.
Hoses and Belts – Another easy one…look for any rotton, worn, frayed hoses or belts.
Quarterly:
Oil and Oil Filter - Two notes about this. 1) Bring your car in for an oil change every 3 months OR every 3,000 miles…whichever comes first. 2) Some people think that bringing it in every 3,000 miles / every 3 months is excessive – I disagree. For the $25-30 it costs you to get the oil changed, you also get the benefit of having a professional look at your tires / hoses / belts (and assuming most people will not inspect their car monthly, regardless of how easy it may seem, it’s a good idea to have someone take a look every 3 months). $25 per check is a pretty small bill that will prevent a lot of larger disasters.
Brake, Battery and Power Steering Fluid – add some if neccessary.
Windshield Washer Fluid – if you’ve ever been caught without it, you’ll know why it’s important. Windshields should be transparent. Take note.
Semi-Annually:
Headlights, Brake Lights, Turn Signals – Some cars will alert you if these are broken / out. Others are not so advanced. Assuming you don’t like being rear-ended, make sure every light is working the way it should be.
Brakes – As one can imagine, this is important. Bring it into the shop to get it checked or DIY Read More.
Spare Tire – Don’t be the main character of a horror film. Make sure you have a spare tire that is inflated and will actually help you in your getaway.
Wiper Blades – Again, windshields should be transparent. Replace worn wiper blades.
Again, this list just covers the basics and there is always more you can do. For those who are looking for extra, this is a nice check list I found on the internet…print and enjoy!
Keep in mind that the more you do, the safer and better off you’ll be in the long-run.
Tags: antifreeze, battery, belts, brake, check, checklist, headlights, hoses, maintence, oil, oil filter, tires, washer fluid, windshield
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
August 21st, 2009
Recession = Boooooooo
Cash for Clunkers = Yaaaaayy
Thinking about bringing in your old gas-guzzler for $$$ towards a newbie? We’ve received a ton of questions regarding the program from our readers so we thought we’d bring you this nice little summary we found on the web. Enjoy!
Tags: cash for clunkerse
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August 20th, 2009
Are you on Facebook? If you are, friend us. We love friends.
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July 31st, 2009
Hi everyone, and welcome to Heal My Wheels. This website is the result of several years work by four individuals (and, of course, their fantastic web developers) who want to improve the information out there on the automotive industry and in particular, mechanics across the United States. Having driven used cars since we were in high school, we have spent plenty of time (and money) at auto repair shops and, like many of you out there, have had some great and not-so-great experiences. One thing we did learn is that good mechanics tend to consistently have happy customers, and that after speaking to past customers about particular shops, we were able to make a good decision about whether or not they would do a good job for us. Our experiences over time improved as we spoke to more and more people. The tricky thing was finding people that we could speak to about a shop quickly before we made a decision!
So, here is our solution. We created an online destination where you can find auto mechanics in your local area specializing in the work you need completed (body repair, glass, etc.) You will be able to see ratings from previous customers and also written reviews, which will help you make a smart decision on where to go. Now, here’s the catch. Since we are a new site, we admit that we don’t have reviews just yet. This is where you come in. We need all of you that visit our site to share your honest opinions with the community about your experiences. The more information you share, the better this site. So yes, we are asking you for a favor (if we say “pretty please”, is that good enough?). But we are confident that as others post reviews as well, down the road, the next time you need to use a mechanic, you will hopefully be able to visit us and find some great information on who to choose. It is that simple.
What else do we have to offer? Well, in addition to our database of mechanics and auto service providers, we also have message boards where you can talk to others about repair solutions or news in the car industry, an expert help section where you can get some tips on common car problems and of course, this blog that you are reading right now. We will be blogging about all things that are happening in the automotive business, and we’ll do our best to keep it interesting.
In summary, we are tremendously excited about this opportunity to improve the information out there in the auto mechanic world through letting people speak their minds. So, go ahead and write a review or post a comment!
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