Signs You Need a Vehicle Tune-Up

It’s crucial to stay on top of preventative maintenance with your truck. After all, you’ve put a lot of money into the purchase of your vehicle, so it’s important to protect that investment so you can get the most life and use out of it. Part of this is keeping up with your vehicle tune-ups, and interpreting any signs your vehicle is giving you that it needs some general maintenance.

So how can you tell it’s time to take your truck in for a tune-up? Here are just a few examples of some of the telltale signs for which you should be on the lookout:

• Clogged engine filters: When you have engine air filters that are dirty or fully clogged, this will hurt your vehicle’s acceleration rate and your overall fuel economy. It’s important to stay on top of regular filter changes, and that’s something that will be incorporated into pretty much any vehicle tune-up.
• Engine misfires: An engine misfire occurs when spark plugs ignite at improper times. This is commonly caused by the use of spark plugs that are worn or damaged. All spark plugs have a lifespan past which they are no longer useful or even safe to use in your vehicle. That’s not to say you need to change your spark plugs frequently—most will last 100,000 miles or so. But once you do have worn-out spark plugs, you’ll start to notice a major drop in fuel economy, issues with hard starting and slow acceleration. If these issues begin to manifest and you’ve put a lot of miles on your truck, it could be time to go in for a tune-up and ask for new spark plugs as part of the process.
• Brakes squealing: Do you hear a squealing noise when you apply your brakes? If so, there’s a good chance your brake pads have worn down and need to be replaced. This is a good time to take your vehicle in for a full tune-up so you can get the rest of your vehicle checked out while you’re at it.
• Oil change: If you know the time has come for an oil change, you may as well time it with a general tune-up of your vehicle. Most vehicles manufactured these days have oil life indicators that tell you exactly how much time you have before you need to get the oil changed, but you can also go by the recommendations for the kind of oil you’re using. There are some synthetic oils that will allow vehicles to go a good 7,000 to 10,000 miles without needing an oil change. In any case, keep track of your mileage so you know approximately when you need to get your oil changed and when you should schedule your next vehicle tune-up.
• Engine deposits: If you’ve noticed the presence of engine deposits, this is probably a result of contaminated or low-quality gas. The best solution is to get your fuel system cleaned out at a repair shop when you get your vehicle tuned up.
• Check engine light: Any time you see the check engine light in your vehicle come on, it’s a good idea to get your vehicle to a service shop as soon as possible so you can determine what’s causing it to illuminate.

For more information about the signs that indicate when you need to get a vehicle tune-up, we encourage you to contact the technicians at J.H.T. Service & Repair, LLC today with any questions or concerns.

Categorised in: Tune-Ups

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