Why You Should Have A Code Reader For Your Car

24 January 2019

If you’ve owned a car for many years, you’ve probably encountered a flashing check engine light at least once. If you haven’t, then you should know that this light indicates trouble. It signifies that there is a problem somewhere in the car.

The trouble is, you don’t know exactly where it is, and with all the technology people have in their cars nowadays, it’s even more challenging to figure out. Thankfully, code readers were invented. A code reader is a portable tool that you can plug into a vehicle, and it shows you precisely what area needs fixing. Sounds incredible, right?

Here are more reasons why you should have a code reader in your car.

Contents

1 Helps You Save Money:
2 Prevents Problem During Cold Weathers:
3 They’re Portable:
4 Keeps You Safe:
- 4.1 Conclusion:

Helps You Save Money:

Getting your car into a shop costs money and face it, not all mechanics are honest. Having access to an onboard diagnostic 2 (OBD2) tool like a code reader can be handy when you’re experiencing troubles with your car.

More modern cars have what they call OBD2 ports wherein you can plug your diagnostic devices. This port is found just below the dashboard on the driver’s side. Plugin your code reader into the port and refer to your obd2 scanner guide to check what the light means.

Take, for example, when your gas cap is loose or missing, the check engine light will start to blink. Taking it to a mechanic will cost a few hundred dollars, but with a code reader, you know exactly what you need to do. If it’s loose, you can tighten it. If it’s missing, it’s still a few dollars less than a visit to a mechanic.

Prevents Problem During Cold Weathers:

During extreme cold weathers, your car can experience several problems. You’ve probably experienced sitting several minutes on your driveway waiting for your car to heat up only to find out there’s a problem and you’re stuck in freezing weather.

Here are several things that can happen to your vehicle during cold weathers:

Your car fluids such as your oil, transmission fluid, and even brake fluid can thicken which will make it difficult for your car to run.
Your car battery could fail you during cold weathers because it’s going to exert more effort in starting your car. Be sure to check the health of your car battery even before winter season arrives.
The tire pressure can be significantly affected in freezing temperatures. Fluctuating tire pressures can result in uneven wear and tear of your tire and worst cases, a tire blow out.
Your spark plug becomes unreliable and starting your car can become difficult.

With a code reader handy, you will easily be able to know what’s wrong with your car even during extreme weather conditions. Knowing what needs to be repaired helps you keep your vehicle running safely.

They’re Portable:

More than being able to save money on repair costs and expensive auto-mechanic fees, a code reader is a portable device that can help ease your mind. This is especially true when you frequently use your car on road trips or vacations.

For example, if you have a recreational vehicle that your family uses a couple of times a year, you would want to have a code reader with you during the trip just in case something happens. If a problem is fixable, you can do it on your own and avoid a costly detour to the mechanic.

Moreover, people who like to drive cars are usually keen on taking care of their own vehicles. It gives them that sense of pride when they can fix the problem with their own hands. More importantly, code readers are compatible across many types of vehicle, which means you can buy a single tool for all of your cars.

Keeps You Safe:

You don’t want to be going on a vacation with your family in the car while the check engine light is on, but you also don’t want to be ruining a perfect vacation by immediately taking it to the mechanic.

Having a code scanner in your car will help give you a more reasonable explanation as to what the problem might be. Driving your car without knowing the severity of the problem can cause accidents

Conclusion:

A code reader isn’t just a reasonable investment. It’s a device that can help bring you peace of mind while on the road and will help you save tons of money on repairs and maintenance. What most car owners don’t realize is that some car problems could have been prevented if they were able to spot it immediately. Now, with a code reader finding the problem before it becomes a nuisance is made easier.

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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

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Helpful Tips to Prevent the Formation of Potholes

A large number of public roadways, parking lots, and even privately owned driveways need pothole repair. What many people don’t realize is that there are steps they can take to prevent the formation or worsening of potholes; regardless of where they develop. Understanding How Potholes Develop Before diving into how to prevent potholes, it’s a good idea to get to know how they form. Similar to cracks in your walls, potholes usually begin as a blemish or crack on the surface of the road. This is a clear indication of wear and tear. Understanding how they form gives a baseline to know how to prevent them. Some of the most common methods used for preventing potholes are found here. Plastic Roads A few years ago, Popular Mechanics released an article describing “the future of roads.” This article outlined how using large, hollow, plastic blocks to create the road network would minimize the dips made in the ground. The particular design mentioned also featured a hollow cavity inside of the road slabs for the wiring and pipe. Because of the durability and strength of this material, the surface of the road or driveway is much less likely to develop potholes. A plastic road aims to make any repairs needed faster and easier. Also, the damaged areas can be replaced by adding a new “slab” of road. Even though no prototypes have been tested yet, it’s assumed the work needed to maintain these types of roads would be much easier and less involved than with asphalt roads. Crack Infill As previously mentioned, the majority of potholes start with a small crack in the surface of the road or driveway. If this issue is repaired quickly, the likelihood of a pothole being created is reduced significantly. To prevent potholes, it’s essential that no water can get in through the cracks in the road. Crack infill fills in these cracks, preventing water ingress. Fog Seals Another way to prevent potholes is to apply a light, slow-setting, diluted asphalt emulsion to the surface of the asphalt. This layer of protection helps to prevent water intrusion, slow down the deterioration of the pavement, and improve aggregate retention. Chip Seals This is another type of thin surface treatment. It combines the use of one or several layers of asphalt with several more layers of fine aggregate. When applied, chip seals can help to prevent water intrusion, fill and seal distress in the pavement, and minimize reflective cracking. Micro Surfacing With micro surfacing, a thin surface treatment is applied, which includes a layer of finely crushed stone and asphalt emulsion. When applied properly, micro surfacing helps to prevent water intrusion and correct minor cases of rutting. It has the added benefit of fast set and cure times compared to other prevention methods. Preventing Potholes Before They Form The best way to prevent vehicle damage due to potholes is by taking notice of a problem and addressing it promptly. Failure to do this can result in serious potholes and, in extreme cases, the need to replace the entire paved surface. Make sure to take action as soon as a problem is seen. This is going to prevent a small crack, divot, or rut from becoming a severe and damage-causing problem that is only going to cost more to repair in the long-run. Read Also: 10 Fabulous Ways To Update Your Home Interior Using Wallpaper Find The Right Painters For Your Ann Arbor Home This Painting Season Important Things To Know Before Starting A Home Improvement Project

6 Effective Ways To Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

Owning a car comes with many perks. You no longer have to endure the hassle of using public transportation when you can sit in the comfort of your own car. Along with this, you no longer have to wait for the bus schedule or squeeze yourself with everyone during the rush hour. However, even with the amazing benefits that your car can provide, there are some drawbacks. Unless your car’s electric, your vehicle needs gas to run for miles. Unfortunately, fuel prices are constantly increasing. While looking for the best gas stations that provide cheaper rates would be a great option, maximizing its efficiency could also be helpful. Some Ways To Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency: 1. Go Easy On The Pedals As soon as you step inside your car, one thing you should keep in mind is to drive smoothly as possible. Not only that it can prevent you from pushing forward and backward every time your step on the brake and accelerator pedals, but it can also help you to save on your fuel consumption. Harsh driving and intense stepping on the pedals can hurt your vehicle and gas consumption, causing even more visits to the gas station. While it might sound exciting to frequently move your body and be intense with your every movement as if you’re a race car driver, it can negatively affect your gas consumption. In most cases, you’ll decrease your fuel efficiency by 15 to 30%. To prevent yourself from wasting money, you should go easy on the pedals and drive smoothly as possible. 2. Don’t Race On The Road An open road without any cars nearby might tempt you to test your speed limit. While it might sound exciting and fun, you should expect higher gas consumption. When you speed, you spend more fuel covering the same distance you would if you went a bit slower. If you’d like to save on gas, you should try to go slow, yet appropriate for the road, as much as possible. Research shows that your car is burning 25% more fuel if you’re running 80mph compared to 70mph. Moreover, depending on the car, driving over 50mph can reduce your fuel economy by 7 to 14%. If there’s no need to rush, try to slow down your speed and conserve your fuel as much as possible. 3. Check For Proper Tire Pressure While it might seem like a separate topic, your vehicle’s tire pressure can affect your car's fuel efficiency, forcing your car to work twice as much and burn your gas. You should begin by identifying your car’s ideal tire pressure and ensure that you keep it that way for your entire ride. Check your tire pressure at least every two weeks at the gas station or do it at home using a gauge and see if you need to add more air. If you choose to allow your vehicle to run with inadequate tire pressure, usually less than ten psi, it might affect your fuel economy by 10% for the entire trip. However, even with a single tire with an incorrect psi, it can still reduce your fuel’s efficiency by 3.3%. Moreover, this is only part of the car maintenance habits that you should observe regularly. 4. Remove Unnecessary Weight The heavier your car is, the more power it needs to run at your desired speed. Even if your vehicle can carry everything you put inside, it’ll only put more work on the machine, requiring additional fuel consumption. You should reduce what you throw inside as much as possible. If you don’t need to bring your kid’s stroller with you all the time or carry your bag full of clothes inside your car, you should consider leaving them behind unless you really need them for the day. Apart from unloading your trunks, you should also consider removing any unnecessary attachments inside your car. This will include your roof boxes and bike rack. If you don’t need them, you should just store them in the garage and attach them when required. While it might be added work, it could help you to improve your car’s fuel efficiency. 5. Plan Your Trips Planning your trips ahead goes a long way in maximizing your travel at the lowest cost. You’ll see which roads you should take, pinpoint heavy traffic points, and decide to take on shorter routes. To help improve your car’s fuel efficiency, you should check the traffic condition by checking the news or using a satellite navigation app that allows you to see the traffic condition in real-time. Moreover, avoiding rush hour would also help as it’s a traffic magnet, forcing you to be idle for a long time. Along with planning your trips, you should also consider making a single long trip, rather than reducing your trips into multiple ones, thinking that it’ll be more fuel-efficient. If you plan on making two short trips instead of one, you’re wasting more gas as your car would consume more fuel each time you turn it on. 6. Turn Off The Engine If you need to wait for someone while in the car, you might want to consider turning off your engine to save on gas. Even if you’re not driving your vehicle as you put it in a parking transmission, it’s consuming an adequate amount of gas, which could call for a visit to the gas station immediately. To avoid this happening, you should consider turning off your engine. When you turn off your engine, you can choose to leave the car or stay inside. However, if you’re staying, you should ensure that you keep your windows open to allow for proper ventilation as your car would be sealed shut, not giving you enough air to breathe in. Takeaway Improving your car’s fuel efficiency can really be challenging, especially if you have a usual driving habit. But trying to be a smooth driver would surely make everyone feel comfortable every time you’re behind the wheel. Moreover, reducing your car’s weight effectively allows for more space while also putting less pressure on your engine. Above all, always check for your tire pressure as they’re the most common reasons why vehicles are burning their fuel consumption. Read Also: 5 Signs Your Car Needs a Tune Up 10 Causes Of Uber Accidents In The United States Choosing the Right Anti-Theft Devices For Your Car In Houston TX

2018 Tesla Model S: The Complete Electric vehicle

Tesla has an impressive range of electric cars with decent power and along with that, the cars are friendly to the pocket. Tesla has been in the market for the past few years but has not succeeded in impressing the buyers. However, with the recent launch of Tesla Model S, which is an electric variant car and a medium-sized sedan, it has started to gain the popularity. A major reason behind this is, the affordable price and that that car offers ample amount of features which are otherwise not seen in the other electric cars in the market. Pros: The car is an electric variant. It is a medium-sized luxury sedan which has an impressive range on the high-end models of the car. The acceleration is quick and thus, the power of the engine has been done justice with the gas pedal system. Talking about the space, the liftback design is an added advantage. It offers an abundant cargo space to the customer. Moreover, there are a few Tesla exclusive technologies and general technologies which are not available in other luxury cars. Cons: There are similarly priced sedans in the market too. A major setback which can be predicted is that it is an electric car. The electric cars have not gained popularity and always considered weaker against the gas-operated car. Moreover, the luxury polish is not clearly visible such as in the other cars having the similar price tag. If we look into the aftersales part, the service centers are not present all around the world. This is because of the number of dealers in the car also less. Trims: Till the time Tesla had launched Model S, the electric vehicles were not preferred. The gas-operated vehicles were always given the priority despite the operating cost and the base price of the cars. After Tesla Model S was launched in two different trims, the potential buyers of the electric vehicles got an option to buy one of the best electric cars in the market. The basic model of the Tesla Model S is the 75D. The car is EPA-rated at the range of 229 miles. This means the fuel economy of the car is 229 miles. The higher version which is 100D can run 331 miles in one charge. This is the middle ground between the basic and the top model and thus, has all the necessary features. The top model of the car is the P100D. Talking about the acceleration of the car, when the Tesla Model S is completely charged, it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in the period of 2.5 seconds. The time taken by the car is lesser than most of the exotic cars priced at even higher rates than the Tesla Model S MSRP. Software: The most important thing about having an electric car is the continuous software updates. From the Tesla Model S review, it is known that Tesla is known for releasing new software, bug fixes and the addition of features in each software upgrade. The firmware update adds more features into the car. An added advantage of having an electric car over the gas-operated car is that the number of features keeps adding. Whereas, in the gas-operated car, once you buy the car, you will not see any features being upgraded. In the electric car, if there is an inconvenience, it will be fixed by the software itself up to some extent. Interior: Tesla model s interiors have been given top ratings by the reviewers. The advanced features in the car, ask for a bit of learning but once you are well-versed with all the features, you can enjoy the cabin with lovely materials and the infotainment system within an arm’s distance. The infotainment system can be used with the help of a 17-inch touchscreen. The whole electronic network works great. However, you can face the problem when it comes to the power exterior door handles. They deployment is delayed. The cabin is huge and gives a wide-open feeling with a ton of legroom and headroom. Safety: Considering the safety of the car, it is equipped with 5 airbags. Apart from the airbags, the car also has other standard active safety features such as 4-wheel ABS, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control, Daytime Running Lights, and lane keep assist along with other numerous Tesla exclusive safety features. Read Also: Best New Cars For Teenagers Important Tips To Maintain Your Luxury Car