6 Big Signs Your Car Is Having Transmission Problems

Your car's radiator is essential in preventing your car from overheating. Hot coolant passes through the radiator, where thin fins direct the heat out the engine and the coolant then recirculates through the engine. In time, influenced by driving conditions, you may need a radiator repair. Here in Alexandria, VA your Chrysler dealer is available to help. Engine Temperature Is Constantly Too High Lack of coolant, constricted airflow through the cooling system or clogged hoses are all possible causes of your engine running too hot. To operate correctly, the coolant passes through your engine and absorbs the heat generated as your car's engine works. If this hot coolant is not cooled, it will pass back into the system and continue to absorb more heat. If you are driving, and you see that your engine temperature continues to climb, you need to pull over and stop your car immediately. Permanent damage to the engine can occur if it continues to run hot. more Pool of Coolant Coolant is a sweet-smelling liquid that is usually bright green, although pink and yellow are also possible colors. If you notice a pool of this liquid under your car, this is a sure sign that your engine is in trouble. Without coolant, your engine block may crack or your head gasket may blow. Neither option is good, as both are expensive to repair. Thermostat Failure The thermostat controls the flow of coolant into the radiator when the temperature hits a predetermined limit. If the thermostat fails, coolant will not be released into your engine, and the temperature will rise. Rust on the Radiator A leak in one of the hoses, or a leak in your radiator can cause hot coolant to squirt onto the hot engine. When this liquid is burnt off, it leaves behind discolored patches on the radiator that may start to rust. As your car engine is never exposed to the elements, any sign of rust in your engine can only be caused by some liquid in the engine spraying out. Damaged Radiator Hoses In time, the radiator hoses may become brittle and crack. If this occurs, coolant will leak out and your engine temperature will rise. Damaged hoses are one of the first things our technicians will check for, and easily replace if they are the only source of the problem. Cracks in the Radiator Extreme winter temperatures can cause cracks in your radiator due to the freezing and expansion of fluid in the unit. These cracks will start as hairline ones, and then grow bigger over time, damaging the radiator even more. To prevent serious damage to your car, if you experience any of these signs, call our service department immediately at Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Alexandria. Our certified experts and cutting-edge equipment can repair any possible issue your Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or Ram may experience.

When you press down on your vehicle's brake pedal, your brake pads press against the rotors to cause the necessary friction to slow down and stop your car. Look out for the following signs from your trusted CDRJ dealer in Alexandria, VA, that indicate it's time to replace your car's pads to ensure your safety behind the wheel. Does Your Vehicle Need New Brake Pads From Your Dealer? The Pads Are Thin New pads are between eight and twelve millimeters thick and can wear down to 3.2 millimeters before they need replacing. It's best to replace the pads before they get too thin. If you want to check the thickness, look between the wheel spokes, where you'll see them between the brake caliper and the brake disc. If the pads appear less than a quarter inch thick, replace them immediately to ensure your safety. more You Hear High-Pitched Screeching Sounds When you press down on the brake pedal, you might hear a screeching sound when your pads start wearing too thin. This sound is caused by the wear indicator bars built into the pads making contact with the rotors when you step on the brake. Your Brakes Are Making Horrible Grinding Noises If you ignore the screeching warning and continue to drive with worn pads, you'll eventually hear a much more severe sound - a loud grinding noise. The pad is worn to the bare metal and grinding against the steel rotor, which can cause significant damage and be very expensive to repair. Your Brakes Are Unresponsive Worn pads will severely affect your vehicle's braking ability. You will have to apply the brake pedal sooner and use more pressure to get your vehicle to respond. If you don't replace the pads when your brakes are unresponsive, they will wear down completely, significantly reducing your car's stopping power. In extreme cases where the pads are too thin to generate the necessary friction, your vehicle won't stop when needed. The Brake Pedal Vibrates Another sign that your pads are thin and need replacing is when your brake pedal vibrates when you apply the brakes. It's best to have your car technician replace the pads to eliminate the vibrations and ensure your safety while driving. Your Car Veers to the Side Pads can wear down at different rates and unevenly. One side of a pad could wear more than the other, resulting in unevenly worn pads that could cause your car to veer to the left or right when you step on the brake pedal. To avoid brake issues, check your owner's manual for the recommended brake system inspection intervals and ensure your brakes are always in proper working condition. If your car needs new pads, visit Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Alexandria today for a replacement and brake confidently, knowing you have all the stopping power you need.

Your car air filter acts as a barrier between the outside air and your engine. It traps dirt, dead bugs, and other debris and prevents them from entering your engine. This debris could cause damage to your engine, and it would interfere with the combustion process. As the filter collects this debris, it will get blocked. Your local Chrysler dealer can replace your filter, and these are a few signs that it needs to be replaced. Signs You Need a New Car Air Filter from Your Chrysler Dealer Sputtering Engine Fresh air from the filter should mix with the fuel in the combustion chamber. Far more air than fuel is required for combustion, and the perfect ratio is 14 parts air to 1 part fuel. The spark plugs will ignite this flammable mixture, and your car will move. This process works perfectly when there's sufficient clean air. A dirty filter will block most of the air that should enter the chamber, and this will create a fuel-rich environment. When there is little air, combustion becomes more difficult. Spark plugs require air to ignite the mixture, and the dense, fuel-filled atmosphere will make combustion very inefficient. The sputtering sounds you'll hear are caused by the plugs trying to ignite the mix. You may also experience stalling when you take your foot off the gas pedal. Once we replace the filter, these problems will clear up. more Reduced Power When you speed up, more fuel is dumped into the combustion chamber. To balance this extra fuel, even more, clean air is needed. Without this air, the fast-moving pistons will begin to slow down as there isn't enough air for correct compression. As compression reduces, your engine will start to struggle. There will always be air in your engine for compression, but the reduced airflow will mean a power reduction. Your engine will use more fuel to compensate, but much of this fuel will be wasted. The unused fuel will be forced out through your exhaust. You'll experience reduced engine power as your engine tries to provide power but is inhibited by the lack of air. Black Smoke From the Exhaust The excess fuel that cant be burnt in the combustion chamber is forced out of the exhaust. This unburnt fuel deposits carbon in the engine as it leaves. On the way through the exhaust, the fuel passes through the catalytic convertor. The converter's job is to remove dangerous chemicals from fuel residue, but it's not designed to deal with large amounts of unburnt fuel. The convertor will clean some of the outgoing fuel, but most of the fuel will exit the exhaust as black smoke. This smoke is filled with dangerous carbon monoxide. Some of the unburnt fuel will create sparks and even small flames as it comes into contact with the hot exhaust. Call us today at Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Alexandria. Our service technicians will speedily fit a new air filter, and you'll notice an immediate improvement in your engine.