Category: Resource

As we head into the winter months, it is important to keep up with the maintenance of your vehicle. Winter can be an especially trying time for car owners, as the dropping temperatures affect automobiles in all sorts of ways. When thinking about how cold weather affects cars, your mind might turn to your engine or the various fluids that make your vehicle run, but the alignment of your tires can also be impacted by icy conditions. 

As you prepare for winter driving conditions, learn more about how driving on ice-covered roads can impact your alignment and what you should be looking for if you think your car’s alignment is having issues.

The Impact of Icy Roads on Wheel Alignment

Your vehicle’s wheel alignment is especially vulnerable to alignment issues during the winter. Some of the primary causes for wheel alignment issues happening on icy roads include the following:

• Increased Chance of Potholes: Ice expands and contracts as the temperatures change, and this fluctuation is notorious for causing potholes on icy roads. When you hit a pothole in your car, your wheels can get knocked out of alignment. Since icy roads can hide potholes and make them more likely to develop, you’re more likely to hit a pothole that knocks your wheels out of alignment.
• Greater risk of sliding and colliding with another vehicle: An accident while on icy roads is every driver’s worst nightmare. Unfortunately, icy roads increase the risk of collisions, as they can cause vehicles to slide on the ice and collide with another vehicle. These types of crashes can easily affect your car’s alignment and handling.
• Higher Stress on Suspension Systems: Driving on icy roads can lead to a lot of sudden stops and starts, which puts extra stress on your suspension system. Over time, this stress can cause your tires to get out of alignment. After the winter season is over, you may want to pop over to a mechanic to make sure that all of the stop-and-go during the winter didn’t impact your vehicle’s alignment. 

The Importance of Alignment Checks During and After Winter

Getting your tire’s alignment checked can be a smart investment during the winter months and after they’re over. Tire alignment can affect your driving experience in many different ways, including:

• Tire Lifespan: Misaligned tires will put more stress on the tire structure and cause them to wear out earlier than they normally would. Regular alignment checks will ensure your car is as safe to drive as possible. It can also save you money in the long run because you’ll get your money’s worth out of a set of wheels.
• Improved Fuel Efficiency: If you’ve been wondering why you’ve been spending so much time at the gas pump this winter, it could be because of misaligned wheels. When your tires are misaligned, they create more resistance, causing your vehicle to work harder and consume more fuel.
• Smoother Driving Experience and Enhanced Safety: When your tires are misaligned, you’ll notice that your car pulls slightly in one direction. If you’re driving in icy conditions, the last thing you want is for you to have less control over your vehicle. Proper wheel alignment ensures your tires are contacting the road optimally, giving you the peace of mind that you and your passengers will get where you need to go with the least amount of risk possible. 

When Should You Get Your Alignment Checked?

Since wheel alignment issues can affect your vehicle’s safety, you’ll need to have your alignment checked when you notice any signs of alignment issues and at regular maintenance inspections. Below, you can find a breakdown of the times when you’ll need to check your vehicle’s alignment:

• After you’re in an accident or hit a pothole: If you’ve hit a large pothole or had a collision, it’s time to take your car in. Since both of these instances can affect alignment, it’s a good idea to go ahead and have a professional take a look at your wheels after your car has taken any kind of impact
• When You Notice Key Signs of Misaligned Wheels: Some of the most common signs of misaligned wheels include a vehicle pulling to one side, vibrations, and tires wearing unevenly. If you notice any of these signs, you should take your car to a mechanic to see if it needs a wheel alignment service.
• During Standard maintenance checks: Regular vehicle maintenance checks are vital for any car owner. Catching alignment issues early can help keep you safe and save you money in the long run. Be sure to include alignment checks in your regularly scheduled maintenance visits. Those who want to be even safer should consider setting up a maintenance inspection before and after the winter to make sure that everything in your car is running optimally.

Choose Chapel Hill Tire for all of Your Wheel Balancing Needs

If you’re looking for wheel alignment near you in Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, or the surrounding areas, choose Chapel Hill Tire. Whether you’re bringing your car in for a routine inspection or after you’ve noticed signs of misaligned wheels, our mechanics can fully inspect your vehicle and align your wheels if needed. Before you schedule an appointment, review our promotions to find a great deal on our many services!

Learn more about our wheel alignment services today. When you’re ready to bring your car in, please make an appointment at one of our convenient locations in the Triangle Area.

Over the years, hybrid vehicles have exploded in popularity. Since they’re a more eco-friendly, fuel-efficient option to traditional cars, it’s easy to see why many people opt to go hybrid with their next vehicle purchase. Despite their advantages, you’ll likely want to consider a hybrid’s repair costs before you make a large financial commitment. If you’re interested in purchasing a hybrid vehicle, you should know about repairs that can be more expensive with a hybrid car and ones that are about the same in a car that only uses gasoline.

Hybrid Repairs That Can Be More Expensive Than Traditional Repairs

Due to the difference in their design compared to traditional vehicles, hybrid vehicles sometimes require more expensive repairs. As you consider purchasing a hybrid vehicle, review the most common hybrid vehicle repairs that usually cost more than those for traditional vehicles below:

1. Battery Replacement

Battery replacement is one of the most significant repairs a hybrid vehicle owner can encounter. Hybrid cars have two batteries: one is a 12v battery that is used for smaller functions like starting, locking, and interior lighting, and the other is a much higher voltage battery that is responsible for moving the vehicle.

The larger of the two batteries has a lifespan that usually lasts from 100,000 to 200,000 miles and costs anywhere from $1,000 – $8,000 to replace, making it one of the most significant repairs in hybrid cars. Due to the higher cost of a new battery, you’ll likely want to opt for a hybrid vehicle that runs on a longer-lasting battery to avoid having to replace it before you’re ready to sell your vehicle.

2. Regenerative Braking Systems

Alongside their unique battery system, hybrid cars rely on a regenerative braking system that helps recharge the vehicle’s battery during braking, allowing for a longer-lasting battery life. Regenerative braking is more specialized than braking mechanisms in traditional vehicles and can be more expensive to repair. However, the system means less wear on your brake pads, meaning costs of routine brake pad replacement will be reduced.

The costs to repair these braking systems may vary by the repair shop and the type of hybrid you purchase. As a result, you’ll likely want to research the costs of repairing the regenerative braking system of the hybrid you’re interested in buying. You can also check with local automotive shops to see how much they typically charge for regenerative braking system repairs.

3. Cooling Systems

Hybrid cars have additional cooling systems to regulate the temperature in their electrical components. Because of these more specialized systems, the labor and components can be more pricey than traditional vehicles, as there may be fewer technicians in your area who can repair these types of problems. The parts for hybrid vehicle cooling systems can also be harder to obtain, resulting in a higher cost to repair them. 

Before you purchase a hybrid vehicle, check with local repair shops to see how much they charge to repair hybrid cooling systems to make sure the costs fit your budget. 

Hybrid Repairs That Are Comparable to Traditional Repairs

While you’ll likely pay more for some repairs, there are several repairs that cost about the same for hybrid and traditional vehicles. Find out more about the most similarly priced repairs below:

1. Routine Maintenance 

Standard repairs such as oil changes, tire rotation, fluid flushes, and brake pad replacement are all comparable in price to traditional fuel-powered cars. All of these fixes are essential to the basic functionality of your hybrid car, so it’s good news that they aren’t as costly as some more specialized hybrid repairs. 

2. Suspension and Steering

The suspension and steering systems in hybrid cars do not differ that much from gasoline-powered vehicles. If you need some work done on your hybrid vehicle’s steering rack, shocks, or struts, it should run you about the same amount due to a hybrid’s similarity with traditional vehicles. 

3. Body Repairs 

Any kind of body damage caused by accidents, such as paint issues, dents, or bumper repair, is not drastically different in a hybrid car from a traditional vehicle. If you need routine bodywork, you’ll be spending a comparable amount of money.

4. Exhaust System Repairs 

Fixing the exhaust system in a hybrid car versus a fuel-powered vehicle will cost about the same amount at the end of the day. Components like exhaust pipes and mufflers are similar in both types of cars, and even though the systems differ in a few ways, the repairs will be about as expensive.

Choose Chapel Hill Tire for all Hybrid Car Repairs Near You in the Triangle

Once you’ve purchased a hybrid vehicle and are looking for hybrid car repairs near you in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, or the surrounding areas, Chapel Hill Tire has you covered. Our team of technicians is trained to service all types of vehicles, including hybrids, and will be happy to provide any repairs or maintenance you might need. We’re also proud to offer several promotions to keep your costs as low as possible.

Learn more about our hybrid vehicle services today. If you need a repair for your gas or hybrid vehicle, please make an appointment at one of our 11 Triangle area locations.

Even if you’re not a car expert, it’s good to know the basic visual components of your vehicle so that you can know when it’s time to take it into the shop. Tires are some of the most important parts of your car, and keeping them balanced is essential to their long-term performance. One way you can keep your tires in great shape and catch issues early is to know what the red and yellow dots on the sides of your tires mean. 

As you try to keep your vehicle’s tires in the best shape possible, knowing what these dots mean and how they affect wheel balancing can make the difference between a set that lasts you 10 years and having to replace them earlier than you’d like.

What Do Yellow Dots on Tires Mean?

Yellow dots on a tire’s sidewall mark the lightest point of the tire. While manufacturers take great care in making the most perfectly balanced tire possible, there can still be imperfections. In order to make up for the uneven weight most tires naturally have and balance the tires, the lightest part of the tire is lined up with the valve stem, which is installed on the heaviest part of the wheel. 

In the manufacturing phase, the yellow dot helps installers easily find the lightest part of the tire and match it with the wheel’s valve stem. However, mistakes can occur, and the yellow dot might not always be located next to the valve stem. In this case, improper weight distribution can occur, causing tires to vibrate and unevenly wear when driving. Checking that the yellow dot is lined up with the valve stem on a new vehicle or when you install new tires can help prevent improper weight distribution. 

What Do Red Dots on Tires Mean?

Similar to the yellow dot on the sidewall of a tire, the red dot also aims to prevent issues with wheel balancing during manufacturing. On a tire, the red dot indicates the tire’s highest point, which is the most imbalanced part. If you have a red dot on your tire, you’ll likely have another red dot or sticker on the wheel itself behind the rim. On the wheel, the red dot indicates the wheel’s lowest point, and this red dot should line up with the red point on the tire. 

Lining up these dots will offset the unevenly distributed weight of the tire and reduce vibrations caused by the tire’s highest point. If you have yellow and red dots on your tires, you should ignore the yellow dot entirely. Instead, make sure the red dot on the tire is lined up with the red dot on the wheel when you purchase a new vehicle or a new set of tires.

Why Do Balanced Tires  Matter?

Both the yellow and red dots in your vehicle attempt to make it easier for installers, mechanics, and vehicle owners to properly balance a vehicle’s tires. If the red and yellow dots on your tire indicate you have imbalanced tires, you’ll likely run into several issues. You can find the main reasons to check that the yellow or red dots on them are properly aligned below:

• Properly balanced tires will give you a smoother ride in your vehicle. If your tire balance is off, you may feel unwanted rumbling or bumping while you’re on the road. 
• If your tire’s balance is off, it won’t wear evenly. Tire wear is inevitable, but if yours are breaking down unevenly, they will need to be replaced prematurely, costing you money in the long run. 
• Imbalanced tires will cause more rolling resistance in your car, making your engine work harder and use more fuel. 

What Do You Do When Your Tires Aren’t Balanced?

When you notice that the yellow or red dots on your tires aren’t lined up correctly, you’ll likely run into wheel balancing issues. Though it can be tempting to try to fix the issue on your own, tire balancing is not something you should try to do yourself. It is a delicate procedure that is easy to mess up if you don’t know what you’re doing, and improper wheel balancing could land you in a worse situation than when you started. 

Instead of trying to perform wheel balancing on your own, you’ll want to bring your car to a vetted auto mechanic if your tire’s yellow or red dots indicate the wheels are imbalanced. It’s also best practice to bring your vehicle in every 6,000 to 8,000 miles to check your tire balance or if you start to feel strange rumbling when driving. When you get your tires balanced by a professional, you’ll likely save money in the long run, and your car will run smoother and handle exactly like you want it to.

Choose Chapel Hill Tire for all of Your Wheel Balancing Needs

If you’re looking for wheel balancing services near you in Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, or the surrounding areas, choose Chapel Hill Tire Auto Center. Whether you need a routine inspection of your wheel balance or you’ve noticed your wheels vibrating more than they used to, our mechanics can solve the issue. Before you schedule an appointment, review our promotions to find a great deal on our many services!

Learn more about our tire balancing services today. When you’re ready to bring your car in, please make an appointment at one of our convenient locations in the Triangle Area.

At some point in almost all vehicle owner’s lives, they’ll need to break out the jumper cables and ask someone to lend a hand or, in this case, a battery. Though most people have either jumped a gas-powered car or seen someone jump a vehicle, many people aren’t sure how (or if) they can jump an electric vehicle (EV). Typically, EVs shouldn’t need a jump due to their design, but EV owners should still know the ins and outs of jump-starting their EVs just in case.

Why You Shouldn’t Try to Jump-Start the Large Voltage Battery in Your EV

EV cars have two batteries: one is a high-voltage battery responsible for moving the vehicle, and the other is a 12v battery used for smaller functions like starting, locking, windows, onboard computers, and interior lighting. If your 12v battery is drained, your vehicle may not start, and it’s safe to try to jump it.

However, if the larger high-voltage battery in your car is drained, you can’t use another car’s battery to jump it. Instead, you’ll need to recharge it at an EV charging station, and if it won’t charge, you’ll need to take it to a mechanic.

6 Steps to Jump-Start Your Electic Vehicle

When your 12V battery is dead and not powering various functions in your EV, you can safely jump-start it by following the steps below:

1. Follow Safety Precautions

Before you try to jump-start your EV, it’s important to make sure you’re as safe as possible. For example, you’ll need to park or tow your car away from potentially hazardous traffic. Next, turn off the EV and confirm it’s in park.

 In addition to turning off the vehicle, check that anything that could draw power from your 12v battery is turned off. For example, headlights, interior lights, and windshield wipers should be turned off. Finally, locate your vehicle’s battery using your EV’s owner’s manual. 

2. Gather Your Tools 

Alongside following safety precautions, you’ll need to have a few tools to jump-start your EV’s 12v battery properly. These tools include:

• Jumper cables that are in good shape.
• A functioning gas-powered vehicle (using an EV or hybrid vehicle to jump an EV isn’t usually recommended).
• A cloth to clean debris off of the battery and the jumper cables.

3. Connecting the Jumper Cables 

While much of the previous two steps are similar to a gas-powered vehicle, the actual process of jumping an EV is different. Review the following steps to connect your jumper cables to your EV and another vehicle:

• Locate the positive and negative terminals on both vehicle’s batteries. 
• Connect the red (positive) clamp to the positive terminal of the dead vehicle’s battery. Ensure the red and black connectors never touch while doing so.
• Connect the other end of the red cable to the working vehicle’s battery.
• Attach the black (negative) clamp to the negative terminal of the working vehicle’s battery.
• Attach the other end of the black clamp to the negative grounding point of the dead EV battery.

4. Starting the Vehicles

Once you’ve properly hooked up your jumper cables by following the steps above, start the working vehicle and let it run for a couple of minutes. The running vehicle will help power get to your dead EV battery. After a couple of minutes, attempt to start the dead car. If it starts, great! If it doesn’t, try again in a few minutes. EVs that won’t start after you attempt to jump them a few times will need to be taken to a mechanic for further inspection.

5. Disconnecting the Cables

Now that your 12v battery is working again, you’ll want to disconnect the jumper cables in the opposite order that you attached them in. The steps to disconnect the cables can be found below:

• Remove the black (negative) cable from the ground point on the jumped EV.
• Remove the black cable from the battery of the jumping vehicle.
• Remove the red (positive) cable from the jumping vehicle.
• Remove the red cable from the jumped EV.

6. Final Steps

Let your EV vehicle run for about 20-30 minutes after it’s jumped to allow the battery to recharge fully. Finally, take your car to your local shop to get your 12v battery checked, as 12v batteries usually don’t need to be jumped. You could need a new battery, or there may be something that malfunctioned that caused it to die. 

Choose Chapel Hill Tire for all Your Alignment Needs

If you’re looking for an electric vehicle repair shop near you in Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, or the surrounding Triangle area, turn to Chapel Hill Tire. Whether you can’t get your 12v battery to work or have another issue with your EV, we can help. With over 60 years of experience, your car will be in safe hands at Chapel Hill. We pride ourselves on being a values-based company and strive to make every visit as seamless and easy on the customer as possible!

If you need a repair, please set up an appointment at one of our conveniently Triangle-area locations. You can also review our promotions to find a great deal on our many services.

Tire alignment may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of routine maintenance for your car, but it is a crucial aspect of keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape. Whether you want to reduce costly repair bills, improve your car’s lifespan, or save money, wheel alignment services are essential. If you’ve noticed that your vehicle is pulling to one side or making noises while turning, it’s time to bring your car into the shop for a wheel alignment.

If you’re debating whether a wheel alignment is worth the cost, review the top four ways regular wheel alignment maintenance can save you money.

1. Better Fuel Efficiency

When your wheels are out of alignment, they make your engine work harder. The tires will create an increased amount of drag on your vehicle, and your engine will have to compensate by consuming more gas to keep your car moving forward. More gas consumption means more trips to the gas station and more money spent at the pump.

Properly aligned wheels won’t fight against each other to keep your vehicle moving straight, resulting in improved fuel efficiency. Plus, getting them checked out is as simple as bringing them into your local shop for a tire service appointment. You may have seen some things about DIY alignment online, but it’s a time-consuming job, and it can be very difficult to replicate the results that you would get by sticking to a professional.

2. Improved Tire Lifespan

Are your tires showing wear and tear earlier than they should be? Your alignment could be the culprit. No matter how severe the alignment issue is, improperly aligned wheels will damage your tires over time. Even a small issue could reduce the lifespan of your tires by thousands of miles!

Ideally, a set of tires should last about six to ten years with regular use, and a new set of tires usually costs around $600.00. While you’ll need to get new tires eventually, delaying that process with routine tire alignment services will end up saving you a chunk of change in the long run.

3. Reduced Risk of Costly Repair Bills 

Your tires aren’t the only part of your car affected by faulty wheel alignment. For example, suspension and brake systems can also accrue wear and tear over time if your vehicle’s alignment is off. A suspension repair can cost between $1,000 – $5,000, depending on the severity of the damage and where you take your vehicle. That’s a huge amount of money compared to a visit for alignment maintenance.

When your tires aren’t properly aligned, they can develop different amounts of traction, leading to issues with your brake system not being able to apply the pressure needed to stop your vehicle. Alongside the high costs of brake and suspension repairs, issues with your brakes and suspension can be extremely dangerous. An alignment check is a quick and easy way to give you the peace of mind that you and your passengers are traveling safely.

4. Increased Resale Value 

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your vehicle, it’s important to make sure that your old vehicle is in the best condition possible before putting it on the market. Prospective buyers want to get the most for their money, and you want the best possible value for your vehicle.

A car with properly aligned wheels and tires that are in good shape will net you a better sale than one that has had its maintenance neglected. Additionally, a comprehensive repair history is a major selling point for buyers, and having regular alignment checks on your vehicle’s maintenance reports is crucial to selling your car.

Choose Chapel Hill Tire for all Your Wheel Alignment Needs

If you’re looking for alignments near you in Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, or the surrounding areas, turn to Chapel Hill Tire. We’re pleased to offer free alignment checks to our customers, and if you do end up needing to have your wheels aligned, one of our highly qualified maintenance technicians will be happy to get your car back in working order. We pride ourselves on being a values-based company and strive to make every visit as seamless and easy on the customer as possible!

Our customer-friendly portal makes it easy to set up an appointment at our convenient locations in the Triangle area! You can also review our promotions to find a great deal on our many services.