easy maintenance tips under the hood

Easy Vehicle Maintenance Tips Under the Hood

Posted on by Michael Lazo

Are you interested in keeping your vehicle well-maintained?  If so, then a quick look under the hood every six weeks can be an easy and beneficial way to keep your engine running smoothly and prevent you from developing bigger problems while on the road.  The good news is that you don’t have to be an expert mechanic to do a few quick checks under the hood to make sure you’re up-to-date with vehicle maintenance!

In this blog, we share some under the hood tips that only add a few minutes to your regular vehicle maintenance routine.  Before you get started, we suggest that you grab your vehicle owner’s manual for reference. Continue reading “Easy Vehicle Maintenance Tips Under the Hood” →

timing belt replacement

Timing belt replacement: Is it time?

Posted on by Michael Lazo

Do you spend a significant amount of time behind the wheel?  If the answer to that question is yes and you have logged at least 50,000+ miles on your vehicle, you may want to consider how those miles have impacted an important component of your vehicle – the timing belt. In this blog, we discuss the timing belt and how it functions to keep your engine running smoothly.  We also look at possible indicators that your vehicle may be ready for timing belt replacement. Continue reading “Timing belt replacement: Is it time?” →

Don't ignore the oil pressure warning light.

Oil Pressure Warning Light – What You Need to Know

Posted on by Colonial Service Station
Did you know that your vehicle has the ability to communicate with you?  In fact, your vehicle is always communicating with you and you just have to be good at listening! Sometimes our vehicles communicate with subtle messages such as a sound or a smell, but other times it may send a clear message through a warning light. One of the more important warning lights on your dashboard is your vehicle Oil Pressure Warning Light.  This is the warning that looks like an old-fashioned oil can and is usually illuminated in red when it is lit up on the dashboard.  A red warning light indicates a serious problem – we will review some important information about the Oil Pressure Warning Light.

Continue reading “Oil Pressure Warning Light – What You Need to Know” →

Don't ignore these common vehicle safety features. Call Colonial Service Station today.

How Well Are You Maintaining These Vehicle Safety Features?

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

Every time you get in your vehicle to drive somewhere, your car is working overtime to keep you safe.  In fact, vehicles are equipped with many safety features that are less obvious to us but they play an important role for our overall protection. In this blog, we look at five important vehicle safety features designed to safeguard drivers, their passengers, and the vehicle.  We briefly review aspects of each safety component and cover specific ways to keep them maintained or serviced.

Continue reading “How Well Are You Maintaining These Vehicle Safety Features?” →

Have your engine oil changed by the professionals at Colonial Service Station, Staten Island

What Every Vehicle Owner Should Know about Motor Oil

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

There’s an old saying – “knowledge is power.”  This famous quotation holds true for many aspects of life, including our vehicles. Knowing about your vehicle’s motor oil does not have to be complicated. By learning a few simple things about motor oil and your vehicle, this knowledge will help you sustain a healthy and smooth-running engine.

Continue reading “What Every Vehicle Owner Should Know about Motor Oil” →

What’s this dashboard warning light telling me?

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

There’s nothing more intimidating while driving then when your dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree and you are suddenly faced with a serious problem.  While vehicle warning lights can be scary, they are designed to tell us in advance of a serious problem or issue that can affect our vehicle engine or the safety of its occupants.  Bottom-line is to always heed the warnings of your vehicle.

Continue reading “What’s this dashboard warning light telling me?” →

For catalytic converter repair, bring your vehicle to Colonial Service Station, Staten Island, NY

What You Need to Know to Avoid Catalytic Converter Repair

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

Today’s concerns about our environment pertaining to vehicle emissions were actually also a huge concern about 50 years ago.  As more and more cars were being manufactured during the 1970s, the US government and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented vehicle emission regulations to stem the rise of air pollution.  All vehicles were equipped with a device called the catalytic converter, which was designed to convert toxic exhaust fumes into less harmful gases before they were emitted into the air. Without proper vehicle care, you will need to have catalytic converter repair work done. This is expensive.
Continue reading “What You Need to Know to Avoid Catalytic Converter Repair” →

Colonial Service Station can fix cruise control problems.

When You Have Cruise Control Problems

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

Ah, cruise control!  Once considered a vehicle luxury, now it’s a necessity for most drivers.  If you have ever had to drive a long stretch of highway you can appreciate the absolute convenience of cruise control and the beauty of “set it and forget it.” So, what exactly is cruise control and how does it work?  In this article, we cover some basic information about this system in your vehicle and what kind of cruise control problems can occur.
Continue reading “When You Have Cruise Control Problems” →

How to Avoid a Blown Head Gasket

Posted on by Colonial Service Station

Chances are that if you have ever had a blown gasket in your vehicle, you clearly understand the literal and figurative meaning of that term.  When we say that someone has “blown their gasket” we are generally describing a moment when their anger gets the best of them causing them to lose control of their emotions and the situation. This is true for a vehicle’s blown gasket as well.  If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of a blown head gasket in your vehicle, you know that it signals the worse possible scenario for your vehicle’s engine and your wallet. Don’t let your vehicle get to the point where you “blow your gasket,” literally or figuratively.  Read on to learn more about what to look for and how to prevent this mechanical nightmare.

Continue reading “How to Avoid a Blown Head Gasket” →

Trust your electrical system repair to Colonial Service Station, Staten Island, NY

Your Vehicle’s Electrical System: The Basics

Posted on by Colonial Service Station
You probably never put a lot of thought into what happens when you turn your key in the ignition or hit the starter button of your car.  Most of us just assume the vehicle will start and we can be on our way.  However, when something goes wrong with the electrical system of our vehicle, we may not be able to get the car started or keep it going for long.

Continue reading “Your Vehicle’s Electrical System: The Basics” →