5 Reasons To Keep Your Car Well-Maintained

5 Reasons To Keep Your Car Well-Maintained

At Spaanstras we believe that regular maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs!

Here are 5 reasons to keep your call well-maintained:

1. Keeps you Safe!
A well-maintained car doesn’t put you and your passengers at unnecessary risk. Think brakes, headlamps, tires.

2. Save Gas Money
Regular maintenance is an investment in optimum gas mileage. Inadequate tire pressure, a dirty fuel system, and a clogged air filter are just a few things that reduce gas mileage.

3. Better Resale Value
How many Grand Rapids used car buyers will pay full blue book for a car with a filthy engine, clogged filters and bald tires?

4. Your Warranty is key
Your warranty claims may be denied if your service history doesn’t fulfill the minimum requirements recommended by the car maker.

5. Save Time and Money
Regular maintenance prevents catastrophic, costly repairs.

Here are some Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service tips to help you remember the main items:

First: Fluids. Oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, brake fluid, differential fluid, etc. We can take care of all of these for you at Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service in Grand Rapids.

Then think Tires. Air, rotation, balancing, and alignment. And while you’re thinking tires, think brakes and shock absorbers.

Air and Fuel. Air filter replacement, fuel filters and Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service fuel system cleaning.

This doesn’t cover everything, but our service advisor will help you with the rest.

Contact Us
Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service
939 Fulton Street NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.459.8941
At Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

MAF Sensor and Engine Air Filter for your Vehicle

 Today’s post focuses on the importance of protecting your mass air flow sensor or MAF. 

Air and fuel are mixed together to be burned in your engine. The amount is controlled by how hard you press on the accelerator or by external factors like climbing hills or hauling loads. Based on how much air you need – and how much is available – your engine management computer tells your fuel injection system how much fuel to send to your engine. But what if the computer is getting the wrong information about how much air is coming into your engine? Well, it would send the wrong amount of fuel and your engine performance would suffer. 

The Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor measures the volume, temperature, and density of the air flowing into your engine. With that essential information, the computer calculates how much oxygen is available to burn and adjusts the amount of fuel it sends. A dirty or damaged MAF sensor can give the wrong readings, hurt your fuel economy, damage the catalytic converter, reduce engine performance, trigger the Check Engine Light, and, worst case, stop your engine.

Remember that you can drive your car if the Check Engine Light is on – unless it’s flashing. If your CEL indicates a MAF problem, Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service recommends that you take action before you damage your catalytic converter.

How does an MAF sensor get damaged? Well, let’s look at this process again. As air comes into your engine, it first passes through the engine air filter. Dust, road grime, pollen, and other harmful contaminants are, hopefully, trapped in the filter. If the engine air filter becomes clogged, some of the pollutants can pass through and hit the MAF sensor. Thus, a clean engine air filter protects your MAF sensor. Reason number 47 to replace your engine air filter as recommended.

If your MAF sensor is contaminated, you may be able to clean it with an air induction cleaning service at Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service in Grand Rapids. This service also cleans your throttle body and other fuel system components. In those circumstances where the MAF sensor is not only contaminated but actually damaged, it will need to be replaced. (And it costs a whole lot more than an engine air filter.)

We can quickly inspect your engine air filter to see if you need a new one. A caution: low-line air filters may actually contribute to MAF sensor failure as filter material can come loose and contaminate the sensitive sensor elements – filter material is just as harmful as outside gunk.

When your considerate Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service service professional recommends you replace your engine air filter, look at how much is riding on that inexpensive but important part.

Give us a call

Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service
939 Fulton Street NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.459.8941

Power Steering Maintenance

Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service Car Care Advice: Power Steering Maintenance

Did you know that the first cars were steered with a tiller? They also took a lot of muscle to turn – especially at low speeds. Francis W. Davis developed hydraulic power steering which has been enjoyed by generations of MI drivers who can steer with one finger while sipping coffee or even with a knee while they stir in a packet of sugar. (We don’t recommend either of these dangerous practices.) With hydraulics, fluid is pressurized by a pump which actuates a hydraulic cylinder that does the heavy lifting, so to speak. Some of these pumps are powered by an electric motor but most pumps are powered by the serpentine belt.
Many Grand Rapids drivers take effortless, smooth steering for granted and fail to realize that this vital system can’t be ignored. If you are experiencing troubles with your power steering such as loud whining, extra play in the wheel, uneven tire wear, inconsistent power assist or if you find that it has become more difficult to turn the wheel, it is time to have your modern horseless carriage looked at by your considerate Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service service specialist.
Power steering fluid is the lifeblood of your steering system. Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service recommends that the fluid be replaced on schedule for optimum performance and to protect the parts from rust and corrosion. It’s best to check power steering fluid at every oil change.
Power steering service includes a thorough cleaning of the system and inspection of all the parts. The steering system and the suspension system work in tandem – an alignment service at Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service in Grand Rapids also includes an inspection of steering components.
In addition to protecting costly parts, properly maintaining your power steering system is necessary for keeping everyone safe – you, your passengers, and other Grand Rapids drivers on the road.
At Spaanstra Bros. Automotive Service in Grand Rapids MI (49503) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 616.459.8941.