Archive for the ‘Portland Suzuki Dealer’ Category

Over 6 million accidents occur on America’s roads and highways every year. They range from minor fender-benders to tragic multiple-vehicle pileups involving fatalities. In the stress of the moment, we often forget what to do. If you are involved in a crash, follow these steps.

Immediately Pull Over to the Right Shoulder If you can move your vehicle, put on your hazard lights and park as far on the right shoulder as possible. If there is no shoulder, the car is drivable, and you are uninjured enough to move it, put on your hazard lights and drive to the nearest safe place to pull over. Do not leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one, unless it would be more dangerous to remain there (such as on a winding back road or in the middle of a busy intersection).

Do a Head-to-Toe Check of all Passengers Is everyone conscious? Is anyone bleeding? Start at the head and work downward toward the toes and outward toward the fingers. Ask about every body part. This is important information to give emergency workers. Keep in mind that adrenaline will delay many physical consequences, such as soft tissue damage. Do not move anyone who is unconscious. Moving someone who has possibly sustained a neck or spinal injury, if you are not a trained paramedic with proper equipment, can cause irreparable harm.

Call 911 Police, ambulance, and possibly fire. Now is not the time to worry about ambulance fees if you’re uninsured. Many hospitals have assistance programs and payment programs, and car insurance includes coverage for harm to passengers involved in accidents. Let the professionals assess the damage.

Call AAA or Roadside Assistance It’s going to take a while for a tow truck to arrive. If you need one, call them as soon as you get off the line with emergency services. By the time you’re done with the police and the other driver(s), the tow truck will have arrived.

If Possible and Safe, Remain in the Vehicle Life is not like the movies and a fender bender isn’t going to make your SUV spontaneously burst into flames. Staying in the car, especially on a busy road or interstate, is generally safer than getting out and standing on the side of the road waiting for police and paramedics and tow trucks to arrive.

Trade Information with the other Driver(s) When the police have arrived, and it’s safe to leave your vehicle, get the other driver’s insurance information, name, driver’s license number, phone number, license plate number, and make and model of their vehicle. Get an incident report number from the responding officer(s). Keep copies of this information to give to your insurance company.

Call Your Insurance Provider The toll-free number is on the back of your insurance card, which should be in your glove box. Report the incident. Give the license plate number, name of the driver, insurance information, and description of the other vehicle. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask them and write down the answers. The stress of the situation will mean you probably won’t remember the details.

Long gone are the days of children sleeping in the back window of the Oldsmobile on road trips, or hopping between front seat and back while zooming down the highway. Even in the years since safety seats for children were first made mandatory, the requirements have changed dramatically, and each state has its own regulations. To keep your smallest passengers as safe as possible, here are some basic car seat safety guidelines from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Be Sure the Seat is Installed Properly They may not seem complicated, but proper installation is crucial to the optimal performance in the unfortunate event of an accident. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which sometimes means choosing between belt or LATCH installation (it may seem safer to use both, but some seats aren’t made to be installed that way). Car seat installation inspection clinics are available in every state.

Hand-Me-Downs Aren’t Always Great Replace any seat that’s been in an accident, including minor crashes if there is structural damage to the vehicle. Don’t use a seat that is more than six years old or only has a three-point harness. See photo above for an example of a five-point harness, which is required for children who aren’t yet big enough for belt-positioning boosters.

Keep Children Rear-Facing as Long as Possible Most convertible or 3-in-1 style seats have a higher height and weight limit for keeping a child rear-facing than infant “bucket” seats. At a bare minimum, children should remain rear-facing until they are one year old and weigh 20 pounds. If your child hasn’t reached the seat’s maximum for height and weight, but his or her legs are long, teach your child to sit cross-legged. Kids are flexible and sitting that way is a lot more comfortable than it would be for an adult.

Use a Five-Point Harness as long as Possible Once your child is old enough and big enough to face forward, a five-point harness is the safest option (and mandatory in many states). Many manufacturers make five-point seats that can accommodate children up to 80 pounds, and a few are rated up to 100 pounds. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations and limits, and buy the highest-rated seat your budget will allow, especially if your child is taller or heavier than average.

Booster Seats for the Under-Sized Crowd Until children can wear a shoulder harness safely and properly—when it’s across their shoulders and thighs, not their neck and belly—they belong in a belt-positioning booster seat. Many states have age, height, or weight requirements that children must reach before they can ditch the booster.

Backseat for Safety The American Academy of Pediatrics and NHTSA both recommend that children younger than 13 should ride in the backseat if possible, in addition to always wearing a properly fitting seatbelt. This may spark protest in the pre-teen crowd, but safety should always come before riding shotgun.

Looking for your own safe, reliable family vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned vehicles, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced a recall of 73 2011 and 2012 Suzuki Equator pickup trucks.

“Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength,” said NHTSA in its recalls summary of the problem. “As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak. If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.”

An identical problem with the Nissan Frontier—because the Frontier and Equator are identical vehicles under the hood—was identified by the NHTSA earlier this month.

Suzuki dealers will replace the connector bolts. The recall is expected to begin on January 19. Owners can contact Suzuki at (714) 996-7040.

Need to bring your truck in for bolt replacement? Looking for your own Suzuki vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned vehicles, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.

From our entire staff here at Gladstone Suzuki, we would like to say thank you and congratulations to our newest customers! We hope you have a safe and wonderful new year and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Thank you very much and congratulations to the Gallego family!. They walked away with a 2010 Ford Escape!

Congratulations on your 2004 Tacoma, Miles! We hope you love it and look forward to serving you again soon!

Say hello to the Tuthill family, who recently purcahsed a 2008 Chevrolet HHR!

Looking for your own innovative vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned vehicles, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.

Car and Driver Magazine Wraps up Kizashi Test Drive Over 10 months and 42,000 miles later, after initial skepticism, the auto magazine’s editors call the Kizashi “the best Suzuki sedan [they’ve] ever seen, bar none.”

Suzuki Makes a Strong (and Cute) Showing at the Tokyo Motor Show Three concept cars – the Q, the Regina, and the Swift EV Hybrid, debuted in Japan last month.

MotorcycleUSA.com Contributing Editor Frank Melling Discusses His Experience with the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 After riding the bike (both in touring and racing) with his wife Carol for three years, Melling remains pleased with the bike’s smooth ride and impressive fuel economy.

Looking for your own innovative vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned vehicles, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.