Posts Tagged ‘Portland Suzuki Dealer’

Often, what starts out as a $25 oil change can quickly become a $225, all-day “fix this, replace that, flush that other thing” marathon. If you know the recommended intervals for changing the various fluids and filters in your vehicle, you may be able to save some money by doing those tasks yourself. Here’s what you should know before embarking on at-home vehicle maintenance.

Be Familiar with Your Vehicle Get the Chilton or Haines manual for your vehicle’s make and model. Open the hood and study what you see, compared to the book. Know the names of those parts, what they do, and how they interact. Peruse the troubleshooting section to get an idea of possible scenarios. That clanging noise could have three sources, all different from a clunking noise, which are different from a chug-chug-chug. Some of those problems are easy to fix, others require a professional’s expertise.

Check Your Rental Agreement or HOA Contract Many landlords and homeowners or neighborhood associations forbid doing any sort of car repair or maintenance in the driveway or garage of the residence. Check the legal paperwork you’ve signed, because that oil change may not be allowed unless you’ve parked in the street (and check city codes, too; on-street car repair may not be allowed in your municipality, either).

Are You Physically Able to Perform the Work? You may know, intellectually, how to change a tire or replace an air filter or install a new car battery. But if you can’t lift a tire or turn a wrench hard enough to loosen nuts and bolts, all the know-how in the world won’t fix the car. If you can’t get underneath the vehicle for whatever reason, changing your oil won’t be possible. Know your limits.

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

Searching for a high-quality Suzuki vehicle? We have a wide selection of options here at Gladstone Suzuki, and we would love to help find the perfect fit for you in a pressure-free experience!

2005 Suzuki Reno, Internet Special Price $7,788

2008 Suzuki XL-7, Internet Special Price $17,988

2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara, Internet Special Price $14,856

2007 Suzuki Forenza, Internet Special Price $8,988

2007 Suzuki Reno, Internet Special Price $8,923

Looking for your own Suzuki Grand Vitara or other quality new or pre-owned vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned inventory, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.

Searching for a top-rated SUV to handle this Oregon snow? We have a wide selection of options here at Gladstone Suzuki, and we would love to help find the perfect fit for you in a pressure-free experience!

2007 Toyota Highlander $20,900

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid $14,995

2007 Chevrolet Tahoe LS $20,857

2005 GMC Yukon Denali $21,977

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser S $21,999

Looking for your own Suzuki Grand Vitara or other quality new or pre-owned vehicle? Browse our new inventory, pre-owned inventory, and internet specials 24/7 at gladstonesuzuki.com.

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.

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.