The Importance of Brake Fluid

There are maintenance items on our cars that we sometimes forget.  For many of us, brake fluid can easily be one of them .  But first, allow us to explain what brake fluid does.

Brake fluid is fed through a series of lines to your brake calipers to help them clamp down on your rotors.  The fluid itself is pressurized by your brake booster, located in the engine bay.
When brake fluid is low, your braking will show.  A low amount of brake fluid will result in less pressure, and air in the system.  Air in your brake lines causes your pedal to feel soft and sluggish, which results in poor to very, very bad braking.

If your brake pedal feels soft, it likely means your fluid is low and/or air in the system.  Give the pedal some pumps till it feels firmer; many times this won’t solve the issue and you’ll need to service your brakes by “bleeding” the lines.  One way to tell is if the fluid in your reservoir is full but your brakes still feel soft, then it’s time to service them, which Parks Mazda can happily do for you in case you don't have the time or tools.

Transmission Fluid

Your transmission fluid is one of those items that you're aware of, but might not ever really give a second thought to, other than it gets flushed when you come into Parks Mazda for a fluid flush.

Transmission fluid itself is usually red in color and has a very sweet smell, perhaps sweeter than that of coolant, which is a green or yellow color.  It's important to know what transmission fluid looks like going into your transmission so that you can know what it should like like when you check it.

So, how do you check it?  There is a transmission fluid dipstick located in your engine bay.  For rear wheel drive vehicles, it's located in the back of the bay, usually pressed against a valve cover.  On front wheel drive cars, the transaxle fluid dipstick is located in the front of the engine bay, very close to the radiator. 

Once you've located the dipstick, pull it out (be sure to have your engine running in Park or Neutral), and dab a finger on the stick and fluid to inspect it.  The transmission fluid should be red (or pinkish) and clear; if it looks dirty, has particles in it, or smells somewhat burnt, it's time to flush the fluid and change it.

Want to know more?  Comment with any questions!

Tips for Carpooling

School is now in sessions, which means carpooling kids for many of us.  So here are some suggestions to maximize safety and cut down on worry!

1.)    Before starting out of your first carpool adventure, make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on routine maintenance. Getting an oil change and having your tired tread wear checked are good places to start. We can help with that!

2.)    Make sure you and all of your passengers buckle up. As kids get older they tend to want to use seatbelts less and less. A survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that many young teens don’t buckle up, even when they are riding as passengers with adult drivers. So set a good example. Make sure you are always buckled up yourself and ensure that all passengers, no matter what their age, are buckled as well before putting the car in drive.

3.)    Safely share the road with child pedestrians. Do not block crosswalks when waiting to make a turn or when stopped at a light. Children are the most difficult pedestrians to see and the least predictable. Never scare a child pedestrian by honking, revving your engine, or rushing them in any way as they are crossing in front of your vehicle.

4.)    Share the road with school buses. Laws in all 50 states make it illegal to pass a school bus while it is stopped to load or unload children. Pay attention to the yellow caution lights that flash to warn you when the bus is preparing to stop and leave a safe distance between you and the school bus.

5.)    Pay attention to school zones. These are the areas that are likely to have the most congestion from children being dropped off in front of school. Obey the lower speed limits and be prepared to make frequent stops due to children getting out of vehicles and not always paying attention to where they are walking.

6.)    Instruct your children on where to walk after you drop them off in front of their schools. Remind them to always use crosswalks and sidewalks and to be cautious at all times.
Stay tuned to Bright Bay Mazda's blog for more safety tips and other neat automotive tricks!

Keep watching the Parks Mazda blog for more safety tips and useful driving and car maintenance tips!

New Service Specials

We have a bevvy of new service specials posted on the Parks Mazda site!  Feel free as well to browse them below and print whichever special best fits your needs.  In addition to these specials, whenever you buy tires from us, we'll rotate your tires free for life.  


 

Know Your Parts: IAC Valve

 

You may or may not be familiar with the working of an idle air control valve, but just in case, here's what it is, where you can find it, and how you can tell if yours is going bad.

An Idle Air Control Valve, or IAC Valve for short, is controlled by the car’s computer, and uses a solenoid to control a valve that controls the air flow into the air’s intake by bypassing the throttle body through an alternately routed air tube coming from your main inlet air tube attached to your air filter at one end, and your throttle body at the other.  For reference, it is attached to your Mazda's throttle body.

So, why are we mentioning this to you?  Sometimes an IAC Valve can have an effect on your vehicle’s performance.  If your vehicle idles funny, or perhaps even stalls, it could be due to a faulty IAC Valve.  Most commonly, IAC Valves simply get dirty, but every now and then the solenoid can stop working, causing severe idle problems.

If you think you might have an issue with your IAC Valve on your Mazda, or think yours needs replacing, feel free to send us a message.  We’ll be happy to help!

What Are Oxygen Sensors?

Oxygen sensors (O2 sensors, alternatively) measure...you guessed it, oxygen.  More specifically, they measure the oxygen content in the gas or exhaust.  They are plunged into your exhaust both before and after your catalytic converter(s). The reason oxygen sensors are so important is that they help your car's computer determine the correct amount of fuel necessary for your car to idle and run properly.  When your oxygen sensors are engaged, your fuel system is said to be in Closed Loop, which simplifies to meaning the amount of fuel being put in is determined by the amount of oxygen being pushed out.

So, what can go wrong when your O2 sensors aren't functioning properly?  For starters, you car can stall out.  To get into Closed Loop, your engine (specifically your engine coolant) needs to be at normal temperature.  Usually though, O2 sensors break down over time, so before you might stall out completely, you'll notice very erratic idling behavior.  Another possibility is low fuel efficiency, as your car will attempt to operate in Open Loop more (meaning the air to fuel ratio is determined by the air coming into the air intake).

Depending on your vehicle, oxygen sensors usually need replacing around 60,000 to 90,000 miles, but this can vary greatly.  If you're unsure about the status of your O2 sensors, bring your Mazda into Parks Mazda at your convenience and we'll take a look at them for you!

All-Season Tires and Summer Tires: What's the Difference?

We've all heard of all-season tires, and many of us are familiar with summer and winter tires, but what's really the difference?  Here's our take.

With all-season tires, you are getting the "second-best" of any tire style, rolled into one.  This means you're getting good to great traction in all seasons, but probably not the best for any specific season.  You might get a little bit better traction on snow, but sacrificing some wet gripping capability.

As for summer tires, or any season-specific tire for that matter, they're usually offering the best technology for summer.  When conditions don't involve snow, go for the summer tire.  You get great grip in both wet and dry conditions.  However, if you live somewhere (like NC) that experiences all seasons, you're going to want either winter tires or opt for the more manageable all-season tires.

Here's a great article from Popular Mechanics covering this issue more in-depth.  Ready to get new tires?  Parks Mazda can help you decide which are best for you, or help you find the ones you want.

2013 Mazda CX-5 Awarded for Quality

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 was recently awarded for its great looks and functionality.  The J.D. Power APEAL award, short for Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout, judges vehicles based on their overall design and the performance of that design.

"The CX-5 is Mazda's first vehicle to fully incorporate SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY as well as the KODO "Soul of Motion" design language," says Mazda.  "Offering best-in-class combined fuel economy, including the highest highway miles per gallon (MPG) of any SUV sold in North America – hybrid or not – at 35 MPG."

The CX-5 is also cited to have great safety technology, handling, and of course, price.  All these things make the CX-5 a great value year after year.

If you think the 2013 CX-5 is a good fit for your needs, feel free to stop by Parks Mazda to see if we can help you decide it's the car for you.

How to Jump Start a Car

Do you know how to jump start your car if the battery's dead?  Maybe you do and you're just curious on the proper way to do it.  Either way, most of us have and if you haven't jump started a vehicle, you will at some point, so we thought we'd list all of the steps for you!

1. Pull the active car that you’re using to power your own as close to your car as possible, without touching.
2. Make sure both vehicles are turned off.
3. Connect the cables appropriately.
   1. Take one end of the positive (red) jumper cable and connect it to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
   2. Connect the other end of the positive (red) jumper cable to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
   3. Connect one end of the negative (black) jumper cable to the negative terminal on the charged battery.
   4. Take the other end of the negative (black) jumper cable and ground it.

i.      Ground the negative cable by hooking it up to an unpainted (and clean!) metal surface under your car’s hood—not the engine. We recommend a nut or a bolt.
ii.      If you cannot find an okay place to ground the cable, then connect it to the dead battery’s negative terminal.

1. Turn on the charged car, allowing it to run for about three minutes.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.
3. If successful, disconnect the cables in the exact opposite order in which you originally connected them.

There you have it; the proper way to jump start a car!

Mazda3 Making Cross-Continental Journey

On August 3, Mazda will be sending eight Mazda3 hatchbacks out for the ultimate test drive. They will be driving from Hiroshima, Japan to Frankfurt, Germany—a journey that lasts for 30 days and covers 9,300 miles, two continents, five countries, and more than 30 cities!

The first continental tour was in 1977 when German reporters drove two Mazda 323 hatchbacks. Thirteen years later in 1990, four Mazda 626s set out on the Peace Tour. This year, the 3rd cross-continental journey will be called “Mazda Route3” and uses the same route.

Starting in Mazda's hoetown of Hiroshima, the pack will take a ferry to Russia, starting its journey inVladivostok.  From there, the convoy will travel through the plains of Siberia and visit remote villages and UNESCO world heritage sites before moving on through Belarus, Poland, and finally Germany. You can follow along on the tour’s dedicated website.

See more of the 2014 Mazda3

Last week we introduced you to the stunning new 2014 Mazda3, so this week we thought we'd share more Mazda3 news by showing you the first commercial for the newest addition to the Mazda legacy.

As you can see, it really is a complete redesign, much like the 2014 Mazda6, looking very similar as well thanks to the new Kodo design.

 So, now that you've caught a glimpse of the new Mazda3 in action, how badly do you want to drive one?  In the meantime however, be sure to stop by Parks Mazda to see test the 2013 Mazda3, and also watch out for any upcoming specials!

The 2014 Mazda3 Is Here

The new Mazda3 is Mazda at its absolute best.  The vehicle is stunning, but it's also a performer. 

Debuting earlier this week via a live Xbox Live feed, the newest addition to Mazda's 2014 line-up adds aggressiveness and technology you just can't get from anyone else, and especially in the segment the Mazda3 competes.

Like the beautiful, new 2014 Mazda6, the 2014 Mazda3 utilizes Mazda's Kodo design and integrates several new features that enhance every aspect of driving.

Whichever Skyactiv engine you choose, be it the 2.0L or the 2.5L, the new Mazda3 will deliver all of the engine's performance while maintaining maximum efficiency based on current conditions.  Active grille shutters open and close to make the car more aerodynamic and keep the engine as cool as it needs to be.  The Active Driving Display features a line-of-sight data area for the driver, while new safety-intensive apps make for a safer ride.

Want to learn more about the wonderful 2014 Mazda3?  Keep up with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages to see the latest information.

Mazda Clebrates Ten Years of the Mazda3

In celebration of the Mazda3's tenth anniversary, it looks like Mazda will be unveiling a new Mazda3 very soon, or so we've heard. Whether it's the new Mazda3 or something different, we can confirm that the unveil will be in coordination with the new Xbox One console.

This comes on the heels of the new Mazda6's success in coordination with the new Star Trek Into Darkness film, so we think this is a perfect way to keep riding the innovative wave with the newest Mazda3. Back to the new Mazda3.

Regardless of when or how it's unveiled, we think the newest iteration will follow the new Kodo design that's implemented on the 2014 Mazda6. Needless to say the newest Mazda3 should look equally great.

 If you want to keep up with Mazda and Xbox One, check the hashtag #GameChanger, and be sure to enter the contest!

The Mighty Mazda Miata

Are you ready for a showdown?  Enter some of the world's fastest production cars, a few top notch domestics, and...a Mazda Miata, all vying to be crowned the fastest:


  How great is this video? We hope you got a small kick out it!

Auto Insurance Tips

One often overlooked and very important aspect of car shopping is auto insurance.  We thought we'd help you out a little bit and provide some useful tips for this forgotten, costly expense.

Shop around.  The obvious first suggestion is to shop around.  It's incredible how big the differences can be between quotes.  If it's possible, try to get an unbiased source to provide you with quotes, but no matter what, always make sure you're dealing with a licensed agent.

Hidden discounts.  There are so many discounts that people never know they could be receiving.  Things such as having anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights can ever lower your cost.

Paying the premium.  Always pay your premium on time and in full (even if there's a dispute), as there's no grace period for automobile insurance.  Also, if you increase your deductible, you can lower that premium.

Want more tips?  The NC Department of Insurance has a very helpful (yet lengthy) guide.