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Extreme heat can shorten the lifespan of your battery. Your battery may actually have greater capacity when it is hot outside. This may sound like a plus, but there is a downside to this. A higher capacity battery will run out of power sooner. This will lead to a decreased lifespan.

In the winter time, your battery may suffer from lower capacity. A typical battery will see its capacity reduced by about 20% when it is freezing outside. The colder it is, the less capacity the battery will have.

A reduced capacity can cause problems. If it is really cold…

Packing the right items in your roadside emergency kit will lessen the time you are stuck with a disabled car on the side of the road.

Road flares in the roadside emergency kit are key to keeping other drivers alert you are sitting roadside. Tire fix-a-flat will give you the chance to get a disabled vehicle off the road by lifting the tire just high enough off the rim to move safely. Jumper cables will give a driver the chance to pull over and jump-start your vehicle in less time.

Pack a small bag with assorted tools and keep in…

Today we break down the steps to jump-starting one car with another.

Begin by getting both cars nose to nose so that the jumper cables are able to reach both batteries easily. Turn off the engine once in park, then open both hoods and look for the plus and minus marks on each battery terminal.

Connect one red jumper cable to the plus on bad battery, then plus on good battery. Connect one black jumper cable to minus on good battery, then to exposed metal somewhere near the dead battery. Now you can start the one car and wait a…

No one wants to replace their tires more than what's actually necessary, but you might have to replace them sooner if your wheels are misaligned. When you hit a curb or pothole, this can cause your wheels to go out of alignment. The misaligned wheels will cause your tires to wear unevenly, you will have less control over the vehicle, and you might experience a vibration in the steering wheel.

If you're noticing any of these signs, there's an easy fix, though. You can have your wheels re-aligned. Automotive technicians have specific equipment that can measure whether…

No one wants to be stuck in traffic or stranded on a lonely highway with steam issuing from under the hood. When your vehicle is overheated, and the water in the radiator is boiling, the vehicle is incapacitated and unable to be driven any further. If you do attempt to drive your vehicle when it is overheated, serious damage can occur to the engine components.

The radiator serves to circulate the coolant fluids throughout the cooling system in order to keep the engine temperature at a safe level and prevents the engine from overheating. Flushing the radiator according to the…

Have you ever heard of a gasket? They're not the most commonly known part of a vehicle, but your vehicle actually has many. Some of the most common types of gaskets are the head gasket, intake manifold gasket, and the exhaust manifold gasket. Like many parts of any machine, including your vehicle, gaskets can wear out. But what, exactly, are gaskets and what do they do?

Gaskets form a bond between two surfaces so that gases and liquids cannot escape or mix. This is an important job because keeping liquids and gases separate actually keeps your vehicle in safe…

Normally, you test your battery while the car is not running. However, you can test the car when it is running. Indeed, there are times when testing a battery when a car is running is essential. If you are losing voltage while driving, the issue may be the alternator or the battery. The easiest way to find out which item is the culprit is to test the battery while it is running.

After you finish with your battery test while the car is at rest, leave your voltmeter connected to the battery. Start your vehicle and check the voltmeter. If…

OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts are made from the manufacturer of your vehicle. These parts are the best choice for your vehicle. Aftermarket parts are sometimes made of lower quality standards than your manufactures. Meaning that you could be replacing that part again very soon. Replacing the same part multiple times will cost more and make things more frustrating for you.

Even though you can buy aftermarket parts almost anywhere, it is hard to find the right part to fit your vehicle. On the other hand, OEM parts are pretty simple to find, and you can relax knowing that you…

We here at Acura of the Rio Grande Valley are excited about the upcoming year. We are also excited to earn your business helping you into the car of your dreams. One common question we receive is "what do I need, all-wheel or four-wheel drive?"

• The difference in the two is that AWD is always working. 4WD has the option to turn this feature on or off.
• Both provide the same thing. However, AWD is made more for driving on pavement or smooth surfaces. 4WD is designed to only turn on when in need. 4WD is typically used for more…

It's not always easy to explain what is meant by horsepower, but most of us like to talk about it anyway. We know that the more horsepower we have in a vehicle, the better performance it will provide. What do we really mean when talking about this term?