Keep Your Engine Cool in the Summer Heat

Summers can get pretty hot here in Iowa, and the last thing you want is to be that guy or girl parked on the side of the road, steam pouring out from under your vehicle’s hood, helplessly waiting for things to cool off so you can get back to your day. This is one situation where an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure, so we’ve compiled a list of tips for you to use to avoid an overheated car this summer.

 

1 - Check Your Coolant - Engine overheating is often caused by something completely avoidable - running out of antifreeze.  Make a point of checking your levels often, but especially as the outdoor temperatures start to climb. If you can’t remember when you last replaced your coolant, now is a good time to do just that. A great practice is to have your coolant checked when you get your oil changed. This is definitely a job for a trained mechanic, as most states have strict rules for disposal of used radiator fluid. 

 

2 - Check Your Drive Belt - The drive belt performs many functions, including driving the water pump for your alternator. If the belt breaks, your water pump stops functioning, your coolant stops circulating, and your vehicle will likely overheat within a matter of minutes. Next time you’re at your service station, have the technician check your drive belt for signs of wear and tear, including tears, nicks, or cracking. Catching and replacing a deteriorating belt before it fails will help keep your engine from overheating and leaving you stranded roadside. 

 

3 - Check Your Radiator - Dirt, leaves, and road debris can build up in front of your radiator, blocking air and increasing the chances of overheating. Your radiator cap, whose job it is to keep the pressure regulated, can crack or loosen, leading to possible overheating. Be sure to only check the radiator cap when the car is cool, never when the engine has been running. 

 

4 - What To Do If Your Vehicle Does Overheat - If, despite your best efforts, your vehicle overheats on the road, it’s important to pull over as soon as it is safe to do so, as driving an overheated engine can lead to very expensive repairs. Turn your engine off, open the hood, and allow the engine to cool off. Never try to take the radiator cap off while it is hot, as the sudden release of pressure and hot fluid can lead to some very nasty burns. 

 

Have fun on the road this summer! For more summer driving tips see the great information that AAA offers. If your trailers needs any servicing Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales is here to help! Give is a call at 641-985-2536 and follow us on Facebook.

Protect Your Vehicle From Salt Damage This Spring

Each year, the Iowa Department of Transportation uses approximately 200,000 tons of rock salt to keep our highways clear of snow and ice. While some consider this to be necessary for our safety in winter driving conditions, all this rock salt is incredibly corrosive and can cause a lot of unsightly and expensive damage to your vehicle. One particularly frightening element of this damage is that the majority of it occurs where you can’t even see it - on your vehicle’s undercarriage. Left unattended, road salt can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your car or truck, but there is an easy fix that many owners overlook.

Hazards of Road Salt

The biggest threat posed to your vehicle by all this rock salt is rust. Your tires kick up salt and slush from the road, which creates rust spots on your vehicle. On an older vehicle, salt will cause further corrosion to the already rusted spots, especially on the undercarriage of your car or truck. Prolonged exposure to salt can cause damage to the car's exhaust and muffler systems, coil springs and even the frame and subframe of the car. And unfortunately, by the time many vehicle owners notice the damage, they may already have an expensive repair situation on their hands. 

Wash Your Car!

So, aside from keeping your car in the garage all winter, what is an Iowa driver to do?  Even though your car won’t stay nice and clean looking for long, it’s important to have your car washed at least a few times each winter. Make sure that you use a tunnel wash that includes undercarriage washing, as some regular car washes won’t have the water pressure necessary to get at the most at-risk spots. Even though these car washes may be a little more pricey than some others, making that $12 or $15 investment a few times over the course of the winter is a heck of a lot better than spending thousands repairing a rust-damaged vehicle. And, even though some states and municipalities use a brine mixture as a de-icer, it’s still a smart idea to give your vehicle a good washing, top to bottom, above and underneath, once winter is over. 

Here at Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales, we see a lot of salt damage that could have been prevented. This spring, make a stop at your local car wash and prevent rust and salt damage before it can take a toll on your vehicle!

Decoding Your Dashboard

With vehicle computer systems rapidly evolving, if you’ve driven a newer vehicle lately, chances are there were unfamiliar icons and maybe even warning lights to decipher. The last thing you want is to be confronted with a strange dashboard alert just as you’re enjoying the open road with your trailer this summer. Taking a few moments to learn the various dashboard icons and their degree of urgency can help put your mind at ease on the road.

Color coding

The basic rule of thumb is that a red dashboard light means a critical warning. If possible, you should pull over before proceeding with your trip to resolve the issue. Orange or yellow icons can generally wait until your next planned stop before addressing.

Towing icons

Some vehicles are equipped with trailer indicators that appear when the vehicle is towing. These include:

• Trailer turn signals: when you connect your trailer’s signal lights to your vehicle, the dashboard may light up with an outlined trailer icon when you first start the ignition, and when you use your turn signals.
• Tow mode: If your vehicle has a “tow mode” option, it will switch to a shifting and driving method that is more efficient for heavy loads, and this light will indicate it’s on.

General system symbols

• When stability control is off, you’ll see an illuminated vehicle icon with skid marks behind it. You can drive normally with this alert on, but turning traction and balance may not be optimal.  
• When the vehicle’s system detects a change in tire pressure or a flat tire, a U-shaped icon with an exclamation point will come on. For those unacquainted with this icon, it often causes confusion, most likely because the image doesn’t resemble a tire. Seasonal temperature changes can affect tire pressure and cause this light to come on.
• Your grade and terrain assist icon, a green SUV depicted on a hill or rocky surface, will come on when your 4-wheel drive vehicle is registering throttle and braking control on hills and slippery terrain.

For a full list of icons and their meanings, click here.

Since 1986, Terry's Autobody has been selling and servicing vehicles and trailers in Riceville, Iowa. Conveniently located on E. Main St/Highway 9, Terry’s sells PJ Trailers, American Hauler, Zimmerman truck beds, and trailer parts, as well as services all your trailer repair needs. Please visit our site or call (641) 985-2536 to learn more!

What You Should Know About Height Clearance for Trucks & Trailers

Trucks, trailers, and commercial vehicles are essential to our economy, providing goods and services to billions of Americans every day. But “under blunders,” or low clearance accidents are still prevalent within the trucking community. Many truck and trailer drivers, after seeing the clearance measurements, still think their vehicle can fit underneath.  In order to maintain safety of all drivers and for this system to function efficiently, it is important that drivers observe the signs, rules, and regulations.

1. Knowing the Height of Your Truck

Sounds pretty simple, right? But these accidents are still happening. It’s important to know the height of the entire truck or trailer. Also, if traveling outside of the U.S., knowing the height in metric is key to a safe journey. To help American truckers who are traveling in Canada, and Canadian truckers who are traveling in the USA, a "Truck Height Feet to Meters Conversion Table" has been created. To get access to the printable PDF document, enter your name and email address in the form on this website.

2. Don’t Rely on GPS Alone

We have all had a problem with GPS at some point. Unfortunately, the GPS we use to navigate our way isn’t standardized for commercial truck and trailer use. Height regulations are rarely made apparent and could be a major cause of trucking accidents. This article by Fox News addresses this exact problem. FMCSA's information systems do not have crash statistics associated with the use of electronic navigation systems. However, even one truck or bus striking an overpass is one too many.

3. Pay Attention For Low Clearance Signs & Stay Alert for Temporary Ones

If your truck or trailer measures 13’6” in height and the clearance is 12’9”, simple math will tell you that you will not fit underneath. Knowing the height of your truck is the first step, but actually paying attention to the signs and understanding their significance, is another.

4. Unsure If You Will Fit?

Don’t try! Remember that you are a professional and are transporting something of value. Not to mention, you don’t want to put other drivers and passengers in harm’s way. It is always better to stop than risk having an accident.

Truck or trailer roof damage is more common than one might expect and can happen at the front or back. It is important that you take safety precautions and pay attentions to the road signs, especially those posted in regards to height clearance.

Learn more about trucks and trailers by visiting Terry’s Auto Body & Trailer Sales website or calling 641-985-2536.

Terry’s Auto Body Wants You Prepared for the Dangers of the Season

Winter has officially arrived, and even though we are only in the month of December, there is no doubt that the weather outside is frightful. The frigid temperatures and the constant snowfall mean hazardous road conditions for you and your loved ones. No matter how many winters you have seen and no matter the number of times you have driven through a snowstorm, that is no excuse for being unprepared for what dangers and challenges this winter can present you with.  While many consider the most wonderful time of the year, some could argue that it is also one of the most dangerous times of the year.

Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales wants to make sure you are driving as safely as possible at all times, but especially during these upcoming winter months. A big component of being safe on the road is being prepared for emergency situations. 

Take a look at some of our top tips this winter to keep you and your family safe on the road, especially in case of an emergency!

Have a First Aid Kit on Hand

You never know if you are going to need it—we pray that you don’t, but just in case, it is essential to be ready for anything. As well as an assortment of Band-Aids, the first aid kit in your vehicle should include adhesive tape, gauze pads, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream or ointment, and anything particular to you or your family.

Stock Your Car with Items Needed for Roadside Assistance

Having items such as a spare tire, orange cones, flashlights, a fire extinguisher, and a minimum of three reflective warning triangles will be very useful to you in case of a roadside emergency. 

Is your Cell Phone Charged?

Your phone needs to be prepared for an emergency just as much as you need to be! Before every trip you take, whether it just be down the street to the grocery store, or if you are going on a cross-country trip, make sure your phone has a full battery every time. A portable power bank is great to have in a pinch as well.

For other important winter driving tips, visit the Iowa Department of Transportion's website to bring these important things top of mind as we battle the winter elements. If you have teens that are new drivers this info should be reviewed regularly with them. 

Terry’s Auto Body Wants You Driving Safe This Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—the time when the weather outside is frightful, city sidewalks are dressed in holiday style, and sleigh bells ring. The holiday season has arrived!

Something else that has arrived with the holiday season is holiday shopping. For many, that means one (or several) trips to your local mall or department store, in search of the perfect gift for everyone on your list. With plenty of people to buy for and not enough hours in the day, it is understandable to become flustered. But just because the holiday errands you run can occasionally lead to stress and frustration, that shouldn’t mean that the quality of your driving has to be sacrificed.

Luckily, many new vehicles today feature plenty of safety features. Here are a few of our favorites that make holiday driving as safe as possible!

Backup Cameras

Sometimes, finding the perfect parking spot at the mall doesn’t necessarily mean backing out of it will be a breeze—especially when you have three other people waiting to claim that spot for their own holiday shopping! Backup cameras can help holiday drivers be aware of all possible obstacles surrounding them in a crowded parking lot.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration all vehicles over 10,000 pounds will be required to have backup cameras by 2018.

Parallel Assist

Are you a parallel parking expert, or does it take you a few tries to successful enter a parking spot? No matter what your skill level, cars that feature parallel assist give you extra protection to make sure you are parking correctly and don’t damage surrounding vehicles!

Forward Collision Warning Systems

A forward collision warning system scans the road ahead using radar beams, laser beams, or cameras. When the system determines that the vehicle is closing on an object at an unsafe speed, it alerts the driver and either readies the braking system for full braking power, or automatically brakes the car.

 

While these are all exceptional safety features that we highly recommend you use, we also know that these only work when you are driving safely. From all of us at Terry’s Auto Body, have a safe and happy Holiday season!

Tips to Use a Trailer Safely

Trailers are an excellent way to haul extra equipment if you do not have the space inside your vehicle. From utility trailers to moving units, they are a convenient solution for moving, recreation, travel or for contractors, businesses or events.  Understanding how to properly load and use a trailer is crucial to the safety of both the individuals in the hauling vehicle, and others with whom you share the road.  Here are eight tips to help you safely use a trailer: 

Weight distribution for your trailer.

•   Load Front First – Unless otherwise noted by the trailer manufacturer, load the heaviest items to the front of the trailer. This will make the unit more stable when on the road. Load 60 percent of the weight to the front of the trailer.
•   Tie down items – Regardless of whether you are using an open trailer or closed unit, it is crucial to tie down any loose items. Items can shift, causing the weight to redistribute, creating a potentially hazardous driving condition.
•   Slow down – Drive at a slower rate of speed when you are hauling a trailer.  It is also not recommended that you exceed 55 miles per hour.
•   Don’t tailgate – Towing a trailer adds extra weight to your vehicle. This increases the amount of distance you will require to come to a full and complete stop.  It recommended you leave at least 4-5 seconds of stopping distance between you and any vehicles you are following.
•   Watch braking – If the trailer starts to sway, remove your foot from the gas but do not brake or speed up. Let your vehicle slow down on its own.
•   Pass with care – Remember that the trailer will add more length to your vehicle. Be sure to allow more passing space and do so carefully.
•   Check gears – When traveling in hilly areas, use the same gear to ascend the hill as you do descending. This will help to control your speed as you start down the hill.
•   Wider turns – Turning a corner with a trailer will require a bit more room.  Pull up into the intersection a bit more and take the turn wider than you normally would to avoid hitting a curb.

Incorrect and correct way to load your trailer.

Do you have questions on how to properly use a trailer? Contact the experts at Terry’s Auto Body and Trailer Sales today! We are happy to service trailers and provide you with flat decks, dumps, car hauler and much more. Visit our website to learn more.