Does Your Mazda Need a New Car Battery?

To ensure your vehicle stays fuel-efficient, reliable, and on the road for longer, it's essential to follow a regular car maintenance routine. Your Mazda dealer has compiled a list of tips that will help you keep your vehicle in excellent running condition. Advice From Your Mazda Dealer: 6 Car Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Mazda in Great Shape 1. Check the Fluids Regularly It's important to keep the fluids in your car at the proper levels to ensure the components stay cool and well-lubricated. Make sure to check all fluid levels at least once a month and add more fluid if needed. Also, keep an eye out for puddles under your car. If you notice leaks, get repairs from your Mazda technician as soon as possible. 2. Inspect and Clean the Battery It's a good idea to inspect your car battery for signs of corrosion or damage regularly. If there is build-up around the terminals, use a mixture of water and baking soda as well as a brush to clean it. If you notice damage to the battery case, it's best to replace it. Additionally, if your battery is over three years old, come to us for a battery test to determine if you need a new one. 3. Take Note of Odors and Sounds Odors and sounds tell you a lot about the condition of your vehicle and warn you when something is not working correctly. Never ignore new smells or noises to avoid extensive damage to your car. 4. Don't Ignore the Dashboard Warning Lights It's imperative to know what the dashboard warning lights mean. You'll find the information in your owner's manual. If you notice a dashboard warning light is on, take immediate action by contacting us for a diagnostic test and the necessary repairs to prevent further damage and high repair costs. 5. Take Care of Your Tires Walk around your car monthly to inspect your tires for damage and check the tread depth. Always keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure to ensure even wear, and ask your Mazda technician to rotate your tires every time you bring your car for an oil change to extend the life of your tires. 6. Protect Your Car's Exterior To safeguard the exterior of your car from the elements that can cause extensive damage to the bodywork and paint, park your car under a cover or in a garage whenever possible. Wash your car once or twice a week to remove dirt and grime that can cause scratches, and apply wax at least twice a year to protect the paint. If you take care of your car, you will enjoy driving it for years to come. Call Mazda of Wooster today for a maintenance appointment to keep your vehicle running at its best.

While the engine of your car is running, the alternator delivers voltage to the battery, headlights, stereo, spark plugs, and every other electrical component. Alternators typically last between 80,000 and 160,000 miles, after which they begin to fail and you'll notice some of the following issues. If you suspect your alternator is nearing the end, head to your local Mazda dealer for alternator repair or to purchase a new one. Does Your Mazda Need an Alternator Repair? Your Battery Fails To Recharge If the alternator isn't recharging the battery every time you drive, you may find yourself without any electrical power when the engine's turned off. This will prevent you from even starting the engine, which requires a healthy burst of voltage from the battery. Multiple Accessories Are Malfunctioning While driving, you probably use multiple electrical components without even thinking about it. If you ever find that many of these electronics are slowing down or failing at once, your alternator is probably to blame. These electrical car parts include your headlights, power windows, power steering, air conditioning, heated seats, dashboard screens and dials, phone charger, and much more. Your Engine Starts Misfiring Perhaps the most important electrical components in your car are the ignition coils and spark plugs inside the engine. If the alternator fails to deliver enough power to allow the spark plugs to spark, then your cylinders won't fire, and your engine will start misfiring before eventually stalling. You Hear Growling or Whining Sounds The alternator converts mechanical power from the engine into electrical power. This mechanical power comes from the serpentine belt, which connects to the engine's crankshaft. If this belt ever slips, your alternator will fail, and you're likely to hear growling or whining sounds as the loose belt rubs awkwardly against the pulleys. Your Battery Warning Light Is Blinking Whenever there's a problem with the car's electrical supply, sensors are designed to detect the problem and warn you with the battery warning light on the dashboard. If you see the battery symbol come to life, it may indicate either an issue with the car's battery or the alternator. You'll probably need a technician to determine the culprit. Your Mazda Dealer May Repair or Replace Your Alternator Bad alternators can sometimes be repaired. If the belt has come loose, your technician may be able to put it back into position or replace it with a new one. Faulty parts inside the alternator itself might also be replaceable, but if an alternator is very old and has multiple faults, the whole alternator may need to go. Visit Mazda of Wooster today to have your alternator inspected and repaired by experienced professionals. We're a trusted local dealership dedicated to delivering top-notch vehicles and customer service. Image Via Pixabay

One of the most dangerous situations for your car is your engine overheating. Your Mazda has an efficient cooling system that ensures your engine operates at a safe temperature. The key to the cooling system is the radiator, which removes the heat and exchanges it for cool air. These are a few signs that you need to visit your Mazda dealer for a radiator repair. 3 Signs You Need a Radiator Repair at Your Mazda Dealer Damaged Radiator Fins The radiator removes heat from your engine by heat exchange. Engine heat is transported to the radiator by the coolant. Inside the radiator, the coolant is directed into parallel radiator fins. The top section of each fin is angled to improve airflow and direct it over the fins. Air flows in through the radiator grille and cools the heat inside the fins as it passes over them. The fins are made from thin aluminum and can become dented or damaged sand, grit, or gravel blown in through the grille. Over time, the number of dented or damaged fins can increase, which limits the surface area for cooling. If enough fins are damaged, the radiator can't remove engine heat, and your engine can be damaged. We'll examine the fins and either repair them or replace the radiator to fix this problem. Broken Water Pump The water pump sends coolant through your engine at high speed. The pump starts working as soon as coolant is released, and it continues to move coolant through your engine until the engine temperature drops below 180 F. The pump is sturdy and has few moving parts, but it can still become worn or damaged over time. If the water pump fails, coolant will still be released into your engine, but it won't be able to move. The lack of coolant will cause your engine to rapidly overheat. We'll examine the pump and determine the cause of the problem. A blown fuse or damaged wiring could prevent the pump from working. Once we've identified the cause of the problem, we'll repair it or replace the pump if it's failed. Clogged Radiator The coolant absorbs heat from the engine, but it also absorbs dirt, grease, and other items as it travels to the radiator. As we've seen, the heat is removed from the coolant and the now-cool coolant recirculates through the engine again. The dirt and other items absorbed by the coolant are left inside the radiator as the coolant passes out. The debris deposited by the coolant will gradually build up inside the radiator and creates blockages. These blockages can prevent coolant from entering the radiator and being cooled. The first sign you'll usually have a clogged radiator is a steady increase in your temperature gauge. We can remove blockages by flushing the radiator and then reinstalling it. Don't risk damage from an overheating engine. Call us today at Mazda of Wooster. Image Via Pixabay