Archives for May 2014

Most Eagle Lake drivers don’t even think about their car air conditioning system unless it fails. That’s because many Eagle Lake and Mankato motorists don’t really understand that auto A/Cs need periodic service. Let me share some of the reasons why they fail.

First, like every machine, the sedan air conditioner parts need – you guessed it – lubrication. The lubricant is actually mixed in with the refrigerant (that’s the stuff that makes the air cool). Remember that even if the air conditioner is still blowing out cool air, the oil that lubricates the parts may be used up: and unlubricated parts can fail in all MN cars.

Now here’s a tip for Eagle Lake drivers: Run your air conditioner every so often during MN winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out.

The air conditioner actually removes some of the moisture in the air. So if you have trouble with fogging on your sedan windshield during MN winters or during a rain storm, running the A/C on the defrost setting should help. Now on some Eagle Lake cars you can’t run the A/C at the same time as the defroster. Don’t ask me why, but I suspect lawyers were involved.

Also, air and water can get into the A/C system. That can reduce the efficiency of the system and also lead to corrosion that causes damage. Mankato car owners should periodically purge the system and replace the refrigerant to remove the air and water.

Eagle Lake drivers would be wise to learn the important early warning signs of A/C trouble: 1) The air’s not as cold as it used to be. 2) Unusual noises when the A/C cycles on. Those are signs to get your vehicle into Hughes Automotive Inc in Eagle Lake before the damage gets worse.

By following the recommended service intervals in your sedan owner’s manual, you can help prevent mechanical failure of your air conditioning system. Your A/C system contains some costly components like the compressor, condenser, dryer, etc. Anything Eagle Lake and Mankato car owners can do to lengthen the life of their A/C is well worth it.

So you have some exciting plans for the MN weekend. You’re going to take some of your Eagle Lake, MN friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you’ve gotten the boat all ready. And you haven’t forgotten about your tow vehicle. You’ve gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is something even more important than the cleanliness of the interior: you want to make sure that your sedan maintenance is up to date.

Think about it – heavy freeway traffic on the way out of Eagle Lake. There’s hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it’s going to be pretty hot in Eagle Lake this weekend. And all the time you’ll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission.

Let’s just consider the transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal. A fun little blast to the local MN lake for you is really severe duty for your transmission.

It’s essential to have enough transmission fluid. If it runs low, the transmission will run hotter and won’t have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing. Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time. Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, it’s vital for Eagle Lake auto owners to have it serviced by automotive professionals like the team at Hughes Automotive Inc in Eagle Lake to make sure it runs efficiently.

An automatic transmission contains a maze of passages through which the fluid must pass to keep it shifting smoothly. Eagle Lake drivers who neglect regularly scheduled transmission service risk the passages clogging up and starting to have problems.

Eagle Lake motorists who neglect their transmission for too long will eventually experience costly transmission failure. You really don’t want to pay for a major transmission repair.

This reminds us of how much of our driving around Eagle Lake, MN is under severe conditions. Towing or hauling a big load is obvious, but there are lots of other things that constitute severe driving conditions. Things like short trips, driving in very hot or very cold MN weather. Dusty roads and city driving around Eagle Lake, MN add to the strain. Basically, any driving that’s not at highway speeds or under ideal conditions.

While you have your vehicle in, ask for a trip inspection. Your service professional at Hughes Automotive Inc will check your belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape.

Now, don’t forget the sunscreen.

Call Hughes Automotive Inc to make an appointment to check your transmission in Eagle Lake.
109 E LeRay Ave
Eagle Lake, MN 56024
507.257.3730

Do you have any plans around Eagle Lake MN for the weekend? Maybe you and some friends and are taking the boat up to the lake. Maybe you’ll be having a lot of fun water skiing and doing a little fishing.

You got the boat all ready. It’s all gassed up. You packed lots of snacks and the cooler’s stocked – ready to go.

How about your tow vehicle? It has plenty of gas and you’ve even vacuumed it out, but is your auto maintenance up to date?

Stop and think. You’ll have some heavy traffic on your way out of town. Hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it may be hot weather. And all the time you’re going to be towing around several thousand extra pounds.

That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission. Your transmission’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal. What’s a fun little blast to the lake for you is really severe duty for your transmission.

It’s important that you have enough transmission fluid. If you’re running low, the transmission will run to hot and won’t have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing.

And if it’s time for a transmission service, you really should have it done at Hughes Automotive Inc before your trip. Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time. Whether you have an automatic or manual transmission, you need to have it serviced on schedule to make sure it runs efficiently.

Automatic transmissions contain a maze of passages that the fluid has to pass through to keep it shifting smoothly. If you neglect transmission service, the passages can get clogged up and you start to have problems. Neglect your transmission for too long, and it can fail. Believe us – you don’t want to pay for a major transmission repair.

You know, most of us in Eagle Lake MN do a lot of our driving under severe conditions. Towing or hauling a big load is obvious, but there are lots of other things that constitute severe driving conditions. Things like short trips or driving in very hot or very cold weather. Also, dusty roads, city driving around Eagle Lake, and basically any driving that’s not at highway speeds or under ideal conditions is severe driving. We all need to think about whether or not we need to follow the severe service schedule.

So, consider going in for a full service oil change before you leave for the lake to make sure everything has been looked at. Ask for a trip inspection while you’re at it. Your Eagle Lake MN service technician at Hughes Automotive Inc can check your belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape.

Don’t forget the sunscreen. And to thank your Eagle Lake service technician, how about bringing him back a nice trout?

It’s important for Eagle Lake drivers to know battery basics. First, let’s talk about which is harder on a battery – hot or cold MN weather. Most Mankato car owners think it’s cold weather because that’s when we call on our batteries to have enough power to start a cold sedan engine.

However, heat does more damage to a battery than cold. Truth is, our batteries start to die a little from day one. Keeping a full charge slows the process, which is hard with short Eagle Lake trips because the alternator doesn’t have time to fully recharge the battery from starting the engine. Eagle Lake drivers can top off the charge with a computer controlled battery charger – say, once a month in the MN summer and every three months during the winter.

As far as how long a battery will last, statistics show that 70% have given up the ghost within four years. By that time, they aren’t capable of taking a full charge like they used to, and your sedan alternator has to work overtime to keep up. This causes your alternator to wear out early.

If you’re pushing 4 to 5 years on your battery, see your honest Hughes Automotive Inc tech for a battery test to see if it’s recommended to replace it. Not only can you avoid getting stranded with a dead battery, but you’ll save unnecessary wear and tear on your sedan alternator.

Give us a call

Hughes Automotive Inc
507.257.3730
109 E LeRay Ave
Eagle Lake, MN 56024