To get the most service out of your vehicle, it’s a good idea to read the Owner’s Manual to get used to the devices of your automobile. Take the cabin controls such as the air-condition climate control (i.e., it will describe the manufacturer’s design of the climate control aspect and how to set the controls to maximum efficiency). If the temperature on a fully electronic system is set to 80°F, the fan set to auto and the air ducts to auto, it will take about a few miles of driving or so for the interior to reach that temperature. Warm air will come out of the side vents and fresh air out of the center vents. About 75°F will come out of the center vents because the manufacturer does not want hot air blowing on your face. The air will mix inside the cabin of the car and the A/C compressor will come on/off as needed; the heater will be blending too to reach the original 80°F the temperature was set at.
As of 1999>on, Volvo® automobiles, (e.g., engine management systems are now linked in parallel with the body computers and are called “Controlled Area Network (CAN). With this system the amount of wiring has been reduced, saving about 60 lbs in copper wiring as a result, and the engine, suspension, body and audio systems are now interconnected, communicating through this CAN. There are new behaviors and sounds in the engine after turning it off; some of the engine components will go through a ‘going to self test’ mode and will make a HUMMING noise. As it finishes a self test on the electronic throttle body, the electronic idle valve, the radiator/ condenser fan may still be operating after a car has heated up and is going through a cooling down period. This is no cause for concern, but just new characteristics of the new design…it may take up to a half hour for some different manufacturer’s vehicles to go sleep before fully shutting down.
The Owner’s Manual will explain what the warning indicators mean (i.e., the engine check light, the Automatic Brake System (ABS) light, the Anti Slip Regulation (ASR), and especially the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC)). So many different lights these days… Get the lights checked soon because in addition to warning indicator lights, be aware of other warnings such as unusual noises, squeaks, different suspension handling characteristics, leaks on the ground, since most mechanical problems tend to get worse if not attended to in a timely manner.
Simple inexpensive oil change and filter service can keep your automobile operating longer and complying with the manufacturer’s maintenance schedules as well as our recommended services will help you get more miles out of your car.
Correcting drivability issues, engine misfires, and slow responding oxygen sensors will improve fuel economy by 4%, and, not to mention it extends the life of the catalytic converter (exhaust component that treats unburned combustion gases).
In conclusion, there are many things an Owner can do to keep their car in good working order which can be summed up in getting to know your particular car and reading the Owner’s Manual. Being familiar with how things should be as a baseline gives you the ability to know almost instinctively when something is wrong. The sooner you attend to an issue and the faster it is fixed, the less likely you will have a breakdown. Like the old adage: “A stitch in time saves nine.”
