Explore New FAQs & Learn More About Your Vehicle

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.,––At Serra of Traverse City, it's our goal to not only provide you auto service that meets and exceeds your expectations. It's also important to us to help you better understand your vehicle's needs. If you're not a technician or familiar with cars, figuring out how to take care of it or diagnose its problems can be difficult. Leave it to our expert team to answers all your questions about vehicle service! We've just added new topics to our FAQs page to assist you in getting to know your car. Explore our new FAQs and learn more about your vehicle.

The topics, questions, and answers you can find in our FAQs include:

Tires 

When should I get my wheels aligned?
Why do I need wheel alignments?
When should my tires be replaced?
How do I know what type of tires to choose?
How often should I get my tires rotated?
How much should I inflate my tires?
How long can I drive on a spare tire?

Wiper Blades

How do I know if my wiper blades need to be replaced?
How do I know which windshield washer fluid I should use?

Brakes

How often should I get my brakes checked?
How do I know if my brakes need to be replaced?
Why is my steering wheel shaking when I brake?

Oil Changes

How often should I get my oil changed?
What type of oil should I use in my car?
Should I consider getting synthetic oil?
My engine oil is milky brown looking. Is that normal?

Under the Hood

How often should my belts and hoses be replaced?
When should I have my A/C serviced?
How often should I have battery inspected?
When should I have my coolant changed or flushed?
How do I know which fuel type is better for my car?
When should I have my vehicle's suspension serviced?
How do I know if my car is having transmission problems?
When should I have my spark plugs replaced?
What does it mean if my check engine shows up on the dashboard?


Let our expert technicians help answer all your auto service questions. Explore our new FAQs and learn more about your vehicle on our website OR reach out to our friendly team for more information. If you notice an issue with your car while you're reading these questions and answers, make sure to schedule an appointment or stop by as soon as you can to help maintain your safety on the road and your vehicle's health. We look forward to seeing you at our Cherry Capital area dealership.

At Serra of Traverse City, we’re happy to offer you the best dealership experience in the Cherry Capital area. You can find the latest selection of Audi, Nissan, Toyota, VW, and Volvo vehicles at our North Campus location at 1301 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI. If you’re looking for the newest Cadillac and Subaru inventory, or our Collision Center, our South Campus is located at 1747 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686. Our used vehicles and certified pre-owned headquarters is just across the street.

Website: http://www.serratraversecity.com
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Summer Car Care Tips

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., – You probably won't want to take the time to deal with auto maintenance during the warm months and summer fun, but it's important that you keep up on it! Prepare for the summer season by keeping a careful watch on your cooling system, fuel system, and lights, as well as cosmetic repairs and sun protection tips! Make sure you're ahead of the curve this summer with some summer car care tips! You wouldn't want to drive in a hot car without a working A/C system, would you? Make sure your vehicle is cool and cared for on those scorching days. You'll be thankful when you're driving without a care in the world!

Cooling System Maintenance

The best way to fight the sweltering heat is to ensure to your vehicle can stay nice and cool. If you feel little to no air coming from your vents, your A/C fans or filters may need replacing. However, you and your passengers are not the only thing that can get overheated in your vehicle - your engine can, too. Keeping an eye on your temperature gauge can help you to determine when your engine's coolant needs replacing. Without properly maintained coolant, your engine can overheat, causing important components to warp, which can lead to costly repairs.

Fuel System Maintenance 

With road trip season in full swing, unfortunately, gas prices change pretty frequently as well. The best way to maximize your vehicle's fuel economy this summer is by having your fuel filter changed. Over time, your fuel filter can build up debris, which can block the path to your engine and wear it down. To avoid this, it's recommended you replace your fuel filter every 30,000 miles. You can also have your fuel system cleaned of unnecessary debris to further reduce buildup to improve your vehicle's capabilities this summer.

Exterior Light Maintenance

Night driving tends to increase and can be a fun and calming experience in the summer, but it's best to remain prepared for this situation! Keeping up on your lights will help you improve your visibility at night, allow other drivers to see you, and help you to remain aware of any hazards you wouldn't be able to see otherwise! Checking your lights is pretty simple: have a friend stand outside your vehicle as you try everything from shining your brights to using your brake lights. If any lights are unusually dim or are flashing, give us a call and our Service Center will get it taken care of as soon as possible!

Sun Protection

UV rays can damage your skin if left unchecked, but did you know that they can also damage your vehicle as well? Making sure you regularly wash and wax your vehicle's exterior will help significantly reduce its temperature and minimize exterior scratches. Keeping your vehicle's interior clean will help to reduce temperatures, and purchasing an inexpensive sunshade for your front and rear windshield of your vehicle will measurably decrease your vehicle's heat! You can also park in the shade beneath a tree, buildings, or garage to keep your vehicle cool during the hot summer days.

Cosmetic Maintenance

If you own your vehicle and plan on reselling it, making sure your vehicle's exterior and interior are kept in good condition is extremely important. Having scratched paint, missing materials, or cracks in your glass can significantly reduce the resale value of your vehicle. The best time to fix cosmetic damage is during the summer, because you won't have to deal with the inconveniences of snow, salt, or other debris. Getting your vehicle repaired during the summer will keep you prepared for the coming months. It's a great way to protect your investment!

Make sure your road trip season goes without a hitch this year with these summer car care tips! You'll be able to enjoy any vacation without having to worry about your vehicle, saving you money and keeping you and your family happy! While you're at it, check out our other FAQs for tips on services from routine maintenance to under-the-hood help! If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to contact us and we'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

At Serra of Traverse City, we’re happy to offer you the best dealership experience in the Cherry Capital area. You can find the latest selection of Audi, Nissan, Toyota, VW, and Volvo vehicles at our North Campus location at 1301 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI. If you’re looking for the newest Cadillac and Subaru inventory, or our Collision Center, our South Campus is located at 1747 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686. Our used vehicles and certified pre-owned headquarters is just across the street.

Website: http://www.serratraversecity.comFollow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Serra Cadillac Subaru Google+, Serra Nissan Volvo Google+, Serra Audi Toyota VW Google+, Serra Toyota Google+, Collision Center Google+, and YouTube

Under the Hood FAQs & What You Should Know

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., – As a vehicle owner, you know that there's a lot that goes into making sure your car will run properly. Your engine, battery, fuel type, and even your A/C system all play important roles in your vehicle's everyday driving function. Our descriptive service FAQs help to answer not only commonly asked questions, but important questions regarding your car, truck, crossover, or SUV's components and when they need to be serviced. Today, we're covering some basic under the hood FAQs and what you should know to keep your vehicle up to speed and running well!

Some of the most frequently asked Under the Hood questions include:

• How often should my belts and hoses be replaced?
• When should I have my A/C serviced?
• How often should I have my battery inspected?
• What does it mean if my check engine light shows up on the dashboard?
• How do I know which fuel type is better for my car?

All of these questions, their answers, and more information can be found on our Service FAQ page. We hope that our coverage on under the hood FAQs helps you to create a maintenance schedule and solve any concerns you may have. Have a question that wasn't on the FAQ? Contact us and we'll get in touch to help best solve your auto issue! When you read through the FAQs and realize you need to have auto service done, schedule an appointment with us to get it resolved right away so your car can get you where you need to be. 

At Serra of Traverse City, we’re happy to offer you the best dealership experience in the Cherry Capital area. You can find the latest selection of Audi, Nissan, Toyota, VW, and Volvo vehicles at our North Campus location at 1301 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI. If you’re looking for the newest Cadillac and Subaru inventory, or our Collision Center, our South Campus is located at 1747 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686. Our used vehicles and certified pre-owned headquarters is just across the street.

Website: http://www.serratraversecity.com

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Serra Cadillac Subaru Google+, Serra Nissan Volvo Google+, Serra Audi Toyota VW Google+, Serra Toyota Google+, Collision Center Google+, and YouTube