3 December, 2020.

Jide fashetire

City-Mechanic Automobile Limited.

The rains are here, and these are the followings components every car owners must ensure are working in their vehicles;
Functional wiper, working fog lamps and effective windshield defroster, all these are to aid your visibility during or after the rain.

Car tips for rainy season: Other components that could be damaged this season are; CV joints “drive shaft” and steering rack, if there protective boots are torn, (these boots prevent sands and mud from breaking through the bearings and seals respectively),while also preventing water from washing away the lubricant in the drive shaft.
Finally if its possible avoid driving through pool of water or flooded road, once water gets into the car, it find it way into some modules laid at the floor of the car, usually unknown to most vehicle owners.

The post Car care this raining season appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

3 December, 2020.

Jide fashetire

City-mechanic automobile limited.

The brake fluid reservoir is a transparent container which retain brake fluid, located mostly on the master brake cylinder. Brake fluid travels from this reservoir through the master brake cylinder to the anti-lock brake system (abs)modulator, then to each the brake caliphers, through the brake hose. However brake fluid reservoir do not only serve as a fluid retainer component, it also serves as a manual indicator gauge, in other word, when the fluid level in the reservoir is at the minimum mark, it implies that the brake pads has weared out, so new set of brake pads are needed to be replaced, so once they are replaced, the brake fluid level will automatically rise from the minimum mark to the maximum mark.

Please note, under normal driving condition, if there is no leakage(s) along the brake hose line or the brake calipher seals. The brake fluid volume remain intact, but car manufacturers recommended interval for a total drain and refill of brake fluid varies from 2 – 3years, while some call for a fluid change in mileage, between 30,000 to 45,000 miles.
In summary, if you have being of the habit of refilling your brake fluid reservoir at the slightest drop, please desist from such act.
Reason(s) for this is that the downward movement between the Max mark (maximum) and Min mark (minimum) on the reservoir, indicates the brake pads are gradually wearing out. So by the time the brake fluid hit the Min mark, it implies that your brake pads are weared out. If its a vehicle equip with the brake wear sensor, its will indicate the brake wear signal. So the brake warning light will illuminate on your instrumental cluster (speedometer).
Please make it a weekly routine to check or peep at your brake fluid reservoir.

The post Brake and fluid refill appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

3 December, 2020.

Jide Fashetire

Oxygen Sensors benefits: Oxygen sensors can be found on the exhaust manifold of an engine (pre-catalyst sensor) and another along the exhaust pipe(post-catalyst sensor). In between the pre and post catalyst sensor is a catalytic converter, this mainly converts harmful or toxic gases in the exhaust gas to less harmless and ozone friendly gases.
The pre-catalyst oxygen sensor monitors the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas, in other words it senses the air/fuel mixture  in the exhaust gas. To detect if the oxygen is “too much” or “too little” in the exhaust gas.
If an oxygen sensor reads a “too much oxygen” in the exhaust gas, this implies that there is a lean mixture (meaning the fuel mixture with the air is far lesser). And in some cases it can cause poor engine performance, which include poor idling of the engine & misfire.

Oxygen Sensor Benefits: On the  other hand, if an oxygen sensor reads a “too little oxygen” this implies a rich mixture (meaning the fuel mixture with the air intake is far too much), in this case the fuel economy on the vehicle  is altered causing excessive emission  as a result of too much fuel been burnt.
Moreso, the secondary function of an oxygen sensor apart from monitoring the oxygen in the exhaust gases, is that it generates a voltage signal based on the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas and send this signal to the ECM (Engine control module) “brainbox” to regulate or balance the air/fuel mixture, either to increase or decrease the fuel ratio with the air intake.
The post catalyst oxygen sensor, basically monitors the operating  efficiency of the catalytic converter, by comparing the oxygen levels in the exhaust pipe before the catalytic converter and after the catalytic converter.
So if the post catalyst sensor read the same oxygen level with the pre catalyst sensor, then the “efficiency of the catalyst converter is below threshold”, meaning the catalyst can no longer convert the toxic gases to less harmful gases.
Finally, oxygen sensors do not only control the fuel consumption, they equally protect the atmosphere against harmful and toxic exhaust gases our cars emit.

The post Oxygen Sensors; it effect on fuel economy in cars. appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

3 December, 2020.

Jide fashetire

Vibrations on steering wheel can be categorized into two (2) different parts:
(a) vibration felt on the steering wheel while the vehicle is on motion or at 100km/h or a vibration experienced at the braking of the vehicle on a higher speed. 
(b) vibration felt on the steering wheel while the engine is running idle.
Considering vibration of steering wheel in motion, please note, that an unsmooth rotation of the tyre or a mark or an uneven surface on the brake rotor could be transfer from the drive hub to the steering rack through the tie-rod socket, then to the steering shaft, that connect to the steering wheel. 
Vibration of the steering wheel could be caused by a twisted tires, these tires tend to be unevenly balance, i. e one side is swollen thereby causing a wobbling movement, this movement will be felt on the steering wheel.
Recommendation: A replacement of the particular wobbling tyre(s) will correct the vibration experience on the steering wheel.
Vibration on the steering at 80km/h or 100km/h, and when you go above this speed, the vibration ceased. This is caused by an “imbalance” or “out of balance” of the tires.

Recommendation: Proper wheel balancing will correct the abnormality vibration on the steering wheels.
Braking at a high speed and experiencing a vibration is caused by a mark drawn on the brake disk or rotor by a worn brake pads or a sub-standard brake pads or a stiff brake piston. This rough surface of the brake disk or rotor produce the vibration the moment brake pads compresses to this rough surface.
Recommendation: Surfacing or smoothing of the rough surface on the brake disk or rotor could correct the vibration or an outright replacement of the brake disk or rotor.
On the other hand, when steering wheel vibrates while engine is running idle, this imply that the rpm gauge (revolution per minute) is running below optimal level, the possible causes are dirty throttle actuator, clogged fuel filter, defective ignition coil, worn spark plugs, bad manifold pressure sensor or incorrect ignition timing.

Recommendation: A proper vehicle diagnosis(scanning) will reveal the possible cause(s) of the vibration of the steering wheel, among these components mentioned above.

The above are some of the reasons why your steering wheel shake when you brake. Hope these tips will aid your troubleshooting procedure.

The post Steering wheel vibrations appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

Auto repair and maintenance companies:

Geely Holding Group executives and subsidiary brands have won accolades at the 2020 Autocar Awards, where automotive industry achievements from the past twelve months and outstanding career achievements are recognized.

In a show of strength at the prestigious awards, Geely Holding’s Executive Vice President of Design, Peter Horbury, was awarded the Autocar Lifetime Achievement award. Hakan Samuelson, Volvo Cars’ Chief Executive Officer, received Autocar’s top award – the Issigonis Trophy, while Volvo’s subsidiary, Polestar, was awarded the 2020 Game Changer award.

Peter Horbury’s well-deserved Lifetime Award reflects more than fifty years of dedication to design at leading automotive brands, where he helped develop some of industry’s iconic cars. During his tenure at Volvo Cars in the 1990s, Peter was credited with introducing new sleek design – an approach he extended after the Swedish company was acquired by Geely Holding in 2010. At Geely Holding, Peter oversaw the growth of Geely Auto’s global design function which has now grown to five studios in Europe, America, China and south East Asia with more than 1000 members of staff. With a new confident, Chinese inspired but internationally focused design language, Geely Auto has seen its sales triple over the last eight years.  The Lynk & Co brand, a premium brand positioned between Geely Auto and Volvo Cars was also developed by Peter Horbury’s team in Sweden alongside Geely’s engineering unit, CEVT, and unveiled for the first time in late 2016 before going on sale in China in 2017, where the brand has sold over 300,000 units to date.

On his part, Hakan Samuelson was awarded the Issigonis Trophy for the major impact that he has had on Volvo Cars over the past eight years. He has overseen major growth at Volvo Cars during his tenure as CEO with growing global sales, an expanded manufacturing footprint in China and the United States, and fully committing to electrifying the Volvo range.Advertisement

Polestar, Geely’s electric performance brand, received the Game-changer Award for redefining the perception of modern Grand Tourer vehicles with the introduction of Polestar 1, which utilizes a cutting-edge drivetrain, driver focused dynamics and concept car looks. It uses Geely holding’s most advanced drivetrain to date that utilizes a 2.0 turbocharged and supercharged engine which is mated to an electric powertrain that offers up to 124km of electric range and can produce a combined 609BHP and 1000Nm (738lb – ft) of torque.

Congratulating Geely Holdings, Mikano International Limited, the exclusive partner of Geely in Nigeria, noted that this is a remarkable achievement which shows the brand’s growing market presence and its contribution to the global auto industry. 

Expressing his delight, the Chairman of Geely Holding, Li Shufu said, “The recognition that we have received from Autocar are the results of more than two decades of continuous internationalization at Geely Holding, where we have focused on developing our internal talent and bringing the best products and services to the consumers.”

As one of the auto repair and maintenance companies in the world, Geely Holding continues to deepen its footprints across the globe, especially in Africa, with its recent partnership with Mikano in Nigeria.

Visit www.geely.ng to find more about Geely Nigeria.

The post Geely Holding Group and Subsidiary Brands Receive Awards at the 2020 Autocar Magazine Awards appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

Car Shopping

There soon may be a chill in the air, but car sales competition is heated as the calendar turns to October.

That may not mean what it usually does for car shoppers.

So, is it the best time to buy a car – new or used?

Coronavirus has changed many of the rules about end-of-the-year car shopping in 2020, but that shouldn’t stop you if you need a vehicle now.

Consumers typically can look for deals on current-year vehicles from Columbus Day through the start of the New Year, but 2020 may prove to be a bit more challenging than normal. Some deals may exist – but shoppers may have to look a bit harder to find them.

Much of the current car-shopping challenge comes from market supply and demand issues.

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Incentives on new vehicles have shrunk with tight supplies for some models following automaker production pauses earlier this year due to the coronavirus – although some still may be available if you are flexible in your vehicle choice. One industry insider described availability as “shockingly low” – apparently across all brands – and that many are sold before they ever arrive at dealerships.

Meanwhile, prices on used vehicles have held steady or risen slightly because of increased demand for vehicles that often sell for a lot less than new models. This is true despite the flow of pre-owned vehicles from rental companies into the market.

On the plus side for car shoppers, your used vehicle also may be worth more as a trade-in than you expected because of demand due to the pandemic.

The best deal, however, simply may be getting a fair price on the vehicle that is right for you. Here’s how to make that happen whether you’re shopping for a new vehicle or used:

Step 1

Determine how much you can afford to spend on a car. Financial experts recommend using the 20/4/10 rule, which means making a 20 percent down payment, getting a four-year loan, and making monthly payments no more than 10 percent of your annual gross income. You may find it necessary to tweak the formula to fit your specific circumstances, but straying too far may cause you trouble in the long run.

Step 2

Decide on the age range you would consider: For example, new or nearly new that contain the latest features and technologies and may provide other advantages. Or three-, four- and five-year-old models that are old enough so the bulk of depreciation already has occurred but still are current enough to be reliable and contain most of the recent safety and driving technologies.

Step 3

Identify the type of vehicle that best fits your lifestyle – subcompact, compact, mid-size or large; passenger car, pickup, crossover, SUV or minivan; premium/luxury or mainstream/mass-market. That’s a lot to consider but it’s important to get this right to ensure your satisfaction.

Step 4

Identify possible brand and model choices by consulting expert resources such as Kelley Blue Book, J.D. Power, Consumer Reports, Edmunds and U.S. News & World Report top choices. If you’re careful with this step, you can go a long way toward narrowing down the choices that will meet your requirements.

Step 5

This is your reality check – taking your finalists for test drives, which may include factoring in criteria such as exterior looks and color, body construction, ride comfort, interior space, electronics, driving noise, power/acceleration, braking and handling. Chances are you will eliminate several of your finalists in this step, leaving you with one or two to consider for your purchase.

Step 6

Keep an open mind to other possibilities along the road to your next vehicle, whether that’s finding a dealership with a great deal on a newer vehicle than you were considering. Or finding an opportunity to purchase a higher-end, though slightly older vehicle than you planned. Or simply wanting to try out a model other than those that came from your step-by-step research.

Step 7

Finally, you’re ready to make the purchase and drive home your prize with the confidence that comes from following a thorough process to identify the vehicle.

So, the answer to our question is that the best time to buy a car – new or used – is when you need it, regardless of whether you can get a particular deal or incentive, as long as you are confident that the vehicle is the right one for you and your needs or lifestyle.

Follow the seven-step process and you are more likely to purchase a vehicle not just because you saved some money up front but because it’s going to take care of you for years to come.

And when you’re looking to finance the purchase of a new vehicle, please ask your nearest dealership about Santander Consumer USA’s ability to finance customers at all credit levels.

The post Best time to buy a car – new or used? Here are 7 steps to making the right purchase appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

• Car Shopping
• New Vehicles

Beauty should be more than skin deep.

Especially when it comes to buying a shiny new car, truck or SUV.

While most of us spend a lot of time thinking about the outside of our vehicles – maybe even imagining admiring glances as we drive down the highway or along a city street – the truth is that what’s on the inside of the vehicle probably counts even more.

“A new car’s exterior design may get noticed first,” Autotrader said recently in announcing its 10 best car interiors under $50,000 for 2020. “But drivers spend most of their time inside their vehicle. An expensive, high-performance sports car can feel cheapened by a lackluster interior, and an economy car with an above-average cabin can feel much more expensive than it really is.”

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“Most people spend several hours inside their vehicles each week, so interior features are extremely important when determining which new car to buy,” said Tara Trompeter of Autotrader. “While you could shell out big money and get an interior that fits the price tag, a little research can reveal many new cars that cost less and give you more when it comes to cabin fit and finish.”

And research is exactly what Autotrader hopes to provide, although, ultimately, only you can decide what interior fits best by actually getting into and driving a vehicle.

Here are Autotrader’s 10 best car interiors of 2020 in alphabetical order and insight into their reasoning:

Genesis G70

“The G70 offers an upscale interior, complete with contrast stitching, available diamond pattern seating surfaces and a pleasing mix of leather, rubber and brushed aluminum … Dollar for dollar, the G70 is probably the best performance sedan on the market.”

Hyundai Sonata

“All-new for 2020, the Sonata represents the latest evolution of Hyundai’s design language, inside and out. What really stands out to us is the sharpness of Hyundai’s new screens. They’re truly a level above the competition and will help the vehicle feel new for years to come.”

Jeep Gladiator

“Gladiator buyers are now treated to higher-end materials in the form of a soft-touch dashboard, rubberized controls and aluminum trim pieces. Chrysler’s excellent UConnect infotainment system is available throughout much of the model range … Leather seating surfaces, great storage solutions and loads of USB and USB-C connectivity ports round out the offering.”

Kia Telluride

“Kia’s Telluride arguably is the best execution of the three-row SUV formula to date. While any Telluride offers a modern interior … it’s the SX model that really wows us. The top-spec Telluride comes with leather seating available in four different upscale hues, a premium headliner and simulated wood trim.”

Lincoln Corsair

“The newest compact luxury SUV from Lincoln looks to be a hit right out of the gate, due in large part to its upscale interior that shares many design cues with its larger brethren. The 2020 Corsair incorporates clean horizontal lines across its dashboard and a pleasing mix of glossy and matte surfaces.”

Mazda CX-5

“Pretty much every Mazda could be included on a list of the best car interiors, but we’re partial to the 2020 CX-5. It feels downright luxurious, despite carrying an economy SUV price tag. In addition to upscale design and plush leather seats, the CX-5 excels at the little things.”

Mercedes-Benz GLB

“The GLB is Mercedes’ new compact three-row SUV — and that’s the first thing we love about it, as few SUVs of this size actually come with a third row. Beyond that, it offers the latest application of Mercedes’ small-car interior design language … [including] a wide panel across the dashboard that incorporates both a digital gauge cluster and infotainment display.”

Ram 1500

“In redesigning its line of full-size trucks for 2019, Ram clearly prioritized interior design and comfort, and as a result, Ram trucks are now known for offering the nicest interiors in the segment.”

Toyota RAV4

“The RAV4’s interior is — to put it simply — just a nice place to be. Its rubberized HVAC dials are pleasing to handle and rotate with an upscale precision. Ergonomics are fantastic, while clever storage solutions abound, such as a shelf running the width of the dashboard.”

Volvo V60

“Part of Volvo’s appeal is in its calming, minimalist Scandinavian design language, and the V60 offers a good balance of value and utility. While it comes with a great cabin regardless of how it’s optioned, we’re especially partial to the newly available wool interior … which comes in a charming plaid pattern.”

“Any of the models on this year’s list of the 10 best car interiors under $50,000 will make driving more enjoyable, whether for a daily commute or an extended road trip,” Autotrader said.

The post Best car interiors of 2020, because what’s inside matters appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

Oil Change:

Posted on November 10, 2020 at 5:09 pm.

Written By: Jide Fashetire

There are 3 notably colour of smoke in cars,  namely black smoke(caused by excessive fuel being discharged into the combustion chamber) , Blue smoke(caused by engine oil leakage into the combustion chamber), and while white smoke(coolant leakage as well into the combustion chamber).
Combustion chamber in engine is an enclosed space in which air/fuel mixture is burned by a spark from the plugs. In other words combustion chamber only accommodate 3 agents in it enclosed space, namely; air, fuel and spark from the plugs. So any other agent(s) like the engine oil and coolant that find their path to the combustion chamber, will manifest their colour of smoke as mentioned above.

When cars emit black smoke, it implies excessive fuel is been burnt in the combustion chamber,  possible causes for this are ; defective mass airflow Meter,  bad oxygen sensor, clogged air filter, damaged fuel injectors(nozzles).

Blue smoke in cars is as a result of engine oil leakage into the combustion chamber from two ends, either from damaged valve seals or worn oil rings.

When white smoke emanate from exhaust pipe, coolant is getting into the  combustion chamber due to crack around the inner wall of the block engine or through a burnt cylinder gasket.

My professional advice, not all smoke in cars imply a weared  engine or a must replace engine, so dissect  the smoke with this tip, then seek for advice from a competent mechanic. Oil change is vital.

The post Smokes in cars appeared first on City Mechanic NG.

Posted on November 10, 2020 at 5:03 pm.

Jide Fashetire (Head, Technical )
For: City-Mechanic Automobile Limited.
Image source : Big Boyz Garage.

The word “overheating” in cars literally means extremely hot engine, which implies alteration in the cooling system of the engine in a vehicle.  to an average motorists,it means  the sudden upward movement of a pointer on the temperature (temp) gauge from the mid-point toward the red zone on the temp indicator, signalling danger. 
To most motorists, they hardly pay attention to the information displayed on the instrumental cluster (I.e the speedometer), until steam is being observed, emanating from the bonnet. 
Possible Causes of overheating in cars.
For the purpose of troubleshooting overheating in cars, there is need to outline the two (2) basic approaches a vehicle engine can be overheated.
This could be categorized into ; electrical and mechanical fault.
 
Causes of engine overheating: Possible causes under electrical faults are as follows; faulty cooling fan(s), blown fuse, burnt cooling fan relay and bad coolant temp sensor. 
While mechanical causes of overheating includes; worn water pump,  clogged radiator cell,  defective thermostat and leaky coolant hose. 
Possible Consequences of overheating on engine. 
The most common aftermath of overheating on car engines are; bursted plastic head of the radiator cell as well as the fortified water hose, others are blown top gasket, which gives way to coolant and engine oil mixture.
Finally among other possible consequences of overheating is the dragging sound emanating from the engine, as if it under a severe load. 
So professional advise to motorists, is to discontinue driving at the sight of overheating sign(s) on your car. Pull over to the service lane, turn engine off, while allowing it to cool, then call your mechanic. 

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