To maximize tire life and safety, check tire condition and inflation pressure regularly and have the tires rotated and balanced.  Tire replacement may be necessary if the tread depth is below the minimum legal requirement, or the sidewalls are severely cracked or punctured.  In some cases, tread punctures cannot be repaired.

Tire Service Checklist

• Check inflation pressure at least once a month (including the spare).
• Have the tires rotated every 6,000 miles.
• Rotation time also serves as a good opportunity to have the tires balances.
• Uneven or accelerated tire wear may indicate an alignment problem.  Have you car’s alignment checked at least once a year.

Tire Inflation

What is it?

Proper tire inflation pressure is the specified air pressure given by a carmaker for a certain tire on a specific vehicle. This pressure specification should not be confused with a tire’s maximum pressure, which is usually listed on the tire’s sidewall. Some vehicles may specify different pressures for the front tires and the rear tires.

Purpose

Correct inflation pressure is critical for good fuel economy, safety, maximum tire life, and proper vehicle handling performance.

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions

For the small amount of time it takes, checking tire inflation at least once a month is one of the best investments you can make to get the maximum life out of your tires. Proper inflation can also improve gas mileage by more than 3%, when maintained regularly. Keep this in mind: Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi (pounds per square inch) drop in pressure of all four tires. You may want to check your tires more often during the winter months. Tires will lose about 1 psi of pressure for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature drop.

Keep an accurate tire pressure gauge in your car’s glove box (many gauges at “air stations” give false pressure readings) and check the tire pressure when the tires are cold. Never trust the appearance of a tire as a gauge for inflation. A tire could be 10 psi low on pressure and not appear to be low on air. Use the recommended inflation pressure listed in your vehicle’s owner’s manual or on the inflation sticker found on the driver’s door jamb. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check the spare. There’s nothing more annoying than a flat spare when you have a flat tire.

Tread Depth

What is it?

There are several simple ways to check tire tread depth. The first way is to measure tread depth with a tread depth gauge. The second method involves the use of a penny inserted into the grooves of the tread. Tire wear bars are also used on today’s tires as a hands-off visual indication that a tire needs replacement.

What does it do?

Regular tread depth checks are important to ensure that your car’s tires are safe. Excessive wear can result in a loss of traction, especially on wet and slippery roads. Tires are regular wear items and staying on top of their condition not only ensures your safety, but also gives you the opportunity to plan ahead and budget for inevitable tire replacement.

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions

When using a tread depth gauge, tires need to have at least 1/16-in. of tread or more (this is the minimum amount of tread allowed by law). By using a penny as a quick reference, insert the penny into the tread groove with Lincoln’s face showing, but with his head upside-down. If you are able to see all of Lincoln’s head, the tire needs replacement. If you see a wear bar across the width of the tread while facing it, it’s time to replace the tire. Generally, it’s best to replace tires in sets of four. If your car’s tires show signs of abnormal or unequal wear, have this looked into by a professional technician. Excessive wear on both outer edges generally indicates under-inflation. Excessive wear in the center of the tread generally indicates over-inflation. Cupping or dipping of certain tread sections may indicate worn suspension parts or a wheel balance problem. Saw-toothed or feathered tread edges may indicate wheel misalignment. If your car needs alignment or suspension work, have it done before you drive off with a new set of tires. Taking a “big picture” approach to protecting your tire investment will reap many rewards for miles to come.

Wheel Balance

Unbalanced wheels can cause rapid wear of shock absorbers and struts, and wheel balance can change as a result of normal tire wear.  On full-time four-wheel drive vehicles, a difference of only 1/4 inch between the outside circumference of the front and rear tires can cause expensive damage to the transfer case or center differential.  Rotating the tires to keep their sizes equal is critical on these vehicles, and replacing all four tires at the same time, rather than just the front or rear tires, is highly recommended.

Bernard’s Garage is committed to quality service.  Our certified technicians use only quality parts in order to back-up our repair with a Nationwide 12 Month / 12,000 Mile Warranty.

What is covered by the Limited Warranty?

• Air Conditioning, heating and climate control systems
• Brake system
• Engine cooling system
• Electrical system, including the starting and charging systems
• Engine performance, drivability services and repair
• Exhaust system
• Fuel system
• Ignition system
• Electronic engine management system and on-board computer system, (engine, body, brake and suspension computers.)
• Cruise control system
• Steering/suspension system, wheel bearings, CV joints/U-joints, Half-shafts and driveshafts
• Other minor repairs

Repairs and Services Excluded from the Limited Warranty:

This warranty does not cover repair(s) or service(s) except as listed above.  Specifically excluded are any internal engine, transmission, clutch, or differential repairs or assembly replacement of the same.  Also excluded are auto body, paint, molding, glass repairs and tires.  Commercial vehicles are excluded.

How to obtain warrant service:

If you are in the Portland Area, bring your car back to Bernard’s for Warranty Service

If you are out of the Portland Area, then call our Warranty Administrator prior to having work done at (800) 457-0203, from 6:00am to 6:0pm Monday through Friday (Mountain Time), Saturday from 7:00am to 4:00pm, excluding holidays.  The Administrator will provide you with the nearest certified repair shop.

Click here to download the complete terms and conditions of this warranty.

In 1996, an orange light on your car’s dashboard labeled “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” became standard on all car makes and models. The light tells you there’s a problem with your car’s engine and powertrain control system.

What does it mean?
An illuminated “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” light indicates a problem detected by our car’s onboard diagnostic system (OBD). The light cannot indicate the exact nature of the problem – only the right training and diagnostic equipment can do that.

Typical Service
• A flashing light indicates a problem that is currently happening and may require immediate attention, whereas a steady light can be diagnosed at the first convenient opportunity.
• A technician connects a “scan tool” to your car’s onboard diagnostic system to determine the problem.
• Further testing and diagnostics may be required to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem.
• Once the problem is pinpointed, repairs are made and the light is reset.

Click here for DIY tips on the check engine light from Haynes Manuals.

To learn about rebuilding your engine, visit http://enginerepower.org/.

Video:  Car Care Minute: Check Engine Tip

Here is a list of those things we did to become a certified ECO shop, the following is only a small portion of our investment to become ECO certified and how we continue our environmental stewardship.

1. We purchased our waste oil burner 10 years ago and it burns all our flammable waste fluids and in turn heats up our shop. The burned waste goes through a catalytic convertor and the only waste is steam. It has saved us $1000 a month in winter and reduced our carbon foot print.

2. It cost us very little to have our antifreeze recycled and resold to other shops at a lower price per gallon We also use this service to pick up our used oil filters which are drained, crushed, and recycled at no cost. There are numerous benefits including access for the community, and a reduction of waste.

3. In the last 10 years we have purchased many pieces of equipment that recover nearly everything; including transmission fluid, engine oil, antifreeze, Freon from air conditioning units, both R12 and R134. These machines are expensive, but have paid for themselves 100 times over.

4. We always refill windshield washer fluid. This a free service to our customers Instead of us purchasing 20 cases at a time, 6 plastic gallon jugs per case, resulting in a cost of about $3.00 per gallon, we have found a new source of the same fluid in a tablet form. 1 tablet makes 1 gallon with the benefit of no plastic jugs, which have been nearly impossible to recycle, and a substancial savings to both the customer and the garage.

5. We buy bulk oil and any other product we possibly can in recyclable barrels as well as the most eco friendly products available to us.

6. Our ceiling is covered with a white moisture barrier which improved our insulation factor and results in increased efficiency of our lighting.

7. We have all the traditional waste management paper, bottle and glass bins for recycling. A lot of the bottles and cans get donated to local charities such as Milwaukie High Schools, Head start, Boy Scouts, etc. Paper is bagged up and sent to the recyclers for proper disposal.

8. Our floor drains are plugged to prevent down fluids from leaking into the sewer system and oil absorbent socks are placed in our storm water collectors. We scrub our floors with biodegradable cleaners and dispose of the waste properly.

9. All our below ground fuel and hydraulic tanks we’re removed in the early 90’s. Our old oil burner furnace was replaced with a high efficiency backup gas furnace and fans distribute the heat throughout the shop.

10. We have replaced all our fluorescent lighting with high efficient, low energy bulbs that reflects a higher intensity light off our ceiling moisture barrier resulting in 25% more lighting at no cost while reducing our energy use.

11. We purchase recycled paper goods and toners, then when they are used up recycled again. The toners get donated to the local charter school for their fund raising / recycling program.

12. All used vehicle batteries are collected and returned back to the vendors for recycling.

We have invested over $40,000 in efficiency that has repaid us many times over.

Bernard’s Garage has invested in efficiency and renewable energy for many reasons not the least of which was the fact that we love our community and want to be good stewards of the environment we have lived in since 1925.

If you want quality automotive repair from a caring staff that is concerned with our environment, then bring your vehicle to Bernard’s Garage in downtown Milwaukie where maintenance is a good investment!