What Happens During a Routine Ford Transmission Service?

Is Ford's engine hotter than usual? Although there are several causes for the increased heat, the most typical is a faulty radiator. Do you want to maintain your car's peak performance? Watch out for the following signs to know if you need a radiator repair before consulting with your Ford dealer in Jacksonville, AR. Your Engine Has Temperatures That Are Too High When your engine's temperatures rise, your vehicle will gradually overheat. When this happens, check your Ford's temperature device on the dashboard tool panel to determine if its meter has risen above the middle. Typically, high temperatures imply issues with your radiator. Inspect the radiator immediately before the temperature rises further. At best, you may need more coolant. Still, don't risk damaging your engine permanently by driving the overheated car. Seek expert inspection. Your Engine Releases White Smoke When an abnormal amount of white smoke emanates from your car's engine, know there's an issue worth addressing. In general, white smoke may indicate leakage in the internal coolant system. This arises when your engine burns up your coolant, which exits through the exhaust. Although the issue might not cause alarm, have your dealer inspect the white smoke's origin to be safe. Your Vehicle Has a Poor Heating System Do you feel like your vehicle heater's system is compromised? Is your heater not efficient? If yes, you may have an issue with your radiator. Hot coolant fluid keeps your car heater power. When your radiator is compromised, it won't heat the coolant fluid sufficiently. Apart from experiencing excess heat, you'll also experience too much cold, which is more apparent during the cold season. Your Coolant Leaks on the Ground One of the most visible signs of a faulty radiator is having a coolant leakage underneath your vehicle. Are there drips or puddles of a bright green substance underneath it? This generally implies a leak in the radiator, which can cause permanent damage to your engine. Because the source of the leak could be your hose or other parts of your vehicle's cooling system, you shouldn't diagnose the problem yourself. We can help you identify whether your radiator is cracked and needs a replacement by conducting a pressure test. Your Radiator Discolors and Rusts When exposed to moisture and fluids for a long time, your radiator will start to look rusty because it's made up of metal. So, watch out for color changes. In some cases, the rust might be accompanied by sludge. Note that rust in your radiator can permanently damage your vehicle. The only way to get rid of it is by having your dealer flush your entire system. We not only specialize in flushing but also in replacing the corroded parts in your system. We are well aware that a simple flush is not adequate to fix the problem. If you've spotted any one of these signs, don't hesitate. Seek expert assessment today. Stop by Crain Ford of Jacksonville today and have your vehicle assessed.

While on the road, ignition coils turn the relatively low voltage of a car's battery into a whopping 30,000 to 40,000 volts to ignite the combustion process. Each of your coils should last 100,000 miles or more, but eventually, all ignition coils start to falter. Here are the symptoms of a faulty ignition coil to look out for. If you notice the following issues, visit your local Ford dealer to have the malfunctioning coil cleaned or replaced. Misfiring Engine A spark plug relies on its ignition coil to keep firing more than 30 times per second. This steady stream of sparks continually ignites the fuel-air mixture inside each combustion chamber, powering your engine. If one of your ignition coils stops doing its job properly, the corresponding combustion chamber will start misfiring. You're likely to hear the engine coughing and sputtering. It might also jolt and shudder. Rough Idling Even with just one failing ignition coil, your engine will begin to struggle when idling. Rough idling feels like the engine might fail altogether at any moment. And if more than one of your ignition coils falters, you might indeed stall while pausing at a traffic light. Loss of Power While working less efficiently, your engine will lose some of its power. This is often most noticeable when attempting to accelerate. It becomes dangerous to overtake other vehicles as you might not have access to the necessary burst of speed. Falling Gas Mileage When a coil breaks down, your engine keeps injecting fuel into the cylinders at the same rate. But this fuel is no longer combusting as efficiently as it should. The result is reduced fuel efficiency and less bang for your buck at the gas station. Backfiring When the fuel-air mixture inside a combustion chamber stops burning away properly, an excess of fuel can build up in the chamber. This excess fuel can build up and then suddenly be released into the scorching-hot exhaust headers. This sometimes causes a bang as it ignites and you'll often see black smoke emitting from your tailpipe. Car Won't Start With one failing ignition coil, you'll often find it harder to start your engine in the morning. If more than one ignition coil has bitten the dust, you might not be able to start your car at all. How a Ford Dealer Inspects Your Coils When a technician takes a look at an ignition coil, they can check the voltage with a multimeter tool and also with a spark test. They can also swap out the coil with a new one to see if that clears up the engine trouble. A failed ignition coil can sometimes be cleaned to restore functionality. But more often, it will need to be replaced. Visit Crain Ford of Jacksonville today to have your ignition coils examined, cleaned, or replaced. Our courteous, knowledgeable staff can guide you through our extensive range of vehicles and services. Image via Ford.

Brake pads serve a vital role in your car's braking system. They generate friction against the wheel rotors that bring your car to a stop. This friction they generate also means they slowly wear out and need replacement. As your Ford dealer, we'd like to tell you about some signs that you need to see us for replacement pads ASAP. Screeching Pads Loud screeching noises when you brake are almost always caused by worn pads. Each pad has a 1/2" thick friction material cover. The material wears down slightly each time you apply the brakes. The pads can also wear due to other problems with the brakes, for example, a jammed brake caliper. As the pads wear down, you'll notice your braking system will take an increasingly longer time to engage. Once the pads reach 1/4" thick, they are due for replacement. As a reminder, the manufacturers install a metal spike in each pad. This spike becomes visible and will scratch against the smooth rotor surface. The spike doesn't cause damage, but it does mean your pads need to be replaced. Grinding Pads If the pads are not replaced when they start to screech, they will continue to wear down. The spike will break off, and the last of the friction material will flake off. When this happens, the bare metal of the pads will be pushed against the rotors the next time you brake. You'll begin to hear a grinding sound that becomes louder as time passes. The grinding sound is caused by the rough metal of the pads scouring the smooth surfaces of the rotors. The longer this continues, the more damage the pads will do to the rotors. This damage may even require the replacement of the rotors depending on the level of damage they sustain. Our technicians can replace the pads, and we'll examine the rotors to assess the damage. Once we've examined the rotors, we will repair or replace them. Glazed Pads As we've seen, the pads are pushed against the rotors to bring them to a stop. As soon as you take your foot off the brake, the calipers retract and the pads are automatically withdrawn. Glazing occurs when the pads are kept in contact with the rotor surface for an extended period. This can be caused by riding your brakes or by a damaged caliper that doesn't fully withdraw. Extended contact with the rotors turns the friction material smooth and glass-like. Smooth pads are very dangerous, as they can't generate friction to stop your wheels. Glazed pads need to be replaced immediately. If you're experiencing any of these problems, call us right away at Crain Ford Jacksonville. Image via Ford.