As time passes, even Ford systems and components slowly age and wear out. Worn parts can make driving dangerous. As your Ford dealership, we’d like you to know a few signs you need to visit us for a Ford service.
Escaping Steam
Steam from under the hood signals your engine is in serious trouble. Combustion generates large amounts of heat, and your engine has a very efficient cooling system to control the temperature. Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water and is used to control the engine temperature. It travels through your engine at high speed, absorbing the heat, and transporting it to the radiator for removal via heat exchange.
Cooling system components wear out as they age, and this can cause the engine temperature to rise. If your engine gets too hot, even coolant can overheat and boil. A sustained high engine temperature can crack the head gasket that separates engine oil from the coolant and cause major engine damage. If you see steam, contact us ASAP so our technicians can diagnose and repair the problem.
Grinding Noises
If you hear harsh grinding noises when you apply the brakes, your brake pads have worn out and need replacement. The brake pads fit into the calipers, and they have a friction-producing covering that generates the friction that stops your wheels. The material covering gradually wears down as time passes, and once the material thickness drops to 1/4″, a pad needs replacement.
You’ll hear high-pitched screeching from a worn pad as a reminder that the pad needs to be changed. This noise is made by a metal spike buried inside the pad material. If a worn pad isn’t replaced, the material covering will wear away completely. When this happens, the bare metal of the wrong pad will gouge the wheel rotor, causing additional damage. We’ll replace the worn pads and repair any damage to the rotors.
Worn Tires
Tire tread wears down naturally due to surface friction. As the tread thins, your stopping distance increases, and braking responsiveness declines. This can make an accident more likely. In addition, incorrect wheel balancing or poor wheel alignment causes specific wear patterns and reduces tire lifespan.
Tire rubber loses elasticity with time, and this will cause the rubber to crack instead of flex. Cracks will widen and deepen, reaching into the rubber and causing leaks. Our technicians can fix any of these potential problems, and we can extend your tire life with regular tire rotations. If your tires are damaged, we can install and balance replacements while you wait.
If you’d like to know more about our services or to book a service, contact us today at Northwoods Ford in Minocqua, WI.
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