Knowing when to replace your tires

Understanding proper tire maintenance, selection, and safety for your Chevrolet vehicle starts with knowing the basics. Tread wear indicators appear when the tires only have 2/32 inch or less of tread remaining. Other warning signs include bulges and splits, cracked sidewalls, visible tire cord and punctures.

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OIL CHANGES

The 3,000-mile myth

Many older-model Chevrolet vehicles, including those manufactured without or before the creation of the Oil Life Monitoring System, require oil changes at 3,000-mile intervals. However, thanks to advances in engine technologies, newer models have a much longer range between oil changes. Always refer to your Chevrolet vehicle Owner's Manual for oil-change intervals for your specific vehicle.

Engine Oil Life System

Most Chevrolet vehicles are equipped with the engine Oil Life System (OLS). This system interprets your vehicle’s speed and engine temperature and continuously monitors operating conditions—which helps determine when it’s time for an oil change. The OLS also monitors your personal driving habits and the area’s climate conditions to let you know precisely when to come in for an oil change. It’s a simple, effective way to save money and help reduce oil waste.

Selecting your oil

Choosing the proper grade of oil is a critical step in engine maintenance. From conventional to full synthetic, your Chevrolet Certified Service experts offer a range of oil types, including ACDelco Conventional Oil, ACDelco dexos1TM Full Synthetic, and Mobil 1TM Full Synthetic. Ask the experts which grade of oil you should use for your specific Chevrolet model. You can also check your Owner’s Manual for the correct grade.

Brakes

Are your brakes signaling a problem?

Sometimes, your Chevrolet vehicle’s brakes will alert you when there’s trouble. Whistling noises, chirping sounds, and grinding are indications that brake service is required. Here are some common causes of brake pedal pulsation and/or noise:

Worn brake pads
Heat-cracked or worn rotors
Loose-fitting brake pads in the caliper
Missing or damaged noise insulators
Uneven torque of lug nuts or caliper hardware

The life of a brake pad

Brake pad life depends on driving habits, vehicle usage, and operating environment. Brake systems are designed to provide 20,000 to 25,000 miles of pad life in very severe use (such as heavy-traffic urban areas) and will give 40,000 to 60,000 miles of pad life in average use. Factors that will reduce pad life include frequent heavy braking, elevated temperatures (caused by high-speed braking, driving in mountainous areas), driving with the vehicle heavily loaded, and severe environments such as high-corrosion areas and areas with a lot of road debris and dust.

How do I know when I need new brakes?

Brake pads are equipped with wear indicators that produce a squealing noise when the brakes are almost worn out. The noise may be present with or without the brake pedal applied, but when noise is heard from the wear indicator, the brake pads should be replaced as soon as possible. Wear indicators are set to create noise when there is around 2 mm of brake pad friction material thickness remaining. In the case of assessing pad wear through inspection, pads should be replaced at or before 2 mm thickness is reached.

Brake rotors are marked with a “minimum thickness” on the casting (usually 2 mm to 3 mm less than the new rotor thickness). Rotors should be replaced before they reach this minimum thickness and should not be turned below this.

Battery FAQS

Why won’t my car start?

There are numerous reasons why a vehicle won’t start. If it’s related to the battery, the starter will generally not crank the engine. This is the telltale “click, click, click” when you turn the key. This could be an alternator not charging the battery properly, a loose battery or starter cable, or a battery that needs to be replaced. Because batteries only crank for 3 seconds, in most cases, there may be no “slow crank” warning. That is why it is important to get your battery tested by a Chevrolet Certified Service professional.

What are the main causes of auto battery failure?

Batteries wear out over time, but there are also issues that impact battery failure, for example, unusual “parasitic drains” such as adding accessories but not properly grounding them, infrequent startup, and discharged batteries freezing at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

What should I consider when buying an auto battery?

ACDelco recommends the right balance of Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) and Reserve Capacity (RC). A higher CCA battery will not start your car faster. This is due to gear reduction starters, lower viscosity oils, fuel injection, etc. The average car cranks no more than 3 seconds and as a result does not need more CCA than what the vehicle manufacturer recommends. With the addition of vehicle electronics, RC is becoming more important. Select a battery that has the right amount of CCA, found in your Owner’s Manual and as much RC as you can.

Nobody Knows Your Chevrolet Like We Do

From the wipers to the wheels, at Vann Gannaway Chevrolet of Eustis, the Certified Service experts know the exact needs of your Vann Gannaway Chevrolet car, truck, or SUV. Our Chevrolet Certified Service experts are trained to know every inch of your vehicle and can help you keep it running with the performance you've come to expect from Chevrolet.

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Our Chevrolet Certified Service technicians at Vann Gannaway Chevrolet will complete a comprehensive look into your vehicle's tires, wiper blades, fluid levels, brakes, battery and more to keep your vehicle running exceptionally.

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