62 - Wednesday, October 28, 1987 - North Shore News

Auto —

FREQUENT SERVICE RECOMMENDED
Neglect is transmission’s worst enemy

OF ALL the services and compo-
nents overlooked by car owners,
transmission maintenance remains
the most neglected area in the care
of an automobile.

This neglect prevails, says the
Car Care Council of the
Automotive Industries Association
of Canada, despite the risk of cost-
ly repairs.

A recent survey of transmission
specialists, conducted by the coun
cil, revealed that the principai
reason for the need for a transmis-
sion overhaul is the lack of proper
maintenance. Service technicians
recommend more frequent service

because minor problems can be
diagnosed and caught before they
become major ones.

According to one transmission
specialist, ‘‘People just drive
around unaware of their transmis-
sion problems. Very few people br-
ing their cars in for routine
maintenance. They drive their cars
until they stop running. In fact,
tow-ins are the majority of our
work."’

This lack of preventive
maintenance on the part of a car
owner often can cost him plenty.

The single most common cause
of damage to the transmission is

overheating of the fluid, usually
caused by heavy trailer towing
without equipping the vehicle with
a transmission cooler or by ex-
cessive rocking of the car when
stuck in the mud or snow.

Periodic transmission service can
save motorists expensive repair
bills. Standard service takes an
overview of the basic elements in a
transmission’s operation and in-
cludes fluid change, installation of
a new filter and necessary adjust-
ments.

In addition, a roadcheck ac-
companied by an under-hood and
under-car inspection helps to

determine the condition of all
driveline components.

The consensus among those
technicians interviewed by the
council is that service should be
performed every 15,000 kilometres
or once a year. The survey con-
firmed that the cost of typical
preventive service averages be-
tween $15-$30, depending on the
service shop and make of
automobile. Estimates for a
transmission overhaul, on the
other hand, range between $200-
$1,200.

The cost of an overhaul is a high
price to pay for neglecting to pro-

perly service a transmission. If car
owners skip this preventive
maintenance, major problems may
occur later.

The figures should speak for
themselves. If one hesitates to
spend $15-$30 to protect his in-
vestment, what about paying the
big bill when something goes
wrong? .

When asked if most transmis-
sion repairs are caused by the lack
of preventive maintenance, one
transmission specialist replied,
“Definitely. 1 tell my customers
that their neglect keeps me in

business.”

iotorists react to close calls with trucks

NEARLY ONE in three B.C.
drivers reporting a closecall with a
commercial vehicle takes direct ac-
tion against the company or the
driver.

This is one of the preliminary
findings of a UBC traffic safety
study conducted for ICBC. .

The study gathers data from
motorists’ calls. to a research hot
line. From responses to a ques-
tionnaire, the research team

measures drivers’ general attitudes ©

toward sharing thé road with large
trucks and what actions they will
‘take as the result of accidents or
near-accidents.

Just under two-thirds of the
drivers reporting accidents
reported that they nearly always
‘notice graphic logos on commercial

vehicles. Half of that group use
this information in order to react
to the incident.

Actions taken by motorists in-
clude laying charges against the
driver, calling the company to

Fuel, exhaust systems need attention

The exhaust system, should be °

IF WINTER. driving is to be
trouble-free, BCAA points out
that attention must be paid to fuel
and exhaust systems. .

When a fuel tank isn’t complete-
ly filled with gasoline, there’s some
air in the tank and moisture in that
air can condense into water. In
very cold weather, the water may

complain, or even avoiding doing
business with the company iden-
tified on the truck.

As the study enters its final
phase, the UBC/ICBC researchers
are now gathering information

freeze into ice pellets that clog the
fuel line and stall the engine.

To avoid this, tanks should be
kept filled as much as possible. In
very cold areas, a can of fuel
system de-icer can be added to the
tank once a month during winter.

Frost on the inside of the gas
tank cap can indicate ice in the fuel

from the truckers. Truck driver
questionnaire forms are available
at all ICBC Claims Centres in B.C.

The public hot line will remain
in service until the end of
November. Anyone wishing to

line. Put the car in a warm garage
until it melts: a de-icer will not
help at this stage.

The exhaust system requires par-
ticular attention at this time of
year because with the closed-win-
dow driving time ahead, fumes
from a damaged or malfunctioning
system can be deadly.

Teport a positive or negative en-
counter with a commercial vehicle
is encouraged to call and relate
their experiences,

The UBC Accident Research
number is (604) 228-6197. ,

inspected twice a year and this
month is a good time to see to it.
Be onthe alert constantly for any
unusual noise, or smell that might
suggest exhaust trouble.

If: there’s - any indication of

‘ damage, drive immediately to a
service station with windows open.

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