After the long, harsh conditions that Ontario winters bring, you need to perform a few essential Spring maintenance checks on your car. CRS Automotive locations in Hamilton and Oakville, Canada, are ready for your much-needed car service this spring. Maintenance checks you need to take care of after winter in Ontario, Canada In frosty conditions, your vehicle will face ice, snow, salt and cold temperatures- all of these elements can damage your car and make it less safe to operate when spring comes around. These are the most critical components to get serviced at your closest CRS … [Read more...]
Rainy day safety: How to choose new wiper blades
Being able to see what's happening in front of your car is crucial to your safety, so maintaining the wiper blades on your vehicle should always be a priority, even more so during the spring months where rainfall is much higher in Ontario. Here's what you need to know about picking a new set of wiper blades for your vehicle. Tips on choosing new wiper blades: Types of wiper blades Wiper blades come in all shapes and sizes, and manufacturers are continually developing new materials and improving designs to give you better visibility in wet conditions. Conventional wiper blades … [Read more...]
Car maintenance: Check and change your car’s oil
While most aspects of car maintenance should be left to the professionals, there are some maintenance tasks that you can perform yourself, including checking and changing your car’s oil. Here’s how we at CRS Automotive in Hamilton and Oakville, Canada recommend you do it. Car maintenance items you’ll need to check and change your car’s oil Gather your supplies, including: Vehicle user manual Protective gear including safety glasses, and old clothing Cleaning rags Wrench set with a box end wrench Oil drain pan or something similar to catch the drained oil Container and a funnel for … [Read more...]
How much should I budget for car maintenance?
Car maintenance can be a costly part of owning a vehicle, but it can be planned for. There are different aspects to remember when creating an annual car maintenance budget. At CRS Automotive in Hamilton and Oakville, Canada, we’ve created a guide to help you set up an annual budget for car maintenance. Three crucial aspects to consider in your car maintenance budget Each car is different, so your car maintenance budget will vary based on the different driving conditions, use and care of your vehicle. When planning your annual budget, remember to include these aspects: Care: If you … [Read more...]
Are Tinted Windows Legal in Ontario? (Infographic)
Are you a fan of tinted windows? Window tinting can be hazardous for drivers, as it impairs communication between drivers and pedestrians. This is true especially if a pedestrian is not able to establish eye contact with a driver as it can sometimes lead to dangerous situations. But what does the Ontario law state about window tinting? Take a look at the infographic to find out! For anything you need taken care of in your car, visit CRS Automotive in Hamilton and Oakville. We are expecting you! … [Read more...]
Ice Safety Guide
It’s not that unusual for Canadians to go out to a frozen lake in the winter, right? Get some peace and quiet, enjoy the fresh air for a bit, rest from your phone… But are you sure you know what to expect and what to do if something unexpected happens? Read on! When going out on a lake for ice fishing, skating, or even snowmobiling, you should prepare yourself as much as possible to avoid going through the ice and having to deal with thin ice. Here are some dos and dont's: Never go out on the ice alone. Go out with another person and keep a good distance apart as you move about. If … [Read more...]
Spark Plugs: All You Never Knew
Platinum and iridium have become a buzzword for ignition durability - as good conductors of heat and electricity. Both metals also have the ability to resist chemical corrosion and electrical erosion. That is why platinum and iridium are used on the electrodes of many spark plugs today. Some plugs have a solid platinum or iridium center electrode, while others have a small button of platinum welded onto the tip of center electrode or both electrodes (single platinum vs. double platinum). Some even use an alloy of platinum and iridium in the center electrode. Platinum and iridium are … [Read more...]
Highway Car Breakdown: Dos and Dont’s (Infographic)
It’s never pleasant to have your car broken down on the side of the road - especially a highway. You can’t just stop to repair a punctured tire, you may not even be able to call for help depending on your location. Take a look at the infographic to see what you should and what you should never do in such a situation. Should you have any issues with your car or just want a regular checkup, come to our repair shops in Hamilton and Oakville. … [Read more...]
Diagnose: Why Won’t My Car Start
It's a Monday morning, you are late out the door, you get in your car and try to turn it on. Surprise! It won’t start! Do you know how to figure out what’s wrong with your automotive pet? If you have no idea where to begin, it sure will be difficult to repair it. There are a lot of reasons why your car won’t start: - Faulty starter motor - Low voltage/Bad car battery - Bad fuel pump - Faulty crankshaft sensor - Faulty ignition coil - Faulty ignition switch - Faulty ignition relay/main relay. Here is what you can do to get to the bottom of why your car won’t start. 1) Is … [Read more...]
Car Corrosion: The Hazard of Road Salt
It’s common knowledge that snow and icy road conditions can cause car accidents. That is also why salt is used on the roads, since it helps to melt snow and ice, but it also provides some extra traction when combined with sand. That is why washing your car in the midst of winter is important aside from it looking clean, but also in order to remove the salt that accumulates. Cleaning road salt from your car’s surface is the best practice to help prevent rust damage. Brake lines are typically another of the areas affected, so having them checked frequently is important. Road salt is … [Read more...]
