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Archive for January 2025The Daily Grind (Grinding Noise)Posted January 26, 2025 3:09 AMIf your vehicle makes a grinding sound when you turn the steering wheel, it's speaking to you. No, really, it is. So listen to what it's saying and you could avoid a much more costly repair down the road. A grinding sound coming from the front of your vehicle when you are turning can offer some very informative clues as to what's going on. One cause could be that there's a problem with the mechanical linkage that enables you to turn the wheels. Another is that the hydraulic system that makes turning the steering wheel easier may have its own problems. Think of it. Hydraulic power steering has many components that need to work in tandem. The power steering fluid may be too old and contaminated. Or its level may be low. That may be caused by a leak somewhere in the system. A technician can check things over to find out exactly what's happening. Other causes of grinding while turning can be problems with the suspension in the front. You may have a failing CV (constant velocity) joint. It could be your brakes are partially engaging while you are turning. That metal-on-metal sound is never a sign that things are working just the way they're supposed to. To a technician looking to pinpoint the problem with your vehicle, it's not a daily grind at all. Experience and training will help her or him zero in on what's causing the noise and get you back on the road. Maybe you can enjoy your sound system more after that distracting background noise has disappeared! Westmoreland Transmissions A Clean Start (Battery Cleaning)Posted January 19, 2025 3:08 AMYour vehicle is loaded with electrical devices. Computerized components are everywhere, so good electrical connections are important. Those begin with your vehicle's battery, so it's important that its connections are in top shape. Ever had a flashlight that didn't work, took out the old batteries to replace them and noticed the old batteries were all corroded? The same thing can happen to your vehicle's battery. The battery type used in most vehicles is a lead-acid, which can be very corrosive. Corrosion can build up around your battery's terminals that can prevent the electrical connection from being as solid as it needs to be. You may have even seen discoloration around your battery's terminals if you look under the hood, a sign of corrosion. Or you might notice visible signs of fraying or loose battery cables. All of your vehicle's components are affected by vibrations from the engine and road surface imperfections, and the battery cables take a lot of jostling every time you drive. Frayed cables won't conduct as much electricity as intact ones. Plus, there's the possibility that a frayed cable may touch a piece of metal in the engine compartment that can cause shorts and other problems. There are some signs to watch out for that might tell you if your battery terminals are corroded or your cables aren't making good contact with them. You might find your vehicle isn't starting as easily as it used to. You also might see the battery warning light illuminated on your dash. That light looks like a rectangle with a "-" and "+" sign inside. Our technicians can make sure your battery and cables are at optimal operating capability with regular service and cleaning. A technician will clean the terminals and portions of the cables that are connected to them. They may also add an anti-corrosion agent to the cables/terminals. Nothing like giving your vehicle a clean start! Westmoreland Transmissions A Hot Mess (AC System-Compresser)Posted January 12, 2025 3:09 AMAir conditioning used to be a real luxury in a vehicle, but now it's standard in most. Your vehicle's air conditioning system is built to last a pretty long time, but like anything mechanical, sometimes it fails. It helps to know a little about how the A/C works. There's a compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant (you probably recognize the term Freon). That makes it hotter, so it then goes through a condenser that cools it off. Then another component takes out impurities and humidity before the Freon goes to a device that makes it lose pressure before it goes to the evaporator. That's where it gets colder and takes the humidity out of the air. Then your vehicle's ventilation system blows air over the evaporator, cooling the cabin air that gives you such relief on a hot day. Of all these parts, one that does a lot of work is the compressor. It has to compress that refrigerant and circulate it through the system. It turns on and off several times when it's working. The good news is that if it's going to fail, it sometimes lets you know. One of the signs that your air conditioning compressor is going bad is a noise under the hood when the engine is on, sometimes a squealing or grinding sound. It usually is pretty noticeable. Compressors have a bearing that can seize up after time, causing the belt that drives it to squeal when it's trying to turn something that won't turn. It will sometimes cause that belt to break. Your service advisor can tell you if your compressor is repairable or must be replaced. In the case of a broken belt (often a serpentine belt that drives several components) the belt will have to be replaced as well. The compressor also has a clutch that turns the compressor on and off so it doesn't have to run all the time. Sometimes that clutch can fail, too, and your service advisor will often recommend you replace the compressor and the clutch at the same time. Our technicians can help make sure your air conditioning system keeps its cool, and you along with it. Westmoreland Transmissions That Vexing Vapor Venting (Vapor Coming out of Vents)Posted January 5, 2025 3:10 AMYou may have noticed sometimes on a hot and humid day, vapor will come out of your vehicle's vents when you have the air conditioning on. Is that something to be concerned about? Well, it depends. Sometimes that steam or vapor can be caused by water accumulating in the vent system after it has condensed. And sometimes water can pool at the bottom of a vent. When you turn on the blower mower, the air hits the water and may create steam or vapor that you can see in the cabin. One thing to check is if that vapor smells like anything. If it doesn't, that's a good sign. You may be able to run the fan for a while and the issue may just go away when things dry out. But moisture collecting in the ventilation hoses in a hot vehicle may be a breeding ground for mold, and that can have health consequences. There's another possibility. Ventilation systems often have drains to get rid of any accumulated water, and debris can sometimes clog them. A technician can clean out those drains and you'll be back in business. One thing to nose around for is a sweet smell coming out of your vents. Sometimes the heater core (a component of your vehicle's heater system) can develop very tiny holes. That sweet smell may be coolant that's been vaporized by those tiny holes entering your cabin. It's always a good thing to mention to your service advisor any abnormality you're seeing—or smelling—in your vehicle. By venting a little about your vents, a technician can get to the bottom of the problem before it starts "clouding" the issue. Westmoreland Transmissions | ||
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Testimonials
Mrs. Irvine, 12/27/2024
Have used Westmoreland Transmission for both our personal and our business vehicles. High quality work, excellent customer service, we cannot say enough good things about Westmoreland!!!