NAPA Business Development Group

Pop quiz: What is a cabin air filter?

A. A filter for your High Point house?
B. A fresh, piney scent?
C. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car?

Clever you, it’s C.

A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment of your pickup. It filters out common High Point air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows.

These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.

Not all Colfax auto owners have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene. Last check, about forty percent of new vehicles sold in High Point come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year.

Cabin air filters make driving a lot more pleasant. Your pickup can be a haven during our High Point allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. Of course, like all filters, the cabin air filter eventually gets clogged. When this happens, your heating and air conditioning flow can become restricted. The filter can even get kind of smelly.

Check your owner’s manual for replacement guidelines. If your pickup owner’s manual doesn’t mention your cabin air filter, ask your friendly service specialist at Kernersville BDG for a recommendation. It’s usually every year or 12,000 miles / 19,000 kilometers. Change it sooner if you drive in dusty conditions around the Colfax area, or if you start to notice a funky smell coming from your vents.

So keep your cabin air filter clean. It may not help with your brother-in-law in the backseat, but it will make your driving experience around High Point more enjoyable.

Come by Kernersville BDG in High Point and we’ll take a look at your cabin air filter for you.

Many High Point motorists have been hearing about technological advances in power steering, specifically, electric power steering. Some very high-end cars have been featuring electric power steering for a few years now. An electric motor directly provides the power assist to make steering easier. Undoubtedly we’ll see much more of this in High Point as full electric cars and electric hybrids become more common.

The vast majority of cars and trucks serviced at Kernersville BDG in High Point use a hydraulic power boost system. With hydraulics, fluid is pressurized by a pump which actuates a hydraulic cylinder to reduce steering effort. Some of these pumps are powered by an electric motor. Most pumps are powered by the serpentine belt driven by the engine.

Power steering fluid has the necessary hydraulic properties and the ability to lubricate the internal parts. The power steering fluid also protects pickup components from rust and corrosion.

High Point car owners should be aware that manufacturers recommend that the fluid be replaced on schedule. At Kernersville BDG, the old fluid is drained and the system cleaned thoroughly. Fresh fluid is then installed.

Unfortunately, many High Point motorists don’t realize how critical it is to service their power steering, and some may not even know that it’s necessary in the first place. A neglected power steering system can develop leaks that will shorten the life of the pump.

High Point motorists should be aware of warnings that indicate possible power steering problems: the need to constantly add power steering fluid, a loud whining from the pump, erratic power assist or high steering effort. If you’re experiencing any of these problems, have your power steering checked out at Kernersville BDG in High Point.

In addition to the pump and hydraulic system, there are mechanical parts in the steering system. The rods, arms, joints and knuckles that actually turn the wheels can become worn or damaged. A standard alignment service at High Point includes an inspection of steering components.

If you notice any play in the steering wheel, that the steering wheel is off center, or a noise coming from your front wheels, especially when turning, have your Kernersville BDG advisor do an inspection so the problem can be corrected. Waiting too long could cause uneven tire wear and may even lead to steering failure. Call Kernersville BDG today at 865.755.0418.

Here’s a travel tip that’ll I’ll bet you didn’t know, and, it might keep you safer…

The average American commuter in NC spends two and a half hours daily in their car.

The government says a hundred thousand auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. (Aggressive driving is the number one traffic safety concern.)

So what does this have to do with how your car smells while you’re driving around NC?

Well, which scent did you think makes drivers more alert?

Is it:

• A. Strawberry
• B. New Car
• C. Pine
• D. Warm Vanilla Breeze

It’s C. Drivers are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the car, according to AroMetrics.

And, drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents.

And you thought they just smelled nice.

Kernersville BDG
600 Gallimore Dairy
High Point, NC 27265
865.755.0418

Today, we are talking about your PCV valve. The PCV Valve is a little, inexpensive part that does a big job for High Point drivers. PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the pickup engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause pickup engine corrosion, something we see occasionally at Kernersville BDG. At high speeds on High Point freeways, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Back in the old days, vehicle manufacturers simply installed a hose that vented these gases out into the atmosphere. But starting in the 1964 model year, environmental protection laws required that these gases be recycled back into the air intake system to be mixed with fuel and burned in the pickup’s engine.

This is much better for air quality and improves fuel efficiency also. (Budget-conscious High Point drivers take note!) The little valve that performs this important function is the PCV valve. The PCV valve lets gases out of the engine, but won’t let anything back in. Over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and decreased fuel efficiency.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV Valve at Kernersville BDG in High Point and quick and inexpensive to replace. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many High Point drivers don’t know about it. Check your pickup owner’s manual or ask your Kernersville BDG service advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a replacement.

There’s another aspect to the PCV system. In order for the valve to work correctly, it needs a little clean air to come in. This is done through a breather tube that gets some filtered air from the engine air filter. Now some vehicles have a small separate air filter for the breather tube called the breather element. That’ll need to be replaced at Kernersville BDG when it gets dirty.

Please ask your friendly High Point service advisor about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals in High Point, you can avoid some very pricey engine repairs.