Get rid of minor car paint damage: Charlotte Toyota service tips

Do you have minor car paint damage? It happens - with daily wear and tear, loose shopping carts, and hurricane season, it's pretty much inevitable that your vehicle will sustain car paint damage over the course of your ownership. It may not seem like too big of a deal, but it can actually make your car's appearance a little less than ideal in addition to leaving the metal beneath open to moisture, which can ultimately lead to expensive rust repairs. Luckily, Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help! 

How to repair your car paint damage at home 

If you like to tackle auto repairs DIY style, this job is for you. In order to repair car paint damage, you should first gather supplies - you'll want microfiber cloths, fine grit sandpaper, shine polish, a clay bar wax, and soapy water. You'll also need to determine how deep the scratch is. Your car paint has four layers - the base panel coat, the primer coat, the body paint coat, and the clear coat. Here's how to detemine the depth of the damage: 

• If it's a clear coat scratch, you'll be able to see the scratch but it'll disappear when the car gets wet and then reappear when the car dries. 
• If it's a body paint coat scratch, it'll look white inside the scratch and won't disappear when the car gets wet. 
• If it's a primer or body panel coat scratch, the inside of the scratch will be gray or black. This is the deepest kind of scratch and MAY require professional help at Toyota of N Charlotte's body shop. 

Once you've figured out the extent of the scratch and whether or not you're comfortable fixing it, it's time to get to work. 

Toyota of N Charlotte tips for paint repair

Step 1: Clean things up. You should use the soapy water to clean the area you're going to be working on. This will get rid of any dirt or sand on the paint, which can lead to MORE scratches as you sand and polish. Dry the area with a microfiber cloth and then tape it off so you know exactly where you're working. 

Step 2: Sand. You'll need 3000 fine grit sandpaper for this part of the job, and here's a tip - wrap a dish sponge in the sandpaper before you get to work. This will prevent finger pressure marks when you sand. Get to work sanding the area around the scratch until the area looks hazy and the scratch disappears. Once that happens, it's time to move to the next step. 

Step 3: Polish and wax. Now you'll need 5000 fine grit sandpaper to add feathering around the sanded area (this helps it blend). Once that's done, put some polish on a microfiber cloth and shine the area where the car paint is hazy. Finally, use a clay bar wax to restore shine and get things looking like normal again. 

Have questions or have car paint damage that's not-so-minor? Call us! Toyota of N Charlotte is open seven days a week at (704) 659-2025 and we can get you on the books for Charlotte auto repairs in no time. 

Caring for your car tires: 7 quick tips

Your car tires are - without a doubt - one of the most important parts of your car. When they have issues, you're going nowhere fast (sometimes literally). However, caring for them is easy, and believe it or not, you can do a lot of the maintenance yourself from the comfort of your own garage or driveway. Toyota of N Charlotte is here with 7 quick tips to help you keep your car tires in the best shape possible (and save you time, money, and stress). 

How to take care of your car tires like a pro 

Tip 1: Do the penny test. 

How's the tread looking on your car tires? It may look fine to you, but you want to ensure it's deep enough to give you the traction you need (especially during wet weather). The best way to tell if you have enough tread on your tires is to do the penny test. Take a penny, stick Abe's head into the tire (head down), and if you can see the top of his head, you're due for a new set of tires. Driving with tread that's too low is dangerous - don't risk it. 

Tip 2: Schedule routine rotations. 

Tire rotations may seem like a pain, but this routine Orlando auto service can actually save you a lot of time and money. When they rotate your car tires, our Charlotte auto service techs will swap them from front to back and left to right to ensure that they're all wearing evenly. This makes them last longer, which means you won't have to shell out to replace them as often. 

Tip 3: Check your PSI. 

It's essential that you keep your tires inflated to the proper PSI (which you can find in your owner's manual or on the doorjamb of the driver's side door). When your tires are underinflated, you lose traction and you also lose fuel efficiency. Check your PSI every two weeks or so and if it's lower than it should be, head to the gas station to refill them to the proper levels. 

Tip 4: Be a better driver. 

An easy way to keep your car tires in good shape is to simply be a better driver. Avoid driving over potholes and road debris, try not to hit curbs, and avoid construction sites - they're often littered with nails, screws, and other sharp debris that can damage your tires and cause flats and blowouts. 

Tip 5: Don't overload your vehicle. 

It's a bad idea to overload your car with too much weight. Our Charlotte auto service experts advise against this because not only is it bad for your car's suspension and frame, it's also bad for your tires. Putting too much weight on them makes them wear out faster and also can actually damage them, leaving you prone to a blowout down the road. 

Tip 6: Try not to put off repairs. 

If you're due for Charlotte tire service or repairs, don't put it off. It won't make your tires last any longer, but it CAN cause you to have issues that can damage other parts of your car and lead to even more repairs or worse, an accident or collision. 

Tip 7: Don't forget about your spare. 

Extend all of this car tire care to your spare tire, too! It's easy to forget about it since it's usually out of sight (and out of mind), but there's nothing worse than having a flat, going to use your spare, and realizing it's not in good enough shape to even put on the car. Make sure you get your spare car tire out from time to time and visually inspect it as well as check the PSI and tread. 

Schedule tire care at Toyota of N Charlotte 

Want more car tire care tips or need to schedule service? Call us today - Toyota of N Charlotte is open seven days a week at (704) 659-2025. We're conveniently located just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville! 

Summer car care: How to prep your car for the season

Summer is well on its way - Memorial Day is right around the corner! We'll start to see temperatures climb in the coming months, and the hotter weather can do more than just make it annoying to be outside. It can also mean more wear and tear on your car as the heat and the sun cause damage. Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help, though - we've got a summer car care checklist to help you get through the season safely. Check it out! 

7 summer car care items to check off your list 

1. Schedule an oil change 
Oil is crucial to performance, especially in the summer. You want your car to have a full tank of clean oil to beat the heat - it keeps the engine cool and lubricated to prevent overheating and costly damage and repairs. Schedule a Charlotte oil change to ensure your car has the tools it needs to take on summer. 

2. Get a tire rotation 
Getting a tire rotation will ensure that your tires are wearing evenly (which means you don't have to pay for new ones as frequently) and our Charlotte car care techs can also take the opportunity to inspect them. They'll make sure there's not excessive wear and tear and also check the PSI to ensure they're properly inflated. Remember, the pavement gets hot in summer and your tires are in direct contact with it, so you want them to be in good shape. 

3. Buy and install new wiper blades 
Summer can mean rain, which means you need quality wiper blades in play. Yours are probably worn out from the heat of last summer and the cold temps this winter, so spring for a new pair at our Charlotte Toyota parts store. Our techs can even assist you with the installation. 

4. Check coolant levels
Check the coolant in your car as part of your summer car care. Coolant also plays a part in keeping the engine cool, so you want the reservoir to be full. If it's low, top it off so your car doesn't overheat. 

5. Take a look under the hood 
You should do a quick inspection under the hood before summer arrives to check the condition of your car's belts and hoses - do any of them look worn, cracked, or torn? The summer heat won't do them any favors, so schedule Charlotte car care to get them taken care of. 

6. Have your A/C inspected 
You don't want to spend your summer in a car with a busted air conditioning system - trust us. Let our Charlotte car care techs inspect yours before the heat arrives to ensure it can keep you cool all summer long. 

7. Test your battery 
Summer heat can take a toll on your car's battery, so we advise that you have it tested and inspected before the season gets here. Our techs can check the voltage and assess its general condition to ensure you don't need service or a replacement. 

Call Toyota of N Charlotte for summer auto service today! 

Have questions or want to get your summer car care on the books? Call Toyota of N Charlotte today at (704) 659-2025! 

How to spot problems with your car's cruise control

Cruise control is a pretty handy feature. It can help boost your car's fuel economy by keeping you at a constant speed (and thus, constant fuel use), and it can also prevent fatigue when you're driving long stretches of highway. That being said, when you have issues with it, it can really affect your day-to-day commute. Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help you spot issues with this very important feature and schedule auto service accordingly. 

What's making your cruise control malfunction?

Basically, when you set your cruise control you hit a button or flip a switch and your speed is set - your car will maintain that speed (some vehicles will adjust speed according to what's in front of them). Issues can arise, though, and here are some reasons it may not engage when you need it to. 

• Your check engine light is on. If you have an issue with your engine or transmission, sometimes the cruise control won't engage. If this light is on in your dash then it's time to bring your ride to Toyota of N Charlotte for diagnosis. 
• The brake light switch can't be detected. Hitting the brakes disengages this feature, so if it can't detect the brake light switch, it may not be able to turn on at all. Sometimes, even having a blown brake light can disable the feature. 
• You have a faulty spiral cable. The cruise control switch is mounted on this cable, so if the cable goes bad, you won't be using this feature anytime soon. 
• You've got electrical problems. If there's an issue in your car's electrical system, it could be affecting your cruise control. 
• Your vehicle speed sensor is bad. Obviously, this can prevent this feature from working properly or even turning on at all and requires professional attention. 
• There's a vacuum leak under the hood. If there's a problem with your car's vacuum actuator (which can be tied to throttle response during cruise control operation), you may not be able to use cruise control. 
• Your control switch is inoperable. If your internal contacts have worn out, you may not be able to put this feature to use. 
• You've got blown fuses. Did you know that there are fuses associated with your cruise control switch? If one blows and needs to be replaced, you may not be able to use this feature. 

Regardless of the cause, fixing this important feature isn't something you can do at home. You'll need professional assistance and Toyota of N Charlotte is here to help. 

Schedule service for this important feature at Toyota of N Charlotte 

Need to schedule an appointment? Call us! Toyota of N Charlotte is open seven days a week at (704) 659-2025. We're conveniently located just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville! Let us get you back on the highway today.