Read Our Blog for Advice on Car Batteries in Winter Garden, FL, and More

Read our blog for the latest advice on car batteries in Winter Garden, FL, and other auto parts. We are knowledgeable in a variety of topics relevant to the auto repair industry, and we look forward to sharing that knowledge with you. Contact us today.

Useful Tips to Improve Car Batteries

Vehicles rely heavily on electrical systems to keep them operational, so maintaining the battery is essential. There’s no reason to get stranded without power while maintaining car batteries in Winter Garden, FL, and it is simple when you follow a few helpful tips:

The Right Battery for Your Make and Model

Car batteries come with different power outputs. The battery must not only fit under the hood, but it must also be the correct voltage to meet the vehicle’s electrical requirements.

Clean the Battery Terminals

Time, dust, and corrosion are no friends to car batteries. Regularly clean the terminals with a dry cloth to ensure smooth power flow and longer battery life.

Watch for Self-Discharge

Car batteries lose power over time, and leaving your vehicle for an extended period could result in self-discharge. This drainage means the car might not start after prolonged storage.

Minimize Electronic Use When Idling

Idling with the music, lights, phone charger, and air conditioner isn’t ideal for your vehicle’s battery. Also, remember to turn off electrical systems like headlights and the radio when you leave the car.

By taking care of your car battery, you’ll avoid needing to call an auto repair shop to come to your rescue when nothing happens after you turn the ignition.

Online Resources for DIY Auto Repair

You might consider attempting your own auto repair in Apopka, FL, when you run into vehicle trouble. While car batteries and oil changes are often well within most weekend warriors’ capabilities, it is best to leave some things to the experts. Your primary concerns with cars should be upholding the vehicle’s safety standards and not making the problem worse.

Online Auto Repair Resources

If you have a good head for mechanics and problem-solving, auto repair may not be beyond your scope. The internet is rife with resources that can assist with your project, including:

YouTube – this free streaming library of videos is full of helpful people ready to provide advice on just about anything.

AA1car.com – considered the Wikipedia for car repair. Search topics and start making repairs.

In the Garage – this site includes regular blog updates and interesting tips and tricks for taking care of your car.

Know When You Need a Pro

With the rising cost of living, it can be tempting to complete some types of work yourself to save money. However, knowing when you can handle the challenge and when to call the professionals is sometimes a fine line. If you’re not sure you are up for the job, contact your local auto repair shop for an opinion from a qualified professional.

8 Warning Signs That Your Vehicle Starter Is Failing

Cars and trucks rely on a complex series of systems and parts to operate—and even just the process of getting the engine going requires multiple components. Perhaps the most important component is the vehicle starter. In Apopka, FL, our mechanics diagnose and fix starters for a wide range of domestic and foreign cars and trucks. The most common warning signs we tell customers to watch for are:

1. Your vehicle struggles to crank slowly.
2. Your vehicle will not start intermittently.
3. The interior lights dim when you try starting the vehicle.
4. You hear grinding noise when starting or running the vehicle.
5. The engine whirs or whines but doesn’t crank.
6. The vehicle starter continues running after you start the engine.
7. You smell something burning or see smoke.
8. The starter system becomes covered in oil.

All of the above are indications of a possible problem with your vehicle starter, although there are other possibilities too. If a starter problem is allowed to persist untreated, your vehicle may suffer damage to the electrical system, transmission, or engine. Likewise, you run the risk of being stranded when the starter fails entirely. It is best to bring your vehicle to a qualified auto repair mechanic as soon as possible when you notice one of these signs to prevent future trouble.

What You Should Know About Radiator Repair

An automobile is a collection of diverse systems that all need to work together for your vehicle to perform as it should. If there’s an issue with one, you still may be able to drive it, but it won’t be running reliably. It may not even be safe to be on the road.

Our team at Millikan Battery and Electric, Inc. is very familiar with the ins and outs of auto repair. We’ll look at radiator repair in Apopka as a straightforward example to illustrate the above principle.

The radiators are the heart of the vehicle’s cooling system. It provides a large surface area for quick and easy heat transfer as the coolant flows through it. Like any component on a car, truck, or SUV, it can be subjected to damage and corrosion, which will cause it not to work properly.

When that happens, you will find that your car’s AC won’t work right, and it will struggle to keep the interior cool. That, in turn, will cause your engine to work harder and reduce its fuel efficiency.

Leaks from the radiator or its hoses are common issues that impair performance. They can be solved either by replacing the unit or the hoses. It’s imperative to address leaks as soon as you find them because animals such as dogs and cats love the taste of coolant and will drink it from puddles in the driveway. This is very dangerous for their health.

If you wish to learn more about radiator repair, call us at Millikan Battery and Electric, Inc.

Tips and Tricks for the Care of Jump-starting Car Batteries

Chances are, if you own a vehicle, at some point, you have turned the key only to hear a soft click, or worse, nothing at all. That is why it’s important to learn to care for and jump-start car batteries. Your Winter Garden, FL, auto repair supplier can recommend the right tools, so you are never stuck without a way to fire up the engine.

Maintenance

Stay ahead of issues with some simple maintenance tips:

Short trips are a battery killer; they need longer drives to recharge.
Keep jumper cables or a self-powered batteries jumper in your vehicle.
Get your electrical system inspected regularly.
Keep the batteries and terminals clean; if you notice corrosion, it may be time for a replacement.
Park in the shade or a garage to keep the battery cool.

Jumping a Battery

Vehicles today have several methods for jump-starting, so it may not be as straightforward as it seems. You must always follow the owner’s manual instructions to ensure you do not damage your electrical system.

But remember, you must never connect the black cable to the negative terminal on your dead battery, no matter what the make or model of your vehicle.

Follow all the steps exactly, and you will be back on the road in no time.

If your battery can’t hold a charge, even after a jump, take your car to an auto repair specialist. They will evaluate your battery and likely suggest a replacement.

Bringing Your Own Auto Parts to a Mechanic

The simple answer is “yes.” But the real question is whether you should bring your own auto parts to Apopka. It would be best if you considered all of the possible effects of bringing your own parts to your auto repair mechanic. Things to consider include:

Cost – If you think you are always going to save money when you bring your own parts to a mechanic, think again. Even with the ability to shop around, you will rarely find the same deals afforded to mechanics when they go to buy parts. It is also important to know that the cheap parts you find may not be compatible or of lesser quality. You might also lose out on any warranty the mechanic offers if the part breaks.

Vehicle – Parts change for different makes and models. They can also change through the years for the same makes and models. That means it is easy to end up purchasing the wrong part for your vehicle when you go looking for the best deal. It also drastically increases the chances of buying a lower-quality part that can end up doing more damage to your vehicle.

Mechanic – To be fair, most mechanics aren’t going to be thrilled about the idea of you bringing in your own parts. Installing an inferior component at the insistence of a customer could jeopardize their hard work. Mechanics have the experience and knowledge to find the best parts at competitive prices that can deliver performance and longevity. If a customer brings in a bad part and the mechanic installs it, they know it could lead to physical damage, personal injury, or a lawsuit—three things they don’t want to be associated with their business.

When you trust your auto mechanic enough to do the work on your car, you can trust them to select and use the best parts for the job.

How to Find Reliable Auto Repair in Apopka, FL

It can be challenging to know who to turn to for auto repair in Apopka, FL. Typically, car owners want to know if the service offered by an auto repair shop is good quality at a fair price. Ultimately, you need to be sure you’re not overpaying and that your car is safe on the road. No one wants to worry that the oil pan will run dry.

Ask For Referrals

Friends, coworkers, and family are a great place to begin your search. If you’re not familiar with the area, they will have good suggestions of places to start looking.

Read Consumer Reviews

Unbiased reviews from previous customers can help finalize your decision. Many car repair businesses now have independent online reviews showing unfiltered opinions of their work.

Check For Certification

If the shop claims to have certifications, ask to see them. Most businesses are proud of their credentials and will often have them displayed somewhere in the waiting area.

Repairs Should be Backed by a Guarantee

If the auto repair shop doesn’t guarantee their workmanship or offer a parts warranty, you should keep looking.

A broken-down car can be stressful at the best of times. However, if you do your research and ask around, you can find an auto repair shop that delivers quality work for everything you need.

What You Should Know About Car Batteries

The battery is the heart of your vehicle. Without a working battery, you’re not going anywhere. Whenever you need to troubleshoot or replace car batteries in Winter Garden, FL, visit our shop. In between visits, here’s what you should know about batteries to avoid failure and other issues.

How Long They Last

Auto batteries typically last between 3 to 5 years, but lifespan varies greatly. You can inadvertently damage your battery with bad habits like leaving lights, cooling, and sound on when stationary, only driving short distances (the battery needs long-distance driving to charge fully) and turning your headlights on before the engine. Likewise, extreme temperatures can shorten your battery’s life.

Signs of a Failing Battery

The best way to avoid getting stuck with a vehicle that won’t start is to take notice of easy warning signs and act early. Some red flags for car batteries are:

Slow Engine Crank
Check Engine Lights
Strange System Indicator Lights
Low Battery Fluid Level
Aging Battery

Dangers

While car batteries are overwhelmingly safe, they can harm your charging system or starter if they are too weak. When the battery is weak, your vehicle puts additional stress on your charging system and starter. These parts may malfunction due to drawing extra voltage to compensate for the lack of battery power. Avoid these issues by replacing your battery as soon as it starts getting low.

Preserve Your Car’s Engine with These Tips

You rely on your vehicle’s engine to bring you wherever you need to go. So, it can be a real hassle when it stops performing like it should. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to extend the lifespan of your engine. Take a minute to read these tips about preventative auto repair in Apopka, FL.

Keep It Clean

Over time, dust, grime, and debris can make their way into your engine—not to mention leaves, insects, and dirt from the road. This can lead to blocked filters and overheating caused by excess grease. Your best option is to use a degreaser carefully around the outside of your engine.

Clean Your Sparkplugs

Periodically cleaning your sparkplugs will ensure that your combustion chamber remains free of dirt and grime. This small task will contribute greatly to the longevity of your engine.

Lubricate Properly

Your engine is full of countless moving parts, all of which must be able to move freely to achieve peak performance. For this reason, it’s crucial to reduce any friction that can cause your engine’s components to wear down. The best way to do this is to apply high-quality lubricants to the crankshaft, cylinder, and piston rings.

Change Your Oil

It may seem obvious, but regular oil changes are one of the most important ways to prevent your engine from breaking down early. Be sure to have your oil changed every six months.
Contact Millikan Battery & Electric for more advice about auto repair and keeping your engine running smoothly.

Signs You Need a New Car Battery

Imagine that you’re running late for an important appointment. You anxiously hop in the car, turn the key, and—nothing. A dead battery has a uniquely awful way of ruining your day. At Millikan Battery & Electric, our team completely understands this.

We’re in the business of car batteries in Winter Garden, FL. To keep your plans from coming to a dead halt, watch out for these signs that your battery is on the way out. If any of the below applies to you, we can help.

Your Vehicle Struggles to Start – When it takes longer to crank your engine, the lights flicker as you start the car, or you hear an odd noise, there’s a good chance your battery is facing imminent failure.
You Haven’t Driven Your Car for an Extended Period – Car batteries recharge as you drive; by letting your car sit idle for longer than usual, you are actually letting the battery lose its charge.
Your Battery Struggles with Seasonal Changes – The weather can adversely affect car batteries. Summer heat causes evaporation that can contribute to battery corrosion, and the winter chill can slow down the battery’s chemical reaction and make it harder to start the car. If your battery is older and it struggles with the changing temperature, you probably need a new one.
Your Car’s Battery Light Is On – Most of today’s cars won’t make you guess if there’s a battery or starting issue. When you see the battery light turn on, that’s a strong and obvious indicator that you should address your car’s battery ASAP.