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What do I do when my engine overheats? At some point or another, we've all dealt with annoying car issues. Some are even much more frustrating than others, like when dealing with engine issues. While these problems can be rare, it's smart to know how to handle the situation if it ever arises. So, what do I do when my engine overheats? more To make things simple, we wanted to give you a quick guide on what to do if your engine starts overheating. First, pull over to a safe spot on the road and shut off the vehicle. Since the engine and hood are still hot, wait a while until the car has cooled down before inspecting the problem. Check your owner's manual if you're unsure of where the coolant reservoir tank is, but first, check the coolant/antifreeze level in the radiator. However, make sure the radiator cap has cooled down before filling the radiator with coolant. Next, double check the radiator hoses to see if anything is broken, malfunctioning or disconnected. Try restarting the engine, and then keep a close eye on your car's temperature gauge. Read more: How to change a tire. We hope this helps you out, but in case you're still having a tough time, be sure to visit your local dealership for assistance. For example, we here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac have highly skilled technicians that can help get your vehicle looking and driving as good as new. Now that you know what to do when your engine overheats, you can learn more tips and tricks by following our blog.

How to change a flat tire Knowing how to change a flat tire is an important skill to have, but many people don’t think about it until they have a flat that needs changing. Read on to learn how to change a flat tire so that you know what to do if you ever get a flat on the road! more Read More: How can I camp in my car? Steps to change a flat tire The most important thing to do first is to make sure that your vehicle has all of the necessary tools to fix a flat. Most vehicles have these items already, but double-check to be sure! Items you will need include a jack, a lug wrench, a fully-inflated spare tire and your owner's manual. Other items that are handy to have include work gloves, a flashlight, a blanket (to kneel on), reflective triangles and/or a reflective vest (in case you get a flat at night). Then, follow these steps to change your tire! Pull over in a safe location and turn on your hazard lights Apply the parking brake Remove the hubcap and/or wheel cover Loosen the lug nuts but do not remove completely Place the jack under the vehicle and raise it Remove the lug nuts Remove the flat tire and mount the spare Tighten the lug nuts with your hand (not too tight!) Lower the vehicle so that the tire is on the ground but not with its full weight and tighten the lug nuts completely Lower the vehicle the rest of the way and replace the hubcap or wheel cover Schedule a Service Appointment Here! For all your automotive needs, come to Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac today!

A leaking air conditioning system can take a morning commute and make it feel like a nightmare. With no cool air, your daily drive can be a sweaty one. If you're worried you've got a leaking A/C unit, check out the symptoms here. more Can I Fix a Leaking Vehicle Air Conditioner? There are two main components that can cause an air conditioner to leak, and they are age and moisture. As simple as that sounds, the rubber seals and hoses inside the A/C system are affected by both of these things and over time will break down. Moisture is a real troublemaker when it comes to your A/C as it mixes with the refrigerant and creates a corrosive liquid that is sure to kill your air conditioning system. Read More: Sick of a Streaky Windshield? Read Here to Clean It For Good! A failed hose, seal or component can result in leaking refrigerant and thus a much less effective air conditioning system. A lot of times this will become apparent when your A/C unit starts to blow air that isn't as cool as it once was. Other issues that can cause this lack of cool air are: A clogged expansion tube or refrigerant charging hose Failed compressor or compressor clutch Failed blower motor or blower motor resistor Damaged or failed condenser or evaporator Vacuum leaks Failed switch, fuse, relay, control module Schedule Air Conditioner Service Kenosha WI If your air conditioning unit could use some tuning up, give us a call or schedule a service center appointment online. We are here to help you get your car back on the road in no time!

When the rain starts and you turn on your windshield wipers, there's nothing worse than streaks in your line of sight, potentially causing a dangerous situation for you and your passengers. It's important to be able to see out of all your windows, and streaks don't need to stand in your way. Follow these instructions to get a streak-free shine with a little at-home elbow grease. more What Makes Streaks On Windshield? The streaks on your windshield can come from several different things. First, imperfections in your windshield can keep your wipers from performing as dirt can become trapped in those areas. Second, you might have debris and dirt built up on your wiper blades. Finally, you might just have tough dirt and grime on your windshield and where your wiper arms rest when in the off position. Read More: Cleaning Your Windshield Wiper Fluid Nozzles So, how can we solve this issue without having to spend money having a professional take care of it? Follow the steps below and clean the problem areas to have a streak-free driving experience this spring and summer. Where to Clean to Stop Windshield Streaks You Will Need: 1 Bottle of Spray Glass Cleaner, 1 Microfiber Wash Cloth Step 1: Spray the cleaner generously across the whole windshield. Make sure the windshield wipers are in their off position, and then wipe the window in top to bottom motions working your way across the whole thing. Be sure not to wipe in short motions or circular motions as this might cause more streaks. Step 2: Lift your windshield wipers so they are standing up and off your windshield. Then spray cleaner where the blades rest to wipe out any dirt or debris that may be collected there. Step 3: Finally, spray directly onto the cloth and then clean off the wiper blades.  Any buildup on them can keep them from taking water off your windshield and can cause streaking. If you notice that your blades are pretty beat up, it's probably time to replace them! Give us a call and we'll help you choose the right replacements for your vehicle and driving needs.

Your vehicle has two nozzles that spray windshield wiper fluid onto your windshield, allowing your wiper blades to wipe away dirt and debris that are blocking your view. Instead of simply driving with a dirty windshield when the cleaning liquid isn't spraying out, use these instructions to clean out the dirt and debris that might be impacting your nozzles. more Read More: Why Driving on Empty is Bad For Your Car Three Steps to Clean Your Windshield Cleaner Spray Nozzles Your spray nozzles will most likely be located either on the hood of your car or in the gap between your hood and the windshield. In either case, dirt can impact the effectiveness of the sprayers. Before you assume your nozzles are blocked, make sure you have windshield wiper fluid in the reservoir. Start the cleaning process by using your hands or a tweezers to remove any visible dirt or debris. If after testing it following that step you still don't see any fluid spray out, move on to the list of tools below to try and really remove any potential debris from the nozzle. Tools for Cleaning Spray Nozzle: Compressed Air Old Toothbrush Thin Wire Warm Water Check This Out: Spring Cleaning Checklist for Your Car Use any of the tools above necessary to remove the debris from the clogged nozzle. Test the wiper fluid spray between each tool you use to see if you've got things cleared up.

Around this time of year many of us get the bug, the spring cleaning bug. Whether this means you'll be scrubbing your floors or washing all the blinds in your house, there's work to be done! Many of us forget that our vehicles could use a good cleaning every so often, so why not take this opportunity to get your car in shape for spring! Read on to find our vehicle spring cleaning checklist and some tips from a professional on how to get your exterior to shine after the winter weather has finally left us. more Vehicle Spring Cleaning Checklist Remove From Vehicle: Trash and other items that don't belong in the car The floor mats and any seat covers (Shake out really well) Vacuum/Dust (Microfiber cloth/Q-Tips for cracks): The seats and floor areas (Don't forget vehicle ceiling!) The dashboard and center console (Q-Tips) Clean (Fabric-safe liquid cleaner, scrubber brush, tooth brush for smaller areas): Spot clean seats and floor areas with stains/dirt (scrubbing brushes) Windows (Glass cleaner & Microfiber cloth) Vehicle Exterior Spring Cleaning Tips

There are few things as frustrating as walking out to a car with a flat tire when you need to hit the road. Keeping an eye on our tire pressure is a great way to avoid this, but if there's a leak, you will probably have to get it fixed. If your tires are leaking, but you aren't sure where the leak is coming from, follow these five quick steps to finding the leak in your car tire. more Read More: Defogging a Windshield in Winter Find Your Tire Leak in Five Steps Step 1: Check Tire Pressure While it's important to check your tire pressure every few weeks throughout the year, you should check the tire pressure when you think you've got a leak to see how much air has been let out. If you notice you have one tire that regularly has less pressure, you've most likely got a leak. Step 2: Check Out the Tire Keep an eye on your tire tread throughout the year, but if you've got a leak, check for cracks, cuts or splits. You might be able to see objects embedded in the tire if your leak is caused by a nail or other item that punctured the tire. Use a white pencil or chalk to mark any parts of the tire you think might be leaking. Step 3: Re-Inflate Tire to Recommended Pressure Re-fill the tire to the recommended pressure using an at-home air compressor or an air pump at a gas station. Before going to the next step, listen for the high-pitched hiss of a leak. If you can hear this, then you know your tire needs servicing or replacement. Step 4: Use Cleaner Bubbles to Locate Leak If you can't hear a leak, use any kind of spray cleaner and spray around the tread covering only the visible part every time. Wherever you see bubbles appear, you know air is leaking from inside the tire. Circle these locations with the white pencil or chalk. Step 5: Plug the Hole and Have it Repaired Consider the size of the hole when deciding how it is best to repair it. If the leak is very small, you can probably purchase an affordable tire repair kit at the store. However, if you feel that the hole is bigger than you can handle, or the tire is worn in too many places, schedule an appointment with our service team to get things patched up. Check This Out: Best Dog Breeds for Frequent Travelers Schedule Tire Repair and Maintenance Kenosha WI If you think you've got a leaking tire, or it's just time to have them replaced, give us a call. Our service experts will help you get your car back in great shape. We've got an online tire store and scheduling tool that makes it quick and easy to get your car into the shop for whatever you need.

So, you got into a fender bender. You might not have felt like you were in any real danger, but your airbags were deployed. You car tries to protect you, but replacing airbags can be expensive. Read on and we'll give you an idea of how airbags work, and whether it's possible to avoid replacing them after an accident. more Read More: Safety Tips and Tricks How Do Airbags Work? Saving lives is important, and airbags in our cars have prevented life-ending injuries for thousands of people since they were created. The bag itself is made from a thin nylon that is folded into the steering wheel (or other side panels in the car). There is also a sensor that measures the force of your car during a collision and tells the bags to deploy. The other part is the inflation system, which is a combination of chemicals that create hot nitrogen gas. The combination of sodium azide and potassium nitrate reacts to create the gas, thus inflating the bag and quickly deflating afterwards (through holes in the bag). Because the chemicals can only react once, new, intact airbags must be put into the car after every collision to keep you and your passengers safe and sound next time you get into a tough spot! Check This Out: Service Center Coupons! Schedule Airbag Service and Repairs Kenosha WI If your car needs new airbags, feel free to contact the experts at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac of Kenosha. We would love to get your car back in ship shape!

We all use our windshield wipers for a variety of reasons. Whether that means we are attempting to move snow piled on our car, or simply trying to see through pouring rain, our wipers sure come in handy. The arm of our windshield wipers are attached to an electronic motor, which powers the wiper itself. The blade is the part of the wiper that cleans the windshield and is usually made from a tough rubber material. Read on to learn three things you need to know about your windshield wipers. more Common Issues: Windshield Wipers If your wipers start to spread water rather than remove it from the window, it's an indicator that your blades are worn, dirty, or that you have bad windshield wiper fluid. Another common problem is water only smearing in one direction. This can indicate that your wipers are hard, old, or just the wrong size. If you have water beads that don't wipe away, your windshield is most likely dirty and needs a good wash. Finally, if your wipers are making noises or causing streaks it probably means you have a bent wiper arm. What Type of Windshield Wiper Does My Car Have? Did you know that there are different types of wipers and that they can have different benefits for your car? The traditional frame-style wipers are the most common and come standard on many vehicles. These use metal frame and a strip of the tough rubber to wipe the window. There are also winter blades you can put on your car that have a traditional blade in a protective rubber shell. The shell helps to keep ice and snow away from the wiper and thus is more effective in snowy conditions. Choosing New Windshield Wipers For Your Car Your owner's manual should include the specifications you need to choose the right windshield wiper replacements for your car, should you need them. Check out the requirements to determine the size of your windshield. When you replace your blades, it's important to replace both as it will ensure consistent wear. Car Questions in Kenosha WI? Call The Experts at Palmen GM If you have any questions about the size or type of windshield wipers that are on your car, give us a call or schedule an appointment. We would love to sort out any issues you're having with your wipers in order to get your car safe and ready to take on winter roads.

Caring for matte vehicle paint can be a little tricky if you don't take the time to understand what it needs. Traditional vehicle paint is made to be glossy, and thus can be polished and rebuffed if it is scratched. Matte paint is a little different. Read on to check out these three tips for cleaning your matte car paint. more What Makes Matte Car Paint Different From Glossy Paint? When you're considering purchasing or caring for your matte paint, the cleaning process looks a bit different. Because matte paint is not glossy, and it's not made to reflect light, the waxing and polishing process is not going to work. Read More: Vehicle Maintenance Savings Kenosha WI Matte paint can't tolerate scuffs and scratches the way that traditional paint does, so it's important to keep your matte vehicle clean. How to Wash a Matte Car Be sure to use a wax-free, ph neutral, car washing soap. It needs to be wax-free because wax in regular vehicle soap will cause a splotchy and clouded appearance. The ph neutral part will help avoid any damage caused by the soap. It is important to wash a matte vehicle regularly, as any excess dirt and oils will start to give the vehicle a sheen. If you wash the vehicle and it still seems to have a sheen, you can try diluted Isopropyl alcohol to remove any excess oils. Be sure to remove bird droppings or bugs as soon as you can to prevent damage to the matte finish. Schedule Matte Paint Cleaning Milwaukee WI If keeping your vehicle clean and looking its best seems like a little too much for you to take on, there are professionals who are happy to help. The team, here at Palmen Motors, are here to answer your questions and get your vehicle in top shape. Give us a call or schedule your appointment online.

We all have a lot on our to-do lists, and sometimes our vehicle maintenance isn't our top priority. However, when it comes to increasing the lifespan of your vehicle and helping it to run as efficiently as possible, regular maintenance and proactive care can make a huge difference. We've put together a vehicle maintenance schedule and monthly checklist for you to use as you consider what your vehicle needs to run its best. Check out all the things on the list and drive with confidence. more Oil Change Discount Pleasant Prairie WI When it comes to maintenance, most of us know to get our oil changed regularly. Unfortunately, there are many different parts of our vehicles that become worn with time and miles. If you want to keep your vehicle running for longer, it can help to be proactive in diagnosing issues. By checking the following things in your vehicle, once a month or every 1000 miles, we hope to help you prevent issues down the road. Monthly Vehicle Check-up Checklist: Battery Life Coolant Levels Hoses Oil Level Tire Pressure & Wear Air Filter Transmission Fluid Accessory Belts Brake Fluid Power-Steering Fluid Schedule Service Appointment at Palmen in Kenosha WI If you're looking for a team of experts to help you keep your car on track, you can trust the friendly professionals at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac. Not only are they here to answer your questions, but they'll assist you in learning what your car needs to run its best. Read More: DIY Vehicle Emergency Kit Be sure to schedule your test drive appointment online or over the phone to take advantage of the service center coupons available on our dealership site. Follow the link below to see what money you could be saving the next time you stop in to see us.

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, not many of us are very excited. It can be time consuming and expensive over time to keep your vehicle running its best. Often, we put our cars on the back burner and allow time to pass when we should be taking our vehicle in for a little TLC. Our team wants to make your summer vehicle maintenance easier on your budget and your busy schedule, so we're offering these free vehicle maintenance coupons for Sun Prairie WI. more Free Online Coupon for Oil Change Kenosha WI Getting an oil and filter change for your vehicle is one of the most important maintenance activities. Not only does your vehicle's oil get dirty with use, but old oil will not perform its job and can result in engine damage over time. READ MORE: Getting Bad Smells Out of Your Car Summer Vehicle Maintenance Checklist Kenosha WI - Oil change, Filter Replacement - Wiper Blade Replacement - Tire Examination, Rotation - A/C Check Up - Brake Inspection - Battery Test - Car Wax, Wash, and Vacuum READ MORE: Should I Be Using Premium Fuel for My Car? Schedule Vehicle Service Appointment Online Kenosha WI If you are interested in bringing your vehicle in to see the experts at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, give us a call or schedule your test drive appointment online. We would love to get your car fixed up and back on the road for summer.