Gillman Honda Harlingen Blog

Car batteries have a lifespan of about three to five years. Lead acid batteries like these are designed to operate at temperatures around 77 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature rises to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, the battery's capacity goes up. On the other hand, such extreme heat shortens the lifespan of the battery.

Extreme cold is also bad news for your car's battery. When the temperature reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the lead acid battery's capacity has declined by 20 percent from its peak power. At temperatures of -22 degrees Fahrenheit, the battery loses half of its power.

Rain can cause risks and dangers when driving, and you must use additional levels of care when operating your vehicle in wet conditions. Rain causes roads to be slick and reduces the wheel contact with the road surface. You will have different levels of braking and steering in rainy conditions.

Local drivers understand the need to drive slower in rainy and conditions and to allow more space between vehicles. At the start of rainfall, the water mixes with oils on the road to form a slippery film. Heavy rains have the potential to create a layer of water under your…

Have you ever needed to pack a large load into your truck or SUV and not known how to start? The way that you pack the back of your vehicle can influence the handling and safety of your vehicle while you are driving, and at Gillman Honda San Benito we want you to be safe on all of your drives.

To start, placing the heaviest items in the middle of your vehicle on the bottom of the bed will reduce the likelihood of a rollover and allow your steering and brakes to work properly. You should also be mindful of…

There are things that you add to your vehicle that can make it better suited to you and the way that you use it. Our staff at Gillman Honda San Benito wants to make sure that you are informed before you head out to buy new floor mats for the vehicle.

If you are looking for functional floor mats, those mats that will help you relax and not worry at all about the mud that you drag into your vehicle, consider rubber floor mats. If you are looking for mats that are high quality and that will add to the…

There are many different types of drive patterns in vehicles today. There are front-wheel drives, rear-wheel drives, four-wheel drives, all-wheel drives, and intelligent four-wheel drives. What it boils down to is the preference of the driver and the environment in which they drive.

The front-wheel-drive has two distinct advantages over the other drive units. First, in front-wheel drive vehicles, the weight of the vehicle is centered in the front. The act of steering with most of the vehicle weight over the steering wheels creates greater traction.

When you purchase a new vehicle a warranty comes with it. These warranties are primarily of two types. There is the power-train warranty, and then there is the bumper-to-bumper warranty. Warranties are the manufacturer's modern handshake. At one time, the car salesman would shake your hand, giving his guarantee that the vehicle you were purchasing was free of defect. Now, it is the factory that is guaranteeing its work through the warranty.

When you purchase a new car, you do not need to purchase a warranty. Most manufacturers include the warranty that covers the car bumper-to-bumper...

Have you ever heard a shrieking noise from underneath the hood of your vehicle? If you have, you probably soon found out that your timing belt either needed to be tightened or replaced. When you hear that high-pitched sound, it's almost tempting to just get rid of the belt. Not really, but we all know it's a frustrating sound, and you might not know exactly what a timing belt does.

The timing belt is responsible for synchronizing the camshaft and the crankshaft so that the vehicle can run. If the timing belt breaks, your vehicle will no longer…

The differential in your rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle houses the gears between the rear wheels. These gears provide the wheels the ability to maneuver independently from one another when you go around a corner.

The wheels closest to the turn are called the inside wheels, and those on the opposite side of the vehicle are referred to as the outside. When you turn a corner, the inside wheels only need to travel a short distance to get around the turn, so their speed is slower. The outside wheels, though, make a wide arc. To accommodate the wheels’ distances...

Driving on the highway every day to get to work, we see policemen, ambulance and fire trucks on the scene in many occurrences and during these occurrences many motorists just drive their vehicle like normal, maybe look to see what is going on, but most importantly they just speed on by the scene in the lane they were in even before spotting the incident. Guess what? They are wrong and breaking the law.

The move over law was created to save the lives of those vehicles that pull over on busy highways to save lives. Once you see those emergency…

Have you had your brakes inspected lately? Experts recommend having your brake system inspected annually or every 12000 miles to make sure that your brakes are working properly and that you will be able to stop when you need to.

The components of your braking system can become worn or damaged over time. It’s common for the brake pads and rotors to wear out with regular driving, but other components may also need replacement. During a brake inspection, a service person will inspect the entire brake system, from the brakes lines and fluid to the brake pads and rotors…