Blog | Lev Kia of Framingham

One of the most dangerous motoring situations you can face is hydroplaning. Hydroplaning is caused when tires slip, slide, and skid as the result of a wet roadway. There are some effective strategies you need to consider employing in order to lower the risk of hydroplaning when driving in bad weather.

Key steps to take to avoid hydroplaning include keeping tires inflated at a proper lever and regularly replacing worn tires. You also need to ensure that you routinely rotate your tires.

Other strategies that assist in lowering the risk of hydroplaning include avoiding sudden braking as well 

An exhaust leak can have some very negative effects on both you and your vehicle. Not only will an exhaust leak cause your vehicle to run more sluggishly because the engine is overworked, but you and your passengers can be exposed to potentially harmful fumes that can make their way inside the vehicle. It is very important that you know how to detect a leak in your exhaust system and that you have it checked and repaired by professionals as soon as possible.

There are several clues you can look for to check for an exhaust leak, but one pretty…

Your car gets you where you need to be and protects you from the elements. Return the favor by making sure your tires match the forecast.

People who enjoy mild winters may not understand the importance of winter tires. Also called snow tires, they are made to handle harsh conditions such as extreme cold and roads with ice, snow or slush. These tires have deeper treads and more flexible rubber that allows them to better conform to the road. While that's the best situation for cold weather, it's not ideal for warm temperatures.

 

It is generally harder to drive a vehicle safely when it has a damaged tire. In some cases, a damaged tire will pop or shred without warning, which could lead to a dangerous situation on Framingham roads. The good news is that there are ways to prevent a tire blowout.

Ideally, you will check your vehicle's tires prior to leaving your home each day. Doing so can help you spot any bulges, cuts or other signs that they need to be rotated or replaced. In some cases, you can resolve a problem with your vehicle's tires by inflating…

Car wax is a way to build a protective shield on the exterior coat of your car. It protects against air particles, debris, UV rays and water. Additionally, it gives your car a shiny appearance when applied to the exterior and makes your car washes last longer.

It is recommended that you apply wax to your car up to three times a year. Regular car washes should not immediately strip away the wax layer, but it does tend to wear down over time. If you have not yet applied a layer of car wax to your vehicle, try to avoid…

You usually think of sandpaper as a way to smooth wood and other materials, and insect repellant is used to keep insects away. It's pretty basic, right? But you might not know that there are some unique ways that you can use these items on the headlights of your car to get rid of oxidation that makes headlights yellow and foggy.

The sandpaper method can be effective, but it requires some skill and patience. First of all, you'll want to use coarse sandpaper to sand off most of it. Then, use a finer grade of sandpaper to smooth…

Here at Lev Kia of Framingham, we want to keep families safe when they take their campers out on the road this summer. As a result, we have put together a short guide that explains some of the things that you will need to do to prepare.

If you are expecting it to get a little bit windy during your drive, you will no doubt want to avoid dealing with trailer sway. The best way to accomplish this is by installing a sway bar. This useful tool will help to provide your trailer with support and stop it from moving…

If you want to drive for Uber, Lyft, or some other ride sharing program, you will need the right vehicle. It will have to be something that is fuel-efficient and durable, but it shouldn't be a luxury vehicle since you will be putting a lot of miles on it while driving strangers to their destinations. It should also be in good shape, as Uber and Lyft generally don't want vehicles that have any visible damage.

If you're not planning on driving large parties of people around, a good four-door sedan will be just fine. Some good options…

The terms oversteer and understand are terms to describe the way that a vehicle responds to the steering mechanism as it relates to the dynamics. As the name implies, oversteering is when the vehicle turns more than the driver initiates while understeering occurs when the vehicle turns less than the driver commands would expect.

Oversteering is more likely to occur in vehicles that are equipped with rear-wheel-drive. Conversely, understeering is more likely to happen when driving a front-wheel-drive vehicle...
 

 

If you drive in winter conditions, having winter tires on your vehicle could allow you to have more traction in cold, snowy, and icy conditions. Winter tires are made from a softer compound than all-season ones and are more flexible under colder conditions. This, combined with the deeper tread designed to deal with snow and water, can allow the tires to grip more effectively in difficult conditions.

To further improve traction, winter tires are made with a tread with more biting edges and higher sipe densities. These tiny little slits in the tread allow the tires to grip better on…