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When to Replace Your Tires

You’re driving at 65 mph with the kids in the back and the rain pouring down when a deer dashes across the highway. You nail the brakes and . . . what happens next may hinge on how worn your tires are. And it isn’t the time to realize you need new ones.. Too many drivers don’t think about their tires until they have to swerve or brake suddenly, or they have a flat—often with serious consequences. About 9 percent of vehicle cras...
Posted:Fri Jul 26 06:00:09 EDT 2024

Your Car Repair Handbook

New cars have become much more expensive over the past few years, leading many people to repair their old car instead of replacing it with a new one. However, the rising average age of cars on U.S. roads means that more people are driving older cars than ever before. Although cars that have been in service for a while can continue to do so for a long time, staying on top of maintenance and repairs is important—maintenance to help pre...
Posted:Wed Jul 24 15:55:59 EDT 2024

Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Minivans Recalled Again for Fire Risk

Chrysler is recalling nearly 20,000 Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) minivans because they could catch fire while parked, even if the vehicle isn’t turned on. The automaker says that owners shouldn’t plug in the vehicles or park them near structures until free recall repairs are complete. MORE ON RECALLS Recalled Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids Finally Get a Fix. .Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Recalled to Fix Engine Shutdown Issue. .Car Recall ...
Posted:Wed Jul 24 15:43:37 EDT 2024

How to Buy a New Car in Today’s Challenging Market

Although new-car prices have come down slightly over the last year, they’re still averaging about 30 percent higher than before the pandemic. That, plus high interest rates, can still make buying a challenge.. The good news is that, in general, new cars are plentiful on dealership lots right now. Availability is up more than 54 percent over a year ago, says Pat Ryan, CEO of CoPilot, an AI-assisted car shopping app. The result is that...
Posted:Mon Jul 22 12:47:23 EDT 2024

How Hot Weather Affects Your Car Battery and What to Do About It

Summer heat is tougher on car batteries than winter’s chill. It may seem counterintuitive, but higher temperatures have a greater impact on the power-generating chemistry inside.. And it’s not just about air temperature. Hot summer temps drive up the heat under the hood and accelerate the onset of battery failure. As a result, many motorists wind up stuck along the roadside in the summer. AAA reports that it responded to 1.93 milli...
Posted:Sun Jul 21 06:00:12 EDT 2024

How to Find a High-Quality Car Repair Shop

Finding a trustworthy repair shop is one of the most important parts of keeping your vehicle properly serviced.. It can be a challenge, but CR’s expert guidance can help you size up service facilities like a pro. Start Your Search. Making Your Decision. Check Your Repair Estimate "Gauging a repair shop’s quality is tricky, and its size and cleanliness can only tell you so much about it," says John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at Consum...
Posted:Sat Jul 20 06:00:02 EDT 2024

Some Cars Will Never Be Crash-Tested, Leaving Consumers in the Dark

The Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Discovery, and Porsche Macan are all comfortable SUVs with extra trimmings and technology. Consumers can easily compare their fuel economy, 0-to-60-mph acceleration time, and cargo capacity. But when it comes to safety, consumers are left in the dark as to how they would hold up in certain crash scenarios. That’s because these vehicles have no publicly available crash-test ratings.. Nearly a half-mil...
Posted:Fri Jul 19 16:22:00 EDT 2024

Some Cars Will Never Be Crash-Tested, Leaving Consumers in the Dark

The Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Discovery, and Porsche Macan are all comfortable SUVs with extra trimmings and technology. Consumers can easily compare their fuel economy, 0-to-60-mph acceleration time, and cargo capacity. But when it comes to safety, consumers are left in the dark as to how they would hold up in certain crash scenarios. That’s because these vehicles have no publicly available crash-test ratings.. The same is true ...
Posted:Fri Jul 19 16:22:52 EDT 2024

Should You Buy a Prepaid Maintenance Plan for Your Car?

Prepaid maintenance plans are offered for the majority of new cars, as well as for used cars. They are usually pitched to customers by the car dealer’s finance and insurance manager (the "F&I" guy) while the final paperwork is being signed in the dealer’s finance office. These plans usually cover only the regularly scheduled maintenance prescribed in the owner’s manual.. For example, new Toyota models come standard with a two-yea...
Posted:Fri Jul 19 12:21:27 EDT 2024

Should You Always Replace Car Tires in Pairs?

Flat tires tend to happen one at a time. The ideal scenario is to replace all four tires, but that can be costly. So to address a tread puncture or sidewall tear, can you buy just a single tire or split the difference and replace a pair?. The first thing to consider is whether or not your car is all-wheel or two-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive cars have specific tolerances for how much your tires can differ in tread depth. Consult and fol...
Posted:Fri Jul 19 06:00:07 EDT 2024

Why You Might Not Actually Need Premium Gas

Premium gas sounds like it’s something special, but it translates into paying extra for a higher octane without any performance or fuel-economy benefits for many cars.. That’s what we found after running tests at our 327-acre track.. Some cars require premium gas, but others simply carry a recommendation that owners use it. We wanted to see whether owners can save money by using regular gas in those cars that merely recommend premi...
Posted:Thu Jul 18 13:51:20 EDT 2024

Talking Cars 449: Driving the Toyota Tacoma

Main theme: In this podcast episode, we’re talking trucks! We share our first impressions of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, a perennially popular and traditionally reliable midsized pickup truck. We cover the 2024 Tacoma’s clean-sheet redesign, which adapts the platform from the latest full-sized Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV. Mainstream Tacomas, such as the SR5 we purchased for our test program, have a 278-hp, 2.4-liter turbocharged four...
Posted:Wed Jul 17 06:00:02 EDT 2024

Get More Money for Your Used Car

What to do with a car you don’t want anymore? You can trade it in for a new one, sell it to a dealer or to a private individual, or get a sight-unseen online offer for it. According to a recent survey of more than 14,000 Consumer Reports members, getting an instant cash offer online through a retailer such as CarMax or Carvana will get you the best price for your car and be the easiest overall experience. But each option has its pros...
Posted:Tue Jul 16 14:25:27 EDT 2024

Do Cars With a Dark Interior Really Get Hotter in the Sun?

There’s a common belief that if you live in a warmer climate, you should opt for a lighter interior when buying a car because a lighter interior will help to reflect ultraviolet rays and keep you cooler. But how much hotter are dark interiors vs. light interiors?. “Consumer Reports’ test engineers took two cars, one with a light-colored exterior and light-colored interior, and the other with a dark exterior and dark interior, and...
Posted:Mon Jul 15 13:18:07 EDT 2024

Do You Get Less Gasoline When Filling Up During the Hottest Part of the Day?

You may have heard that it’s better to buy your gasoline first thing in the morning, rather than in the heat of the day. That’s because mornings tend to be cooler, and like all liquids, gasoline expands when heated. It sounds logical—but is it true or just an urban legend? . We performed our own tests and interviewed experts and found that although basic facts are correct, the advice is not. Gasoline does expand and contract a l...
Posted:Mon Jul 15 10:59:03 EDT 2024