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- Q: Why does replacing my brake fluid matter?
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A: Your Honda’s Maintenance Minder system does a good job of informing you of the service needs of your vehicle. However, one item that will not appear in Maintenance Minder is your vehicle’s brake fluid. Why? Because regardless of driving conditions, Honda recommends you replace your brake fluid every 3 years. Moisture is the culprit. Despite the limited access points, moisture permeates rubber brake lines and creeps past seals to contaminate brake fluid. Not only does water affect the viscosity of the brake fluid, it also lowers the boiling point. With the high heat generated by your vehicle’s brakes, it’s not uncommon to exceed the boiling point of water. With contaminated brake fluid, this means water vapour can form in your brake lines, resulting in soft pedal feel and increased stopping distances. A simple solution. Fortunately, the solution is simple; drain and replace the brake fluid in your vehicle before serious contamination occurs. You will feel the difference immediately. Replacing brake fluid and purging any air from the system will result in a firmer pedal. This is how the brakes felt when your car was brand-new, which illustrates just how important brake fluid is to the performance of your brake system. The genuine advantage. Genuine Honda brake fluid has been designed to maintain the condition of the seals in your brake system. By incorporating lubricants into the fluid, you can count on optimal brake system performance with minimal maintenance. So when your service advisor recommends new brake fluid for your Honda, don’t put on the brakes!
- Q: What does ‘brake service’ mean?
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A: If you think about it, a car moving at highway speeds is carrying a lot of energy. Every time you see a car accident, you have very real proof. And yet every driver on the road manages to control this energy with a simple pedal. If only it were that simple. What happens when you step on the brakes? The brake pedal is only the beginning of the story. Every Honda has a highly-advanced brake system that is built to safely stop your car. And because it’s a Honda, it’s built to a high-tolerance standard to ensure exceptional pedal feel and performance. Working in unison, brake pads, calipers and rotors turn your vehicle’s kinetic energy into heat. These moving parts operate in a harsh environment and are subjected to huge swings in temperature, road and weather conditions, and normal wear and tear. All of these factors can add up over time, which is why a brake service is such an important part of your vehicle’s maintenance. The Brake Service: Every time your Maintenance Minder system recommends brake service, your Honda dealer will go to work making sure all your brake parts are operating as intended. This means that all the moving parts that work to stop your car are disassembled, inspected, lubricated and then reassembled by a Honda-trained technician. Removing corrosion and applying special molybdenum lubricant ensures that the elements are kept out until your next inspection. With all the moving parts free to operate, you can expect longer brake life and worry-free operation. So the next time your Service Advisor or Maintenance Minder system recommends brake service, rest assured that your Honda will be returned to you in tip-top condition!
Facts:
- Brake dust is generated every time you step on the brake pedal
- Rapid changes in temperature when braking can change the state of water around your brakes
- Atlantic Canadian provinces came behind only Ontario & Quebec in road salt usage
- Nova Scotia alone uses more than 250,000 tonnes of road salt per year
- M-77 high-temperature paste is the only Honda-approved brake system lubricant
- Q: TPMS sensors? What are they?
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A: Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Sensors are small radio transmitters that are installed in the rim of many new Honda vehicles. On equipped vehicles, each rim has a TPMS sensor that constantly monitors the air pressure of the installed tire. If the TPMS sensor detects that the air pressure has dropped below 25% of its recommended value, a signal is sent to the vehicle's computer that triggers a warning light.
Low tire pressure can be caused by many things. For instance, as the weather gets colder, the pressure in your tires will decrease. Adjusting your tire pressure for the different seasons is one way to maximize tire life, and save money at the gas pump.
The TPMS system in your car can also alert you to a potential tire failure, either due to a puncture or a slow leak. Regardless of the cause, low tire pressure can decrease vehicle performance, which can affect both your pocketbook and your safety.
In summary, TPMS sensors provide useful feedback about the air pressure in a vehicle's tires. Combined with routine monitoring, they can assist in maximizing tire life and fuel economy.
- What happens if I choose not to install TPMS sensors with my winter tires and wheels?
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If your Honda vehicle came equipped with a TPMS system, the computer in your vehicle is constantly gathering data from the sensors in each wheel. When the computer no longer receives a signal, it assumes that the transmitter has malfunctioned.
As a safety precaution, any vehicle equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) will have the system permanently engaged. While this helps ensure your vehicle remains on the road in adverse conditions, it can limit your ability to escape snow-covered driveways or parking lots where wheel spin can assist. Other vehicle systems will continue to function as normal, including your ABS brakes and all-wheel drive.
Please be sure to follow your Honda dealer's suggestion to install TPMS sensors when you purchase winter tires and wheels. Without them, your vehicle is not operating the way it was designed to by the manufacturer.
- Q: What does my drive belt do?
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 A: What do your alternator, water pump, power steering pump and AC compressor have in common? In addition to being very important components of your vehicle, all of these items are powered by a drive belt! Not only does your engine spin the tires, it also has to power many other vehicle systems. If it ain’t broke. Certain vehicle components improve overall vehicle performance, but drive belts are necessary for vehicle operation. If a belt breaks, your vehicle won’t work. Preventative maintenance is the best, and only, defense against drive belt failure. How will you know? Every time your Honda’s Maintenance Minder system displays the number “2”, it’s reminding you to have your drive belt inspected. Additionally, every Multi Point Inspection includes a check of your drive belt, so when you leave your dealer, you can feel confident that your drive belt is up to the task. The Honda advantage. Our technicians know your Honda better than anyone. They know what a belt with glazed sidewalls can chatter or squeal, and that certain cracks can indicate impending failure. So when your Service Advisor alerts you of a worn drive belt, don’t wait! There’s never a good time for a belt failure. Why do drive belts have grooves? Many drive belts are typically of the “serpentine” variety, and have grooves that make up the inside surface of the belt. These belts are matched with grooved pulleys, greatly increasing the amount of contact area between surfaces. This results in high power efficiency, meaning serpentine belts can usually drive all of your vehicle accessories. Driving all of your accessories means the belt “snakes” around your engine, which is where the name “serpentine” comes from.
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