4 Tips for Safe Halloween Driving

1. Brakes

A vehicle’s brake system is the most critical safety item on a vehicle, but brakes wear out and eventually need replacement. Several factors that affect brake wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type and the quality of the brake lining material. Never put off routine brake inspections or any needed repairs, such as letting the brakes get to the “metal-to-metal” point, which can be potentially dangerous and lead to more costly repairs.

2. Windshield Wipers & Fluid

A dirty windshield may look spooky but does not help to see children crossing the street. If the weather turns, cracked or torn wipers will also pose a problem to visibility.

3. Vehicle Lights

Check that all your lights are working for maximum performance and visibility on Halloween. This year, the end of Daylight Saving Time isn’t until Nov. 3, which means that children will be out at dusk trick-or-treating. Driving at dusk is difficult because although the sky is still bright, objects on the road can merge with shadows and fade into darkness.

4. Street Safety

Parents and adults should remind their little ghosts and goblins to get out of cars on the curb side and not the traffic side, to stop at all corners and to use crosswalks. Children should look left, right and left again before crossing, stay on sidewalks, avoid crossing through yards and wear bright, reflective and flame retardant clothing.

“We can all help keep young pedestrians safe on Halloween by checking our vehicle’s safety items, reminding children of basic safety rules and taking extra precautions when driving through neighborhoods,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

AAA: Synthetic Oil Outperforms the Cheap Stuff

Synthetic oil may lighten your wallet during an oil change, but a new study by AAA finds significant benefits under the hood. In an independent evaluation, synthetic oil outperformed its conventional counterpart by almost 50 percent, the agency announced today.

AAA's 59-page report documents a range of industry-standard tests. The agency evaluated synthetic and conventional oil in eight tests that analyzed things like deposit formation, low-temperature performance and oxidation viscosity. AAA found synthetic oil protects critical engine parts 47 percent better on average than regular oil. With superior resistance to deterioration, synthetic oil should benefit newer cars, as well as those with turbocharged engines and anything driven in a lot of stop-and-go traffic, towing conditions or extreme temperatures.

A few cars require synthetic oil, but AAA says all cars can benefit from it. The agency found nearly half of all drivers don't know if synthetic oil is any better for their engine or think it isn't. Some think it's nothing more than upsell gimmickry, a factor that may boost already-high distrust in repair shops. Still, 45 percent of drivers use the stuff, according to AAA.

The difference in price is nothing to sneeze at. Oil changes cost $38 on average with regular oil and $70 with synthetic, AAA found. But if you change your own oil, you can recoup some of the difference. AAA found five quarts of synthetic oil averages $45 — only $17 more than the cheap stuff. Synthetic oil also resists breakdown better than conventional oil, so you may be able to drive farther between oil changes. (Check your car's owner's manual, as well as the labels on the oil itself, for specifics.)

"It's understandable that drivers may be skeptical of any service that is nearly twice the cost of the alternative," said John Nielsen, AAA's managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair, in a statement. "While a manufacturer-approved conventional oil will not harm a vehicle's engine, the extra $30 per oil change could actually save money in the long run by protecting critical engine components over time."

What Is the Honda Fit's B1 Service?

 

The B1 service indicator popped up on our 2015 Honda Fit when the mileage hit roughly 14,000, signifying it was time for the Fit's second oil change following the A1 oil change at 6,800 miles. The Honda Fit's Maintenance Minder system sends an alert at specific intervals when certain services and maintenance tasks are due based on mileage and engine-operating conditions.

The "B" represents an oil and filter change plus mechanical inspection, while the "1" means it's time to have the vehicle's tires rotated. When the Maintenance Minder system indicates that your fit needs B1 service, the service should include the following inspections, according to the Honda Fit's owner's manual:

• Inspect front and rear brakes/service as necessary
• Check parking brake adjustment
• Inspect tie-rod ends, steering gearbox and boots
• Inspect suspension components
• Inspect driveshaft boots
• Inspect brake hoses and lines (including the antilock braking and vehicle stability assist systems)
• Inspect all fluid levels and condition of fluids (brake fluid, transmission fluid, coolant, etc.)
• Inspect exhaust system
• Inspect fuel lines and connections

Our local Honda dealership had its own interpretation of the B1 scheduled maintenance that included a brake service at an elevated cost even before taking a look at the brakes. We declined this front rotor cleaning and front caliper slide pin lubrication considering our car's low miles and owner's manual only suggesting service if needed.