All batteries will have to be replaced. Premature battery wear happens when excessive heat evaporates the fluid within the battery. The loss in fluid damages the internal structure of the battery. Premature wear is also caused by overcharging.

To keep your battery in top shape for as long as possible, it’s best to keep it as healthy as possible. For instance, make sure that your vehicle’s electrical system is charging your battery at the correct rate; a damaged or malfunctioning voltage regulator could allow too great a charge, which would likely deteriorate the battery prematurely. If you have a battery that requires a “top-off”, remember to check it regularly and to add distilled water whenever is necessary. When you do replace a battery, replace it with a battery of the same rating, or as the one originally specified (If you are unsure of the appropriate battery, check the owner’s manual). And remember to clean a dirty battery. Batteries do get dirty, and dirt can become a conductor, draining the battery power. And as corrosion accumulates on the battery’s terminals, and it will eventually, that corrosion can become an insulator, and the increased insulation will inhibit the current flow within the battery.

The problem with vehicle batteries is they can leave us stranded. Batteries are a simple component, and easily charged or replaced, but if you do ever find you need the professionals at City Towing to help you when your battery has died and left you stranded, then call today. City Towing’s experienced technicians are available and ready to help twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred and sixty-five days of the year.

The post Summer Heat and Your Vehicle’s Battery appeared first on City Towing.

The best way to avoid an oil leak is to keep your engine’s oil changed regularly. The method of checking the oil’s color isn’t reliable, because oftentimes as soon as the engine oil is changed, the fresh, new black oil will take on the brown color associated with old, dirty oil.

The best way to maintain a healthy engine, and to keep the vehicle from leaking oil, is to keep the engine’s oil changed at the intervals recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

But that doesn’t mean that a simple oil change will fix an oil leak: an oil leak is a sign of damage, and the one way to prevent the leak further is to have the damage fixed.

The severity of an oil leak will vary, but more serious leaks such as ones that sprout unexpectedly, a large puddle in a short time frame, mean severe damage, and should not be ignored.

If you do have a serious oil leak, then it’s best to get the vehicle to your mechanic as soon as you can, although driving the vehicle in the event of a serious oil leak is chancy, to put it mildly. You could end up stranded, or you could end up doing serious damage to your vehicle’s engine.

If you need assistance getting your vehicle safely from one place to another, then remember the experts at City Towing, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, servicing the Billings area and beyond. 

The post My Car Leaks Oil When It’s Parked: What Do I Do? What Causes the Leak? appeared first on City Towing.

And all those months the blades spend seldom used, the sun and dirt/grime stuck to the wiper’s rubber deteriorates the blades to the point of being ineffective. There are symptoms and tell-tale signs when the wipers need to be replaced. Initial performance issues include spots and streaks on the glass. The blade may also squeak or sound scratchy as it goes over the glass. And, when you inspect the blade, you notice that the rubber appears dull or it is worn/torn.

First, determine the type of wiper blade you need. The exact size and the type of wiper should be listed in your owner’s manual, but if you can find it there then check the wiper. Measure the length of the wiper. You will want to replace the old wiper with one of identical size.

Lift up the wiper arm. On the wiper, there should be a joint, made of plastic, and oftentimes there is an arrow indicating to which direction the wiper should be pulled free. Turn the wiper perpendicular to the wiper arm and detach the old wiper blade. Once the wiper blade is detached, you can clean the arm of dirt and grime and then attach the new wiper blade. The new wiper blade should have instructions on the packaging if you need assistance.

Once both wiper blades are in place, try them out. Use windshield cleaning fluid and make sure the wipers clear away the fluid effectively and efficiently.

Routine vehicle maintenance is absolutely important. It’s also important to know who to call for assistance. Remember to keep the phone number of your trusted tow professionals at City Towing in the contacts list in your phone, and remember that City Towing is ready to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post How to Replace Your Windshield Wiper Blades appeared first on City Towing.

When you discover your buried vehicle, begin by clearing a path around the tires with a snow shovel. Clear away several feet of snow both in front of and behind the vehicle. If there is excessive snow on the ground, it’s likely you’re going to need to rock the vehicle back and forth to get the momentum to reach the driving lane. If you can, also clear out as much accumulated snow as possible beneath the vehicle. Then rock the vehicle back forth to get it clear of the snow. Light pressure on the gas pedal and switching back and forth between drive and reverse, always in control, until the vehicle has enough momentum to get unstuck. It’s tempting to want to floor the gas pedal, give it as much power as possible to unstick the car from the snow, but that extra power won’t help things, and, in some cases, could create a slick of ice on the pavement, making it more difficult to unstick. Momentum is the key.

Hopefully you don’t find yourself stuck or stranded this winter, but if you do remember that City Towing is always ready to help, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post What to Do if Your Car is Stuck in Snow appeared first on City Towing.

In certain instances, the best shelter, and likely the only shelter, is inside the vehicle. If your vehicle isn’t smoking and there is any apparent danger to remaining, then stay inside. Other motorists can easily see your vehicle, but they won’t always notice you. This is also true if you are stranded in a parking lot or somewhere where you don’t feel safe. Inside the vehicle with the doors locked is safer than outside the vehicle, pacing.

In the event that you have a breakdown but still have the ability to get the vehicle to the side of the road, pull as far off on the shoulder of the road as possible. Yes, the shoulder is narrow on many Montana highways, but it’s still important to open up as much of that driving lane as possible.

If you do every find yourself stranded (Hopefully you never experience a vehicle breakdown), remember that you have the professional tow services at City Towing to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The post Safest Places to Wait for Roadside Assistance appeared first on City Towing.

First and foremost, it’s important to plan for the worst. No, that doesn’t mean you have to be nervous about your trip, worrying about everything, but it does mean that you should always be prepared. Have an emergency kit packed. You should also always have your City Towing professional’s phone number programmed into your phone and stored in the glovebox on a piece of paper. Make sure that your tool kit, specifically your jack, spare, etc., are in good working order. If you have never before changed a tire, or if you don’t know where these tools are hidden within your vehicle’s interior or exterior, then get to know how tools are stored and how they work before you need them.

It’s also important to keep your vehicle cleaned and maintained. If you’re due for an oil change or a tire rotation then make sure to get it done before you leave. It’s also a good idea to check the oil and tire pressure to ensure that everything is in good working order.

Plan your route. If you’re a person who prefers paper maps or atlases, then go through the route several times, taking note of the landmarks and distances. If you’re someone who prefers E-Maps and other technologies, then program everything before your leave.

Hopefully you never have an emergency on the road, but if you prepare then hopefully no emergency will completely ruin your trip. Remember that your towing professionals at City Towing are ready to help twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

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There are a few things, however, every vehicle owner can do to make sure that your vehicle is up and running in top shape; however, if you do every find yourself unexpectedly in need of your tow professional professionals at City Towing, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you’ll know who to call

Regular vehicle maintenance is crucial to long term vehicle health. Oil changes are the most common and likely the most regular service your vehicle will need throughout its life. If you choose to delay an oil change, especially by more than a few hundred miles, you’re running the risk of something catastrophic happening to the engine; it could even begin a premature trend of wear that deteriorates the engine and its components. The engine’s oil lubricates and cleans. And over time the oil within the engine gets dirty, and dirty oil loses its ability to perform; engine components wear and break down without proper lubrication.

Engine components such as an engine gasket or seal can wear out and cause a leakage of oil. A common cause of a damaged gasket or seal is dirty, corroded oil. When is the best time to get an oil change to prevent premature wear and tear, and costly garage bills? Your oil change technician likely placed a sticker on the windshield level with the visor. That sticker isn’t a suggestion; try to get your vehicle’s oil changed within a few hundred miles on either side of that date/mileage.

Hopefully you don’t find a puddle of oil beneath your vehicle, and hopefully you don’t find yourself stranded somewhere and in need of tow services. But if you do find yourself in need of a tow, let it be a reassuring thought that the tow professionals at City Towing are ready to help.

The post Engine Oil is Puddled Beneath My Vehicle…Now What? appeared first on City Towing.

It’s a simple and important step to have your battery checked by a professional before the cold weather arrives—if you are reading this tip too late then know that it’s never too late, and still an important step to keeping your battery healthy and working efficiently. It’s also important to remember that the moment your vehicle’s battery struggles to start, or if it behaves less than 100 percent efficiently, it’s important to get it to a vehicle maintenance professional immediately. It’s a sign of wear and tear, and efficiency losses do not merely resolve on their own; ignore a dying battery, and you’ll find yourself stranded. It’s also a good idea to add charge to your battery whenever it’s going to have to sit for long periods, even overnight. But it’s also possible that your battery charger will have difficulties charging your battery in the cold weather. If possible, it’s always better to garage your vehicle than park it outside, but if living conditions require it, then you’ll have to keep a close eye on it.

Hopefully you don’t find yourself stranded or in need of emergency tow services, but if you do know that the experienced tow professionals at City Towing are ready to help in any weather and at any time.

The post Winter Weather Kills Vehicle Batteries: How to Keep Your Vehicle’s Battery Healthy appeared first on City Towing.

All-season tires are common. If you purchase a new vehicle, most already have some version of these tires installed. These are a terrific option if you don’t want to change out your tires between the warm and cold seasons. All-season tires are designed to provide a comfortable ride on dry roads or wet. There are also tires sold as all-weather tires, and the difference between an all-weather tire and all-season tire is the treads are ruggedly designed to manage most road conditions.

Snow tires are a terrific option for those who want a tire that grips the road in icy conditions. Winter tires have more treads and the traction on slick roads is usually adequate. These tires are best-suited to use in prolonged winter driving conditions.

It’s also a good idea to routinely check the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires throughout the winter months. Tire pressure fluctuates in winter season, and low tire pressure can decrease your vehicle’s efficiency and compromise your safety on slick roads. And if it’s time for a new set of tires because the treads are worn, don’t procrastinate.

Stay safe on the roads this winter, and if you ever find yourself stuck and in need of help, remember that the tow experts at City Towing are ready to help, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Keep the number in your phone.

The post Winter Tires appeared first on City Towing.

One of the most basic and essential items to carry in your vehicle is a set of jumper cables. And if you want to be prepared in the event that there won’t be others around to help to connect jumper cables to a working car battery, there are models with a lithium battery. (If you do purchase jumper cables with a lithium battery then remember to keep it charged). It’s also good to pack flares or triangle reflectors. Reflectors are small and portable, but provide a much-needed indication to other motorists on the road at night. It’s also smart to pack extra coolant and motor oil, especially if your vehicle has a tendency to leak fluids. Odds and ends include paper towels, a tire pressure gauge, a flashlight and extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, and a spare ice scraper.

One method to keep your kit together and organized is to place it all in an inexpensive plastic tub with lid. Small items can be packed within baggies and labeled with tape and a marker. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just organized so that you can find anything you need in a moment’s notice.

Another helpful item to have at the ready in the event of a vehicle emergency is the phone number for City Towing. City Towing is ready to help you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Keep the number in your phone, but also as a hardcopy on paper in the glovebox, just in case.

The post Roadside Emergency Kit appeared first on City Towing.