April is National Car-Care Month; Seven Tips from Mopar

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring is the time to spring for vehicle maintenance.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110328/DE71848 )

"Now is the time to get your vehicle into shape for the summer travel season," said Jim Sassorossi, Head of Sales at Mopar, Chrysler Group's service, parts and customer-care brand. "Performing preventative maintenance is critical for maintaining the safety and performance of your vehicle.

"For those who own a Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep or Ram vehicle, we recommend that they stick with the specialists and have all maintenance and repairs done by qualified, factory-trained technicians in our dealerships," said Sassorossi. "Our technicians have the expertise, tools and factory-backed parts for these vehicles. And they work on them every single day."

Seven Mopar Maintenance Tips

Check Tires

Tire wear is a good indicator of how your vehicle's steering and suspension are performing. Excessive edge wear, center wear and shoulder wear can be clues that other maintenance is needed. Check air pressure on all tires, including the spare, as incorrect tire pressure can cause tires to wear prematurely. Tread and sidewall areas should be inspected for uneven or irregular wear and should be replaced if worn or damaged. Mopar offers a range of tires including B.F. Goodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kelly, Kumho, Michelin, Uniroyal and Yokohama.

Check Brakes

Every time you brake, a thin layer of the pad is removed. The key is to replace the pads or shoes before the drums or rotors become damaged. Pads, shoes, rotors, calipers, fittings, brake hardware and parking brake should be checked for the summer driving season. If your brakes sound like they're squealing, it may be time for replacements.

Check Fluid Levels

Engine oil should be changed or replenished, and all vehicle fluids and lubricants should be checked and changed at factory-recommended intervals to make sure they're fresh and filled to the recommended levels. Low, or dirty fluids can have an impact on how your engine and components perform and could potentially damage your engine.

Check Engine Belts, Hoses and Fuel Filter

In today's vehicles, a single drive belt provides power to many engine accessories, and hoses carry vital fluids under high pressure. Prevent a breakdown or serious engine damage by replacing belts and hoses at recommended intervals. Quality-tested Mopar belts and hoses offer precision fit, optimal service life and original-equipment performance.

Change Air Filter

The air filter is designed to protect your engine from airborne contaminants. Poor air flow to the engine inhibits performance and can generate greater fuel consumption. A new air filter allows clean, unrestricted air flow into the engine and helps to ensure proper performance and longer life.

Check Battery

Whether it's the first start up in the morning or having the reserve power to run the air conditioning and other accessories, the battery is the critical source. Corroded terminals, a bulging or cracked case are signs that a battery has been subject to extreme conditions. And each battery has a limited "life" to it. Test your battery and replace it if necessary to make sure you have the cranking power to start your vehicle and keep it running.

Check Wiper Blades

Worn wiper blades can affect your vision and ability to see the road and vehicles in front of you. For greater visibility and smooth operation, Mopar all-season wiper blades are built for the long haul and feature a strong, all-metal superstructure for durable, reliable performance. An innovative wear indicator gradually turns from black to green to yellow as the blades wear.

Mopar Spring Service Specials and Rebates

Mopar offers numerous spring service specials and rebates including:

• 10-percent discounts on maintenance and repair services
• Rebates on select Goodyear tires (up to $70 per set of four), Value Line shocks ($10 per pair) and Value Line struts ($20 per pair)
• Simple maintenance: Engine oil and filter change, new air filter and 16-point vehicle checkup
• Advanced maintenance: Engine oil and filter change, tire rotation along with a 23-point vehicle checkup and Value Line brake pads/shoes

Mopar-First Features

Mopar has introduced numerous industry-first features including:

• Camper trailers: first to introduce off-road camper trailers
• Vehicle-information smartphone apps: first to introduce smartphone vehicle-information applications, a new channel of communication with consumers
• Electronic owner manuals: first to introduce traditional owner manuals in a DVD and brief user-guide format
• Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS): first to introduce new vehicle tracking system that sends owner a text when vehicle is driven too fast or too far based on set parameters
• 2011 Challenger Drag Pak: first to introduce a 500-plus cubic-inch V-10 drag-race package car
• WiFi: first to offer customers the ability to make their vehicle a wireless hot spot
• WiTECH: first to support vehicle diagnosis and software updates leveraging off-the-shelf personal computers and a dedicated wireless tool network

About the Mopar Brand

Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand.

Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 parts and accessories in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original-equipment parts for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered and tested with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.

More than 70 Years of Mopar

When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words Motor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960s—the muscle-car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "special parts" for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC