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Worn or damaged brakes make driving very dangerous, as they make it difficult to control your speed, and this can cause an accident. As your VW dealership, we want to tell you some signs you need to visit us for a brake service. 3 Signs You Need a Brake Service at Your VW Dealership Vibrations Through the Pedal When you hit the brakes, pressurized brake fluid is forced through brake hoses to the calipers. The fluid pushes the pins out of the calipers, forcing them to close on the spinning wheel rotors. The rotors are flat and smooth, so the calipers can easily clamp against them and generate the friction that stops the wheels. If you feel strange vibrations through the pedal when you brake, the rotors could be warped or damaged and no longer smooth. When a caliper grabs an uneven rotor, it causes a jarring feeling that passes up through the pedal as a shudder or vibration. We'll examine your rotors, and we can correct an uneven rotor by resurfacing it. Leaking Brake Fluid Brake fluid, as we saw above, is essential for the braking system, as it provides the hydraulic power that allows the system to work. As time passes, brake hoses or lines can get damaged, rust, or their seals can fail, and fluid will be lost. Since brake fluid is pressurized, a small leak will cause a rapid loss of fluid. If you push down on the pedal and you feel little resistance, you could have a brake fluid leak. A low brake fluid level increases the time required to force the brakes to engage, and this can easily result in an accident. Our technicians will check the brake system for leaks and seal any that they find, then we'll refill your brake fluid. Overheated Brake Fluid If you smell a harsh burning chemical smell when you brake, the brake fluid could be overheating. As time passes, water can find its way into the brake system. Braking generates heat due to pressure and friction, and if it gets hot enough, water in the brake system can boil. This causes the brake fluid to overheat, producing a chemical smell. Overheated brake fluid can't generate hydraulic pressure, and this can cause your brakes to fail. If you suspect the brakes are overheating, pull over ASAP and call us so we can investigate. We'll drain and replace the old fluid and check that your brake system is working correctly. Regular servicing prevents brake problems, as most issues are caused by natural wear and tear. If your brakes aren't working correctly, contact our service department at Onion Creek Volkswagen in Austin, TX, and our VW-trained technicians will fix the problem so you can drive safely again.

Never be the driver who waits for their car to grind, cough, and shake its way to a halt before seeking the help of a technician. Routine service at your local VW dealership will save you time, money, and stress while keeping you much safer on the road. more Your Safety Comes First A well-kept vehicle responds perfectly to your steering and braking inputs, minimizing the risk of collisions. And with regular tire rotations and alignments, your tires will hold firm traction on all road surfaces and are extremely unlikely to skid or blow out. Regular maintenance also ensures that your VW's advanced safety features can perform properly in emergencies. Your Money Comes Second It might surprise you how much you can save by keeping your car in great shape with regular services. Timely inspections, fluid flushes, and minor replacements require very little expense compared to the high costs of serious malfunctions and repairing or replacing major vehicle parts. By keeping your car responsive and reliable, you're also avoiding one of the highest costs of all: collision repair. Your Car Will Run Smoothly When you keep your suspension finely tuned, your tires aligned, and your transmission, engine, and exhaust optimized, you'll experience a consistently quiet, smooth ride. In this way, regular services boost your overall driving pleasure, which does much to reduce your daily stress. Your Car Will Last Longer As a VW owner, you're fortunate to have a very long-lived car that's famously low-maintenance. However, keeping up with scheduled oil changes, coolant flushes, and air filter replacements still has a huge impact, and with regular servicing, you can add many years onto your car's lifespan. Your Car Will Hold Its Value Well-maintained vehicles also hold their resale value far better. This is especially true now, when used car buyers can check a vehicle history report to see if you've neglected any essential upkeep services in the past. Even one missed oil change could dramatically lower the price they're willing to pay. Your Car Will Guzzle Less Gas If fuel efficiency matters to you, it's important to keep up with regular service. Properly maintained components function more efficiently, allowing you to save money and time at gas stations. Better gas mileage also means less harm to the environment. Your Car Will Look and Smell Great With routine waxing and detailing, you'll keep your VW looking and smelling fantastic, adding to your daily driving enjoyment and the overall pride you feel for your car. Regular services will also minimize the risk of odd burning or exhaust smells, which usually indicate a fault. Let's arrange a servicing schedule that works for you. Visit Onion Creek Volkswagen in Austin, TX, today.

You feel the open road calling, but is your car ready to answer the call? On a road trip, you're driving at high speeds for extended periods, facing all kinds of weather and tarmac conditions and generally putting your car to the test. It's certainly advisable to visit your local VW dealership for VW service before you set out. Let's look at a few reasons why this makes sense. more Avoid Breakdowns The last thing you want on your journey is a major fault or breakdown. With a full vehicle check-up, our technicians will make sure there are no minor, unnoticed issues that could bloom into serious malfunctions on the road. We'll check your brakes, engine, transmission, exhaust, tires, and every other major component, carrying out quick repairs if necessary. Maximize Lubrication Your road trip is likely to keep you on the highway for prolonged periods of driving. This means your engine, transmission, differentials, transfer case, and entire drive train will be put under continuous pressure. It's vital that each component's fluid is fresh and able to lubricate and clean properly, keeping friction down and minimizing wear and tear. You should therefore have your motor oil and all fluids inspected, if not changed, before your trip. Optimize Road Safety As you leave the familiar streets of your hometown, you never know what kinds of weather and road conditions your car will soon encounter. Any safety-related car part like the tires, brakes, and windshield wipers, should be checked and serviced appropriately to ensure they're ready for anything. Lower Fuel Costs You may have a budget for fuel on your trip. With a just-serviced car running with maximum fuel efficiency, you'll be stopping for gas less frequently and staying within that budget. Your trip will also have less of an environmental impact, which offers peace of mind to many drivers. Ensure Comfortable Driving For the next several days, you'll be spending many hours a day inside your car. Your level of comfort will affect how happy or fatigued you and your passengers feel. With full vehicle servicing and perhaps even detailing, before you set out, you're ensured the smoothest, quietest, most pleasant driving experience possible. Book Pre-Trip VW Services at Your Local VW Dealership Let us help prepare your car for your next adventure. With prompt, courteous services carried out by factory-trained VW technicians, your car will be running like a dream for the trip's full duration and far beyond. Visit Onion Creek Volkswagen in Austin, TX, today to get your car in the best shape of its life. We offer a full range of new and used Volkswagen vehicles and comprehensive automotive services.