Man Killed by Exploding Truck Tire
A 29-year-old man was killed in Vars, Ontario, Monday (April 20, 2009) as he attempted to find the leak in a large off-road dump truck tire and it exploded. The man was working outside the Giant Tire Specialists shop to find the leak in a tire designed for six-wheel-drive off-road dump trucks.
Mississippi Court Agrees Tire, Not Alcohol Caused Crash
Three young friends had been out drinking on a summer night in 2000 when their speeding sports car blew a tire and careered off a rural Mississippi highway, killing one and injuring the other two. The young men’s families – and a jury – blamed the accident on a faulty tire on the Chevrolet Camaro rather than excessive speed and the beer the men had been drinking.
TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring Service for All Shops
Recently, an owner of a 2008 Lincoln Navigator brought their vehicle in for a tire rotation. The tires were rotated front to rear. The customer drove away not knowing he was in great peril. A few days later, the right rear picked up a small leak. The TPMS system turned on the dashlight and indicated
Tech Tip: Familiarity Doesn’t Make TPMS Service Flawless
As the global economy continues to affect businesses and industries, the tire industry continues to have its issues – albeit fewer of them – with tire pressure monitoring systems, especially in the service bay area. Mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, TPMS on OE passenger cars are now into their second model year of ….
Tech Tip: Subaru Error Code Displayed in Odometer
Even though 2005-2006 Legacy and Outback models are not equipped with TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), they still have the TPMS wiring harness and R211 connector. The wiring harness and connector are located on the driver’s side, under the floor mat. If the connector comes in contact with moisture and corrosion forms, the BIU (Body Integrated Unit) may judge a speed pulse malfunction and, in turn, display error code "Er SP." To correct this condition, refer to the repair procedure listed ….
Tech Tip: Tire Valves Important for Safety and Profits
The lowly tire valve operates just the way it did when it first found its way onto an automobile tire back in 1898. It’s not that complicated to understand a standard (non-TPMS) tire valve, but if a mistake occurs in mounting or demounting, or a hard hit on a curb is not inspected closely, you might want to find your lawyer’s card in the Rolodex. While it’s most important to approach this subject from a safety standpoint, it’s also ….
Tech Feature: Keeping the Tire in Contact with the Road Surface
Confused about modern ride control technology? Sometimes looking back into automotive history can put such technology into a more usable framework. A good illustration is how ride control technology evolved from the simple, early-century friction shock absorber to the electronic variable-rate shocks and MacPherson struts being installed on today’s cars and light trucks. When early automobile manufacturers first mated a gasoline engine to ….
Tech Tip: Performing a Permanent Tire Repair
It might have something to do with today’s "instant gratification" society, where shops don’t want to take the time to repair a tire, and customers don’t want to spend time sitting in the waiting room. In many cases, a temporary patch job or a replacement tire is the fast, easy solution. Companies like Rema Tip Top are working to change that outlook, through proper training and making sure dealers understand the benefits of permanent tire repair ….
Tech Tip: What’s New in TPMS?
The increasingly hot topic of Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) is very controversial yet compelling. TPMS brings about confusion and aggravation, but more importantly, opportunity. Adding to the TPMS frenzy is loads of information. This article will discuss a couple of new issues within TPMS that you need to be aware of ….
Tech Tip: Adding a Fluid Flush Can Boost a Shop’s Average Repair Order
Many shops are recovering revenues lost to a shrinking repair market by "upselling" fluid maintenance services or, as they’re commonly called in the aftermarket, "fluid flushes." In other words, adding a fluid flush to a money-losing routine oil change can boost a shop’s average repair order amount into the range needed for true profitability ….
TPMS Update, Don’t Forget the Changer!
And What You Can Charge!
The Ins and Outs of Indirect and Direct TPMS
This is the year of the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System). It’s been coming for some time. In response to a rash of highly publicized rollover accidents caused by tire failures on SUVs, Congress passed a law called the TREAD Act in 2000 which required all vehicle manufacturers to have TPMS on all their cars