Sears Auto Center Offers Free Car Care Clinics For National Car Care Month

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL--April 11, 2014: Regular vehicle inspection and repair will not only add years of life to a vehicle and maintain its safety, but can prevent the need for more costly and extensive repairs down the road. Yet, according to a recent study conducted by the Car Care Council, approximately 79 percent of vehicles on U.S. roads are in need of service or parts. To address this disconnect Sears Auto Center, the go-to destination for automotive maintenance, is offering a free one-day car care clinic across its more than 700 auto service centers nationwide.

The clinics will take place on Sat., April 12, when Sears Auto Center will have Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)-certified master technicians available to answer questions and perform demonstrations. The technicians will also provide a variety of automotive services on-site, including:

Free battery and alignment checks Free visual brake and tire inspections Complete under hood and under car multipoint inspections Free wiper blades and tire rotations, with the purchase of a discounted conventional oil change*

"Vehicle maintenance is often pushed to the bottom of the to-do list – due mostly to time constraints, cost or a general lack of education about the necessity of the service," said Norm Miller, President, Sears Automotive. "Our free car care clinics make it easier for our Shop Your Way members and customers to properly maintain a vehicle and potentially save thousands of dollars a year."

In addition to the car care clinics, Sears Auto Center introduces the "Rules of the Road" education series – providing customers and Shop Your Way members with expert tips and deals that correspond with peak times that maintenance services are requested and completed. To enjoy a safer driving season and beyond, consider these car care tips from Sears Auto Center:

Hit the Brakes – If your brakes are making noise, you feel vibration in the pedal and/or steering wheel, or the brake pedal is too easy or too hard to push, then the brake system likely needs to be checked. A proper brake system evaluation takes just 30 to 45 minutes. Sears Auto Center replaced more than 250,000 brake pads last year, and according to industry estimates, 24 percent of vehicles on the road will need a brake job this year. Get your brakes checked free of charge at Sears Auto Center, and have your brake system checked at least once a year. Under Pressure – Check tires for uneven tread wear, nails or other potential hazards, in addition to checking the pressure. Get tires rotated regularly to keep the tread wear even, and when new tires are needed, be sure to have the vehicle re-aligned. Remaining in control of your vehicle is essential to your safety. Stay Powered – Last year, Sears Auto replaced nearly 1.5 million automotive batteries. The DieHardŽ battery pros at Sears Auto know that driving habits and exposure to extreme elements can shorten the life of a car battery. While most motorists associate dead automotive batteries with cold winter weather, it is actually the heat from the summer months that can wreak havoc on the vehicle's battery. Get your battery tested at any Sears Auto Center for free, and test batteries that are more than three years old annually to reduce your risk of being stranded. Oil Matters – Stop-and-go traffic, extremely hot or cold climates, driving on dirt or gravel roads and hauling heavy loads are all factors that can affect how quickly a car's oil is broken down. Oil changes typically cost an average of $120 per year, and if skipped, can lead to a more costly $4,000 engine replacement. Fresh oil helps preserve the car's engine and also increases engine efficiency which can reduce emissions and fuel consumption. Hitting Bottom - Shocks are easy to forget about because they last a long time and wear out slowly. Signs that it may be time to replace shocks include poor steering response, stiffness or noise when steering, excessive nose dives and instability when braking.