Blog / Salisbury Toyota Dealer

How to Tell When Your Toyota Needs a Brake Repair

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Good brakes give you the security of knowing when you drive that you can control your car's speed at any time. If your brakes aren't working correctly, every journey has the potential for danger. Your brakes are very important, so it's essential to take care of them so they can take care of you. If your brakes are giving you trouble, come and see your friendly Toyota dealer for a brake repair.

Do You Need a Brake Repair at Your Toyota Dealer?

Screeching Brakes

Brake pads are an important part of your braking system. They provide the extra friction resistance to bring your car to a stop. These pads, however, will wear out. When you apply your brakes, fluid is forced into the brake hoses. This fluid exerts hydraulic pressure on the calipers that are attached above your wheel rotors. The calipers will then clamp against the rotors and bring them to a stop. Each time the brake pads are used, a small amount of the friction material wears off. As a reminder to change your pads, the manufacturers of the pads fit a metal shim into the material. Once it's time to change the pads, this shim will become visible. When you apply the brakes, this shim will scrape against the rotor and make a hideous screeching sound. When you hear this sound, it's time to visit us for new pads.

Pulling to One Side

When your car veers towards one side when you apply the brakes, you have a brake problem. Your car should come to a complete stop without moving to either side. This problem occurs due to either a jammed caliper or a blocked or damaged brake hose. Either of these issues means that the brake on the affected side of the car isn't working. An air bubble in the hose or a brake fluid leak can prevent the caliper on one side of your car from working. A jammed caliper pin can prevent the caliper from grabbing the rotor. The brake on one side of your car will work correctly, but the brake on the other side won't work. When you use the brakes, your car will automatically pull towards the side that has a working brake.

Boiling Brake Fluid

This situation occurs most frequently if you have old brake fluid. It will also occur if you've had to brake often and sharply over a short distance. When you use the brakes, brake fluid is forced into the hoses under pressure. The fluid flows back to the brake fluid reservoir when you release the brake. The more frequently you use the brakes over a short distance, the hotter the fluid will get. Hot brake fluid loses its hydraulic properties, and your brakes won't engage as they should. You'll smell a burning chemical smell, which means the brake fluid is boiling. It's vital to pull over and allow your brakes to cool down. If you have any problem with your brakes, call us ASAP at Cloninger Toyota.
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Your Guide to the 2023 Toyota Camry

The Camry is a mid-size sedan that is one of Toyota's best sellers year after year. This sedan is solid, with a reputation for reliability and exceptional fuel economy. The Camry is sporty, fun to drive, and has excellent handling while still being a practical daily driver or commuter. Keep reading to learn more about the fantastic features of the 2023 Toyota Camry. Introducing the 2023 Toyota Camry The '23 Camry has seen plenty of upgrades this year. The SE trim is now available with the Nightshade package, which boasts a black headlight and taillight trims that look striking with the signature black grille. This package also includes black mirror caps, badges, and a rear spoiler that looks aggressive and attractive. The exterior design of the Nightshade package is pulled together with matte bronze 19-inch wheels. more You can add the Nightshade package to the White, Midnight Black, and Reservoir Blue exterior paint schemes. You will find that all models of the '23 Camry have received more driver-assistance technology, including a forward-facing camera. The camera can track certain road signs and display them in front of the driver for added security and safety. Impressive Performance The '23 Camry base powertrain is a standard four-cylinder engine paired with a smooth eight-speed auto transmission. The next available engine is on the '23 Camry Hybrid, which matches the same four-cylinder with twin electric motors to give you impressive fuel savings. The last powertrain option is the powerful V6 engine available on the XLE, XSE, and TRD trims. The V6 delivers 301 horsepower for heart-pounding acceleration. Cargo and Comfort The interior of the '23 Camry is spacious, with comfortable seats that provide excellent lumbar support. Upgrade to the XLE trim, and you get an upscale model with high-quality materials with a luxurious interior. The rear seat has plenty of space for children's seats and adults, while the trunk offers 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space. You can also fold the back seat down to fit larger items if needed. Excellent Fuel Economy The base powertrain on the '23 Camry delivers an EPA-estimated 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg while cruising the highway. If you choose a model with the powerful V6, you can expect an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. However, if you are looking for the most fuel-conscientious Camry available, choose the hybrid, which gets an EPA-estimated 51 mpg city and 53 mpg while cruising the highway. If you are looking for a mid-size sedan with excellent tech features that is fun to drive, you need to test the '23 Camry by Toyota. Swing by Cloninger Toyota to check out our new and used inventory, including our deals under 10k, today.

Photo by Erik Mclean

Does Your Toyota Need a Transmission Repair?

A smooth-running transmission is as vital for your Toyota as a smooth-running engine. The engine and transmission work together to move your car. The engine provides the power, and the transmission translates this power into a usable form to move your wheels. Like all mechanical systems, the transmission can develop problems, and you'll need a transmission repair. As your Toyota dealer, we can repair any transmission problem. These are a few signs that you'll need a repair. Signs You Need a Transmission Repair at Your Toyota Dealer Fluid Leak Transmission fluid is the lifeblood of your transmission. The fluid reduces the transmission temperature and lubricates all of the moving parts. Many of the transmission parts depend on friction to work, and the fluid provides a friction barrier to protect these parts. This fluid also provides the hydraulic power that your gears need to shift easily. A fluid leak is usually easy to spot, as transmission fluid is bright or dark red. It can leak from a worn transmission pan gasket, a blown seal, or damage to the transmission cover. If the leak continues, your gears will become more difficult to shift, and your transmission will start to overheat. An overheating transmission can lead to serious damage. Our technicians can trace the leak and repair it. more Burning Smells Your transmission fluid needs to be replaced regularly according to your car's service schedule. The reason for this is transmission fluid gradually loses its special properties. As the fluid circulated through the transmission, it accumulates rust, dirt, and other debris. This accumulation of debris makes the fluid thicker and more sluggish. The slower-moving fluid leads to an increase in your transmission's temperature. The aging fluid will gradually lose its heat-resistant properties, and the increasing transmission temperature can cause the fluid to burn. Burning transmission fluid smells similar to burning rubber. If smell rubber burning, your fluid may need to be changed. Our technicians can check the fluid, flush your transmission if required, and replace the fluid. Driving Feels Unstable Your Toyota transmission should shift easily as you or your transmission computer shift gears. Over time, you may notice a jerk-like pull from your automatic transmission when the gears shift. This jerking movement starts gradually and will become more violent as time passes. As the problem becomes more serious, your transmission may shake as it shifts gears. A manual transmission produces grinding noises as you shift gears, and shifting becomes more difficult. One of the main causes of these problems is a lack of fluid. Our technicians can check the fluid and replace it. Your transmission will always show signs that something is wrong. If you have a transmission problem, call us ASAP at Cloninger Toyota.

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How to Find a Quality Collision Repair for Your Toyota

There's no doubt about it, getting in a car accident can really interfere with your life. All of a sudden you don't have a way to get from point A to point B, so you have to make arrangements to be able to do so! And on top of this, you need to find a place where you can get quality collision repair. Luckily, we have some tips for you! And our first one is to visit your Toyota dealer. Need Collision Repair? Come by Your Toyota Dealer! Inspect the Damage After a crash, the first thing you need to do is make sure you're okay. Also, check on any passengers you have in your vehicle and the occupants of the other vehicle involved in the crash. If everyone is okay and your car seems to be in running shape, you still need to identify anything that may need to be fixed or replaced on your vehicle. Some things are going to be easier to identify than others. For example, you can tell your door is dented or your windows are cracked after just a quick glance. But other things are more difficult to see. For example, you might not be able to tell that your frame is cracked. As such, you should bring it in and let Toyota mechanics take a thorough look at it and tell you what needs to be done. more Ask Around If you have any friends, coworkers, neighbors, or family members who have been in an accident, they likely had work done on their car. You can read reviews of different repair shops online, but getting word-of-mouth advice is a great place to make sure you're going to a trustworthy repair shop. But we can say for sure that a Toyota repair shop will treat you fairly and give you lots of communication during the repair process. Ask Many Questions When you bring your car into the mechanic's shop, you might feel a little bit intimidated. If you don't know that much about cars, you might feel like the mechanic is speaking a different language when they tell you about what they need to do! To give you peace of mind and avoid misunderstandings, ask lot of questions. Toyota technicians are always happy to answer all of your questions. After all, it's your vehicle they're working on! And by asking them about what they're doing, you also will get the satisfaction of learning more about your car! If you need quality repair for your vehicle after a collision, don't wait, and don't stress! Come to Cloninger Toyota and our qualified specialists will help you get back on the road in no time at all.