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Are you ready for winter weather? With winter conditions comes slick roads and poor driving conditions. Whether you just recently moved to the area, or you want to brush up on what to do when driving in snow, check out these tips for safe winter driving and learn how to drive in snow. Slow Down Your Driving Of all the winter driving tips you'll get; this is a tip of upmost importance. By simply slowing down when you're driving on slick, snow-covered roads, it can create a more safe and secure drive. When you slow down, you won't need as much distance to stop your vehicle when you need to, and if the road is slick, you won't slide as far when you try to stop as you would if you were going faster. more Increase Distance Behind the Car in Front of You When the streets are slick because of snow and ice, you need to know it will take you longer to stop than it usually does. For this reason, increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. You want to be able to stop in time and keeping an enhanced distance can help. By leaving enough space, you'll also have time to make evasive maneuvers if necessary. Don't Stop When Going Uphill When you stop your car on snowy or icy roads, you may not be able to get it moving again. This is especially true if you're headed uphill. If you hit an icy or snow-packed patch, and you stop, your wheels can just spin when you try to accelerate again. In fact, you may end up sliding back down the hill, which can cause a very dangerous situation. Get some speed before reaching the hill and try not to stop. Steer in the Direction of a Slide If you feel your car start to slide as it hits a slippery section of the road, turn your steering wheel in the same direction you're sliding. It's natural to want to turn against the slide, but if you do, when your car regains traction, you'll have to over-correct your turn to stay in your lane. Pull Over in Low Visibility Conditions If you find yourself driving when a snowstorm hits and you're not able to see through the snow very well, pull off the road to a safe place and wait for conditions to improve. Whiteout conditions are just as bad as snow-packed or icy roads for car accidents. Prepare Your Car with a Winter Service at Our Service Center Driving in the snow is a skill that takes some time to learn. These tips should help, but you should also have your car inspected before you head out into the weather to ensure it's safe to drive. From a tire change to winter tires to ensuring that fluids are topped off and making sure that the brakes and battery are working correctly, there are many services that we can do to help prepare your vehicle for the winter weather ahead. Contact DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills to schedule your winterization appointment today.

If there's one component of your car that should always be kept in tip-top working condition, it's the braking system. Faulty brakes can put your life and that of your passengers in jeopardy. You should constantly watch out for any signs your Kia needs a brake repair to ensure a safe and reliable ride down the road. Common Tell-Tale Indicators Your Kia Needs a Brake Repair Brake issues tend to manifest themselves in several ways. Luckily, most vehicles exhibit a mix of obvious and less obvious warning signs that the brakes are in less-than-ideal working conditions. Being able to detect and rectify the common symptoms of brake system failure early will help you avoid possible breakdowns and expensive brake overhauls in the long run. more Dashboard ABS Light Turns On One of the easiest ways to spot a failure in your car's braking system is to check the dashboard indicator light as soon as the engine kicks in. Red or yellow warning light with ABS reading that stays on while driving could indicate a problem with your brakes. The ABS, which is an abbreviation for antilock braking system, lights up on your dashboard to warn you of current or potential problems with your brakes. Either way, take your Kia in for brake system diagnosis and possible repair before things get out of hand. Brakes Taking Longer to Respond Another telling sign your Kia needs a brake service is when your vehicle is taking longer than usual to stop. Fully functional brakes bring the vehicle to a complete halt almost immediately after the pedals are pressed. On the other hand, defective ones aren't responsive enough to slow down or stop the vehicle as fast as they should. Unresponsive brakes can be dangerous, especially if you're driving on busy roadways. In most cases, a leak in the brake fluid or an air leak in the brake hose can cause sluggish stopping responses. If you find yourself in a situation where your vehicle isn't stopping fast enough, get your brakes inspected immediately. Brakes Making Unnerving Noises The brake pads help keep the brake rotors and calipers apart from each other to avoid the likelihood of friction between them. However, when the brake pads are heavily worn out, the two parts get exposed, resulting in corrosion, overheating, and strange noises when the brake pedal is pressed. Weird and unnerving sounds like squealing, grating, and chirping are caused by metal grinding on metal. Try and replace your Kia's brake pads as soon as these odd sounds start to manifest themselves. If left unchecked, worn pads can damage other brake parts like rotors, ultimately leading to more costly repairs. Vehicle Swerving Left or Right While Braking Have you ever felt like there's some invisible force pulling your vehicle to the left or right when you apply the brakes? This problem can be caused by uneven wear on the brake linings, a stuck wheel cylinder, or contaminants in the brake fluid. For unbalanced stopping, the issue may be caused by a malfunctioned brake hose or a caliper problem. If your Kia veers left or right on applying the brakes, it represents a control issue that calls for immediate resolution. A professional Kia technician will diagnose and fix the problem accordingly. The solution to a vehicle pulling to one side could be as simple as replacing the brake fluid or adjusting the brake linings. Get Professional Kia Brake Repair and Service in Temple Hills, MD Are you noticing signs that your Kia brakes might need repairs? Is it time to get the brakes serviced? For top-notch brake tune-ups and other automotive services, click here to schedule at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills!

Is your Kia ready for a check-up? An oil change? What about a tire rotation? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about a Kia service and check-up so you can keep your Kia running smoothly. Kia Service FAQs About Check-Ups There is still some debate about what the regular time and mileage frame are for getting your car serviced and your oil change, but we have some basic information for you to go off of. Remember: when in doubt, consult your vehicle's user manual. It has just about all the information you need. Of course, you can always ask us. more How Often Must I Get a Kia Service? From standard Kia vehicles to Kia hybrids, 10,000 miles is the max you should be on the road without a checkup. That, or a year -- whichever comes first. Diesel is a little bit different. In this case, it's about 20,000 miles or a year. It's always a good idea to get your Kia Service before this limit is reached. How Often Should I Check My Own Fluids? You should regularly check your antifreeze, wiper fluid, brake fluid, oil, and power steering fluid. It's relatively easy, as you can access your engine and these fluids in the front of your vehicle. If you aren't comfortable doing this yourself, consider stopping by every 3,000 to 6,000 miles to get your oil checked out. If you aren't sure, always consult your user manual. Any oil leaks need to be taken care of immediately, so schedule a Kia Service right away to fix the issue. What Kind of Kia Services Are There? Given that you probably drive on average about 1,000 miles a month, you want to start off at 3 months -- 3,000 miles. This first, basic service, includes your standard oil change, air and fuel filter inspections, fluid replacement, belts, exhaust, etc. At 6,000 miles., it's the same stuff, with the addition of car battery inspection and cable maintenance if needed. When Should I Get Tire Maintenance? On your own, you should check your tire's air pressure every few weeks. You should check it even more frequently if there was a recent seasonal or temperature change. Switching rapidly from hot to cold or vice versa can drastically decrease tire pressure, so you want to make sure you keep on that. Your tires will be rotated every time you come in for service, so typically every 3,000 to 6,000 miles. Typically, a decent set of tires lasts from 4 to 6 years. You should also request for your alignment to be checked every 6 months to a year, and more often if you've been driving on bad roads. Where Should I Get a Service for My Kia? Stop in at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills, Maryland today, where you will find everything you're looking for when it comes to your Kia in addition to a certified Kia Service Department. You can even shop for a new Kia if you're ready to upgrade.

If the odometer on your new car is telling you it's time for a Kia oil change, the experienced service pros at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills are here to help. Regularly-scheduled oil changes and maintenance are just part of the deal with any car, especially a new one. The level of service you receive during a dealership Kia oil change varies and is determined solely by the number of miles you have put on the car since the last oil change. Regularly-Scheduled Kia Oil Changes and Maintenance Every 3,750 Miles Kia Motors Corporation recommends an oil change every 3,750 miles. But at the dealership, there is more that goes into an "oil change" than just draining the old oil, adding new oil, and replacing the oil filter. At this service level, your service technician will also perform a 27-point inspection, adjust the tire pressure if needed, and top off all fluids such as washer fluid, brake fluid, power-steering fluid, transmission fluid (automatic transmissions only), and engine coolant or antifreeze. more Every 7,500 Miles Once you've driven 7,500 miles since the last service visit (or an additional 3,750 miles), the service level goes up a bit and includes inspections of different systems in your car. This service level includes replacing the oil and filter, rotating the tires, inspecting the battery, inspecting the air filter, and the addition of a fuel additive. The service tech will also do a multipoint inspection, which is the equivalent to your annual checkup or physical exam. The tech inspects the braking system, fuel system, transmission, engine belts, battery and cables, all exterior and interior lights, engine cooling system, muffler, windshield wiper blades, and more. Every 15,000 Miles The 15,000 service visit includes the usual oil change and fluid top-offs as the other service levels. However, it also includes tire rotation, replacement of the climate control air filter, and a 20-point vehicle inspection. The 20-point inspection differs slightly from the previous inspection. Some systems are not checked again, but other systems are checked, including suspension mounting bolts, A/C refrigerant, AWD propeller shaft, and drive shafts. Every 30,000 Miles The 30,000-mile Kia oil change and checkup is the final level. Along with the usual oil and filter change, you'll receive tire rotation, a new engine air cleaner and climate-control air filter, and the addition of a fuel additive. The 30-point inspection is very thorough. While some systems are rechecked yet again, other areas that have not previously been included get some attention. These include the fuel-air intake filter, parking brake inspection, exhaust pipe and muffler, and vacuum hose, along with others. Following the 30,000-mile service, the schedule starts over again at the next 3,750-mile mark. Each successive level is once again slightly more inclusive than the last. This series of regularly-scheduled maintenance visits will continue at the dealership for as long as you own your Kia. When it's time for your Kia oil change and maintenance, visit the experienced pros at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills.