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Now that everything is thawing out from winter, there will be plenty of road construction to repair damage from plows and wether conditions.  For your vehicle, it may be too late.  Read through these warnings from Toyota of Dothan of the signs that your car has sustained pothole damage. Low Tire Pressure It is important that your tires maintain the correct amount of pressure in them.  Otherwise you are at risk for a blow out, and your vehicle will not run as efficiently as it should.  Check the pressure routinely.  If they are low, loo for signs of damage like rusty rims, blisters or bulges on the sides. Bad Alignment Hitting too many potholes can throw your car's alignment completely out of whack.  If your vehicle is puling more to one side when you want to go straight, it needs to be fixed.  Take it to a mechanic so your tires wear properly and your vehicle handles safely. Bottoming Out If you hit a bump and you hear a loud noise, where your vehicle has bottomed out, there likely a problem with your struts or shocks.  These are the things that cushion your car so that it doesn't bounce around on the road.  Potholes can wear them down, making your car unstable. Undercarriage Damage after hitting a pothole there can be damage done under your car.  Common problems are leaks and holes in the pipes beneath your car.  Check it for yourself every so often.  If you hit a large hole or several holes and don't see anything, take it a mechanic to be inspected just in case.

When you drive, you have a responsibility to every other person on the road to drive safely. Being alert at all times will help you to stay on the right side of the law and prevent accidents. Unfortunately drivers are often very distracted when behind the wheel of their Toyota due to the many distractions in the world today.   Being an alert, safe driver is certainly beneficial to your health and welfare but it can also be beneficial to your wallet. Driving carefully will help you avoid the accidents that can trigger legal problems and the loss of your vehicle. It can help you avoid the costly traffic fines when stopped for violations.   Additionally being a vigilant driver will help ensure your vehicle stays in good, safe shape. When you drive distracted or recklessly, your vehicle suffers. You’ll spend more money on wasted gasoline and you’ll have to replace expensive car parts more often such as all four of your tires. These costs can add up quickly for the extra repairs and maintenance. If you neglect these basic repairs, you’ll end up paying even more.   Start out with a vehicle safety check and engine tune-up at our Enterprise area Toyota service center if it has been some time since your last appointment. We’ll evaluate your entire vehicle to ensure it is in great running shape. The rest will be up to you to ensure you drive carefully and follow the laws of the road at all times.

The elements of the outdoors and the time you spend in your new or pre-owned Toyota can do a number on the interior look and smell of your vehicle. Tracking in dirt, spilling drinks, and other common accidents that happen inside your vehicle can produce bad smells, mold, and even cause rust to develop.   While it is important to regularly vacuum the interior of your vehicle to remove dirt, rocks, and other debris to protect your carpets, it is just as important that you schedule a deep cleaning service at our Toyota service center in Dothan, AL. Our professional service technicians have the professional grade equipment to get your carpeting and upholstery deep down clean and restore it to like new condition.   If you do not properly clean up spilled sodas and water bottles and allow the carpet to dry thoroughly, you run the risk of having mold grow underneath the carpeting. Acidic drinks like juice and sodas can even lead to the rusting out of the metal under the carpeting. To avoid this major damage and high repair costs, our deep cleaning interior service will remove the tough stains and help protect your fabric for the future.   Depending on how much time you spend in your vehicle, you may need a detailing service more often than other drivers. But if you have never detailed your vehicle before, schedule an appointment with our service center today. We can remove the stains and smells that are making your every drive unpleasant. We can recommend a good cleaning schedule to keep your Toyota in great shape for many more years to come.

When you finally get through your annual home spring cleaning, keep it going and head right out to your car!  The spring and summer months are also a great time to give your car some attention and help it look better as well as improve its resale value with spring cleaning.   Toyota of Dothan offers the following advice for cleaning out your car: Remove Clutter: if there are takeout bags or candy wrappers in the car, get them into the trash.  Remove anything that doesn’t need to be kept in the car to reduce clutter. Vacuum: drag your home vacuum outside or visit the local car wash to use their commercial vacuums.  Vacuum the entire interior of your car, including your floors, seats, car mats, and trunk. Steam Clean: if your seats or floors are stained, use a steam cleaner to remove set-in stains. Buy New Car Mats: if the floor mats in your car are too dirty to clean up nicely, throw them out and get a new set.  The few dollars you spend will really help your car look better. Wipe Down Surfaces: use a dashboard cleaner and wipe all of the dirt and dust from the dashboard and vinyl surfaces inside your car. Wash Windows: clean the inside and outside of all car windows and windshields. Wash and Wax the Car: give your car a complete bath, being careful to hand dry it after it’s clean to avoid spots from letting the car air dry.  Finish the process with a quality car wax to help keep it clean and protect the paint from scratches.

If you have been involved in a minor collision whether it was with an object or another driver, it is important to have the damage repaired as soon as possible to prevent additional damage from occurring. We advise vehicle owners to contact our Toyota of Dothan service center and have repairs fixed while still small to save money and to protect the integrity of their vehicles.   Fender benders may seem innocent enough. Small scratches or dents may be the only visible damage after impact is made. However, damage that is unseen can pose potential problems later on such as cracks major engine components or system parts that have been knocked loose. It is important to have our certified Toyota technicians at our Toyota service center in Dothan evaluate the damage you see and check for the damage you can’t see.   If you neglect fixing the light damage to your vehicle in an effort to save money, you could end up paying even more down the road if damage increases. Our Toyota service center carries a large inventory of replacement parts and accessories that meet the Toyota standards. Our team is also very knowledgeable in the Toyota brand so we’ll ensure the work is done right the first time and your vehicle is restored to like-new condition.   If your vehicle has sustained any type of damage in a fender bender, it is wise to refrain from driving it until after an inspection has been completed to prevent roadside breakdowns or additional accidents from occurring. Call our service center team and we’ll schedule your appointment.

If you do not get regular service appointments for Toyota of Dothan, you may be at risk for being stopped by law enforcement for infractions. These stops can result in a ticket that will cost you more money than many of the basic maintenance and repairs your Toyota may need.   Here are some issues that could result in your getting a traffic ticket after police stop you: Missing Lights If any of your lights including the headlights, brake lights, back lights, and lights illuminating the license plate of your vehicle are not working, a police officer may issue you a ticket. This also can include non-working turn signals. Illegal Accessories There are some vehicle accessories that are not permitted by law. If you modify your vehicle in some manner with aftermarket parts, you could be cited by law enforcement. Missing Parts If your vehicle is missing necessary parts like seat belts, rearview mirrors, or side mirrors, you could receive a traffic ticket for driving unsafely. This can also include situations where parts may become loose on your vehicle like your exhaust pipes.   To prevent such tickets from costing you your hard-earned money, make sure to schedule regular maintenance and repair appointments at our Toyota service center in Alabama. We can inspect all systems and parts of your vehicle to ensure everything is roadworthy. We can also set up a regular schedule for tune-ups and maintenance to ensure your vehicle is safe and reliable for your transportation needs.

Many of our new and pre-owned Toyota models offer convenient spaces to keep your valuables and store your belongings. Traditionally, the glove compartment on the front dash area is used as a carry-all for your paperwork, tissues, or portable GPS, leaving it unorganized and overfull.   In the event you are stopped during a traffic violation, the first thing the police officer will ask for is your license and vehicle registration. If you have to wade through a bunch of your junk or can’t find the paperwork being requested, you could potentially face more fines for being unprepared.   Our Toyota dealership in Dothan offers some helpful tips to stay organized and out of trouble. We recommend keeping only the owner’s manual of your vehicle and the important paperwork in your glove compartment. All other things should be kept in different storage areas.   The important paperwork can be stored in an envelope or a plastic storage bag so you can easily access it. If you just throw your registration paperwork and insurance information in the compartment, you may not be able to find it when necessary. The storage bag also makes it easy to keep track of what documents need updating.   Designate other storage compartments in your vehicle to hold your CDs, your chargers, and even your gloves to stay better organized. Be sure to have one compartment ready to hide your valuables when exiting the vehicle to help prevent vehicle break-ins or other vandalism.

The windshield of your vehicle is very important to your driving safety. Even smudges and dirt can make it dangerous to drive on the road because it reduces your visibility. If you’ve ever driven with a dirty windshield in direct sun you already know what a driving hazard it can be and how distracting it is when trying to focus on the road. Our Toyota service center recommends regular windshield maintenance for your safety and the safety of your passengers.   Windshields need to be cleaned on a regular basis inside and out. A quality glass cleaner and a lint free cloth are necessary. A good tip for clean windows is to clean the outside in a north-south direction while cleaning the inside in an east-west direction. If there are any streaks, you’ll know which side of the windshield needs follow up work.   A professional cleaning at our Enterprise area Toyota service center is recommended on a routine basis to remove the tough grime like cigarette smoke to get windows clean. Our dealership can also inspect the condition of your windshield wipers to ensure they are able to tackle the weather conditions effectively. We can also make sure the fluid reserve is full.   If your windshield has nicks, cracks, or other damage we can repair the glass if issues are minor or we can replace the entire windshield to ensure you are safe. Windshield damage is not something you should neglect. Cracks can grow more serious and your windshield may not be able to protect you as it should if compromised. Let us inspect damage as soon as it occurs to protect the integrity of your Toyota.

With tax time approaching, you should be starting to organize your information to ensure you are getting the right deductions and tax breaks for the year. Some tax deductions may be related to the upkeep and maintenance of your new or pre-owned Toyota. Ideally every vehicle owner should consult with their tax professional or accountant before claiming car-related expenses. Every situation is different so seek professional tax advice from someone in the know. Our dealership just wants to remind you of some vehicle-related expenses you may have forgotten. Business- Related Deductions Most auto related deductions are related to business use. Some drivers use their Toyota for part-time business reasons while others have purchased their Toyota exclusively for business. Check with your accountant about deducting the cost of the vehicle purchase as relate to your business.   You may also be able to deduct mileage put on the vehicle to get to appointments, make deliveries, or conduct other business. You may also be able to deduct auto-related expenses for tire replacement, oil changes, engine tune-ups, or repairs.   It is recommended that you keep the receipts and related paperwork in one folder for easy access at tax time. Also, remember that our Toyota service center in Alabama keeps records of all services rendered to make it easy to retrieve lost invoices and payment receipts. Let us know if you need tax documents pertaining to your vehicle upkeep and we’ll be happy to help. It is just one of the many perks of relying on dealership servicing and repair to keep your vehicle up to the high standards of Toyota.

Your new or used  Toyota is built to be safe and is likely equipped with several airbags throughout the cabin. Airbags can be an effective tool for reducing injuries and fatalities during an accident. Airbags can prevent the driver and passengers from hitting the windshield or being ejected from the vehicle.   Vehicles with airbags are equipped with alert lights that can indicate a problem with the system. In the event the airbag warning light activates, it is important that the vehicle be brought to our Dothan Toyota service center for a full evaluation. Our trained and certified technicians can ensure the equipment is working properly.   When the airbag indicator light comes on, it is very possible that the system as a whole is not working properly. One or more of the airbags in the cabin may no longer be activated properly. This could mean the airbag will not deploy as it should during an accident.   If the airbag alert lights up, it is important that you schedule a service appointment as soon as possible. Our technicians have the proper equipment to check the condition of the airbag system and make any necessary repairs to ensure your safety. We can also diagnose general check engine light alerts that may appear. Whatever kind of alert you receive, make sure not to delay in getting your vehicle the service attention it needs.   Let our service center staff know what we can do to improve your diving experience. We specialize in the Toyota brand and have the necessary replacement parts and other accessories in stock to keep your vehicle in top-notch condition for many years to come.

At Toyota of Dothan, we want all of our customers to be safe on the roads at all times but especially around the holidays. Many families hit the road to visit friends and relatives during the holidays so the highways are more congested and the risks are increased.   In order to be safe on the roads, here are a few tips to follow: Prep Your Car Ahead of Time When you are planning to drive during the holidays, schedule a basic maintenance service several days ahead of time. Our Dothan Toyota service technicians can inspect your engine and other parts to ensure they are in working order to prevent breakdown during your drive. Drive Cautiously Everyone on the road is likely in a hurry to get where they are going. If you have time schedules to keep, make sure to leave enough time in your travel plans so you don’t have to speed or drive recklessly to reach your destination. Have Supplies If you are going to be traveling out of the area, bring supplies with you in the event something does go wrong. Have a cell phone charger, a few bottles of water, road flares, a first aid kit, and a flashlight in your vehicle for emergencies. Don’t Drive When Compromised When traveling to visit during the holidays, make sure to get plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel. Driving tired can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. If you plan to drink at holiday parties, don’t drive. Enlist a designated driver to make sure you arrive home safely.

There are several alert lights on your Toyota that are meant to warn you ahead of time that something in the engine is not properly functioning. One such alert includes the oil pressure light. It is important to understand what the alert means and what to do if it is activated.   The oil pressure light often is in the shape of an oil can when illuminated. The alert indicates that the oil pressure in your engine has declined. This could be due to a leak in the engine or some other serious engine problem. Unfortunately, some drivers identify this as a reminder to add oil to the engine.   The reality is that if the engine oil pressure drops, you need to pull over as soon as possible and shut off the engine completely. Continuing to drive the vehicle with engine issues of this nature will likely leave your vehicle badly damaged. Instead, it is in the best interest of your vehicle that you contact our Troy area Toyota service center for assistance. You’ll need a tow to our department.   Our certified Toyota technicians have the training and experience necessary to diagnose the problem and make the necessary repairs to keep your engine safe. We can analyze the problem and let you know what needs to be done to keep your Toyota on the road in good form. We can also perform the regular oil change services necessary to ensure your engine is protected and that there are no visible signs of damage or leaks that would lead to the loss of oil pressure.