Our Houston, TX Honda Blog

At one time, the amount of weight carrying capacity of your vehicle was not much of an issue. However, after many accidents and injuries, the government stepped into the fray by issuing regulations on how you get your information about the weight you are carrying. The legislation was enacted to make it easier for you to know your weight carrying limitations.

Since September of 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has used its authority to require that all car manufacturers inform the customer of the weight carrying a restriction on the doorjamb on the tire...

The last thing anyone wants when they purchase a new car is to get it dirty or stained. While it can be possible to take precautions that protect the car's interior from damage or dirt, it is very difficult to keep your car's floor clean when getting in and out. After-market floor mats, both all-weather and carpet, can help greatly in keeping your car's floor clean.

All-weather floor mats are a great option if you happen to work in a job that often causes your footwear to become dirty or you wear heavy boots that could wear…

You may have heard of these terms before but not paid a lot of attention to them: rear-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive. If you are unfamiliar with what these terms mean as to performance, then you may not know which type is best for you.

Front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicles are less expensive for consumers because the manufacturing process is less expensive. They are also more fuel-efficient because they weigh less. An FWD vehicle has good traction in hazardous driving conditions on the road due to poor weather, such as rain or snow.

When you're thinking about purchasing a new or certified used vehicle, you may want to research powertrain and bumper-to-bumper warranties. Having a working knowledge of them is as important as recognizing the type of vehicle you want.

All of the inner parts that are responsible for the vehicle's movement are covered by the powertrain warranty. Some of the parts that include are the drivetrain, engine, and transmission, for instance. There are items that are excluded, however, as normal-wear parts. The clutch and fluids are examples of this category.

As part of routine maintenance for your vehicle, your tires should be monitored regularly to make sure that they have the appropriate amount of air in them, they have a good amount of tread on them and they are wearing down evenly. If your tires are in good shape and all of a sudden you notice that your tire pressure light has illuminated on your dashboard, something is going on that warrants a quick check.

In addition to common problems like your tires needing air, there are some other issues that could be occurring. 

The Honda service professionals here at Gillman Honda of Houston understand that no one likes hearing that dreaded click indicating the car battery is dead. Unless you know how to do it, you could damage the electrical system of your vehicle attempting to jump start it. These tips can help.

1. Check to make sure the battery cables are fitting tightly. If not, maybe tightening them will get the car to start again.
2. If jump starting the vehicle is the only answer, make sure you have access to a vehicle with a charged battery and some jumper cables. 

The timing belt is an integral part of an internal combustion engine. It is also called a timing chain or cambelt. The timing belt is responsible for synchronizing the rotation of the camshaft with the crankshaft.

The purpose behind a timing belt is to ensure that an engine's valves operate in a proper manner. The timing belt operates to open and close valves with each cylinder's intake and exhaust. As a general rule, a timing belt is what commonly is described as a toothed belt. In other words, it is a type of drive belt with teeth located…

Motor oil is the lifeblood of any engine. It keeps all the moving parts from grinding against each other and causing irreparable damage. When you buy motor oil for a car, you might notice a variety of viscosity ratings like 0W-20 or 10W-40. What does that mean?

One of the difficulties with motor oil is the wide temperature range engines start and operate at. In cold weather, motor oil needs to be thin enough to allow the engine to start. At high operating temperatures, the oil needs to be thick enough to provide lubrication. The two numbers in viscosity ratings…

Brakes are among the most important safety components of your car. Making sure that your brakes stay in top working order at all times is one of the best ways to ensure the safety of you and your occupants.

Although modern cars' braking systems are designed to last many times longer than systems of just a few decades ago, it is still crucial to stay on top of maintenance. While there are no set rules as to how often brake pads, calipers and rotors should be replaced; it is generally wise to have your brakes checked out at least once…

People that are tired of having to spend their day off getting their oil changed will be happy to know that vehicles that have been built within the past couple of decades can go anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 miles without needing an oil change. The technology of oil has advanced to a point to where formulated blends of oil can resist thermal breakdown that normally occurred to older oils. These oils can stay resilient for a great deal longer in normal driving conditions...