You may not be familiar with all of the items on AFS Service’s menu board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed. Remember, the board is there for reference; speak to your AFS Service Service Adviser about other possible needs or services.

AFS Service Fuel System Cleaning: Over time, the fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning at AFS Service gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas as you drive around Hortonville and on Appleton freeways, by the way.

AFS Service Headlamp Replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. When one burns out, replace both so they’ll have the same brightness. Also, if your headlamp lenses are yellowed or cloudy, you can have them professionally restored to like new-condition. As your courteous AFS Service advisor for information.

AFS Service Inspections: Hortonville drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they’re going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle’s ready for summer or winter in Hortonville. Maybe they just bought a used car and want to give it the once over. An inspection at AFS Service may reveal some things that are broken or are getting close to having a problem.

AFS Service Oil Change Service – there are several options: Some Hortonville auto service centers offer just an oil change and new filter as an option. Most will also check and top off all of your other fluids and do a quick visual inspection with a full service oil change. There may also be options for higher mileage fluids or an upgrade to synthetic oil.

AFS Service PCV Valve Service: PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve. It’s a little part that releases pressure from the engine. It can get gummed up and that can lead to engine damage. Just needs to be changed now and then.

AFS Service Power Steering Service: Often overlooked. Your AFS Service technician will evacuate the old fluid, clean out the system and replace it with clean fluid. Keeps the system running well for a long time.

AFS Service Serpentine Belt Replacement: That’s the belt that powers the engine’s accessories like the alternator, air conditioner, power steering and brakes. You’ll want to replace the serpentine belt at AFS Service before it breaks or wears down too much, because that’ll lead to other problems.

AFS Service Shocks and Struts Replacement: This starts with an inspection of the suspension components. Shocks last a long time and wear out slowly, so many Hortonville motorists don’t notice when it’s time to change them. If they’re worn or leaking, they need to be replaced.

AFS Service Transmission Service: This involves removing the transmission fluid and replacing it with clean fluid. It’s like an oil change for your transmission.

AFS Service Tire Rotation and Wheel Balancing: The tires are rotated from front to back using the recommended rotation pattern. This helps tires wear more evenly. Wheels need to be balanced from time to time to keep them turning without any wobble or bounce. Helps the ride and saves tire wear as you drive around Hortonville.

Give us a call

AFS Service
920.779.4199
330 E Main St
Hortonville, WI 54944

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

A lot of Greenville drivers get custom wheels. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes, once they’re mounted, they just didn’t fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don’t want that.

Consulting a tire professional at AFS Service can ensure you get the right fit. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your driving needs in Greenville and what you want in your new wheels.

At AFS Service, we advise Greenville tire buyers that not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.

If you don’t want to make any modifications to your midside sedan, you need to focus on the wheels that fit. With trucks, some Greenville people like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most Greenville people don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – that’s, like the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The midside sedan’s computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong speed. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your midside sedan’s engine control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size. For information on reprogramming the engine computer, call us at 920.779.4199.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in Greenville. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your AFS Service tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and select the right tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Your midside sedan cooling system’s job is to keep your engine cool. Coolant (also called antifreeze) mixed with water flows through your engine and absorbs heat. The mixture then flows out to the radiator where it’s cooled by air flowing over the radiator. From there the cooled mix circulates back through the midside sedan engine to absorb more heat.

Coolant, or antifreeze, is specially formulated to keep your engine safe in a wide range of environmental and operating temperatures in Hortonville.

Without coolant, the midside sedan’s metal engine parts would expand so much that the engine would seize up and stop running.  Expensive parts could be broken or warp so badly they would have to be replaced at AFS Service in Hortonville. It could even be so bad that the whole engine is ruined and has to be replaced.

Also, if it’s freezing outside in Hortonville, the water in your engine could freeze while your vehicle is sitting out in the WI cold. This is why you check coolant levels frequently and have your cooling system inspected for leaks. Also your manufacturer has a maintenance requirement for draining and replacing your coolant. These recommendations can vary widely, so check your Hortonville owner’s manual or ask your service advisor at AFS Service in Hortonville.

The reason you need to change the coolant is that it has additives in it to protect the cooling system. As you can imagine, with all the heat, the cooling system’s a pretty harsh environment. The additives keep the fluid from becoming corrosive and damaging the radiator and other Hortonville cooling system components. Over time, the additives are depleted and the coolant just has to be replaced. A simple pH test can measure the coolant’s acidity.

You may have noticed that there are different colors of antifreeze at AFS Service: it is very important that you use the correct type.  The different coolant types are different colors so you don’t mix them up.  Manufacturers use different materials to make the cooling system, and they require different types of antifreeze to protect them.

So check with your courteous AFS Service service advisor or owner’s manual for the right kind because using the wrong coolant can void the warranty for your midside sedan cooling system.

Ask us about Ford sales and service, alignment and suspension service and timing belts.

Give us a call

AFS Service
920.779.4199
330 E Main St
Hortonville, WI 54944

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Hortonville midside sedan owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold midside sedan engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Hortonville, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the midside sedan engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Hortonville, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at AFS Service if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Hortonville, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Hortonville shows up with the increased demands on the midside sedan battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the midside sedan security system, the remote start system, even the power the midside sedan computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Hortonville. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the midside sedan engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your courteous AFS Service service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Hortonville motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at AFS Service so you know what you’re getting. At AFS Service, we have been providing quality auto service in Hortonville for 26 years.

Give us a call

AFS Service
330 E Main St
Hortonville, WI 54944

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Most Hortonville area car owners don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your midside sedan air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly in Appleton.

Air conditioning service at AFS Service in Hortonville starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it’s inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your AFS Service service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired and the midside sedan system is retested. Your AFS Service technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

How often this should be done at AFS Service varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your midside sedan owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s recommendation and, of course, your courteous AFS Service service advisor can tell you. It’s typically every two years.

Give us a call

AFS Service
330 E Main St
Hortonville, WI 54944

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Appleton. At AFS Service, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Appleton
• You drive in very hot WI weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your midside sedan

Most Appleton drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your midside sedan?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your AFS Service advisor can help you with your decision.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the midside sedan engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your midside sedan. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Appleton car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at AFS Service. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Appleton drivers don’t know about it.

Check your midside sedan owner’s manual or ask your AFS Service advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Even when we go into the doctor for a medical problem, we’re paying her to diagnose our ailment and of course for the tests that go along with it. So receiving a diagnostic charge for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise.

Automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your brakes, a quick visual check is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your engine, diagnosis may be much more involved.

Some think that when the check engine light comes on, the engine computer tells the technician exactly what the problem is. The reality is much different. The trouble code just tells your Hortonville technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what’s causing it. Your Hortonville technician at AFS Service needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the symptom.

As you can imagine, some automotive diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved and difficult. Of course, we at AFS Service want to figure out what’s wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Your midside sedan’s so important to your life in Hortonville: when it breaks down, you need it back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time. If you’ve ever check into some of the training technicians at AFS Service receive, you may be surprised at how much knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car in Hortonville.

Our engines are more and more powerful, fuel efficient and reliable. This is all due to engineering. But the advances come at the price of simplicity. Modern cars in Hortonville are so much more complex from a mechanical and electronics standpoint that it makes your head spin. Vehicles have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle functions as well. Hortonville motorists take all of this sophistication for granted – but somebody has to fix it when it breaks.

It requires a high level of commitment on the part of the technician and AFS Service as well. In addition to the training, there’s the financial commitment by AFS Service to purchase the diagnostic and repair tools as well.

The ability to repair your midside sedan requires a strong combination of training and resources. So try to relax next time you bring your vehicle in to AFS Service. You’re in good hands.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Hortonville conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That’s called hydroplaning. At AFS Service we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Hortonville roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Hortonville drivers to replace the tires on their midside sedans when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from WI freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Hortonville car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.