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How does Electronic Stability Control work? Most newer vehicles come standard with a safety feature called Electronic Stability Control (ESC), but most people don't know what that is or how it works. Learn more about why Electronic Stability Control is a great safety feature to have! more View Our Inventory For all your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine today!

Tips for driving in construction zones Construction is prevalent throughout Wisconsin roadways in the summer months. While it can be a nuisance to have to drive through, it is important to be extra vigilant for your safety as well as the safety of others on the road. Learn some tips to help you safely navigate construction zones this summer! more Read More: What can I do with my old tires? How to drive safely through construction zones Watch for signs: There will be orange warning signs ahead of the actual construction zone. Take these seriously and be on the lookout for workers and machinery. Heed the warnings about work zone fines: Fines double in most work zones, to be especially careful about your speed and attentiveness throughout these zones. Follow the speed limit signs: In most construction zones on highways, the speed limit is reduced to 55 miles per hour. Even if you don't see workers on the road, if the posted speed limit is marked as 55 mph, that is the speed you should follow. Watch out for cones and flaggers. If you see construction workers holding flags or signs to help direct traffic, be especially careful. It is also important to watch out for cones as they are used to direct traffic around work zones. View Our New Inventory Essentially, the most important takeaway is to be hyper-vigilant and use caution when driving through construction zones. Follow all posted speed limit signs and pay attention to cones that may divert the flow of traffic around a certain lane being worked on. We hope you have a safe summer! For all of your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine today!

How to keep spiders out of your car For many people, spiders are a pesky annoyance. But when you encounter a spider in an enclosed space such as your car, it can be downright dangerous. Many people have a fear of spiders, so finding one in your car while driving can cause you to panic and potentially get into an accident. If you've ever dealt with spiders in your car, check out these tips to keep them away! more Read More: What do Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Assist do? Tips to get rid of spiders in your car Spiders like dark, warm places, making your vehicle a perfect place for them to set up camp. Follow these tips to keep them out of your car! Thoroughly clean the interior of your car. Spiders love a bit of dirt, so making sure you regularly clean out your car, including vacuuming floor mats and underneath your seats, can be helpful to deter them. Wipe down surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner. Try to do this as regularly as possible. Check your door seals and keep your windows rolled up whenever possible. Spiders can enter your car through small holes, so check the rubber seals on your car to make sure there are no holes or cracks for a spider to sneak through. Try using non-toxic spider repellants. You can find non-toxic spider repellant sprays at home improvement stores, or make your own using a combination of water and a few drops of citrus, rosemary, garlic, peppermint, or lavender essential oils. Spray the repellant along the seams of your doors and windows, as well as around the hood of your car to help deter spiders from finding their new home in your car. View Our Inventory We hope these tips help you keep your car spider-free this summer! For all of your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine!

How do Hill Start and Hill Descent Assist features work? Many new cars are offering more and more features that enhance the vehicle's safety and give you more confidence behind the wheel. Especially in vehicles that are often taken off-road, adding safety features like Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Assist can be very beneficial in helping to keep you safe. But what do these features do exactly? Let's find out! more View Our New Inventory Hill Start Assist Hill Descent Assist We hope these videos helped you get a better idea of how these features can be useful to have! For all of your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Racine today!

How to avoid distracted driving April is Distracted Driving Awareness month, and in an effort to keep you safe on the road, we want to share some tips to help you avoid driving distracted! Check them out here! more Read More: Drive safely at night! Tips to avoid distracted driving Distracted driving is becoming increasingly more common with the advancement of technology. While many new vehicles offer connectivity to help you stay connected hands-free, even these systems can lead to distracted driving. Many people don’t realize how dangerous it can be to drive while distracted – it only takes a fraction of a second for an accident to occur! Following these tips will help you avoid driving distracted. Use your phone for emergencies only. While it can be enticing to check a text message, answer a phone call, or change the music playing from your device, this is one of the biggest causes of distracted driving-related accidents. Even hands-free devices can be distracting, so save the social calls for when you are not on the road. Don't multi-task behind the wheel. In today's society, multitasking is often the only way people can be successful in their busy lives. However, eating while driving, making work or personal phone calls, checking text messages or emails can all take your attention away from the road and cause you to get into an accident. Don't drive while drowsy. When you are drowsy, you lack alertness and awareness of other vehicles, making a crash much more likely to occur. If you are drowsy or dozing off behind the wheel, pull over and take a stretch break or get some rest before you get back on the road. Limit the number of passengers inside the car. Driving with friends or pets can be just as, if not more, distracting than talking on the phone behind the wheel. Try to limit the number of passengers you bring along with you, and keep pets secured with a leash in the back seat. View Our New Inventory We hope that these tips help you stay focused on the road! For more information about distracted driving statistics and tips, check out the National Safety Council's website for Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

How Blind Spot Monitor Works Many cars these days have a variety of safety and driver assistance features that help keep you safe on the road and give you more peace of mind behind the wheel knowing your vehicle has your back. While these features are no excuse for distracted driving, they can help you watch out for your surroundings and keep you in check. Let's learn more about how your vehicle's Blind Spot Monitor System works! more View Our Inventory For all of your automotive needs, come to Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine!

Pet Travel Safety Tips Over the holidays, many people enjoy traveling when they can to visit family and celebrate the season and the end of another year. For some people, their pets become members of their family, so the thought of leaving them behind isn't an option. Check out these tips to help you travel safely with your furry friend this season! more Read More: How can I prepare my vehicle for winter? How to travel safely with pets The biggest thing to remember is that traveling can be a stressful experience for your pets, and it adds stress to you as well. Showing patience and love to your pet is important to ensure it is as enjoyable as possible for all parties. Whether you are taking a road trip or heading out on a plane, here are some tips to help you and your fur-child(ren) have a safe trip! Traveling in a car Prepare your vehicle. Ensure that your car is clean and there is nothing your pet could get into or eat that they shouldn’t. Get your pet used to traveling in the car. Take your pet for some shorter car rides to help it get used to traveling in the car to make the actual trip less stressful. Keep your pets secure. Keep your pet in a crate or carrier that they can sit, stand, turn around and lay down in. Secure the crate to the car seats so it doesn’t slide around as you accelerate and brake. Pack a pet travel kit. Include items like food, a leash, plastic bags for waste, any necessary travel documents (such as your pet's rabies vaccination record if you are traveling across state lines), toys, a bed or blanket, and plenty of water. Don't leave your pet alone in the car. Your car can reach extreme temperatures that can be unsafe for your pet if left alone too long, so always bring your pet in with you when possible, or at the very least strictly limit the amount of time your pet is in the car. Traveling by plane Book a direct flight. This will avoid the risk of your pet being left on the tarmac or jostled around by baggage personnel when you switch flights. Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up-to-date. This protects you and your furry friend in the event of an incident. You can also use the appointment to get tips from your vet on how to relax your pet for the flight. Get a sturdy crate. A USDA-approved crate will be the safest option for your pet, especially if it is riding as cargo. The crate should be big enough for your pet to be able to stand, turn around and lay down in. Identify the crate. Put the words "live animal" on the outside of the crate for airline personnel to see, and include your name and contact information as well so that you can be reached if necessary. Tell every airline employee you cross that you are traveling with your pet. They can assist in the event of plane delays and be ready if any additional considerations are necessary. View Our Inventory Here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine, we hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday season with your furry family members!

How to prepare your vehicle for winter 2017 Winter is right around the corner here in Wisconsin, and it can be brutal. Freezing temps, snowstorms and ice are all pretty normal occurrences for the state. While you mentally prepare yourself for it, preparing your vehicle is a good idea too, so that you are ready for all of the unpredictability of the season. Following these tips below will help you to be ready to take on winter in Wisconsin! more You May Also Like: Come to Palmen of Racine for your new tires! Tips to prepare your car for winter Getting regular maintenance on your vehicle is always a good idea to ensure its longevity, but it is especially important going into the winter! The last thing you want is to break down on the road when its below zero out. Make sure that you are getting an oil change when you need it, and check your car battery. If your battery is over three years old, it should be checked to make sure it can still hold a charge. If not, think about getting it replaced to avoid needing a jump-start in the inclement weather. Winter brings many days of snow, and your windshield wipers tend to get a lot more use during these months. Check your wiper blades to make sure they are in decent shape, and invest in new ones if your wipers affect your visibility at all during snow or rain. Also be sure to top off your windshield wiper fluid and check your defroster from the inside to ensure you can keep your windshield clear. Your tires are an integral part of your vehicle, especially in winter! Making sure they are properly inflated to whatever recommended PSI your vehicle manufacturer lists will help you keep the best traction possible on slippery roads. Check the tire tread depth as well to make sure your vehicle still has grip. If you are nervous about your tires or feel like they are worn down, consider switching out your tires for snow tires to help you get the best traction on the roads. We hope these tips help you get your vehicle in the best shape possible before the bitter cold sets in. If you are in need of vehicle maintenance, or just want to get your vehicle checked out before winter, you can make a service appointment online! For all of your automotive needs, choose Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine.

An overheating engine might make you panic and dread the cost of expensive repairs, but often times, hot weather is just a little overwhelming for an engine. It might not be an expensive fix at all! If you are noticing that your engine is overheating as we head into the summer months, here's what you can do to lower the engine temperature and get yourself home safe and sound. more Read More: Free Service Coupons for Palmen of Racine What To Do When Hot Weather Overheats Your Engine Signs of Overheating Engine: Dashboard indicator starts to rise Engine malfunction indication light Steam or water vapor coming out of your hood An unusual smell coming from the engine What to do when engine starts to overheat: Immediately turn off the A/C and open all the windows Turn on the heater and blower – this pulls heat from the engine Try not to ride the brakes – in traffic this means only moving when the gap gets too big to sit still If possible, pull over and turn off the car. Open the hood for a while and let things cool down. Non-Weather-Related Reasons for an Overheating Engine If the weather isn't particularly warm or you aren't in stop-and-go traffic, there might be another reason that you are experiencing an overheating engine. If you have a low water or coolant level, your engine isn't able to keep its temperature under control. Try to ensure these liquids are always at the correct level. Read More: Which Part of My Car Is Leaking? How to Diagnose Leaks and Puddles! Another potential issue could be a leak in the cooling system. If you are constantly having to refill your engine coolant, it might be time to bring your vehicle in to the shop and have things patched up.

Despite all the recent changes in automotive safety and convenience technology, there's quite a few of us on the road whose car doesn't alert them to cars in the blind spot when making a lane change. We're here to give you a tip to adjust your side mirrors to basically eliminate your blind spot, and it won't cost the price of new technology features. more How to Minimize Blind Spots With Your Side Mirrors Before the release of modern blind spot monitoring systems, we all craned our necks to peek for a car in the blind spot before switching lanes. However, getting rid of those blind spots and saving your neck comes down to simply adjusting your side mirrors to coordinate with your rear view mirror and to give you a wider viewing area. Read More: 5 Places to Check for Pothole Damage This Spring Move your mirrors so that they are angled much farther out, starting their area of view right around where the rear view mirror's ends. With them angled out like this, you won't be able to see the side or back end of your vehicle in the side mirrors, so it can be tough to get used to. However, it should allow you to see whether there is a vehicle in your blind spot without having to turn your head around to look. Next time you are frustrated with the lack of high-tech features doing the job for you, give the adjustment a chance and see if it saves you some neck pain while you're on the road. Need a New Side View Mirror in Racine WI? If you got into an accident or clipped your garage as you backed out, you may have broken your side view mirror. If you are in need of a new side mirror, give us a call. Our service team would be happy to order the part you need and ensure that it is installed properly when it arrives.

It’s that time of year again. Our dirt and gravel driveways are clearing of snow and ice, but are left with pits and holes that can do some serious damage to your vehicle. Instead of stressing out every day as you pull into the driveway, patch up those potholes and keep your suspension and alignment in good shape. Read on for 3 steps to filling gravel driveway potholes! more Read More: Service Related Tips and Tricks Fixing Deep Pits in Gravel Driveway Step 1: Clear the Hole You'll need a tamper, some coarse gravel, gravel that matches the driveway surface, and a shovel. Before you start to patch things up, you'll want to make sure you get all the loose soil and any rocks or debris out of the hole. If you have to, dig down and out a bit till you have firm walls all around the pit. This will make the patch more effective. Step 2: Fill the Hole Fill the hole to a depth of around 3 inches below the driveway with coarse gravel. Then you'll want to pack the hole with a homemade tamper. Fill the last 3 inches of the hole with gravel that matches the rest of the driveway surface. If your driveway is made from dirt, you should fill the hole with dirt a couple inches above the surface of the driveway, watered, and then packed down as firmly as possible. Step 3: Pat Everything Down Finally, you'll just want to make sure to really pack the patch. The easiest way to accomplish this is simply to drive your vehicle over it several times. The best way to keep potholes from showing up is to make note of drainage issues on your dirt or gravel driveway. It's easiest to accomplish this by having the center of the driveway as the highest point, with a slope slightly downwards on each side. Schedule Wheel Alignment and Rotation Racine WI If the potholes have been causing you some issues, it's a great time to get your wheels aligned and your tires rotated. Check out the service center coupons page for potential savings and then schedule your service center appointment online!

When you buy a Ram 1500, you know you've got a truck that can handle whatever the road throws your way, but you might need a hand getting your trailer set up and ready to go. It's important to follow all the correct steps when connecting a trailer to your truck, as an incorrectly connected trailer is unsafe for you and the drivers around you. Follow these easy steps to get your Ram 1500 hooked up and on the road quickly and safely. more Connect 2017 Ram 1500 Trailer to Hitch There are different kinds of hitches, but the most common one is a receiver hitch. For help with connecting a gooseneck hitch or a fifth-wheel hitch, check out this site. Step 1: Line up the center of your vehicle and the trailer, and then raise your trailer tongue ball socket or coupler high enough to clear the ball. Back your vehicle up until it's over the ball, or pull the trailer forward until it's over the hitch. Set the emergency brake and turn your vehicle off once things are lined up. Step 2: Once everything is lined up, you can lower the coupler socket down onto the trailer hitch ball until all the weight is resting on it. Then close the clamp and lock the coupler on the ball using the hitch pin or coupler lock. Secure the safety chains (making sure they are crossed!) to keep the front of the trailer from hitting the ground if accidentally comes loose while driving. Step 3: Plug in the electrical connections so that your brake lights are visible to the vehicle behind you, and double check the hitch ball and trailer to ensure it does not come apart while you drive. Pull up or retract the trailer's jack/extension so that it does not touch the ground while you drive. Step 4: Drive forward a few feet and then walk back to check and make sure everything looks secure and your lights are working. That's it! Be sure to drive carefully, and be aware of your trailer at all times. 2017 Ram 1500 Pickup For Sale Racine WI If you are in need of a tough, rugged pickup and the Ram 1500 looks like your perfect fit, schedule your test drive appointment at Palmen in Racine. Check out the trucks we have in our inventory. We have a variety of models and options to fit your budget and performance needs.