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You find yourself driving down a road only to notice that as you speed up, your Jeep starts to shake violently. It's hard to control the vehicle and you are worried for your life. You slow down only to find that the shaking stops. This is why we are here today to talk about how to solve the Jeep Death wobble and why it happens. more The Death Wobble sounds a lot more exciting than it is. When the suspension system is not balanced correctly, the vehicle will shift from side to side, making the wheels wobble. At higher speeds this becomes more apparent and can be dangerous. It's important to get it fixed. READ MORE: Girls Dance to Big Sean in a Dodge Challenger What causes the suspension to become unbalanced? This, unfortunately is just something that can happen to certain vehicles. Because of the way Jeep Cherokees and Jeep Wranglers are built, their suspension is susceptible to the death wobble and eventually may require a new steering stabilizer. What parts affect the death wobble? It's a common problem but can have multiple answers depending on the vehicle. The death wobble can be associated with: * wheels that aren't aligned properly --> easy to fix! * Unbalanced tires --> also easy to have checked out! * Worn ball joints * steering stabilizing bar READ MORE: Does My Car Use Struts or Shocks? We hope that you never experience the death wobble, but should it happen to be a problem in the future, it's important to bring it in to a trusted service department. Be sure to check for service center coupons before coming in to see if you can save money on maintenance or checking certain parts of the vehicle.

How Do you Fix Flood Damage in the Car? Flooding is a harsh reality for many who live in places that receive heavy rain during the spring and summer. With the rain comes potential for flooding, and if your car gets stuck in the middle of it, it can result in extensive damage. So how do you fix flood damage in the car? We'll give you some starting tips and tricks to get the clean-up process going! more There are a few important things to remember before trying to clean up your flooded vehicle. When in doubt, have it towed to a trusted service center. Do not start the engine unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure that there is no water in any part of it. Contact your insurance company before doing anything to make sure you understand what is covered and what they need you to do. READ MORE: Does My Use Struts or Shocks? Now that you've taken care of the basics, you should try these next steps to minimize any damage. Find out how much water your car was in: Usually the water will leave a line along the side of the vehicle if it reached above the tires. If it was below the doors, your car is most likely okay. Any higher and you are looking at some work ahead. Try and soak up some water: Despite the fact that the mold will grow quickly, you might be able to keep it at bay by pulling out all the floor mats and other removable fabric. If the water reached the upholstery, there's a good chance you'll have to replace it to avoid mold. Check all the fluids: This means the oil, transmission, brake, power steering, fuel... all of them. Any water contamination can mean serious damage without being flushed first. If there is water in any of these fluids, it's important to bring it to a service center, pronto! READ MORE: Why Does My Manual Suggest Premium Fuel? Even if your vehicle passes most of these tests and you work to repair damage, there's a high likelihood that the vehicle will experience issues related to the flood down the road. This might mean months, weeks, or even years. It might make sense in some situations to have the vehicle totaled and to find a new one! We hope that these tips help to get you out of a messy situation easily and affordably. Nobody likes the hassle of a flooded car, but when it happens, your friendly team at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine is here to help! Give us a call and we'll make sure we get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

how to stop a dog that pees in the car Do you find that your furry friend likes to relieve themselves inside your vehicle? That can be a real mess, and can make travelling with your dog a real struggle. Not everyone enjoys trips in the car, but there are some ways to discourage your dog from urinating while you are driving. We’ll give you our best tips for those who want to know how to stop a dog that pees in the car. So your canine friend can’t seem to control himself when you are on the road. There are a few things you should check before assuming it’s a behavioral problem, and then a few things you can do once you’ve ruled out medical problems. Does your dog have a urinary tract infection? UTI’s are very common reasons for dogs who seem to pee all over the place. If your car is the only place this is occurring, then it’s safe to start thinking about it being a behavioral problem. The first thing you want to do is to clean the area where “accidents” have occurred in the past. If the dog can smell that they’ve urinated in a spot previously, they are more likely to do it again. Generally, urinating in the car is a sign of anxiety, excitement, or territorial marking. So doing your best to remain calm before and during a car ride can be helpful. Avoid getting the dog worked up by saying things like “wanna go for a car ride?” It also might help to get a crate for travelling. Make sure it’s the right size for your dog, but you want it to be snug enough that the dog can’t pee in one corner and be comfortable sitting away from it in another corner. Just enough space to lay down and sit up. Sometimes it can help to give your dog a distraction during car rides. Examples are things for them to chew on to keep them occupied. Practice with shorter trips and slowly see if you can work up to longer ones without any urination problems. If the peeing is a territorial problem, it can also be a bad idea to have other strange dogs in the vehicle. Your canine friend might feel the need to claim the space by marking it. Those are our top tips for getting your dog to behave well in the car! Any ideas you want to add? leave them in the comments below! As always, here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine, we want to make sure you are driving safely and without distraction. We wish you luck in getting your furry friend to behave well in the car, as a happy driver makes a safer road for everyone!

Bad Car Sounds that Need to be Repaired Quickly How’s your car sounding these days? Are you ignoring sounds your vehicle makes, just hoping they aren’t a big deal? While this is okay with certain things, like the sound of your kids fighting in the back seat, your vehicle often gives you a clue as to how it’s feeling based on the noises it makes when on the road. Here’s our list of bad car sounds that need to be repaired quickly, before more damage is done. more Creaks and squeaks are common in vehicles, and should not always be a reason for alarm. Here is our list of sounds to keep an ear out for, and what may be causing them. Noises when you turn the corner? Steering linkage issues might be the reason. Get it lubed up or replaced to avoid any bigger issues! Clanks and clunks when you brake? Get the brake system checked for parts missing, damaged, or wrongly mounted. It’s not worth risking brake issues. Get this looked at! Flapping sounds coming from under the hood? This is most likely a belt or fan issue. Belts tend to wear out and your fan is necessary to keep your engine cool. Either of these issues need to be fixed quickly to avoid bigger problems. Does your engine sound like a hissing angry cat or an over-boiling pot? That means there is a leak that is pouring onto your very hot engine. Check your oil, coolant, and vacuum lines. Patching these up will keep your vehicle running better. Hear a loud bang from the tailpipe? That means that you are experiencing a backfire or your catalytic converter isn’t doing its job. When there is too much fuel left in the air of the exhaust it can cause small explosions. Not good. Gravel sounds when you use your brakes? Yeah. That’s fixable, but only if you hurry! Your brake pads are worn through and every time you use them you are killing your rotors. Bring it into the service center, and fast! Well that concludes our list, but there are lots more things that could be making a sound when you drive. If you have any questions and want advice, feel free to give us a call at Palmen to speak with one of our technicians. We can help you decide whether you need to bring in your car for repairs. Tired of the whole repair and problem solving situation? Fill out this trade-in form to see what we can offer as an exchange for your vehicle. We can work with your budget to create a financing package and get you into a newer and more efficient vehicle.

So you’ve noticed that your vehicle seems to be losing oil between oil changes. This can be because of a number of things, and many of which are rather expensive to fix. Leaking or lost oil can cause your engine harm if it is not replaced, and is not a good sign. Older cars experience this quite often, so the problem is not rare. Is it normal for my engine car to burn oil between oil changes? No. We’ll help you diagnose the problem. more So why does an engine burn fuel? Eventually the parts that have oil flowing through them become worn out like any other piece of the car. You get your brakes changed, but we don’t often get parts of our engine replaced because the process is tedious and expensive. Burning oil in an older car might even require a new engine. How do you tell if you are burning oil? Well if you check your oil level between changes and notice that you have less than you should, it means you are losing oil one way or another. Whether it is burning, or leaking, the results can range from a loss in power to a vehicle that doesn’t run, all depending on the severity of the problem. Before you try and get this fixed, take a minute to notice what symptoms your car is showing. Burning oil is usually indicated by blue smoke. Your engine pushed oil through a few different parts. Most of the time, the piston rings or valve seals will wear out and need to be replaced. If your valve seals are worn or broken, you will see blue smoke when you first start the engine. If your piston rings are damaged, the oil will leak out around the seals and the blue smoke will show when you are driving or when you are idling, depending on how bad the leak is. In either of these situations, it means that your engine needs serious work. Replacing piston rings or valve seals is expensive and tricky. You may want to consider getting a new engine, if they are available from a reputable source, or even looking to trade in and purchase a vehicle that runs more efficiently. Worries over car troubles can cause a lot of stress. If you are interested in taking a look at our selection of high-quality used vehicles, follow this link. Give us a call for any questions you have about fixing your oil burning car, or getting yourself into a newer one that fits into your budget. Our friendly and experienced team of professionals are always here to help!

spring cleaning checklist for the car Racine WI If you are anything like most people, climbing out of the wintery months of freezing cold temperatures and horrible road conditions seems like an uphill battle. A great way to greet the spring weather is to clean up your car and get it shiny and new looking again. We’ll give you our spring cleaning checklist for the car Racine WI. Trust us, it’s worth doing! more Spring is almost here, so we want to help you get ready to enjoy summer without driving around in a sad wintery car. Here’s the list of things to clean: First, take out the trash. It’s bound to have built up, and that is always the best place to start when you are cleaning out a car. Next, vacuum the inside from top to bottom. Pull out your dirty floor mats and make sure to vacuum in all the nooks and crannies! Grab some automotive carpet cleaner and scrub things up. Start with the floor and work your way up over the seats. This step might not be mandatory, but it sure does make a difference! Wash those grubby floor mats. After all the salt and mud has built up and they will last much longer if you get them cleaned up every once in a while. Change out your windshield wipers. This is important if they aren’t doing their job. Getting stuck in a summer rainstorm with bad wipers is a recipe for disaster and dangerous driving. Lube up your hinges. This means doors and the trunk hinges. This way they won’t squeak and will wear out less quickly. Clean the windows. Grab your Windex and get to work. This will make driving in the muggy spring and summer weather much easier. Wash the outside of the car. You want to go from top to bottom, as salt has built up from the roads. Also try to really flush out the underbody. Road salt is not supposed to hang out there. Don’t forget your usual maintenance! Getting your oil changed and putting on tires with enough tread are two important things to do regularly. Getting the fuel system cleaned and adding washer fluid are also great ways to make sure you are all set for spring weather! If you are in need of spring maintenance or repairs, our service professionals are the perfect people for the job! Give us a call or set up an appointment online. We look forward to seeing you and to the summer weather that is on its way!

We know the stereotype of the minivan drivers. They are all moms taking their kids to soccer games and grocery shopping and doing other mom-related activities. Firstly, what is wrong with that? Secondly, there are lots of reasons why a minivan is the best family vehicle. We’ll tell you some reasons why. more You just passed a minivan on the highway and you're thinking of putting them down in your head. Stop right there! Those minivan drivers are wise for many reasons and know things you probably do not. This is why you buy a minivan: 1: Vans have sliding doors. Talk about convenience! getting kids and cargo into a van is much easier with sliding doors that are never in the way and are easier to close. Most vans today even have automatic doors that close with the push of a button. There are also safety measures in many vans to present fingers from getting smashed by the door. That is pretty handy! 2: Cargo Space Galore Have you ever wondered if you could fit 15 laundry baskets full of clothes in your little sedan? Well, you would never have to worry about that if you were driving around in a minivan. You can haul just about anything in one of these! 3: Safety Features All Over Minivans are THE family car. Because of this, they are often extremely safe and come with a large number of awesome safety features like extra airbags and a rear-view camera to keep the driver and passengers safe. 4: Cheap to Insure Minivans are made to be safe and comfortable. They are not made to catch attention or impress people. As a result of this, they are some of the cheapest vehicles to insure. Nobody wants to spend a ton on insurance, so that’s pretty neat. See? There are so many reasons to buy a minivan. If you are starting to think about it, we suggest coming in to test drive a Dodge Grand Caravan or the Chrysler Town and Country. Both models feature all the awesome benefits of a minivan that we mentioned… and then some!

We aren’t quite out of the woods yet, as far as winter goes. It might seem that the days are getting longer and the temperatures are a little less vicious, but this means that there is potential for unexpected winter weather. We’ll tell you some of the key tips that make safe driving on black ice, possible. more Everyone knows that sweaty and horrible feeling of the moments that you feel your car slipping on ice. You feel like you have no control and your life is at the mercy of chance, as you slip and slide on the road. This is particularly common in the winter when things are melting and refreezing. Melting snow means puddles, and puddles that get really cold become ice patches. So, what can you do? #1: Keep an eye out for the ice! Being extremely aware of the road is important in the winter, especially. Not only is there the chance that another vehicle isn’t driving safely, but you also need to keep an eye out for ice patches. To safely navigate the roads in the winter, it is key that you keep an eye out for black ice. This stuff is sneaky! It’s usually hard to see from the driver’s seat because it is often the same color as the road. Keep an eye out for roads that look shinier than they should be, and remember not to slam on your brakes. #2: Keep your car in good condition. This means getting those pesky oil changes and making sure your wiper blades actually work. A car that isn’t running right can cause more danger to both the driver and those driving around you in the winter. Need to get that done? Make an appointment here, and we’ll get you set up. #3: Keep an emergency kit in the car This is precautionary, but if you do end up in trouble, you’ll be happy you had the brains to plan ahead. Keep some sand or kitty litter in the car to help your tires get traction if you get stuck. A shovel, snow brush, and ice scraper will help you get out of snowy problems. An extra jacket or blanket is also a good idea because it’s really cold (especially if your car isn’t running). Want us to take a look and make sure you car is ready to take on the 2nd half of winter? Call or make an appointment. We’d love to help! If you are interested in looking at some vehicles that are great in the winter, check out our inventory!

2015 Chrysler 200 Safety Rating Well known auto resource The Car Connection recently published an article outlining what it found to be the safest vehicles of 2015. The editors came up with eight models to feature, and among them was one of our own: the newly redesigned Chrysler 200. We knew the 2015 Chrysler 200 safety ratings were good, of course, but it's great to see the new model get some recognition from other trusted sources like The Car Connection. Today we'll tell you a little bit about the criteria by which they were able to choose the 200, and give you some additional information about some of the top safety features on the 2015 Chrysler 200. more Alright, so first of all, how did The Car Connection come up with the criteria for which vehicles could make the cut? Starting with the thirty-three Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ recipients, TCC then went on to further narrow the options by looking only at models that also earned a top five-star safety rating from the federal government in frontal and side impact tests as well as an overall five-star score. Among those that remained after all that weeding out was our own 2015 Chrysler 200. What are some of our favorite safety features of the 2015 Chrysler 200 in addition to knowing it can withstand the most stringent tests out there? Class-exclusive available forward collision warning with active braking: This incredible feature will actually alert you if you get to close to the vehicle in front of you, and the active braking part -- you guessed it -- will apply the brakes on your behalf should you not heed the warning and continue closing in on the drive car ahead. Class-Exclusive adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality: This one is able to bring your car to a full stop and then as traffic begins to move, will automatically re-engage cruise control. Class-exclusive electric park brake: Okay this one we just sort of think is neat. Rather than the usual grab-n-yank you're used to to engage the parking lot, this one just takes the push of a button! Want to test drive the new 2015 Chrysler 200? Of course you do! Come on in and check it out here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine!

How to clean windshield wipers When it comes to proper car care and maintenance, sometimes it feels like there's just too much to remember and somehow we're going to end up messing something up that will cost us. Here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine, we sure hope that isn't the case but we do know it can be difficult to keep track of everything that needs to be done to keep your vehicle in good working order. That's why we try to offer advice on matters great and small to help our friends and customers to be the best vehicle owners they can be. Today we're going to get into something a little smaller that can have a big impact on your life on the road: how to clean windshield wipers. Chances are you're regularly washing your windshield, but how about those all-important wiper blades? They need attention, too, especially during the winter months! more All you really  need is a rag, or even a sturdy paper towel will do the trick. Get it a little bit wet -- just warm water is fine -- and wipe down the length of the entire blade. You'll probably see dirt and residue when you do this, so feel free to repeat the process one or two times. You should aim to do this as often as you wash your car. Another issue that may be in play if your wipers still don't seem to be doing the trick is that you might not be cleaning the windshield itself often enough without the use of the blades. That is, with a squeegee at a fuel station or at home. You should be doing this regularly to remove bugs and other tough spots that your blades might not be getting. This will prevent additional wear and tear on your wipers. If you think your blades might be in need of replacing, just ask us about that next time you come in for an oil change. We can certainly let you know if its time and help you with replacing them if so.

How to safely drive on ice Now that our Wisconsin winter is starting to definitively set in, it's time to start thinking about whether we're prepared for the snowy, icy road conditions that are just around the corner. It's important for our own safety as well as that of our passengers and other motorists that we know as much as possible about how to handle these types of roadways. Years of experience are a great teacher, but for those of us without that advantage we've prepared some tips for how to safely drive on ice this winter. more 1. Plan ahead. In this case, planning ahead comes in two forms: having a winter road-ready vehicle and knowing what we're getting into. Make sure your tires have excellent tread and adequate pressure, and see to it that your brakes, alignment, and safety systems are all in good working order. Stop in to our service department if you'd like to have anything checked over. The other thing is giving yourself plenty of time en route. It's hard to stay calm and relaxed when you're running late, and a steady demeanor is key for getting through an unpleasant driving situation. 2. Keep your eyes where you want to go. While you want to maintain as much awareness as possible of your entire surroundings, one piece of advice we offer is to focus on keeping your eyes trained on where you want to go rather than where you don't. So if you begin veering toward a snow bank or ditch, gently correct while keeping  your eyes on the road where you want to be. 3. Braking and steering. When it comes to braking, steady and gentle is the name of the game. Approach a stop gradually, especially if there are other vehicles ahead of you. Find yourself slipping? Remember that you're steering in the direction that you want your front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding right, you'll want to steer right. Also, remember to always keep your lights on in winter if you don't have automatic daytime running lights. Visibility is key!

Ram Promaster Recall 2014 Think your van might be recalled? Let us find out for you. It's never a good time to hear about a recall on one of your vehicles, especially one that keeps your family or, perhaps in this case, your business up and running and on the go. Lost time getting repairs might mean lost time on the road doing what your vehicle is meant to do -- get work done, that is! Here at Palmen Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Racine, we understand that it's a frustrating and sometimes stressful process, but it's one we want to be as straightforward and helpful as possible in getting you the repairs or replacements necessary to keep things running smoothly so you don't have to miss a beat. If you think your vehicle may be affected by the Ram Promaster recall in 2014, let us guide you through the process. more The first thing you'll want to do, of course, is determine that your particular vehicle is definitely one of the Ram Promaster vans involved in the recall. After all, if it's not, you can go about your day! Here's how you'll find out: About 18,951 vans are expected to need service to replace the head restraints. If yours is among them, you'll be receiving a letter from the Chrysler Group which details the situation and what you'll need to do next. If you don't want to wait for answers, you can call us or fill out this form to help determine whether your van is recalled, or you can call the Chrysler Group Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403. If you find that your vehicle is involved in the recall, you should know two things: one, Chrysler Group is not currently aware of and injuries or complaints related to the issue, which is that the head restraints may exceed the gap between a passenger's head and the restraint that is allowable by today's safety standards. The second thing you should know is that the parts are being expedited to dealerships and that you can bring your Promaster in to us here at our service center and have the necessary replacements made at no cost to you. Just give us a call to set it all up. We apologize for any inconvenience and if you're affected by the recall we look forward to helping you out efficiently and quickly!