Toyota of Tampa Bay

There is nothing more frustrating than driving down the highway and feeling like you are fighting to keep your vehicle in your lane. There are several possible culprits that can cause your steering to pull to one side or the other. If your vehicle is having trouble staying on a straight line, there are a few things you can check yourself to correct this problem.

Check your tire pressure. Often times an under inflated front tire can cause your vehicle to pull in one direction. Always check your tire pressure and be sure to keep your tires inflated according to manufacturer specifications. Keeping your tires properly inflated can also help improve your fuel efficiency.

Check your tire size. When buying tires always match tire sizes and tread patterns as close as possible. Different size, aspect ratio or even tread pattern can create enough of a difference to pull your vehicle to one side. If you are unable to purchase 4 tires at once, be sure to match your front two tires and back two tires to each other, to eliminate uneven wear and pulling.

Balance your car load. If you are carrying heavy items, like golf clubs or excessive weight, be sure to balance the weight evenly across your vehicle. If you can't do anything about the weight, it is possible to have the wheels realigned to compensate for the pulling. This is not recommended, as when the weight is removed your vehicle will pull in the opposite direction.

Check your springs. This is actually easier than it may sound. Park your vehicle on a level plane and measure the distance between the ground and your fender openings on both the front and rear of your vehicle. If one side is more than an inch higher or lower than the other, there is a high chance that you need to replace a spring.

If you have checked these possible causes and everything looks fine, there are other causes that a mechanic can detect.

Misaligned wheels - when your vehicles wheels are not pointing directly straight ahead. There are many causes, the most common being rear wheel toe or axle misalignment, front wheel camber misalignment, too much cross camber or caster alignment. Sometimes the culprit can be caused from the steering wheel. Make sure your steering wheel has been aligned after your vehicles wheels have been aligned to ensure proper alignment.

Dragging break - caused by a frozen or sticking disc brake caliper. When the caliper freezes or sticks, it doesn't allow the brake pad to kick back out from the motor, sometimes a weak or broken return spring in the drum brake doesn't pull the shoe back from the drum. When this happens it causes the vehicle to pull one direction or another. Replacing the caliper will resolve the problem.

Excessive road crown - to allow for proper drainage, roads are built sloped (crowned) so that rain and other fluids will drain to the side of the roadway. For those who spend a large amount of time driving on crowned roads, you can realign the wheels on your vehicle to compensate for the excessive crown.

If you are tired of fighting with your vehicle to stay in a straight line, the factory trained technicians at Toyota of Tampa Bay can diagnose and correct any problems your vehicle may have to get you back on the road worry free.

The votes have been counted and the results are in! Over 30, 630 individuals logged on to livingouteast.com to vote for the Best of Out East for 2009. Voters nominated businesses in 28 categories, ranging from the best fine dining restaurant, the best doctors, the best bank, the best community and more. 

BMW of Sarasota, part of the Morgan Auto Group, prides itself on the absolute highest levels of customer service and satisfaction. It's no wonder readers of Living Out East & On the Bay Magazine have voted BMW of Sarasota the Best Local Import Car Dealer in 2009. Discerning automotive buyers in Sarasota have come to trust BMW of Sarasota, and every dealership in the Morgan Auto Group, over the years to provide the best experience when looking for a new or used vehicle. 

The Morgan Auto Group includes BMW of Sarasota, Lamborghini Sarasota, Toyota of Tampa Bay, Honda of Ocala, Wade Raulerson Buick Pontiac GMC and Wade Raulerson Honda.

The Toyota Prius hybrid leads the 2010 model cars in fuel efficiency with 51 miles per gallon on the highway and 48 mpg in city driving conditions, according to the latest federal government ratings for fuel efficiency.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy Thursday unveiled the 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, which gives consumers information about estimated fuel costs and mileage standards for model year 2010 vehicles.

The Prius is a full 10 mpg ahead of the two models that share second place - Ford Fusion Hybrid FWD and the Mercury Milan Hybrid FWD, which both get 41 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city.

"Every year, consumers use the Fuel Economy Guide to find clean, efficient, cost-effective vehicles that meet their needs and their budgets," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. "It's an easy, accessible resource for everyone, and helps us cut harmful pollution from the air, and save money for American drivers."

The most fuel efficient type of car is the two seater such as the Smart for two Cabriolet and the Mazda MX-5. The next most efficient type is the Mini compact Car such as the Mini Cooper manual. The least efficient is the traditional passenger van.

"Fuel economy is about both saving energy and saving money," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "Buying fuel efficient vehicles - like the many hybrid technologies featured in this year's Fuel Economy Guide - helps limit carbon pollution, lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce driving costs for American families."

Fuel-efficient models come in all types and sizes, so consumers can save thousands of dollars over a vehicle's lifetime without sacrificing performance, say Jackson and Chu.

Model year 2010 fuel economy leaders include a wide range of hybrid models, from compact cars to sport-utility vehicles.

The most wasteful of fuel are the so-called luxury cars - the Lamborghini Murcielago with 11 mpg on the highway and eight mpg in the city, and the Bugatti, Bentley, and the Ferrari, which all do just a little better.

Each vehicle listing in the Fuel Economy Guide provides an estimated annual fuel cost. The estimate is calculated based on the vehicle's miles per gallon (mpg) rating and national estimates for annual mileage and fuel prices.

Visit Toyota of Tampa Bay today to test drive the ultra fuel-efficient Toyota Prius.

Source: [Eco Factory]

This holiday season help give back to those in need at Toyota of Tampa Bay. Now through December 21^st help us fill a new 2010 Toyota Tundra with non-perishable food items.

All items donated will benefit the Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. As one of the oldest and largest providers of housing and support services to the homeless in Pinellas County, HEP has been helping to build hope and transforming the lives of families and individuals who are homeless for the past 40 years.

Help make this holiday season a little brighter for those in need. Bring a non-perishable food item to Toyota of Tampa Bay on Fletcher Ave. and help us fill a new 2010 Toyota Tundra.

Toyota of Tampa Bay would like to take a moment to recognize our top employees from the year. The next time you visit Toyota of Tampa Bay be sure to congratulate our employees on their outstanding performance.

• New Car Customer Satisfaction - Bruno Constantines
• ASM Highest CSI - Paul Lavoie
• Service Employee of the Year - Tammy Heter
• Technician Employee of the Year - Ed Wine
• Part Counter Person of the Year - Trigger Lester
• Most Accomplished Technician of the Year - Ryan Coberly
• Morgan Auto Group Award - William Dee Brack

Be sure to mark your calendar with these upcoming events at Toyota of Tampa Bay that you won't want to miss.

January 1 - January 31 - $19.95 Oil Changes

During the month of January Toyota of Tampa Bay's Service Department is offering $19.95 Oil Changes on any make or model.

February 1 - Night Service Begins

Starting February 1st, Toyota of Tampa Bay's Service Department will be offering extended night hours. Each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday night the Service Department will be open and ready to serve you until 9:00pm.

Be sure to check back each month for more upcoming events at Toyota of Tampa Bay.