The Automotive Blog

The most economical solution to this problem is a small investment in a product called Diesel Key. This smart little gadget that is a direct replacement for a filler cap; simply unscrew and remove the cap, and then screw the Diesel Key device in its place, proceed as normal to refuel with a diesel nozzle. Once the diesel nozzle is inserted the device will accept the nozzle and open up an internal latch to let fuel flow to the tank. If a petrol nozzle was entered it would butt up against the device, will not open the latch and quickly alert the wrong nozzle is being used.

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Misfueling diesel car with petrol - Diesel Key is the answer

Ever driven on the wrong side of the road whilst travelling abroad? Each year thousands of accidents are caused by drivers driving on the wrong side of the road.

 There is a product that acts as a preventative measure, Lanesafe®.   Lanesafe®  is a compact battery-powered device which attaches to the inside lower part of a vehicle’s windscreen. It projects a large green and red “head up display”, constantly reminding the driver what side of the road they should be driving on.

Follow this link to find out full product details on LaneSafe or visit aide automotive for more information on our full range of automotive products

Tyre Pressure Monitoring should be an essential vehicle check as we enter the winter months. Continental Tyres is pushing the need to check tyres with it’s European winter tyre law on its website. It believes some UK and Irish truck and coach operators risk running the wrong tyres unless they know the rules as the run onto the European mainland. “With the approach of winter this is obviously more important.” The guide also explains the safety benefits from using winter tyres. “The effect on stopping distances alone is important; winter tyres can cut this by an artic length.” says a representative from Continental Tyres.

Drivers also need to ensure that they are operating on the correct tyre pressue throughout these months too. PressurePro an excellent tyre pressure monitor device enables a driver to check they’re running their tyres at the correct PSI. Have correctly inflated tyres reduces the chance of a blow out significantly, something to be avoided in icy weather!

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Check tyres have correct tyre pressure with PressurePro

Brake Testing becomes an essential part of vehicle maintenance as VOSA  gets tough new powers to seize vehicles in a bid to crack down on illegal bus and limousine operators.   This brings  the rules on public service vehicles into line with those for trucks, which take brake tests seriously.  “Illegal bus, coach and limousine operators put the safety of their passengers and other road users at risk as well as creating unfair competition for law abiding businesses,” said Paul Clark, road safety minister.  “These new powers show that we are determined to force cowboy operators off the road.”  By regularly checking the brakes on these vehicles  will enable operators to demonstrate these checks to VOSA. BrakeCheck enables a vehicle operator to check the vehicles brakes and demonstrate to VOSA that these Brake Checks have been done!

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Brake Tester

Tyre Pressure Monitoring will be a compulsory feature of any new car from 2012. European legislation states that new cars will be fitted with tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). With many modern vehicles already being fitted with them it’s surprising that more people aren’t using tyre pressure monitors on their vehicles.

Kwik Fit’s 2008 Annual Tyre Pressure Review found just over 46 per cent of cars tested had at least one tyre underinflated. If this ratio is applied to the number of UK registrations, a staggering 12.46 million cars could be running on the roads like this, using £1.5 billion pounds of extra fuel and creating literally thousands of extra tons of carbon emissions. That 30 per cent extra tyre wear also means that an unnecessary 108,000 tyres each year have to be manufactured and disposed of too.

By using a tyre pressure monitor like PressurePro you’d be greatly reducing the chances of a blow out, increasing the efficent running of your vehicle and expanding the lifespan of a tyre

Tyre Pressure Monitoring

TrailerCheck is fast becoming a popular test kit for commercial workshops around the UK.

Matthew Burke of aide automotive stated “We see new enquiries every day for this product and increasing numbers, workshops seem to be looking to improve on test equipment and to keep on top of vehicle maintenance as a proactive approach rather than a have to approach. A forgotten diagsnostic cover is commercial trailers, with trucks being scanned for faults codes on servicing workshops  are now seeing the benefit of reading trailer ABS and EBS codes. TrailerCheck II With Code Reader is the ideal cost effective diagnostic tool for trailers that is simple to use and rugged for any workshop.”

aide automotive market the TrailerCheck with Diagnostic Code Reader, visit http://www.aideautomotive.com for further info. 

Diagnostic Code Reader for ABS and EBS ECU Fault Reading

Brake Testing should form part of vehicle maintenance routine, however VOSA are reporting that Van fleets are ignoring the need for regular maintenance checks and disregarding mechanical failures. They claim that this is a greater problem with vans than with heavy goods or PSV operators.

Over 50% of the 21,000 roadside checks VOSA conducted on vans throughout 2009 uncovered mechanical defects, compared to 24% of HGVs and 15% of PSVs. The most common issue was faulty brakes.

In addition, almost half (45%) of vans fail their MoT compared to 34% of HGVs and 24% of PSVs.

Graham Owen, VOSA area manager says fleets would be held criminally responsible for unroadworthy vehicles or drivers as VOSA has the authority and responsibility to remove them from the road. He insists that vans should follow the same good practice as HGVs, as laid out in the ‘O’ licence on preventative maintenance. In particular making it the driver’s responsibility to do a daily walk-round of the vehicle to ensure it is in a roadworthy condition, and keeping records to demonstrate this

Don’t rely on the MoT – it’s the worst standard you can apply,” Owen warned. “It is the minimum standard of a vehicle that has ticked the boxes at a moment in time. You want your standard to be higher so that over the period between inspection – whether that’s 12 weeks, six months or a year – you never fall below the compliance line.”

These checks could include regular brake testing with products such as Brake Check.

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BrakeCheck. Make brake Testing part of your routine vehicle checks

AdBlue is an example of such an additive. The liquid is mixed with the exhaust fumes as they leave the engine. A great method of reducing emissions however a business needs to be sure that this process is working effectively all the time to ensure compliance with the European Union rules.

An Optical Refractometer is the solution. It measures the refraction of a liquid, in other words it ensures the right level of AdBlue is being used and checks the contamination with other liquids such as brake fluid or antifreeze!! The Optical Refractometer is an easy hand held device that is portable and easy to use

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The easiest way to prevent any prohibitions from VOSA however serious is to consider regular Brake Testing and Tyre Pressure Monitoring. By using a Brake Tester like BrakeCheck you can demonstrate that you’ve been testing on a regular basis. Similarly a Tyre Pressure Monitor such as PressurePro allows you to check you have the correct tyre pressure for your vehicle.

One Staffordshire firm recently discovered the consequences of not regularly maintaining their vehicles. Stoke-on-Trent firm, Dime Metal Services had its licence revoked from 7 August, and its boss disqualified from applying for a new licence for 15 months.

The operator has had its O-licence revoked after a Deputy Traffic Commissioner (DTC) described their vehicles as a “significant danger to other road users” due to lack of maintenance and regular testing of brakes and tyres. West Midlands Deputy Traffic Commissioner Roger Seymour said the company had shown an “almost total disregard of the law and obligations of operator licensing”.

VOSA inspectors carried out maintenance investigations into the company and identified eight prohibitions – three of which were S-marked – were imposed on the firm. They are related to “very serious” brake and tyre issues.

The DTC summarised “Looking at the evidence overall, I find that this operator has failed to discharge his responsibilities and undertakings to maintain his vehicles in a roadworthy condition to the point where the continued use of his vehicles constituted a significant danger to other road users.”

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Brake Tester