How To: Unlock your Steering Wheel

You would be surprised by how many phone calls we get from customers with locked steering wheels. A lot of people go years with out this ever happening so when it does they don't know what to do. It can be extremely frustrating. So here are a few things to know.

Why it happens: There are a few spots on your car that are anti theft spots. If you park your car in one of these spots it will lock up and it won't allow you to turn the car on. Usually it happens when you have turned into a parking spot and your steering wheel is still in a turned position like the picture shown.

What to do: Whatever direction your wheel is turned when locked you just need to turn it a little more in that same direction to relieve the pressure and then start the car. In the picture shown you would keep turning it counter clockwise to relieve the pressure.

Something to keep in mind: This doesn't apply to vehicles equipped with a factory push button start  because they don't have steering locking mechanisms.

Hopefully this helps you! If your steering wheel does lock up and you need more assistance just give our service department a call and they will walk you through it. 940-243-6233.

Much to like in the 2013 Sonata

We've found that we just can't pin down the Sonata's demographic. It doesn't seem to have one place where it belongs. Its upscale look and economic price makes it perfect for a single on a budget. It's roomy and luxury sedan features make it perfect for a family. Don't just take our word on it! All these quotes below are from reviews in July alone!

"Better yet, the Sonata offers luxury features at regular family sedan prices. For example, the 2013 Sonata Limited comes standard with leather-trimmed seats, sunroof, fog lamps, alloy wheels, premium audio, push-button start, dual climate control and heated front and rear seats for less than $26,700." - Newsday

"The Sonata's sleek design, which has garnered a trophy case of awards, was so striking to friends and family that a few initially mistook this Hyundai for a Mercedes. Their impressions of upscale travel deepened upon entering the test Sonata Limited and seeing the stylish dashboard design."
- Newsday

"It's as big as an Accord, more fuel efficient than a Camry, and is as fun to drive as both best sellers. Though the Honda and Toyota sedans tend to be generally stylistic timid, the 2013 Sonata is anything but. With wedgy sheet metal, a bold grille, fashionably over sized headlights, and a distinctive chrome spear that starts at the headlight and runs back along the base of the greenhouse to the steeply raked C-pillars, the Sonata is a standout among its peers." - The Washington Informer

"Earlier this year, the car received the most dependable mid-size car award by J.D. Power and Associates in their 2013 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). It was also awarded Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com’s coveted “5-Year Cost to Own Award” and named one of the “BEST BETS” by The Car Book, America’s first consumer car buying guide." The Washington Informer

When speaking of the Sonata Hybrid:

"Softer on the road than Ford's Fusion hybrid, crisper and tauter than Toyota Camry hybrid — probably the sweet spot preferable to a wide swath of drivers." - USA Today

"Well-furnished, as is typical of Hyundais. Examples of standard features optional on many midsize cars: dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, tilt/telescope steering column."
- USA Today

"Earlier this year, the car received the most dependable mid-size car award by J.D. Power and Associates in their 2013 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). It was also awarded Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com’s coveted “5-Year Cost to Own Award” and named one of the “BEST BETS” by The Car Book, America’s first consumer car buying guide." - FutureCars.com

Clearly the 2013 Sonata and 2013 Sonata Hybrid have a large following. To keep in theme with this month, think Sonata for your recent high school grad's new adventure...or start and adventure of your own.

Vehicle Basics 101

It's back-to-school time again. While making your to-do list be sure to make your car and your child's car a priority. The biggest thing is making sure they know what to do and what to look for because you can't always do it for them.

• Teach them the basics! It's important for your car to have its oil changed, tires rotated, and fluids filed regularly.
• Help them get a feel for their car. Open up the hood and show them the different parts. Most importantly show them all the fluids that they need to maintain. If they can learn to do this on their own and they can see how easy it is you will save money down the line.
• Teach them to pay attention to sounds and smells. Make sure they know what a healthy car sounds and smells like so when something is going wrong they are able to catch it right away.
• Don't let them ignore dash board lights. Its easy to think things aren't a big deal and can wait. Sometimes waiting will cost you so much more.
• Lastly if they don't feel comfortable doing any of these things themselves or even feel like something is a little off make sure they know its okay to have it looked at. Better safe than sorry!

 

Don't have time to get your child's car back-to-school ready on your own? Make an appointment so we can do it for you and help you check something off your list of to-dos. 940-243-6233

Employee of the Month

June Employee of the Month

Most Initiative

In the car industry, having a good service department is a must, and the way to do that is to have great technicians. You will probably never see Russell Harbert if you come in to Eckert Hyundai because he will be hard at work in the shop but you can sleep well knowing your car is in his hands. Russell has an "uncompromisable dedication to duty and he takes the initiative to do his job and the job of others before he is asked to do it", says his fellow co worker. Russell is always on time and always here. He is someone you can rely on. He even helps in training the new technicians so we can be sure they are ready for the job.

His coworkers said, "Russell is very efficient. He is definitely energetic and upbeat. Extremely creative!!!!!!! He constantly takes initiative to try and get vehicles through shop quickly," and "Russell Harbert is always willing to help when needed and always keeps us moving to provide better service for our customers."

Thank you Russell for taking initiative and making Eckert Hyundai a better company. We appreciate you!

Family Crossover Comparison Recap

Automobile Magazine did a five day comparison on eight crossovers. The line up included the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse, 2013 Dodge Durango, 2013 Ford Explorer, 2013 Honda Pilot, 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2013 Mazda CX-9, 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2013 Toyota Highlander. Automobile decided the best way to really get to know a vehicle was to do a road trip. Their destination, the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan.

Day one: They selected the above vehicles for comparison.

Day two: They did a few head to head comparisons. First the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe vs. 2013 Dodge Durango and the winner was the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. Second was the 2013 Ford Explorer Limited AWD vs. 2013 Honda Pilot Touring 4WD and the winner was the 2013 Honda Pilot Touring 4WD.

Day three: They did a few more head to head comparisons. First the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse vs. 2013 Mazda CX-9 and the winner was the 2013 Mazda CX-9. Second was the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder vs. 2013 Toyota Highlander and the winner was the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder.

Day four: Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Mazda CX-9. "The Mazda is the best driver's crossover, but it's too one-dimensional to be a family-friendly beach cruiser. We're as shocked as you are, but it seems like the new Hyundai Santa Fe is going to upset an Automobile Magazine favorite." says Christopher Nelson. The winner of this round? The Hyundai Santa Fe!

And next 2013 Honda Pilot vs. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. "The 2013 Honda Pilot is functional, straightforward, and as boring to drive as it is to look at. The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder is functional, too, but it leans toward passenger comfort rather than all-around utility. Because this reflects our own choices in the way we drive crossovers, the Pathfinder is awarded the win." says Christopher Nelson. The Nissan Pathfinder is the winner of this round.

Day five: The final day is here! Hyundai Santa Fe vs. Nissan Pathfinder. The winner was the Hyundai Santa Fe! We are so proud. Automobile has plenty of nice things to read about. They said, "The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe points the way forward. It is a vehicle that has its utility act together, yet doesn't sacrifice too much in terms of weight, power, and fuel economy to do so. It can easily be reconfigured into one of many forms depending on whether your destination is the school, the store, or the tulip farm in Holland, Michigan. It has the technology that you should have to ensure safe transportation for your family, yet not so much that the price will steal your breath away."

It sure steals our breath away!

Click here to view our current Santa Fe inventory.

Road Trip Ready

Schools out for summer which means... ROAD TRIP! Right? A lot of us will be packing our bags and packing our cars and heading out to the great beyond. Before you get going make sure your car can get you there! Here are a few things to check before putting your car in drive.

1. Make sure the coolant in your radiator is up to the full line. To be safe, be sure your car is cool before doing this.
2. Have your oil changed before any long distance trip.
3. Top off your windshield wiper fluid.
4. Check the levels of your break fluid and power steering. I think we can all agree that these are very important.
5. Tire pressure. Get out that handy dandy tire gauge and check your PSI. We are aiming for 35. You also might try getting your tires rotated. I know you can't really do this one at home, but if its been a while it would be a great idea before putting a lot of miles on your tires.
6. Check the pressure on your spare, and if you don't have one its time to get one. Make sure your jack and tools are in good working condition.
7. Keep a bottle of water and a roadside assistance kit in the trunk just in case.

That's it! Pretty simple but incredibly important. If you feel like you don't have time to do all these things yourself give service a call and set up an appointment. You can even schedule to have your car cleaned while its here. Road trips in clean cars are much more enjoyable. Service: (940) 243-6233.

Also don't forget to enter to win our giveaway this month! Its a road trip care package. Fitting huh?

Why drive a Sonata Hybrid?

I honestly didn't know very much about Hybrids other than they were supposedly good for the environment. So I thought I would do my research! It seems like the number one reason most people go for the Hybrid is to save money at the pump. With 35 city & 40 mpg hwy that would be my number one reason too!

The term Hybrid comes from the combination of a conventional gas-powered engine with an electric propulsion system.  The electric battery is powered by a concept called regenerative braking, which converts kinetic energy from braking into electric energy and stores it in your Hybrid battery.  In many cases, energy from the electric motor is all you need for low-speed driving. When you need a little extra power while accelerating or passing, your conventional engine kicks in.  Hybrids have a smaller, more efficient engine and use less gas than a normal engine but don't have the limited range that a typical electric car would have.

Hybrids also turn off the engine when your vehicle comes to a stop and automatically restart after the accelerator is pressed so that no energy is wasted while idling.  No wonder you use so little gas!

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was the first non-plug-in hybrid with next-generation lithium polymer battery technology and the first ever Lifetime Hybrid Battery Warranty!

To "sum" up what I've learned about Hybrids...

Lifetime Battery Warranty + Great Gas Savings + Environmentally Friendly = 1 Great Investment

Eckert Hyundai has 3 2012 Sonata Hybrids left in stock and we have to sell them before July 1st!  There are HUGE discounts, so check out our final inventory here and call (940) 243-6222 for our discounted pricing!

Sources:
www.fueleconomy.gov