Topic: Tires/Brakes

Do you have a shop you go to regularly? If not, it's important to start to build a relationship so that you feel like you are being given good information when you go in. The advisors at Active Green and Ross take lots of training especially when it comes to tires. Discuss your needs and budget when you go in, as well as how long you plan to keep your vehicle. My advice is to stick to a name brand tire. Get those bald tires off. It's unsafe. Without seeing your quotes on brakes it's hard to answer your 2nd question. All I can say is ask questions, questions and questions.

Topic: Brakes

Thanks for your email regarding your brakes. My experience in talking to various technicians is that sometimes the material of the brake pad doesn't "mesh" with the material of the rotor and that is why you will sometimes get squealing even though the brakes are new. I'm not aware of what can be done to get rid of the noise. I would suggest asking a service advisor at an Active Green and Ross near you. Perhaps they can suggest something. While you are in there you should discuss the "clunking" you are hearing when you apply the brakes as this sounds like something different. I'm sure it will require the technician taking your vehicle for a road test to try and determine the problem. Your vehicle talks to you every time you drive it as I am sure you are finding out:-) Good luck with resolving the problem.

Topic: Coolant/Antifreeze

Thanks for your email. I checked with a local Active Green and Ross store technician and he said if the antifreeze is Global Antifreeze which I take to mean "universal" then you should be good to go. If you are having to add antifreeze it could be a sign that you have something bigger going on?

What you are asking is really for a tire specialist. If you go to a smaller tire other factors need to be taken into account so that things like your speedometer aren't impacted. I would suggest going to your nearest Active Green and Ross and ask them this question. The service advisors take a lot of training on this so they can give you the correct recommendation.

Topic: Upcoming Clinics

Thanks for your email. Clinics are held in the spring and fall. So I would check back late February. As the clinics are booked they will be listed on the Active Green and Ross website.

Topic: Winter Tires

Thanks for your email regarding winter tires. I'm happy to hear you are getting winter tires:-) I have General's on my car and they work well. My suggestion would be to go to your local Active Green and Ross store so they can suggest the best tire for your application and budget. Make sure you get them installed before the first snowfall.

Topic: Heating System

Thanks for your question. I wish I could help you with this, but this is truly a question for a certified technician. I would suggest going to your nearest Active Green and Ross store and discuss exactly what you have written here with the service advisor. You definitely want to get this resolved ASAP with the cold weather on its' way. The shop may ask you to leave it for a day or a few hours. Ask them if they have a shuttle to take you back to work or home? I would be interested to find out what the problem is when you get it diagnosed.

Topic: Starter

I would love to help you but this is definitely a question for a technician. I would take your car to your nearest Active Green and Ross store and discuss with the service advisor what your vehicle is doing. Good luck and would live to hear what was wrong with it.

Topic: Car Shopping

Thanks for your question. I've done a lot of product work with Volkswagen over the years but not specifically with the EOS. My experience with Volkswagen has been great and I think you will be pleased with it. My suggestion would be to go onto consumer reports and see what they say. I've found them to be very useful. If there are issues with the EOS consumer reports will tell you what they are and what year. Hope this helps and thanks for your email. Kelly .

Topic: Tire Replacement

Thanks for your email regarding tire replacement. I think I understand what you are asking? I tire has a shelf life of 10 years. However, once they go on a vehicle the life of the tire is 6 years maximum or when it is worn out, whichever comes first. All tires have a date stamp on the sidewall. It is a four digit number. An example would be "3609". This would mean the tire was produced in the 36th week of 2009. Replacing all four tires would be recommended, especially if you have an all wheel drive car or if they are all the same age. The other reason would be to have the same tread pattern on all four tires. When you replace tires on your vehicle it is also a good idea to have an alignment done so that you ensure proper tire wear. Tires are a big investment so make sure you take care in the beginning. If you get your tires at an Active Green and Ross they will also look after your tire rotations as part of the package. .

Topic: Oil Change

Hi Doris, Thanks for your email. How often have you been changing your oil so far or is this a recent purchase for you? The owner’s manual will tell you the recommended change interval. Remember the owners manual is written by the engineers and have determined this is what the vehicle needs to keep running healthy and efficiently. You could also check at your local Active Green and Ross location as they have the maintenance schedule for the manufacturers on their computers. Even though you have a hybrid, it still has a gas engine with fluids like any other vehicle so they may require changing at the same intervals. .