UCount - Car Service City

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Get a Service U can Count on!

Car Service City is proud to announce that you can now pay for your service or repair with your UCount Reward Points. PLUS earn up to 4%* back in points when paying with your qualifying Standard Bank card at any of our Car Service City branches nationwide!

Here’s how it works:

•If you are a Standard Bank Credit, Cheque or Debit card holder, you can join their UCount Rewards programme and benefit from many great deals

•When servicing or repairing your vehicle at Car Service City, be sure to pay with your qualifying Standard Bank Personal or Business Card

•You will earn up to 4%* back in Rewards Points which will automatically be credited to your Rewards Account on the last day of each month

•4% Points breakdown is based on: 3% back in Rewards Points & up to 1%* back based on our Tiering level. Visit the Ucount page to learn more

Join UCount Rewards today by visiting www.personal.nedbank.co.za/bank/greenbacks, via the in-App platform on the Standard Bank Mobile Banking App or by calling the UCount Rewards contact centre on 0860 UCOUNT (826868).

Contact
Head Office

087 357 7755

[email protected]

Cambridge Business Park
Cnr. of Witkoppen & Regent St. Paulshof

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Weekdays: 07:00 - 17:30
Saturdays: 08:00 - 13:00

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Free Oil Service

Free oil (costs of oil discounted) on the customer’s minor or major service (as set out on the Car Service City website) as charged on the appropriate invoice, alternatively should the customer not have purchased a minor or major service a R200,00 (two hundred rand) discount will be applied to the appropriate invoice, which shall only be redeemable on the day of presentation to the customer.

Brake System

Brake Drums

Part of the brake system that stops the car.

Usually made of solid cast iron and can be ventilated (depending on vehicle weight and power).

The action of stopping is caused by the friction of the brake pads pressing down hard on the brake discs.

Brake drums are subjected to very extreme temperatures and conditions.

Over time, the discs can become worn and develop hotspots which will cause the wheels to wobble (vibration in the steering wheel).

Brake Drum Skimming

Skimming the discs so that they perfectly match the drive flange again will eliminate issues and prevent the need for replacement.
Skimming is necessary when:

Drums are corroded or rusty

There is brake shudder

Brakes feel spongy

Air Conditioning System

Compressor, Receiver and Condenser

The compressor runs with a belt in line with the crank shaft pully of the engine and pumps refrigerant vapour under high pressure to the condenser when the air conditioning system is turned on.

The liquid refrigerant then moves to a reservoir-like vessel, called the receiver-dryer, which removes any moisture that may have leaked into the refrigerant (moisture can cause ice crystals which create blockages in the system).

Engine

Crank Shaft / Camshaft / Chain kit

Rotated by the timing/cam belt.

Connected to the pistons of an engine through crankpins which allow its rotation to be translated into the linear piston motion.

Opens the valves which control the air/fuel intake and exhaust of the engine.

The relationship between the camshaft and crankshaft rotations is important.

The valves need to be opened at the appropriate time during the piston stroke.

The timing belt is responsible for this vital synchronization

Engine

Water Pump

Driven by the cambelt or the v-belt and circulates water whenever the engine is running.

The water is continuously drawn from the centre of the pump (which is where the inlet is)

Pump vanes fling the water outside the pump, where it can then enter the engine.

After flowing through the engine, the water is transmitted to the radiator and finally back to the input of the water pump.

Hints and Tips for

When accidents happen

Whether it’s a minor bumper bash or a serious collision, here are seven important points to follow:

By law, you’re required to stop after an accident. Do not move the vehicles until the police have arrived, especially if there are injuries.

Switch on your hazard lights to warn other drivers.

Call the South African Police Service on 10111 to assist you at the accident scene, Emergency Services on 10177 if necessary, and your car insurance company for towing information if necessary.

Take down information of involved parties, such as their full names, ID numbers, registration numbers, make, model and colour of the vehicles, contact details, details of traffic officers, ambulance personnel and tow trucks. You can also take photos on your phone.

Be careful of spilt oil and fuel, broken glass, and twisted metal.

If the police weren’t present, report the accident within 24 hours and get a case number. This is essential for insurance claims.

Hints and Tips for

Getting a professional assessment

Having your car professionally assessed is vital in keeping it well-maintained and preventing small problems from causing serious long-term damage.

Combining their skill, knowledge and use of reputable diagnostic equipment, service professionals can thoroughly assess the state of your car and detect even minor problems.

Getting a professional to perform services and repairs will also keep your car in good shape for years to come, saving you money in the long run.

Car Service City has a reputable network of over 70 RMI accredited workshops nationwide.

We service thousands of vehicles monthly.

Affordable service is always guaranteed.

We include a comprehensive 62-point check with every major service and all work we do is guaranteed for six months or 10 000km (whichever occurs first).

No additional work is undertaken without your prior consent – ever.

Book a Service Online

Get a Quick Quote

Hints and Tips for

Water levels, fan belts and temperature gauges

Top up your radiator when you fill up with fuel.

Top up with anti-freeze periodically.

The radiator is important for keeping your car’s engine cool. Pay attention to any squealing that may indicate the fan belt is slipping.

If your water level light comes on or the temperature gauge goes into the red, stop driving your car immediately and phone for assistance.

Hints and Tips for

Checking and changing your oil

Oil is important for protecting your vehicle’s engine from deposits building up, keeping it sealed and cool.

Enhances performance and prolongs the engine’s life.

Check your oil levels whenever you fill up with fuel.

Have the oil changed with every service or every six months.

If your car requires oil more often, there may be a leak and a Car Service City manager or mechanic can help determine that.

Hints and Tips for

Tyres

Regularly check your tyres to prevent uneven wear and tear or dangerous blowouts.

Ensure that they’re properly pressurised according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Check that there’s sufficient tread (a minimum of 1mm by law).

Check your wheel alignment every 10 000km to avoid higher fuel consumption from friction and uneven wear.

Hitting potholes can affect wheel pressure sooner. If you notice parts of your tyres wearing differently to the rest of the tread, get your alignment checked.

Even if your car does low mileage, check that the tyre sidewalls have no cracks.

Tyres degrade with time, so while the tread may still be sufficient, the rubber may be going brittle.

Air Conditioning System

Expansion Valve and Evaporator

The pressurized refrigerant is then moved to the expansion valve

Expansion valve removes the pressure from the liquid refrigerant so that it can expand and become refrigerant vapour in the evaporator.

The evaporator is located inside the passenger compartment, just above the footwell.

As the cold, low-pressure refrigerant is passed into the evaporator, it absorbs and vaporizes heat from the passenger compartment (a blower fan that blows air from the passenger department over the evaporator so that cold air is circulated inside the car).

Drivetrain

Clutch System

The most common problem that occurs with the clutch is that the friction material on the clutch plate wears out and thus causes the clutch to start slipping.

This wearing only occurs when the clutch plate and flywheel are spinning at different speeds.

Once they are locked together and spinning at the same speed, no wear occurs.

In the most extreme case, the clutch will cease to draw any power from the engine to the wheels and will need to be replaced.

Drivetrain

Gearbox

While the engine typically operates between 600 to about 7000 rpm (revolutions per minute), the wheels only rotate between 0 to 1800 rpm.

The engine provides its maximum torque output in the middle of its range (more or less) while the highest amount of torque is often required for pull away.

Some kind of transformation needs to take place for engine power to be transmitted to the wheels. The gearbox transmission is responsible for this.

Brake System

Brake Fluid

Type of hydraulic fluid that turns force into pressure.

Must have a very high boiling point to avoid vaporization.

During braking, the brake fluid is subjected to very high temperatures.

As the driver applies the brakes, the fluid is forced into cylinders at each car wheel by the master cylinder, moving a pair of pistons outwards to thrust the brake shoes against the brake drums.

Brake Fluid Flush

The problem with brake fluid is that it is hygroscopic.

This means that it is inclined to absorb water very easily (even from the air).

When this happens, the boiling point of the fluid decreases and braking performance is compromised.

Also, the more water the brake fluid absorbs, the more corrosive it becomes, and it will eventually cause damage to other parts of the brake system.

This is why your brake fluid needs to be flushed out and replaced.

Brake System

Brake Pads

Components of braking systems using brake discs.

Steel backing plates with friction material bound to the surface.

They make contact with the brake disc to stop wheel rotation.

Should be replaced regularly.

Usually equipped with a thin piece of soft metal that causes the brakes to squeal when the pads are too thin.

Brake Lining

Part that makes contact with the brake disc or drum.

Composed of soft but extremely tough and heat-resistant material.

Attached to the brake pad or brake shoe (usually using high-temperature adhesives or rivets).

Brake System

Brake Disks

Part of the brake system that stops the car.

Usually made of solid cast iron and can be ventilated (depending on vehicle weight and power).

The action of stopping is caused by the friction of the brake pads pressing down hard on the brake discs.

Brake discs are subjected to very extreme temperatures and conditions.

Over time, the discs can become worn and develop hotspots which will cause the wheels to wobble (vibration in the steering wheel).

Brake Disc Skimming

Skimming the discs so that they perfectly match the drive flange again will eliminate issues and prevent the need for replacement.
Skimming is necessary when:

Discs are corroded or rusty

There is brake shudder

Brakes feel spongy

Steering System

CV Joints

A big challenge in the design of a motor vehicle’s power transmission system:

The engine’s power does not simply get transmitted to the wheels in a straight line.

The drive shaft needs to transmit power at an angle to reach the wheels.

The CV joints allow this to happen by transmitting power at a constant rotational speed through an angle without any noticeable increase in friction.

Steering System

Suspension

System of shock absorbers, springs and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels.

Contributes to the safe handling and braking of a car

Also creates a comfortable ride for the occupants and isolating them from road noise and vibration.

Important for the suspension to keep the wheels in contact with the road as much as possible, otherwise, the traction of the car will not be sufficient to ensure safe handling.

Steering System

Power Steering

System that provides mechanical assistance for steering a car.

Most power steering systems in motor vehicles are controlled by hydraulic pressure which is provided by a special rotor or rotary vane pump which is powered by the vehicle’s engine.

Power Steering Flush

Dirt and debris gradually collect in the steering fluid over time.

If the fluid becomes contaminated, it could lead to problems with the vehicle’s steering system and should be flushed out and replaced with new fluid.

Fuel System

Fuel Pump

Draws fuel from the car’s fuel tank.

Has check valves located at its inlet and outlet ports.

Check valves force the fuel to flow in one direction only.

Supplies fuel injector with this pressurized fuel by sending the fuel through the fuel filter to a fuel rail.

This fuel rail is directly connected to the fuel injectors.

Any excess fuel which is not used by the fuel injectors goes back to the fuel tank through a return line.

Fuel System

Fuel Injector

System for mixing fuel with air in an engine.

Primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines.

Almost completely replaced carburettors in the late 1980s.

With the advent of electronic fuel injection (EFI), the diesel and gasoline hardware has become similar.

EFI’s programmable firmware has permitted common hardware to be used with different fuels.

Engine

Cambelt

Also known as the timing belt.

Typically made of rubber and high-tensile fibres (made of fibreglass or Kevlar) which act to withhold tension.

Controls the timing of the engine valves.

Cambelts replaced the older style timing chains.

Certain car manufacturers have reverted to timing chains due to their durability.

Connects the crankshaft to the camshaft.

The crankshaft controls the pistons of the engine

The camshaft controls the opening and closing of the engine’s valves.

The cambelt must be replaced at the car manufacturer’s scheduled time/distance intervals; otherwise, a complete breakdown or engine failure could occur (which would cost much more to repair than a timing belt replacement).

Engine

Oil Pump

Whether your engine is idling or performing at its full capacity, it contains a host of moving metal parts that would, was it not for some form of lubrication, violently overheat.

An oil pump:

Directs oil to all the metal-contacting surfaces in the engine.

Uses a high-pressure system to draw oil from the oil pan and submit it through several passages in the engine to specific parts.

Engine

Engine flush

The oil in one’s engine can become filled with sludge deposits.

Due to different types of residue created by the overall engine combustion.

In extreme case, the sludge can become thick enough to block the passages and cause engine failure.

What an engine flush (engine oil flush) does:

Flushes all the sludge out of your engine and replaces it with new, clean oil.

Engine

Cooling System

Petrol engines are not very efficient in converting chemical energy into mechanical power. A vehicle’s engine needs a cooling system to control this.

An engine runs at its best when the coolant is about 93 degrees Celsius.

The engine is hot enough to allow the oil to flow freely.

To allow the fuel to vaporize easily and

To minimize metal wear.

It is also not too hot to cause engine burnout.

Cooling System Flush

Over time, the coolant and antifreeze chemicals in an engine (used to prevent the engine from overheating) deteriorate under usage.

This causes them to lose their resistance to freezing and boiling.

This, along with other components corroding, can cause the system to become clogged over time.

In extreme cases, a cooling system blockage can occur.

To prevent this, a cooling system flush is recommended – it flushes all the old chemicals out of your car’s engine and cleans it of any particles that have built up due to corrosion.