The 2013 Toyota Camry is offered in a hybrid gasoline model.  After performing an oil change the maintenance data will need to be reset.  Follow these steps to reset this light:

1. Turn the ignition to run (one position before starting engine).

2. Ensure trip meter reading A is shown. Turn ignition off.

3. While holding down the trip meter reset knob turn the ignition to run (one position before starting engine).

4. Continue to press and hold the knob until the trip meter displays "000000".

5. Turn the ignition off and then start the engine to verify the indicator has been reset.

When doing the oil change and topping up fluids you will need to use the following specifications:

Engine Size	4 Cyl. 2.5L Gas
Motor Oil	0W20
Oil Capacity w/Filter	4.6 US qt. (4.4L)
Brake Fluid	Dot 3
Engine Coolant	Toyota Super Long Life Coolant
Automatic Transmission	Toyota Genuine ATF WS

You can cross reference the following Purolator filter numbers for your own application:

Engine Size	4 Cyl. 2.5L Gas
Oil Filter	L25608
Air Filter	A25786
Cabin Filter	C35667

2.5L 4 Cyl. Hybrid

https://www.oilreset.com

Although not oil resistant, wouldn't a quick lube staff decked out in these shoes be pretty cool?  I'm sure you've seen these shoes on a race car pit crew if you're looking that closely.  These shoes are from a company called Piloti which design and manufacturer shoes for racing. The neat thing about these shoes for the everyday driver is they offer a rounded heel that extends up the back of the shoe.  This allows for better ergonomics and easier shifting.

Shoes aside, a well groomed crew helps to give any business a polished feel and look.  Although these shoes may not meet the standards required for an automotive shop it may be worthwhile looking into what you and your staff can do to spruce up their image.

 

The launch of the iPhone 5 has me wondering what impact these devices have on the fast lube industry.  It's clear that smart phones and the internet are ubiquitous and part of our daily routine but how have lubes embraced the technology?  On a smaller scale, innovative shops have incorporated w-fi into their waiting areas and may even have digital price boards.  Beyond this, I have not seen technology as being part of the customer experience.

I am beginning to see QR codes (quick response) being a constant in print but also seeing tech savvy retailers embrace the technology to give smartphone users a little more for using the technology.  In the background, the Retailer is able to collect further data on each customer and potentially tailor campaigns specifically to them.  In the fast lube world, this could be as simple as a free air freshener for each customer who scans the QR code when in your shop.

As technology advances, I strongly believe that shops need to embrace and interact with the technology to not only build their business but to provide customers what they expect - a place for them to use the their gadget.

Tire pressure monitoring system's (TPMS) are no longer a luxury vehicle item but a mandatory requirement on new vehicles.  The individual wheel sensors collect information on the tire pressures and record fault codes that will activate a TPMS light on the dashboard of the vehicle.  These sensors help to warn drivers of low tire pressures and sudden changes to tire pressures.  The result of this type of monitoring and information is drivers will have the ability to be proactive rather than reactive when a blowout occurs.  One other note, tire pressures typically decrease by 3 p.s.i. every 3 months so drivers will be able to correct the tire pressures before the warning light comes on.

When a warning light comes on, it is indicating an issue with the TPMS and a fault code will be generated to help diagnosis the issue.  To read these fault codes and possibly reset them shops will need to have access to a TPMS tool.  These tools will have a database of all manufacturers and vehicles and will either work wirelessly with the TPMS or plug into the OBD harness.  My preference is for any tool that plugs directly into the OBD because this guarantees an interruption free signal.  Secondly, plugging into the OBD will require less input from the user and is a fail safe way to diagnose issues.  However, not all TPMS tools are created equal - by this, most universal tools will be able to read fault codes but not all will be able to reset the codes.  When shopping for a TPMS tool it might be a good idea to find one that can reset the codes on the widest range of vehicles.  In this article you will find a picture of the ATEQ TPMS VT55 OBDII unit which is universal and offers fault code information on a wide range of vehicles but can not reset codes on all the vehicles (take a close look at the car compatibility information when purchasing a tool).

To continue to offer information and services geared to drivers and customers I feel it is important that shops make an investment in a TPMS tool to help customers understand why the light has come on even if you are not equipped to service the light.

Written by Ronald Rameshnauth

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is becoming the norm for OEM vehicles.  Although you might not be familiar with the term ADAS you will be familiar with some of the technology that are in todays vehicles.  Blind spot warning which can be both a visual and audible warning is used to warn a driver that a vehicle is in the blind spot and a lane change is not possible.  Rear detection sensors that can alert the driver to the presence of an object or person behind a vehicle is another common ADAS.  You don't need to own a new vehicle to take advantage of some of these features because companies like Mobileye are introducing products for the aftermarket.

The Mobileye is basically a camera that is mounted to the windshield that can send information to a display to warn the driver of a number of different things.  It uses and processes the inputs from the camera, measures the driving distance and calculates the time of probable collision with other vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians.  Mobileye provides real-time alerts to the drivers in case of imminent danger of collision, enabling them to react.

Mobileye also makes the claim that it can help make you a better driver by providing you with information that you might not be typically paying attention to.  Imagine if all vehicles were equipped with this technology - I am sure the roads would have safer drivers!

 

There are some cool add on devices you can put on your car or offer to your customers.  One of these devices is the heads up display (HUD).  Those of us who have serviced cars are very familiar with GM models that had them in the past such as the Grand Prix.  The concept is really cool, project the current speed and any other valuable data onto the windshield in the driver's field of view.  This way, you don't have to take your eyes off the road to know what your cars vitals are.   Newer factory installed HUD systems like BMW's can even provide your navigation instructions.

What if you don't have a factory installed HUD?  Well, you're not left out in the cold because you can simply add one.   The better devices on the market will plug into the OBD port, receive power from the cigarette lighter and require a special film to be attached to a small portion of the windshield.  Voila!  The units can work in daylight but look best at night.  The reviews on these units is mixed with all of them (at the time of this posting) being produced overseas with little to no technical support.  With this said, it appears that Pioneer, the electronics company will be launching some type of HUD system for the masses at some point in 2012.

If you are in the market for one of these devices take a look at Amazon.com and search for "Heads up display".

Improving fuel milage is becoming an obsession of many motorists and a way for products to market specifically to this

Example of Fuel Measuring Device by ScanGauge

need.  Recently, I came across a number of fuel mileage measuring devices that plug into the OBD (on board diagnostic) port  on a vehicle that will make saving fuel fun.  The way the device works is it takes the information your vehicle is already producing and presents it in a format that is easy to use and comprehend.

A typical consumer could use the device in a number of ways so here are a few examples:

i) You have decided to remove the roof rack on your vehicle and want to understand if the fuel economy will be impacted enough to keep them off permanently.  You could use the fuel measuring device both before and after to try and understand if you increased fuel efficiency

ii) You have decided to service the spark plugs, clean the fuel injection system and so forth and want to see what the improvement in fuel mileage is

iii) You've changed tires and want to measure their impact or you've switched to nitrogen fill tires

If you were not planning on making any changes to your vehicle you could still have fun with one of these devices by simply changing your driving style.  You could measure the impact of accelerating slower versus rapidly or using cruise control versus normal acceleration.  The use of one of these devices is not guaranteed to improve fuel economy but it is a great way to understand the impact of some maintenance choices or driving styles to squeeze a few more miles out of every tank.  To find these devices you can do a search on Google for "OBD Fuel Economy Device".  Here is a picture of one of the more well know devices by Linear Logic called the ScanGauge.

These devices are capable of providing a number of different analytics from current speed, RPM's, volts to fuel consumption. The higher end devices can even diagnose an engine light!