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All systems and components eventually wear out due to age. Regular maintenance prevents problems by ensuring worn components are replaced before they fail. As your Mitsubishi dealership, we want you to know a few signs you need to visit us for Mitsubishi maintenance. more Burning Plastic A burning plastic smell usually means damaged wiring. Your Mitsubishi contains a huge amount of wiring that carries electricity to every system that requires it. All wiring must be protected against water, dirt, and heat, so it's covered in tough plastic insulation. As time passes, wiring can weaken due to age and potentially break. Broken wiring prevents electricity from reaching any system beyond the break, but electricity will continue to flow into the wire. This causes the broken wiring to overheat and burn the protective insulation. The smell of burning insulation is distinctive and also poisonous. If you smell burning insulation, contact us ASAP so we can find and replace the damaged wiring. Damaged Starter Solenoid The starter cranks your engine, which begins the combustion process that brings your engine to life. The starter is powered by an electrical charge sent from the battery to the starter solenoid when you push the start button. When the starter solenoid receives the charge, it activates the starter. In time, this solenoid can wear out or become damaged. A failed solenoid prevents the starter from initiating the crank, and your engine won't start. Unlike a dead battery, jump-starting has no effect, as electricity can't bypass the solenoid. One of the ways you can identify a starter problem is by the absence of the slight click you hear when the starter activates. Our technicians will replace the damaged solenoid to fix this issue. Worn Alternator The alternator's job is to produce electricity for your vehicle's systems. It does this by spinning at high speed and producing magnetic energy, which is converted to AC and finally DC. Its second job is to maintain the battery at full charge. Alternators are very robust, with an average lifespan of eight years. As they begin to wear out, however, they slow down and produce less electricity. The drop in power supply is gradual, but irreversible, and eventually the alternator can't supply enough power for all the systems that require it. When this point is reached, your Mitsubishi's computer will shift the available power from system to system according to demand. This will cause issues like systems stopping then restarting, and various other glitches. We'll test your alternator and replace it if it's damaged. If your Mitsubishi isn't delivering its normal top performance, contact our service department today at Wallace Mitsubishi-Kingsport in Kingsport, TN.

There are plenty of independent repair shops that offer the same type of service as dealerships, but dealership service benefits your car the most in many ways. The Mitsubishi dealership can give you a level of care that general mechanics can't usually match, making the dealership the better choice for taking care of your car. more 1. Dealership Technicians Are Factory Trained No matter what automaker it's from, a vehicle has mostly the same systems and similar types of parts across the board. However, each manufacturer makes their cars a little differently, requiring specialized knowledge if you want to have the absolute best care possible. General mechanics don't have specialized knowledge regarding any specific automaker. Dealership mechanics do. Dealership mechanics are trained to be able to pinpoint problems with Mitsubishi vehicles and repair them to get your model back in ideal condition. They understand Mitsubishi models more than any general mechanic ever could, so any repairs or maintenance done will always be specific to your car model, which is better for your vehicle. 2. Dealership Service Benefits You and Your Car If you'd like to wait while your car is being repaired, that's fine. You don't have to go walking around the area trying to find somewhere to wait and something to do. You can enjoy time in our waiting room, which has water, coffee, a television, and other amenities. Our staff aims to keep you comfortable while you wait for your car, making the experience as good as possible for you. You won't typically find the same kind of service at an independent mechanic, as they don't tend to have waiting rooms or amenities for you. Many of them are much smaller than a dealership, and they're more focused on servicing your car than making sure you have a good experience while you wait for it. That makes dealership service more beneficial if you need to wait for the vehicle for a couple of hours. 3. Dealerships Have Special Tools and Parts Dealerships use special tools designed for working on your car's make and model, and we also have access to OEM parts we'll use if any of your components need to be replaced. OEM parts are higher quality and longer-lasting than generic parts that a general mechanic would use, making them better for your car in the long run. 4. Dealership Service May Be Mandatory To obtain warranty service, you need to go to a Mitsubishi Motors dealer or authorized service center. So, if your car needs a repair that will be covered by your warranty, then going to the dealer is essential. We offer a wide range of services designed to keep your car running well and fix any problems it has. Visit Wallace Mitsubishi-Kingsport in Kingsport, TN, when your car is in need of care.

Do you feel like your tires are wearing out too quickly? If so, you may need to have them aligned more frequently. When misaligned, car and truck tires are pressed against the tarmac at awkward angles, which not only causes uneven wear but also increases the risk of tire failure and steering-related accidents. Here are five signs that your vehicle probably needs tire alignment at your local Mitsubishi dealership. more Your Steering Feels Looser and Less Precise Tire misalignment means the wheels have become bumped and knocked out of position, so the suspension is no longer holding them at perfectly parallel angles. This hinders handling as each wheel is trying to take your car in a slightly different direction. The steering column is also impacted, often resulting in a looser feel to the steering wheel and reduced overall handling precision. Your Steering Wheel Seems Off-Center In extreme cases of misalignment, the steering wheel will become pushed permanently into an off-center position. This means the driver must apply pressure merely to hold a straight course. Needless to say, this is unsustainable and should be remedied at once. Your Vehicle Refuses To Drive Straight When traveling along a straight road, do you find your car pulling slightly to one side? This probably means that one or more of your tires are misaligned on the toe angle, meaning they're pointing outward to the left or right. Once again, this is hazardous and requires immediate attention. Your Tires Are Wearing Out Too Quickly Misalignment is a common cause of premature wear in tires. If you're spending too much money on new tires, consider more frequent wheel alignments. As a result, you may find you only need new tires every five or six years, rather than every three. Your Tires Are Squealing When You Corner When poorly aligned along the camber angle, tire treads aren't pressed against the road properly. Instead, just one side of the treads is bearing most of the load. This causes excess strain, especially when cornering, which may cause them to squeal noisily. Coincide Alignment Checks With Rotations at Your Mitsubishi Dealership Optimal tire care requires biannual tire rotations to prevent excessive unevenness. It's a good idea to have the alignment of your tires measured each time you have a rotation. Most drivers only need to have their tires fully realigned every one or two years, but if you off road frequently, you may need realignment carried out twice a year. Get your tires fully serviced today at Wallace Mitsubishi-Kingsport in Kingsport, TN. We work diligently to keep the cars and trucks of all our customers driving smoothly and reliably long-term with minimal maintenance and repair requirements.