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Water Puddles: A Hazard To Your Car

vuyi on January 21, 2022

By H&H Admin

With the current weather pattern of frequent rain, keeping your vehicle safe from water damage has become a very important consideration for motorists.

With the current weather pattern of frequent rain, heavy down pours and flooding around large parts of the country, keeping your vehicle safe from water damage has become a very important consideration for motorists.

The problem is exacerbated by sizeable puddles of water forming over the roads due to ineffective storm water drains not draining effectively and insufficient road maintenance.  

“Not only does this present a road safety hazard, but the water can be equally hazardous to your car,” says  Dewald Ranft, Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).

Ranft says possible damage from water can impact a number of different components in one’s car ranging from your engine control unit (ECU) to gearbox control unit.  Water can enter the electronic components and cause the engine to stall. This presents a danger to the driver if he/she is left stranded on the road.  

Excess water can also impact a car’s air cleaner intake which is usually fitted low on a car. “This presents a great risk as taking in excess water can damage the car engine. Water sucked into engine can cause hydro lock. This will destroy the inner working of the vehicle engine at great cost to the driver.”

One also has to watch out for seemingly insignificant if parking a car outside. “It is important to drain under the windscreen wipers as they can become blocked due to leaves and twigs. If left unattended, the debris could lead to damage to the engine ECU as water can enter the ECU (engine control unit) and/or the gearbox control unit. As a result the car can stall leading to expensive repairs. “It can be easily avoided with regular maintenance like cleaning cowl panels and water draining systems,” says Ranft.

In order to prevent damage motorists should follow the following guidelines:

  • Never drive too fast into a pool of water if you are not sure of the depth of the puddle. This can lead to the vehicle being damage or even being totally flooded with water. Dangerous aquaplaning is also a risk and can cause the driver to lose control. 
  • Avoid fast-flowing low water bridges. Fast flowing water over low water bridges as little as 6 inch can sweep a vehicle downstream.
  • Be alert for hidden potholes covered by water which can cause damage to the vehicle rims, tyres and alignment.
  • Always drive with your headlights on when it is raining to make your vehicle more clearly visible. In heavy rain or misty conditions it may even be necessary to switch hazard lights on to be more visible
  • Never speed in the rain. Drive slowly and maintain additional following distances.

Remember:  It doesn’t take much water to cause a car to stall, particularly as is can be difficult to gauge how deep the water actually is.  

Depending on the conditions, it could be difficult to tell how deep the water actually is and almost impossible to detect if there isn’t a pothole lurking under its surface. It is best to approach any amount of water with caution.

Source: MIWA / Retail Motor Industry

What to do when your tyre explodes at high speed

vuyi on December 20, 2021

Anyone who has ever experienced the shock of a burst tyre while travelling at a relatively high speed, will relate to this article particularly given our country’s unacceptably high road accident rate.

Women determined to be the change the Automotive Industry needs: Part 5 – Meet Teresa Spenser-Higgs

vuyi on August 27, 2020

Five women in the automotive industry, all accredited members of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud Association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), talk to us about what they love and don’t love about the industry, and how they see the industry evolving.

– ARTICLE COURTESY OF RETAIL MOTORING INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION (RMI)

“I landed in the industry when my husband opened a workshop and needed someone to do the office work,” she explains. “I guess I was really brought up in it though, as my father and grandfather were also in the industry. All my life I had to hold my own in conversation when the men were talking cars, so I always listened and asked questions.”

Most men think women know nothing about cars, but the industry is changing and women are more accepted today.

– Teresa Spenser-Higgs

“When people ask what I do I say it’s a bit like being a mom – I need to be able to do everything (other than fix my car myself). My friends of course think I lunch and have my nails done all day because I’m the boss’s wife, but that’s far from the truth. Instead it’s a combination of HR, industrial relations, debtors, creditors, spares, reception, first aid, marketing and social media, to name a few.”

Teresa loves the honesty of earning a living with your hands. “The muscles in our industry are as a result of hard work; they’re not crafted in a gym,” she says.

She has overcome discrimination with a sense of humour (and silently counting to 10).

“Most men think women know nothing about cars, but the industry is changing and women are more accepted today. They bring a different dynamic to the table. Men may head the industry in a lot of respects but women are the backbone; the infrastructure that allows the head to function properly.”

The future of the industry is exciting, Teresa says, and she is encouraged to see young women choosing related fields of study at colleges.

“There are many opportunities for women – just believe in yourself and don’t let someone else determine your value. It’s important to get your hands dirty while learning everything you can,” is her advice.

“Since I understand the challenges the average workshop faces, I want to be part of the solution and help the industry evolve.”

Women determined to be the change the Automotive Industry needs: Part 4 – Meet Angie Ledwaba

vuyi on August 27, 2020

Five women in the automotive industry, all accredited members of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud Association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), talk to us about what they love and don’t love about the industry, and how they see the industry evolving.

– ARTICLE COURTESY OF RETAIL MOTORING INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION (RMI)

ANGIE LEDWABA, owner of RA Motors, Polokwane, believes more women should be studying mechanical engineering so that they can make the motor industry “more beautiful and less complicated” for future generations.

“Women are such creative and colourful beings, I am confident we can transform the industry all on our own,” she says.

People are flabbergasted by the fact that I am a business owner in such a male-dominated industry,” she says.

– Angie Ledwaba, Owner of RA Motors

Angie admits she has had to develop a thick skin to ward off discrimination, but she actually finds the industry fascinating because it is male-dominated.

“I managed my brother’s workshop for 10 years before buying my own, so now I almost feel like I’m giving back in a way. People are flabbergasted by the fact that I am a business owner in such a male-dominated industry,” she says.

Women determined to be the change the Automotive Industry needs: Part 2 – Meet Sebola Mahura

“Many don’t take you seriously because they believe they can’t get professional help from a woman. I’ve been discriminated against by dealers who have been in business for a long time, as well as the government and private sectors.”

Angie would like to see more educational workshops being offered to expose women to career opportunities in the industry, and she wants to own an engineering company where she can upskill people in mechanical engineering and then employ them.

Lost Means Cost – Replacing your lost car key

vuyi on August 26, 2020

Replacing a lost car key used to be simple – you’d take the spare to your local key cutter and for about R250 you could have a copy made. These days, however, it’s a different story.

– Article courtesy of retail motor industry organization

Replacing a lost car key used to be simple – you’d take the spare to your local key cutter and for about R250 you could have a copy made. These days, however, it’s a different story.

Not only does the modern car key start your car, it can also unlock the doors remotely and provides extra security thanks to transponder technology. All of this is great news until you lose or damage your keys – and discover you’re up for hefty replacement costs.

Many car owners have no idea how much their keys are worth until they lose one

– Dewald Ranft, National Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA)

“Many car owners have no idea how much their keys are worth until they lose one,” says Dewald Ranft, National Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA),  a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organization (RMI). Most people are shocked when they discover a replacement key could cost thousands of Rands and, if you don’t have a spare, keep you grounded for a day or two.

Ranft says the cost of a single replacement key ranges from R2 000 to R4 500 and the price for keys for an exotic car can even be higher. A new key needs to be ordered, cut and coded which could mean up to a full day or more off the road. “A high price for losing something you have to carry with you on most days,” he says.

While the cost of a single replacement key is high, if you lose all the keys to your car, the costs and time off the road will increase significantly, particularly if the car’s computer has to be reset or completely replaced to match the new replacement keys.

“One could easily be quoted anything from R10 000 to more than R20 000 for work done on various models of cars,” he says.

Many people are simply unaware there’s an alternative should you find yourself ‘keyless

– Dewald Ranft, National Chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA)

Independent industry experts are of the opinion that increasingly complicated technology used in car accessories, including keys, may be a sales growth area for businesses selling vehicles, but it can be a high-tech headache for car owners.                                                                                           

Accredited independent aftermarket workshops, like MIWA accredited workshops, offer a legitimate alternative service to cut and recode modern car keys for most car models at a very competitive cost. “An added bonus,” says Ranft, “is that they can, in most cases, assist vehicle owners immediately, which means you avoid the hassle of down time or being without a vehicle for more than a day.”

Most MIWA accredited workshops have worked with modern car keys since their introduction to the South African market. They have the equipment and parts so there is no risk to the owner. “Many people are simply unaware there’s an alternative should you find yourself ‘keyless’,” he says. 

Ranft says many MIWA shops carry genuine keys and also stock after-market keys which may look different to the original but work as well and cost less. Some workshops even carry diagnostic tools that can help reset the car’s computer if both keys are lost.

So the best advice from MIWA:

  1. Don’t ever have just one key? If you’re buying a car, be sure to ask about the keys before you sign on the dotted line.
  2. Smart but not strong – It’s a fact – keys wear out developing faults or even breaking. Sometimes a repair is an option and not a total replacement. The two most common problems are water damage and keys that have been dropped.
  3. Remember you have options – Either speak to your current dealer to manage the replacement or if you prefer, and once you have checked your warranty won’t be affected if you select an alternate workshop, approach any of our accredited MIWA workshops across the country to replace the missing key.