Blog

Tires are the only part of your car that touches the road, so knowing when to replace them can save you from potential hazards. Fortunately, there are some clear signs you need to visit the Toyota dealer for new tires. more Worn Out Tread Modern tires come with tread wear indicators, which are small bars built into the tires that become visible as the tire wears down. If these indicators are flush with the tread, it's time for a replacement. Uneven Tread Wear Uneven wear on your tires can indicate a variety of issues, such as improper alignment, under-inflation, or problems with your Toyota's suspension system. If one side of a tire is more worn than the other, or if you notice irregular bald spots, it's a sign that your tires need attention. Regular Loss of Tire Pressure If you find yourself constantly having to add air to your tires, it could mean you have a slow leak, which is often a sign of a puncture or damage to the tire. While some punctures can be repaired, significant damage might mean it's time for fresh tires. Regularly losing tire pressure can also affect your Toyota's fuel efficiency and overall handling. Sidewall Cracks or Bulges Check the sidewalls of your tires for any cracks, cuts, or bulges. These can be signs of external damage or internal failures in the tires and can lead to a blowout. If you notice any damage like this, it's important to replace the tire as soon as possible to avoid this risk. Vibrations or Unusual Noises Excessive vibration or strange noises during driving, especially at higher speeds, can be a sign of tire issues. While some vibration is normal, if it's more than usual, it could be due to unbalanced tires, misalignment, or damage to the inside of your tires. If your car is vibrating when you drive, you should have it checked out by a professional. Age of the Tires Even if your tires look fine, their age is an important factor in determining if they need replacing. Most manufacturers recommend replacing your tires every six years or so, regardless of their condition. As tires age, the rubber deteriorates, which can lead to reduced traction and increased risk of tire failure. Drive to Your Toyota Dealer for New Tires Your safety can depend heavily on the condition of your tires. If you notice any signs that they are starting to fail, it's best to visit your local dealership right away. We can provide a thorough inspection and recommend the best tires for your vehicle, ensuring that your Toyota continues to deliver the performance and reliability you expect. Remember, regular tire checks and timely replacements are the best ways to keep them in top condition. Call Ed Martin Toyota and schedule your tire inspection today.

Driving a hybrid doesn't mean you have to compromise on getting fun, engaging performance, and the 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is proof of that fact. Want to discover more about what the Corolla Hybrid has to offer? Check out our preview below to get a taste of what this vehicle can do, and then come to our dealership to see it in action. more Powerful Hybrid Performance Get the best of both worlds when you enjoy the sporty driving experience the Corolla Hybrid delivers as well as the exceptional fuel efficiency this vehicle's hybrid powertrain achieves. Electric on-demand AWD will ensure you're confident and capable even when faced with inclement weather or other difficult conditions. A Spectacle to Behold Flawless design gives the Corolla Hybrid a head-turning presence that will have you making waves everywhere you show up. The low, wide, and aggressive body adds an edge and attitude to your appearance that leaves a lasting impression on anyone who catches a passing glance as you cruise by. The Corolla Hybrid Infrared Special Edition adds 18-inch graphite wheels and bold red exterior graphics to further accentuate your sense of style. Spacious and Sophisticated Inside If what you saw on the exterior of the Corolla Hybrid left you impressed, prepare for your jaw to drop when you open the doors to see the interior. Premium materials give you high-end comfort and an elegant aesthetic, with the seats and controls ergonomically positioned to enhance the experience of driver and passenger alike. Available piano-black accents add another luxurious touch to the cabin. High-Tech Multimedia Convenience and entertainment come with you everywhere you go when you're riding in the Corolla Hybrid. The 8-inch Toyota audio multimedia touchscreen display provides a user-friendly interface that is completely natural to navigate. Add the available built-in navigation system so that you can always find the best route to your destination even when you're driving through an unfamiliar place. Always Safety First Safety is something that Toyota puts a high priority on, and it shows with the peace of mind the Corolla Hybrid delivers. The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system includes advanced features such as lane departure alert with steering assist. This system detects lane markings around you, issuing audio/visual warnings if you accidentally drift out of your position on the road and engaging gentle corrective steering if needed. Once you get behind the wheel of the Corolla Hybrid, you'll see why so many drivers choose this vehicle. Schedule a test drive at Ed Martin Toyota today!

Regularly repositioning the tires on your Toyota promotes uniform wear across all four tires. Getting tire rotations at your Toyota dealer offers you a whole lot of excellent benefits, including potentially saving you cash on gas and tires. more 1. Ensures Your Tires Wear Down Evenly Front and rear tires wear differently because of their respective functions. The front tires wear down quicker than the rear tires on a front-wheel drive vehicle. To prevent uneven tread wear, swap the front and rear tires to new positions on your vehicle every time you take your car for an oil change. Regular rotations will minimize the difference in wear across all four tires. 2. Prolongs the Life of Your Tires If your front and rear tires are not regularly swapped to different positions on your vehicle, they don't wear down evenly, and you'll have to buy new ones more often. When all four tires are rotated regularly, the front and rear tires will wear at the same rate. This means you'll get more out of each tire, and they'll last much longer. 3. Saves You Money at the Gas Pump If you want to save money at the gas station, ask your Toyota technician to swap your tires. When your tires are worn down, they create resistance, making the engine work harder. When the engine strains, you will spend a lot more on gas. 4. Keeps You Safe Behind the Wheel Routinely switching your vehicle's tires will ensure even tread depth and wear across all your tires. It will improve your car's braking ability, increase the stopping distance, and give you the traction you need, even in bad weather conditions on slippery road surfaces. All in all, regular rotations will enhance your car's overall handling. 5. Limits Steering Vibrations and Damage Unevenly worn tires could cause noticeable vibrations through the steering wheel. If the problem is not taken care of, it could ultimately impact your vehicle's wheel alignment and damage components. To prevent vibrations and damage, regularly switch your tires around to reduce uneven wear, limit vibrations to the minimum, and ensure a smoother and safer driving experience. 6. Ensures Your Tires Are in Excellent Condition The technicians at your dealer perform a thorough tire inspection to ensure your tires are in good condition when they rotate your car's tires. They will check each tire's tread depth, inspect the sidewalls for damage, and inflate them to the proper PSI. Routinely swapping your Toyota's front and rear tires to different positions will save you money on gas and tires and keep you safe on the road. Swing by Ed Martin Toyota today to take advantage of all the great benefits of regular rotations.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We all love warm weather, but we also need a trusty car AC when the day gets just too hot. When your car AC is not working, it can make a pleasant drive feel almost unbearable. Fortunately, your Toyota dealer is here to help. If you have an AC problem, our expert technicians can repair it for you. These are some potential AC issues. more Water on the Floor A wet passenger carpet on a warm, sunny day is a sign that something is wrong. The cause of this strange problem is water generated by the cooling process overflowing in the cabin. The evaporator coil holds chilled refrigerant from the compressor. As the AC fan blows over the air over the coil, it chills the air and removes humidity. The humidity is converted into water, which collects in the evaporator heater box. The evaporator heater box has a drain pipe that drains the water out of your car and onto the ground. In time, the drain pipe can become blocked by mold or bacteria. If water can't escape your car, the evaporator heater box will slowly fill up and overflow. The heater box is positioned in front of the passenger cabin section, and overflowing water will leak onto the carpet. We can clean or replace the drain pipe to fix this problem. Refrigerant Leak Refrigerant is the gas that enables the AC to work effectively and chill the air. It changes between gaseous and liquid states during the chilling process. Over time, AC components can become worn or damaged, and this can cause a leak in the AC system. Refrigerant is pressurized in both its gaseous and liquid states, and this means a tiny hole anywhere in the system can cause a rapid loss of refrigerant. Unlike most other potential car leaks, a refrigerant leak is impossible to see with the naked eye. Refrigerant is odorless, colorless, and evaporates when in contact with the air. We can trace a leak in your AC system by feeding a UV dye into the compressor. We then use a UV monitor to trace the refrigerant's passage through the AC. Once we spot the leak, we can permanently seal the hole to fix the problem. Noisy AC A smoothly functioning AC makes almost no sound. If you listen very carefully, you can hear the quiet click of the compressor clutch switching on and off, and you'll hear the sound of the blower motor. If these sounds are replaced by rustling, rattling, or grinding noises, it's time to visit us for an AC checkup. Rustling or rattling noises could be made by dirt, leaves, or other debris rattling around the AC ducts. Grinding noises, in contrast, could be caused by a damaged AC bearing. We'll check the ducts and your AC system and fix the problem. If your ​AC isn't working correctly, ​ call our service department at Ed Martin Toyota.

The brake pads on your Toyota are essential brake system components and must be thick enough to slow your vehicle down. To ensure that your RAV4, Corolla, or Tacoma is always safe to drive, it's vital to have regular brake inspections and pad replacements from the qualified technicians at your Toyota dealer. more Pad Wear and Thickness The lifespan of the pads depends on various factors, including your driving habits and the frequency with which you use your brakes. When you drive your car in heavy traffic and use your brakes often, your pads will wear faster, and if you tend to avoid congested roads and don't have to brake that often, your pads will last much longer. New pads typically measure between eight to twelve millimeters thick, but over time, they wear down. Generally, if your pads are seven millimeters thick or more, they should still work effectively. Once they reach a thickness of four to six millimeters, it's time to consider replacing them. If the pads wear down to three millimeters or less, replacing them as soon as possible is crucial for your safety. Brake Service and Pad Replacement Intervals Your vehicle's brakes must be serviced and tested regularly to ensure the pads never wear too thin, prevent brake failure, and keep you safe on the road. Toyota recommends a thorough brake inspection when the oil is changed every 5,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first. During each service, the Toyota technician will carefully inspect your car's brake system to ensure it's working properly. The technician will also check the pads for wear and measure their thickness. At the 10,000-mile interval, the technician will inspect the brake lines and hoses, and at the 20,000-mile maintenance interval, they'll replace the brake fluid if necessary. The recommended brake system inspection intervals for your specific Toyota model are in your owner's manual or speak to a Toyota technician. Genuine Toyota Brake Components It's important to use genuine Toyota brake components if you want the assurance that your brakes are working properly. Genuine Toyota brake components are designed and manufactured to fit your Toyota perfectly. Opting for ceramic pads can reduce noise, heat, and brake dust while prolonging the rotor life, guaranteeing excellent reliability and long-lasting braking performance. Plus, when you go to your dealer to replace your car's pads, you can trust that a factory-trained Toyota technician will expertly install them. The Importance of Replacing Pads Regularly Your car's pads must be thick enough to slow down and stop your car adequately. To maintain complete control of your vehicle, give you maximum stopping power, and optimize your braking performance, replace the pads before they wear too thin to ensure your safety behind the wheel. To give you the necessary braking power, head over to Ed Martin Toyota today for guaranteed brake performance every time you hit the pedal. The qualified Toyota technicians will thoroughly check your brakes, replace the pads if required, and ensure your brake system functions properly.

Electrical problems can have many different causes, including worn wiring, loose connections, or failed sensors. All of these situations make driving more difficult and can even prevent your car from starting. Your Toyota dealer in Noblesville, IN can fix these and any other problems for you. These are some of the problems you might experience. more Worn Wiring Wiring is essential for transmitting electricity to all the systems that need it. Unfortunately, even the high-quality wiring in your car can eventually fail. Wiring is subject to heat and even slight movement in a car, and this can lead to damage. The wiring will also age, and the constant flow of electricity through the wills can weaken them, and they'll fray. Frayed or damaged wiring presents two problems. Electricity can't flow through a broken wire, and this will cause one or more systems in your car to fail. The second problem is electricity will continue to flow into the wire until it reaches the break. This causes the wire to heat up, and the insulation on the wiring will burn. We can fix these problems by tracing the wiring and installing replacement wiring. Loose or Damaged Connections There are numerous connections in your car's electrical system, for example, the battery cables. These connections are essential, as they connect the components that need electricity to the electrical system. When you're driving, the various connections can move slightly due to the car's motion. In time, these movements can create a gap between the connection and the component they're attached to. Connections can also become damaged due to rust or corrosion, which interferes with the transmission of electricity. Connection problems can cause systems to intermittently fail or prevent them from working at all. Our technicians can test the flow of current through your car's electrical system, pinpoint worn or damaged connections, and then repair or replace them. Failed Sensors Sensors are the equivalent of your computer's eyes and ears. They're connected to all your car's most important components. These sensors constantly monitor their attached component's efficiency and provide early warning of any problems. They're also essential for your computer's decision-making, as the computer relies on the information received from them. Failed sensors can cause a host of problems, including increased emissions, low performance, and decreased fuel efficiency. Their failure can also cause additional engine problems, for example, damaged spark plugs due to a fuel-rich engine. We can test the sensors, and easily replace failed ones to fix this problem. Most electrical problems can be prevented by regular servicing, as our technicians can identify a potential problem and rectify it. Call our service department today at Ed Martin Toyota.

The long-awaited 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander will make its debut later this year. Described as the ultimate family SUV by the brand, the Grand Highlander is a larger, more powerful spin on the iconic three-row Highlander SUV. It enters the lineup just below the full-size Sequoia SUV. If you're in the market for a spacious vehicle, here's what you need to know about this all-new Toyota model. more Interior Space This massive SUV has a total interior space of more than 150 cubic feet. The Grand Highlander has almost 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats alone. Passengers in all three rows enjoy generous headroom and legroom. You can accommodate up to eight people or fold seats flat for equipment, supplies, or luggage measuring up to 97.5 cubic feet. You'll find smart storage throughout the cabin, and the large center console can even fit a tablet. This SUV is packed with standard comfort and convenience equipment such as three-zone automatic climate control and 13 extra-large cupholders throughout the cabin. Higher trims of the Grand Highlander offer even more premium features. You can select options like leather-trimmed, climate-controlled front seats and a panoramic moonroof. Performance You'll be able to tow up to 5,000 pounds with the Grand Highlander. You have your choice of a traditional gas powertrain and two different hybrid options: the Hybrid Max, which provides 362 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque, and a dual-electric hybrid model that gets 243 hp. The Grand Highlander comes with three drive modes, so you can switch between Normal, Eco, and Sport mode as needed. If you ​select the Hybrid Max or gas AWD versions ​of the powertrain, you'll be able to take advantage of Multi-Terrain Select, which features snow, rock and dirt, and mud and sand modes for the ultimate off-roading experience. Technology Every Grand Highlander comes with a 12.3-inch infotainment dashboard that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Everyone can stay connected with seven charging ports throughout the vehicle. Toyota has also given the new SUV the full suite of standard driver assistance tech, including blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assistance, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. You can upgrade the Grand Highlander with additional tech equipment like a panoramic surround-view monitor and wireless charging. An available Digital Key system lets you provide family members with smartphone access to your vehicle, useful if you have new drivers in the household. You'll be able to experience the Grand Highlander for yourself later this year. Get in touch with the team at Ed Martin Toyota to find out more about this highly-anticipated new SUV model.

A healthy radiator is essential for your Toyota, as it removes the heat generated by your engine. Combustion generates large volumes of heat, and this heat must be removed to protect your engine from damage. When your radiator is working efficiently, your engine will also work more effectively. If your radiator is damaged, your Toyota dealer can perform a radiator repair. These are some of the signs you may have a radiator problem. more Broken Radiator Fan When your engine temperature rises over 180 F, coolant is released into the engine. Coolant is a mixture of antifreeze and water and has the unique ability to absorb the heat radiating from the hot engine components. The coolant is pumped into the radiator, where the heat is removed by airflow over the radiator tubes. This process works most effectively when your car is traveling at speed. When your car is idling or moving at a slower pace, airflow through the radiator grille is more restricted. When this happens, the thermostat attached to the radiator fan will detect the increased heat in the radiator, and the fan will switch on. The fan blows cool air across the back of the radiator tubes and forces the heat out of the radiator. If the fan doesn't switch on, our technicians will need to examine it. We'll repair or replace the fan to fix this problem. Leaking Coolant Coolant is pumped through your engine at high speed, and the speed will increase as your engine temperature increases. The faster the coolant moves, the faster it can remove heat and control your engine temperature. The cooling system is subject to stresses from temperatures over 300 F and pressure, which can damage the system in time. Any damage to the cooling system can cause a coolant leak. As coolant leaks out, the pressure in the cooling system will drop. The reduced coolant level and its slower movement will cause your engine temperature to rise. A coolant leak can become apparent if you either see green, yellow, pink, or blue liquid under your car or if your engine temperature gauge starts to rise. Our technicians can trace a coolant leak and repair it very quickly. Loose Hoses Two hoses connect the radiator to the cooling system. These hoses are made from reinforced rubber and are designed to carry hot and pressurized coolant continually. The hoses are attached to the radiator by strong metal clamps that ensure an air-tight fit. Over time, the subtle movement of the hoses as you drive can loosen the clamps. A loose clamp can lead to a coolant leak or cause the hose to disconnect from the radiator. We will test the clamps and replace any worn or damaged ones. If your engine is overheating, call us immediately at Ed Martin Toyota.