November 12, 2010
For Immediate Release

For more information: Don Wilson (801) 863-8124
University Marketing & Communications: Mike Rigert (801) 863-6807
Written by: Mike Rigert (801) 863-6807

In order to get Utah Valley University students and community members over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house safely for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day break and subsequent seasonal holidays, UVU automotive technology students are going under the hood Nov. 18.

Part of an annual Service Learning event to hone their skills and provide a valuable service to UVU students, faculty and the public, UVU automotive technology students will be offering a free drive-up winterization car care clinic on Nov. 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sparks Automotive Building. The students will check motorists’ engine oil, anti-freeze and transmission fluid levels, tire wear and air pressure, and belts and hoses.

Don Wilson, chair of UVU’s Automotive Technology Department, said many students will travel great distances to return home for the holidays, and the last thing they need is for their car to fail because it hasn’t have a winterization check.

“We have temperatures that range from sub-zero and up in the winter,” Wilson said. “Typically, during the summer months, drivers don’t worry about that. If lubricants or components freeze, things start to break down. The winter is really hard on automobiles.” Excessive tire wear can result in a loss of traction on wet, icy or snow-covered roadways resulting in slide-offs and potential accidents.

Under the supervision of faculty, nearly 120 automotive technology students will have an opportunity to check over cars, top off fluids and look for potential red flag items that require further maintenance or repair from an automotive repair shop, Wilson said. Checks shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. Each motorist will receive a checklist of components or systems that require further attention before long drives or tackling nasty winter conditions.

“Students have the opportunity to perform a live service that is going to be needed throughout each automotive technician’s life or career,” he said. “They’ll do a quick check, be professional and be able to communicate the car’s needs to the owner of the vehicle.” The students are completing associate degrees in either automotive collision repair technology or automotive diesel mechanics technology.

The Winterization Car Care Clinic is open to the public and will be held on the UVU Orem campus at the Sparks Automotive Building, located near the “D” parking lot on the south side of campus just east of the main roundabout off University Parkway. For more information about the event, please contact the Automotive Technology Department at (801) 863-8349.

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