Mishawaka Auto Repair

Keeping your car in top running condition is so important. Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance, with new cars costing a small fortune, taking care of your vehicle just makes sense. Keeping your old car running as long as possible, frees up your money to do other things. I have a 2000 Honda Odyssey,  371,638 miles and it's still running, and running well. In all honesty, the body of the car looks sad, but when you have teenagers learning to drive....I'll say no more. My kids joke with me about getting rid of it, but I would like to try and get it to 400,000 miles...hopefully!!! When you drive the same vehicle for a number of years you get to know what sounds normal and what might be a potential problem. When I take my car to Ricks, I let them know of new noises that have started...Whether it's a clicking noise in the engine, a rattling sound, the car vears to the left when I brake. No sound or change in your car is insignificant, it maybe from everyday wear, or i ... read more

"The Check Engine Light is on again", that's what I told Rick the other day. Fortunately, mine was an easy fix, I had gotten gas the night before and did not put the gas cap on securely enough. You should be able to hear clicking, when you put it on to the right.  If the check engine light illuminates, it will either blink or remain constant, depending on the problem. Either way, you should have the vehicle checked by a Qualified Service Technician as soon as possible.  If the light is steady. The problem is not an emergency, but you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible.  Some checks you can do if the light comes on: Check your dashboard gauges and lights—is the oil pressure low, is it overheating. These conditions mean you should pull over and shut off the engine when you get to a safe spot. You may still be able to drive to Ricks Auto Service here in Mishawaka, but if it’s running really hot, or the oil pressure is reall ... read more

Let’s start the new year not only changing our personal habits, but how about our driving habits? I don’t know about you, but bad habits, or laziness sort of creeps on us. If you see yourself not doing any of these(I was guilty of a few), then make a change today. KEEP THE PHONE AWAY Texting or talking on your phone(we think it is multi-tasking!!) does lead to countless road accidents. From research, listening reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%. Don’t be distracted. STICK TO THE SPEED LIMIT Stick to the speed limit, it safer and cheaper. It certain spots you can be fined heavily for going over the speed limit. SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE I think when we are rushing we tend to crowd the car in front of us. Leaving a 2-3 second gap between you and the driver in front of you, can keep us from rear-ending that driver, if they stop suddenly. TURN ON YOUR HEADLIGHTS WHEN NEEDED ... read more

Do I need to get an alignment for my vehicle? If you are driving straight as an arrow then you probably don't need an alignment. First things first, if you veer to the right or left, you might need an alignment. But, before you run to your friendly mechanic, when was the last time YOU checked your tires pressure. Also inspect and check the "wear" on your tires. You can start by looking at your tires, but don't use that as your only method. You really need to use a tire-pressure gauge, it costs between $5-$30 dollars. Check sticker on your door or in the maintenance or car care section in the vehicle's owner's manual. That done, does your steering wheel vibrate when braking, which may be due to the wheels are out of balance or bent, depending on size of pothole you've hit. When braking are you veering to the right or left? #Brakes #Alignment #Balance #Driveablity #Mecanic #Maintenance #ShopNearMe 

“What is a Serpentine Belt?” “How does it work in my car?’ The serpentine belt looks like a long snake like winding belt, it keeps your alternator, power steeling pump, air conditioning and depending on your vehicle water pump running smoothly and effectively. The way rubber is made these days your belt should last between 50,000 to 100,000 miles. But from wear and tear and extreme weather it does need to be changed. If you fine it needs to be changed sooner it may be an underlying problem of possible Tensioner or Idler Arm problem. Signs of a failing Belt may be : Squealing or chirping noises:  The belt starts slipping, is when the chirp or squeal begins. When the noise starts usually the belt stretch, low belt tension, or the pulley and belt are not working together correctly. Give us a call at Ricks Auto Service here in Mishawaka. Cracks and wear: You can actually see the physical signs of failure, missing chunks ... read more

Oil Changes, every car needs to have one, from 3,000 to 10,000 miles-depending on your driving conditions. They need to be done 3-4 times a year, if you want to or not!! We help to make it painless, we offer a Oil Change Club, 4 oil changes for 79.99 or if you have a full-synthetic 139.99. Our trained mechanics take the time to completely check your car, keeping safety first, always. By finding the small problems today and taking care of it now you save $$$ sometimes even in the $1,000s.  For example, The most common issue in not changing your cars oil is that the engine runs less efficiently, and as time goes on, it can cause the engine components to warp and wear out....eventually when the oil is not changed, the engine will shut down and have to be replaced. #OilChange #Engine #Gifts #Maintenance

I go to start my car this morning and I'm getting nothing but cold air, or what happened to me...nothing at all. The whole blower went out, but there are some things that can be checked first. If the coolant level is decreased or there is a leak in the system. It's hard to come up with a price up front because we need to get the vehicle in and check if the antifreeze/water level in radiator is low do to leak in the cooling system. A bad thermostat that isn't allowing the engine to properly warm up. the blower fan not working properly the coolant has been contaminated with rust particles. The heater core went out

Can you guess the different filters in your car? Most would guess cabin, air, oil and possibly engine air filters. On reading the different articles, none of them agree how many or what all the fuel filters are: I think it is safe to say that the numbers of filters vary from car to car, checking your cars manual will let you know exactly how many there are. There are also Fuel and emission valve and filter, there is also a transmission filter...only if you have an older model..  each filter having a unique job in keeping your vehicle running smoothly. With an OIL FILTER, not changing it when needed, (or sooner if you do a lot of hard driving) could potentially damage the engine. As your engine runs, over time metal wears down causing tiny particles to be released, when that happens the particles block the flow and can end up in the lubricant. Timely changing of the oil filter will catch those particles, unfortunately the information for when and how often differs. Some say ever ... read more

"Is your car Winter ready? or What do I need to do to get my car Winter ready?", those are questions that our customers are asking us, and here are 10 simple ways to get your car ready for winter.  Give your battery some TLC. Checking your tire pressure can make a big difference. Are your windshield wipers new? When was the last time you got your belts and hoses checked? Is the right type of Oil in your car? Do you have 4-wheel drive? How are your tires for driving in the snow and ice? Your antifreeze is it the right mixture? If stranded do you know what to do? How about that emergency kit, been meaning to put one together? If you are unsure about any of the above or you have other questions please don't hesitate to give us a call so we can get you on the road safely. #Winter #WinterReady #no-start #Freeze  

How much do brakes cost to replace? This is one of the most frequent questions that we receive from our customers when calling on the phone. Without first looking at your car and checking out what exactly the problem is, is really doing you, our customer a disservice. What your brother or neighbor needs done on their brakes may be different then what your car will need. If you called a doctor with an aching bum knee, you would expect to make an appointment and have him look at your knee. If he said just take two aspirins or we are doing a whole knee replacement without taking x-rays or even doing an MRI, you would be shocked. So, think of us as your car doctor, let us give your car a health assessment. We do an assessment on every oil change, we cover your belts, filters, check your fluids, brakes, tires, and much more than that. Let us keep your car healthy and you worry about your knees!!! #brakerepair #mechanic #autorepair #oilchange