Mishawaka Auto Repair

1-Look for things embedded in each tire.Do you see nails, stones, or other debris embedded in the treads? Remove them. But if you're goint to remove a nail, first make sure that your spare tire is inflated and in usable shape.2-Look at the sidewalls.Are you seeing deeply scuffed/worn areas, are there bulges, bubbles, or small slits or holes? The tires themselves do they fit evenly and snug around the wheel rims?3-Look at the treads.Have you ever tried the Lincoln penny head-down in the groove between the treads. I you see the top of Lincoln's head, tire probably needs to be replaced. 4-Pay attention to leaks.Do you keep losing air in your tires, stop by and have it checked. It could be an easy fix, such as an ill-fitting rim could cause the leak. Still can't find lead, check the tire valve, you can buy a tire valve and replace.    

This is know as "cupping", how to check for it just run your hand along face of tire you can actually feel it. If your tire is flat it gives you a better idea...it will be like small waves that is cupping. "what causes cupping? " I usually is an "alignment" problem. If in doubt, and your car is wobbling at the same speed, give us a call, we'll inspect your tires for free.      

Your tire will have large and small cracks and pimple like(bulging) look to it. We live in weather that is very harsh on our tires, so we end up with larger then usual "potholes". Continually hitting these will cause the "pimple" like appearance in your "tire". When you have these cracks and/or bulging you need to replace this tire, it will become flat eventually

Problem 1: Look at your tire is it worn down the middle? Cause: Your tire was overinflated, only the center ring will have contact to road, when that happens your traction suffered. Look inside the door placard or check your owner's manual to know the correct tire pressure. Before you start driving and when it is cold outside, check the pressure. If in checking the pressure is correct, it may indicate that the wheel and tires are not properly matched.     

“What do you keep in the back of your trunk?” Even though winter is over and spring is officially here, it’s still a good idea to keep some if not all of the following in the back of your trunk. ·        Spare tire (in good condition), along with a tire jack and tire iron, also, if your wheels require a special security key, make sure that's always in your car too. ·        Tire inflater and sealer, like the Fix-a-Flat, which can plug a leak (and help you avoid using the above tools) just enough to get you to the auto shop. ·        Jumper cables, because dead batteries happen to the best of us.   ·        Your car's manual, which sho ... read more

“Do you know if you have a spare tire?” Most people won’t know until they have a flat tire, there are over 100’s of models of cars from over a dozen manufacturers that don’t offer spare tires. Such as, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford, for various reasons ..such as fuel efficiency. If you find out your car does not come equipped with a spare and you decide that you want one, you can purchase a spare at a tire store or Ricks Auto Service can order you one to match your tires already on your car

So let’s start with the easy stuff; what is a transmission service? A transmission service is simply the removal of the transmission fluid via a drain plug and then adding new transmission fluid. This process gives the transmission a sort of “cleanse” that helps reduce the strain on the components within the transmission and prolong its life. Why does your car need a transmission service? A transmission service is essential due to the fact that by removing the old transmission fluid, any buildup that has occurred in the transmission will be removed also. The old residue inside of your transmission can potentially contaminate your fluid over time and put unnecessary stress on the transmission, thus increasing your chances of having to replace the transmission all together. Recap: A simple transmission service not only will make your transmission run better, but will also prolong the life of the transmission. In other w ... read more

What it looks like: They put a boot on your car and your car is also covered in icicles. This has been the worst winter ever? What it means: If the symbol lights momentarily it may mean that the igition switch is locked and will need the proper transponder-equipped key to restart. If the symbol is visible when the vehicle is on, then it typically indicates a malfunction in the security system.  

What it looks like: A jellyfish leaping through a waterfall. (A little stretch of the imagination) What it means: Your fog lights are on.  

What does it look like: A man wearing a tie, shaking his fist at you as he falls down. Why did you push Him?