Mishawaka Auto Repair

    With October being "Brake for Breast Cancer" awareness, thought we would take a minute to inform you about your BRAKE SYSTEM. Your car’s brake system is its most critical safety system and you should check it immediately if you suspect any problems. A properly operating brake system helps ensure safe vehicle control and operation under a wide variety of conditions. When you push the brake pedal, the force generates hydraulic pressure in the master cylinder. This pressure flows through the hydraulic lines and hoses to the wheel cylinders and calipers, forcing the shoes against the drums (drum brakes) and the pads against the rotors (disc brakes). The resulting friction slows the vehicle and is relative to the amount of force applied at the brake pedal. Brakes are a normal wear item for any car and eventually they’re going to need replacement. Avoid letting your brakes get to the “metal-to-metal” point, which usually means expensive rot ... read more

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month For the month of October we are offering “Brakes for Breast Cancer Special” Receive $25.00 off of any brake repair For the month of October Additionally we will donate $25.00 To Breast Cancer Research Our goal is to raise and donate $1,000.00 for Research

"Have you been ignoring your Check Engine" light? So, you get in your car and the "Check Engine Light" is on, before you panic go to the gas tank: is the gas cap loose? Give cap a couple of turns to make sure it's on, is it cracked or broken? If that trick doesn't work, head on over to Rick's Auto Service, having the light on at this stage could be just minor fixes. However, the longer you wait the fix could become quite serious. The possible problems can be lengthy, here are some top culprits: Spark Plugs & Wires, Oxygen Sensor, Mass Air Flow Sensor are just a few to name. There are a multitude of reasons a check engine light appears on your dashboard. However the above four, plus a broken or loose gas cap, are the top five reasons for the check engine light. Please get your vehicle in to Ricks as soon as possible to avoid the bigger problems ahead. #CheckEngineLight #Maintenance  #SparkPlugs    

SHOCKTOBER IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!! So,” what are shocks and struts?” “Should I wait till they go out:?” “ How do I know when my shocks or struts need replacing?” Great questions, these are some of the questions asked by our customers.      You may be surprised – shocked even – to learn just how important automotive shocks and struts really are. If you need new shocks or struts, don't delay, because these are crucial safety items that help you maintain control behind the wheel.        Are you of the age where “a bouncy ride” was the norm and that the suspension was strictly a comfort feature? Remember those dog and hula figurines where they enjoyed the bouncy rides? Did you know that shocks and struts performing at 50% efficiency can add 12 feet of stopping distance for a car traveling 60mph? The SHOCK is essentially the thing that keeps the spring in ... read more

I have stressed the importance of maintaining your car. In the Midwest during winter, the road crews use a lot of salt, which can in the long run corrode away our cars. If you wash your car once a month, it extends the body of the vehicle, making resale easier. Here is a picture of a car that needs shocks and struts, because of corrosion we can’t put the shocks in. They would need extensive body work, because of the age and rust in car, we recommended buying a new car or a “new to you”. Check out Edmunds.com true cost to own, I was surprised after I looked this up ... read more

SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2017 IS CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY WEEK Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old. Many deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters and seat belts. Getting safety information and car seat instructions to parents and caregivers is crucial to saving young lives. Find free safety materials (in English and Spanish) to generate awareness about child car safety in your community during Child Passenger Safety Week and National Seat Check Saturday at: https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/child-safety/child-passenger-safety-weekHERE IS A LIST IN THE SOUTH BEND AREA WHERE YOU CAN GO:    Clay Fire Territory, Station #1  18776 Cleveland Road  South Bend, IN 46601  **Dave Cherrone  574-272-3012  By Appoin ... read more

Your car’s transmission is among its most essential systems. Without a properly working transmission, your vehicle’s engine would not be able to send power to its four wheels.  The gears are among the most critical aspects of a car’s transmission. Both manual and automatic transmissions contain sets of gears. The 6 signs include: strange noises or even grinding coming from the transmission, you experience problems shifting gears, you experience some slippage when shifting gears, unexplained surging of you vehicle, and delay in movement after placing the vehicle in gear. The general recommendation is to flush your transmission every 2 years or 30,000 miles. Fluid Leak. Costs related to repairing your transmission can be as little as $150 or so to replace a defective transmission solenoid and up to $3,000 or more to repair or replace an entire transmission. At Ricks Auto Service, here in Mishawaka, IN, we have a 3year, 36,000 warranty(we stand by our work) ... read more

Many schools today were having 2-hour delays because of thick fog.  Fog is another weather-related driving hazard. Temperature conditions in fall increase its likelihood in autumn, especially in low-lying areas, or places surrounded by trees, hills or mountains. Fog not only impairs your vision, it also muffles sound and alters perceptions of distance. If you have to drive in it, drive slowly, taking care not to overdrive your headlamps (never use high beams).-Overdriving your headlights means not being able to stop inside the illuminated area ahead. It is difficult to judge other vehicles' speeds and distances at night. Do notoverdrive your headlights—it creates a blind "crash area" in front of your vehicle. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area ahead. Sudden, often severe rain storms are a major fall weather hazard. They often come ... read more

The autumn leaves drift by your window. They also pile up on the roadway. Rain falls. The leaves turn to slimy slick patches that are as dangerous as ice. They obscure potholes, curbs and street markings. Watch for them. On the other hand, if you live in areas of the country that are drought-stricken, avoid parking your car over piles of dry fallen leaves (or any dry foliage). Your catalytic converter could spark a fire. Frost and ice. While September frosts are unusual in most parts of the country, they do happen, particularly in shady spots on roadways. Be especially careful when driving over bridges, which can freeze up faster than the rest of the road because they are exposed from the top and bottom. Fall is deer mating season, so the danger of a deer darting onto a road, especially between dusk and dawn, increases now. Running into a deer will definitely ruin your day and your car. They tend to run in small herds, so if you see one, be alert for more. Allow more distance betwe ... read more

For years, we'd been setting our side-view mirrors so that they gave us a view of the back corner of our cars. This is the way it's been done for generations - from grandfather, to father, to us! But we finally discovered something very interesting. The back corner of the car never moves. It always stays in the same exact place. So there's really no reason to keep an eye on it. By moving the side mirrors farther out, you can line up all three of your mirrors so they have minimal overlap -- and you can see everything behind you and beside you. Here's how to do it. Step 1: Start by setting your rearview mirror as you normally would. Then, lean your head all the way to the left so it touches the driver's window. From that position, set your left side-view mirror so you can see the back corner of your car. Now lean the same distance the other way, and set your right side-view mirror the same way.   Step 2 -- Left Side Mirror Alignment ... read more