Mishawaka Auto Repair

"My brake" is often how customers start when experiencing some difference in braking. Here are some red flags if your brakes are doing or feeling the following: 1.Brakes are vibrating when you step on them: It occurs when the metal of the calipers are grinding against the metal of the rotors. 2. Squealing & grinding noises usually mean the brake pads are wearing out.  3.Vehicle pulls to one side when braking. Common causes could be a stuck caliper, collapsed brake hose, uneven wear on pads or brake fluid impurities. 4. Brake Pedal feels different. Knowing how your brakes feel-if you experience mushy brake(pressing all the way down) or the opposite when the brakes engage at hardly any touch. 5. The ABS Light illuminates. If the light comes on the dashboard it could mean your computer has detected a problem with the braking system. Give us a call if any of the following happens, so you aren't left without brakes, a truly needed item when one is driving!! #Brakes #M ... read more

When you are buying a "new" to you car You DO NOT want to: 1. Buy a car sight unseen or without a test drive. 2. Buy without checking to see if the title is clear.. 3. Bring a lot of cash... 4. Meet at night... 5. Believe everything the seller tells you, or at least make sure you check it out. WHAT YOU DO WANT TO DO: 1. TAKE IT TO RICK'S AUTO SERVICE HERE IN MISHAWAKA AND GET A NEW TO YOU CHECK. Unfortunately we had a customer not to long ago buy a car sight unseen, they ended up having to put another $2500.00 into the car, because it started making weird sounds shortly after they bought it.  

Is your car's Air Conditioning blowing warm? Or is it not blowing at all? How can I fix the A/C in my car? Bring your car to Ricks Auto Service and let us diagnose what's wrong with your Air Conditioning System. #AC #blowinghotair #maintenance #RicksAutoService  

NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS Please check your owner manual to be sure, also you need to take into consideration how hard of a driver you are and where you drive. Oil changes- usually every 3,000 miles. Belts-check with every oil change(we do that and more) Timing belts(where applicable)-usually every 60,000-90,000 miles Brakes-front brakes usually last 20,000-30,000 miles, rear brakes usually 60,000 miles varies with driving habits and conditions Transmission services – usually every 60,000 miles Coolant services – usually every 2 years, some coolant types are good for 5 years Tires -  vary widely Hoses – check with every oil change, rot from the inside out Spark plugs – usually every 30,000, some 60,000 others 90,000 check your owners’ manual Spark plug wires – usually every 60,000 miles or when they go bad Distributor cap and rotor – cars that have them usually every 60,000 miles Air filter – should be ch ... read more

Good day, We had a customer, who called and said my tire is making a funny noise ka-thump ka-thump ka-thump, she should us a picture. Rick called the towing company and had the car sent to our shop. Check out some videos for some do not's and some do's!!. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cXf3IKhGI&t=31s    

"Why is my A/C not cooling?" or "why is my A/C not cooling enough?" Don't wait till we have consistent Hot Weather, get your A/C Performance Checked today. The lack of well needed cold air could be from a Freon leak caused by a failed o-ring, seal, hose or component. If there is mold or mildew which could accumulate in the evaporator core, air would have trouble reaching your air vents. A hose could of come loose. Ventilation fan is fried. Whatever the cause of your airflow problems, we have the answers. #A/Cnotcooling #maintenance#shopnearme

On this Tuesday, I decided to talk about batteries, you know the ones that run your car. The Hudson Motor Car Company was the first to use a standardized battery in 1918 when they started using the Battery Council International batteries. The BCI is the organization that sets the dimensional standards for batteries. Cars had 6-volt until the mid-1950’s. As cars got bigger with more demands on the battery they created 12-volt. With that said, here is a 5 step guide to getting most out of our car batteries: 1. Keep the battery terminals clean and inspect regularly (i.e. monthly) for corrosion. 2. Start the car before operating car accessories and operate (drive) the car to allow the battery to get topped off by the car alternator which produces electricity and as a by-product charges the car battery after voltage drops in the battery. 3. Keep the battery secure and free from vibration. Batteries that shake can become damaged and short circuit ... read more

Diagnosing whether a bad odor is due to mechanical or environmental issues, however, takes some practice. Just as some experienced mechanics have an “ear” for knowing where a car squeak is coming from, there are also those who have a “nose” for diagnosing what problem it is. We can’t promise you’ll become an overnight expert here, but we’ve taken a page from the experts’ guidebook by spilling out some of their secrets. What it smells like: Sweet A car that smells eeringly sweet might mean that your coolant is leaking somewhere. Coolants are made from toxic ethylene glycol, and they smell really sweet like maple syrup. When you vaguely smell it somewhere, then chances are your coolant is leaking from a radiator cap, a heater hose, a malfunctioning cylinder head or an intake manifold gasket. What it smells like: Pungent, Sharp, Acidic If you smell something like burnt paper, then you’ve proba ... read more

Here are a list of car trouble symptoms: Does your car cut out, detonation,dieseling, hesitation, miss, rough idle-slugglish, spongy stall or surges. What is detonation? You hear a mild to severe ping, usually worse under acceleration. It sounds like popcorn popping. Bring your vehicle in so we can take care of all your running problems. Give us a call 574-255-4724, or go to our website Ricks Auto Service in Mishawaka IN.    

  Does your garage floor look like this? Which fluid is this? Here are a number of fluids in your car that can leave this mess on your floor. Brake Fluid Coolant Windshield washer fluid Engine oil Water Power steering fluid Transmission fluid Take a close look at the stain. What color is it? Does it have a smell? Check the consistency You don’t have to be a scientist or mechanic to decipher the fluid leak:       If it’s clear, watery and under the air conditioner: It’s probably normal condensation if the air conditioner has been recently used.       If it’s black or dark brown, greasy and located under the engine area: Good change it is oil. Which part of the engine did the spot come from? Look  under the hood around the oil filter and engine. Also, see if there are leaks  around the crankcase, oil drain plug and the oil ... read more