Mishawaka Auto Repair

Can I drive with a Coolant Leak? Sometimes this question is asked to late, driving with a Coolant Leak that is left unattended will cause major damage to the Engine. On this particular Vehicle the Coolant was left to almost run out. When this happens your Vehicle can not properly cool your engine to a normal running Temperature. When your Engine overheats, damage can occur to the Block and Heads of the Engine. The Gaskets were blown. When this happens further damage can occur. There was a deep crack in the Head, we had to replace the Engine. #Engine Repair #Engine Replacement  

What does a Water Pump do? When your Engine can reach Temperatures of 195 to over 200 on a regular day. Imagine what our severe Indiana Temperatures can do to the water in your Radiator. The Coolant and Anti-Freeze in your Vehicle circulates through your Engine. This coolant is controlled by your Water Pump. Ensuring that the Coolant keeps moving through you Engine Block and Radiator. The Coolant also passes thru Hoses keeping the proper temperature to operate your Vehicle

A customer had his car towed in because the Vehicle had Intermittent Starting Issues. We had to Diagnosis the Vehicle and found it had a GPS Tracking System that was faulty. GPS Tracking is an acronym:  Global Positioning System. It involves an organization of 24 satellites in orbit and Tools on the ground that can set up an individual or article's area on Earth with shocking accuracy. GPS Tracking tracks three separate informational indexes: situating, route, and timing.   From preventive maintenance to major repairs, Ricks Auto Service at 405 W. Jefferson Blvd. Call 574-255-4724, or visit online: https://ricksautoservice.org/ #RicksAutoService #MishawakaMechanic #MishawaAutoRepair #No Start #Alignment  

Symptoms of a bad or worn Ball Joint: One of the Symptoms of a bad or worn-out Ball Joint, is your tire will show excessive wear on the inside or outside of the Tire.. Tires may also show wear from any problems with the Steering or it has been a while since you have had the Vehicle Aligned. You may also be hearing odd sounds such as a faint bang, grinding or popping noise coming from the corner of the Vehicle. With a worn Ball there is to much free motion. You may also feel the Vehicle pull from side to side, or a Steering Wheel shaking excessively. The Ball Joint connects to the Steering and Suspension. Any of these above signs may be a red flag, give us a call or go online to make an appointment so we can keep your family safe driving on the road

How do you know if your Car is Road Trip Ready? If your Vehicle is making any strange noises, when you start the Engine. When you Brake or try and Start your Car. Talk to your Mechanic if you don’t have one give us a call. Don’t let car trouble ruin your next long get-away weekend. A few Car Maintenance tasks before you go will get you there and back again but also give you peace of mind. Checking the Fluids in your car. When was the last time you had an Oil Change? Checking your Vehicle Coolant will keep you and your Engine cool. What about your Vehicles Battery, is it Corrosion-Free and relatively new (2-5 years old). Don’t forget your Engines Belts and Hoses. Belts should be tightly installed and Hoses crack-free.Don't forget to check your Tire Tread. If you have any noises coming from the Brakes make sure the Brake Pads or Rotors are safe. Schedule an appointment today we will give make sure your Vehicle is Road Ready and Safe.   ... read more

"Brake Problems"? "How do you stop a Brake Caliper from making noise?" "Can a Brake Rotor make noise?" Ricks Auto Service, serving the Michiana Area since 1977, is the place for those Brake Problems. Your Brakes need a detailed check as we do with any service. Our ASE Brake Specialists invest enough time to do a thorough inspection of your Brakes’ condition. At Ricks Auto Service, we make sure your Rotors aren’t warped, which could be some of the noise you are hearing. Also, if your Brake Caliper is sticking or freezing up, those could be the noises you are hearing. We recommend that you schedule an appointment. Driving with bad Rotors or Calipers can be dangerous. Give us a call: Ricks Auto Service 405 W. Jefferson Blvd Mishawaka IN (574) 255-4724 or make an appointment from your phone or online https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments

Many so-called cheap Brake Shops end up selling parts or services that you don't need. Have Brakes Inspected and measured Every time you Rotate and Balance Tires (every 6000 miles) By ASE Certified Technician Be sure to keep a record of dates and measurement Find a good Auto Repair Shop in Mishawaka or South Bend, which will educate you about Brakes before you need them, and who will answer your questions. It is also important to Flush your Brake System regularly: ABS - annually Non-ABS - every 2 years When cloudy or contaminated (Brake Fluid absorbs water from the atmosphere) I also recommend installing premium parts...there only two things you always want your car to do: Go and Stop. Make an appointment today:  https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments  

What are the signs of a bad Water Pump? Coolant Leak: depending on the color of your coolant, can be red to orange to green. If it is a dark color no matter the original color it’s time to get it flushed and new coolant added. You will find a puddle on the floor, general location of the Pump. The leak can come from Seals or Gaskets need to be replaced.Overheating Engine: if the Water Pump is going out it will not be working well. So it won’t be able to do it’s job of cooling the engine. Noise. If you hear a whining, grinding noise from the engine the belt could be slipping or the Pulley is bad. It also could be a bad Bearing. Look at the Water Pump itself. Is that a build up of sludge? Is there steam coming from the Radiator? Do Not try to remove the Radiator Cap, could cause burns. From preventive maintenance to major repairs, Ricks Auto Service at 405 W. Jefferson Blvd. Cal ... read more

  My Heater in my Honda stopped working?  The Heater can stop working for different reasons. The Antifreeze level in the Radiator may have a leak. The Thermostat might be going bad which doesn’t allow the Engine to properly warm up. Could even be the Blower Fan or the Blower Motor Resistor is bad. Your Heater Core could be clogged. The HVAC Controls may not be triggering the heating system. Could be Broken Dials or Knobs. Sometimes the Touchscreen has gone bad. Once you’ve located the problem, for this Honda it was the Heater Blower Resistor that was the culprit. We were able to replace and get the customer back on the road

Car leaking Antifreeze If your vehicle is leaking antifreeze, the problem needs to be repaired. Before you end up with a more costly issue. Your Engine's Radiator is filled with Coolant, a 50-50 mix of Antifreeze and water. A Pump on the Engine circulates the coolant through the Radiator, Engine, and Heater. Keeping your engine running at the proper temperature—and not overheating—regardless of the outside temperature. If an Engine is low on Coolant, it can run too hot, which will hurt both performance and fuel economy. Your Engine can overheat, sustaining expensive and possibly terminal damage. The Engine's Cooling system is complex and has many parts. A Coolant leak could be a simple fix.  Unfortunately, it could be a broken Water Pump, a blown Head Gasket, damaged Radiator. Unless you have the skill as a Technician and the Tools. Calling a skilled Technician to Diagnose the problem is essential.   From preventive maintenance to major repairs, Ricks ... read more