Mishawaka Auto Repair

What is a Heater Core Box? Just what the name says it’s the heater for your vehicle, it is basically a small radiator taking hot coolant from the Engine. Circulating air through the system’s hoses, keeping your Vehicle warm during our cold winter months.             Symptoms your Heater Core is going bad: Fog inside the car There is a sweet smell in the car Losing Engine Coolant Air in the Vehicle is cold Inside of car is cold but the Engine is hot. .    https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments  #RicksAutoService #ricksautoservicein #mechanic #mishawakaindiana #engine #brakes #transmission

Can Sludge ruin an Engine? Yes, Oil when left unchanged breaks down and becomes full of contaminants, which causes the oil to become thick with bi-products. The Sludge reduces the efficiency of the Oil to lubricate and does damage to sensors interfering with your Engines performance. Regular Maintenance would prevent this timely and costly problem to your vehicle. Identifying Engine Sludge: Start your engine, is your Check Engine Light on, or your Oil Change Light on? Turn engine off and open the hood, check for oil splatter or you could possibly see the Sludge, check Oil if the oil is in clumps on the dip stick, good chance you have a problem. Are you smelling a burning marsh mellow smell? Look in the Oil pan, you may see sludge there. Low Oil pressure Clicking noise.  https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments  #RicksAutoService #ricksautoservicein #mechanic #mishawakaindiana #engine #brak ... read more

One of our customers called saying his ABS light is on. What causes ABS light to come on and stay on? What is an ABS Light? An ABS (Anti-Locking Brake System) on your Vehicle prevents your Wheels from locking up when your slam on your Brakes should an emergency situation come up. When the ABS Light comes on it usually is one of the following problems: the ABS Module itself is acting up. The levels are dangerously low in the Vehicles Fluid Reservoir. Your Wheel Sensors are broken or strangely enough your System is turned off. The problem that our Customer had was a bad Wheel Speed Sensor, fortunately they brought the Vehicle in right away, otherwise the ABS Brakes would not function properly.   https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments #RicksAutoService #ricksautoservicein #mechanic #mishawakaindiana #engine #brakes #transmission

Many customers call asking “What could Check Engine Light mean? And many customers wonder why we have to do a Diagnostics Check; Diagnostic tests are valuable, they help the Technician detect small problems before they become major fixes. Please don't ignore your Check Engine Light. There are many reasons your “Check Engine Light is on” this light is part of your cars’ on-board Diagnostic System, getting read from the cars’ computer. Reasons the Check Engine Light is on:  Engine Problems Transmission Problems Emissions problems: All the different Modules and SensorsAir/Fuel delivery problemsIgnition https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments  #ricksautoservice #mechanic #mishawaautorepair # #AutoRepairNearMe #autorepairnearme  

The Car you drive needs Water, the job of the Water Pump in your Vehicle main job is to keep the Coolant moving, it goes through the Engine Block, also the Radiator and your Hoses keeping the right operating Temperature. What are some symptoms of a bad Water Pump? The customer called complaining of a burning smell coming from the Engine.    Coolant leak Water Pump corrosion. Water Pump Pulley come loose. Engine light on or Engine is overheating. Steam from the Engine Over time and wear your Gaskets and Seals show wear by cracking and drying out or possibly breaking. Water Pumps are made of commercial grade steel, which isn’t always rust resistant, in Midwest weather or any freezing type of weather where salt is used. Water Pump pulleys usually last the lifetime of your Vehicle. In rare cases the pressed bearing can bust loose causing grease to leak out and the pulley stops spinning. Routine Maintenance, servicing the Cooling System, making sure the Coolant is clean ... read more

Is an Oil Pan Leak serious? If you are driving with Low Oil levels, that is certainly a sure way to damage your engine, replacing an Engine is way more expensive then regular Oil changes. Being stranded is no fun, especially in this cold weather in the Midwest. What is an Oil Pan in an Engine? The Oil Pan itself is made of Aluminum or Steel, with Aluminum being the most preferred, although more expensive. The Oil Pans main function is as a reservoir for the Oil pumped through out the Engine. Having a pump resting in the pan filters out debris, dirt and other impurities that flow thru the Engine. Depending on climate, colder weather with snow accumulating, may rust out sooner than the usual replacement every 8-9 years, because of salt used on the roads. What can cause an oil pan leak Worn or damaged Oil Pan Gaskets  too long between Oil Changes If gasket is incorrectly installed. Rings or Seals are bad. Symptoms Gone to long without an oil ... read more

Where should I go on a Road Trip in the Winter? Great question! As you can see from the map we are taking a short trip. We have our survival kit, checked and rechecked the weather, it’s been so nasty that we were not sure if we should go, but looking at the radar it looks ok. So, we are headed a little bit South, not warm enough, we will be staying at Fort Harrison State Park which is a fun place to hike. Making sure our Vehicle was Road Ready was the first thing we did, if you are planning a trip don’t hesitate to call or text. https://www.ricksautoservice.org/appointments #ricksautoservice #mechanic #mishawaautorepair # #AutoRepairNearMe #autorepairnearme

What is a Heater Core Box? Where is it located?  How does a heater box work? The Heater Core is in some ways similar to the Radiator, the Heater is used to warm the inside of your Vehicle, taking the heat from the coolant. While the Radiator cools the coolant in the Motor. As your Engine starts warming up, the Coolant absorbs the heat with the aide of the Water Pump it passes through the main Radiator cools below boiling point.  The whole system is kept at a constant temperature by the Thermostat. So, when our customer turned on his heater all that blew threw was cold air, instead of the warm air which was created by a valve that opened so your hot coolant can flow to the Heater Core then comes thru the car with the coolant close to 200 degrees, which is great for keeping feet warm and clearing a foggy windshield. Some vehicles have dual controls (which is truly awesome), where the driver and front seat passenger can each enjoy the temperature to their need real hot or a co ... read more

In power brake systems, which are found on virtually all vehicles, the brake booster is a component that multiplies the force the driver applies to the brake pedal. If the booster fails, excessive pedal force will be required to achieve adequate braking. Most brake boosters run on a vacuum produced by the engine. The cause of booster failure can be as simple as a loose vacuum hose or a ruptured diaphragm that requires component replacement. Can you drive with a Bad Brake Booster? The Car is not safe to drive with a Bad Brake Booster, the Brakes will eventually fail altogether.  The customer called in complaining when stepping on the brake she would hear a loud hissing noise, the Vacuum Booster for the brakes was leaking internally, giving poor Brake performance. What are the symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster?  Some other symptoms of Bad  Brake Booster: Warning lights come on High Brake Pedal position Fluid Leakage-light yellow to brownish color His ... read more

Is it bad to have low gas in cold weather? Gasoline freezes if the weather is -100 degrees, it actual is water vapor that freezes in the lines, keeping your vehicles gasoline levels above half a tank or fuller will solve your problems. If the lines freeze, try adding 3 gallons to the tank, I realize this may be hard since your vehicle has a frozen line, adding fuel line anti-freeze may help. Getting your vehicle towed to a garage and bringing the vehicle inside will also do the trick. From preventive maintenance to major repairs, Ricks’s Auto Service at 405 W. Jefferson Blvd. Call 574-255-4724, or visit online: https://ricksautoservice.org/ #ricksautoservicein #Mishawakamechanic #mishawaautorepair #Brakes #AutoRepairNearMe #Engine #transmission