Mishawaka Auto Repair

We all know how weather here in the Midwest changes hourly, with fall upon us, (someone did not let Mother Nature know that it starts officially Friday September 22) with weather hitting in the high 40’s at night. We need to give our car some TLC for Fall. Here are 10 practical tips to help get your car ready for fall. Check the brakes and tires.  Inclement weather and associated road conditions and other hazards require good stopping power. That means good brakes and tires. When we change your Oil we do a healthy car inspection that will let us know what you need, for tires and brakes Check the lights. Walk around the outside of the car and check the operation of all lights: headlights, taillights, parking lights, brake lights and emergency flashers( it helps to have someone inside vehicle hitting those lights). Replace all broken bulbs and those that have stopped working. Make sure all lights are clean. Replace wiper ... read more

Proper maintenance and replacement of a car's ball joints is necessary for safety. The front ball joints allow the front wheels and suspension to move back and forth as well as up and down when the steering wheel is turned and the vehicle is traveling over the road. Excessively worn ball joints can break, causing the wheel to collapse(see picture) and control of the vehicle is gone. However, the vehicle typically gives indications that the ball joint is BAD long before a failure of this magnitude occurs. Common signs include clunking noises and excessive vibration from the front and you may start steering to the right or left unintentionally. #maintenance #balljoints #noises

1. Running the tank low on fuel Leaving your tank to get dangerously empty allows the dirt, rust and grime that sits at the bottom of it to get sucked into the system, attacking the fuel pump and filters. 2. Resting your hand on the gearstick Leaving your hand resting with a certain amount of force will make the forks rub against the rotating collar causing unnecessary wear. 3. Resting foot on the clutch pedal Riding the pressure plate against the clutch causes heat and wear – and new clutches don’t come cheap. 4. Revving the engine before it’s warm Just like athletes, cars need to warm up first. When you start the engine, the oil pump pushes oil around the system and this oil takes time to fully circulate. You should leave the engine to run for 10 seconds before setting off. 5. Delaying regular maintenance It might be a pain keeping up with services, and expensive, too, but ... read more

While we may enjoy the hot temperatures we need to remember that high temperatures can take a toll on car fluids, leading to a breakdown and possibly a major repair. Conduct a fluid check now, and you may avoid problems that leave you stranded miles away from the beach later. Here are the five essential fluids to check in the summertime: Coolant. This is known as your antifreeze or radiator fluid—keeps your engine from overheating and freezing plus it protects the aluminum engine parts. If cloudy or rusty please let us know so we can flush and replace. Motor Oil. Always check with your owner’s manual but take into account if you are a hard or tough driver or it’s extremely hot make sure you top off as needed keeping an eye on what color it is. Brake Fluid. This is a sealed system, check the brake fluid reservoir to verify the right level, fluid decreases as the pads wear, but make sure that you don’t have any leaks. Car Battery. You can’t check the lev ... read more

Have you had your Transmission Fluid looked at lately? When was the last time you had it changed? The Manufacturers recommend for a manual transmission fluid changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, but under heavy-duty use about every 15,000 miles. Automatic transmission vary from 30,000 to never or 60,000 to 100,000, depending on your driving. The transmission fluid is a slippery liquid that is a lubricant for all of the moving parts inside your transmission.  For a Manual transmission the problem is fluid contamination, which occurs when bearings and gears in the transmission wear out, leaving particles that float around in the lubricant. With an Automatic transmission more heat is generated and the fluid actually degrades and breaks down with use, also as parts wear down it also becomes contaminated. WHAT IF I DON’T CHANGE IT REGULARLY? By not changing your transmission fluid regularly, you are letting the transmission lubricate itself with metal shavings and other con ... read more

What is misfiring and what are the causes of misfiring? Engine misfires can be caused by a list of faults, but there are a few suspects that occur more than others. The primary villains are simple – spark or fuel – usually manifesting in spark plugs, plug wires, the coil(s) or the fuel-delivery system. In order for a cylinder to fire properly, it needs 4 things all working together:   Proper Fuel/Air Mixture  Good Compression   Proper Timing  Correct Spark Common Misfire Causes If one or more of the above factors aren’t in proper working condition, you’ll run the risk of misfiring. There are a variety of different misfire causes that can occur that can keep a cylinder from combusting properly. Sometimes it takes a combination of issues in order to make a cylinder  ... read more