Mishawaka Auto Repair

As the winter months are still with us, Let’s talk about a filter that can be overlooked. The Cabin Filter is the filter responsible for the filtering of air in your vehicles air conditioning and heating systems. As the transition from heat to cool takes place and pollen, dust and other foreign matter in the air gets into your vehicle. Those of us who suffer from allergies, changing the filter regularly is a must. #cabinfilter #Pollen #breathing #RicksAutoService #airconditioning

“What is a Serpentine Belt?” “How does it work in my car?’ The serpentine belt looks like a long snake like winding belt, it keeps your alternator, power steeling pump, air conditioning and depending on your vehicle water pump running smoothly and effectively. The way rubber is made these days your belt should last between 50,000 to 100,000 miles. But from wear and tear and extreme weather it does need to be changed. If you fine it needs to be changed sooner it may be an underlying problem of possible Tensioner or Idler Arm problem. Signs of a failing Belt may be : Squealing or chirping noises:  The belt starts slipping, is when the chirp or squeal begins. When the noise starts usually the belt stretch, low belt tension, or the pulley and belt are not working together correctly. Give us a call at Ricks Auto Service here in Mishawaka. Cracks and wear: You can actually see the physical signs of failure, missing chunks ... read more

How much do brakes cost to replace? This is one of the most frequent questions that we receive from our customers when calling on the phone. Without first looking at your car and checking out what exactly the problem is, is really doing you, our customer a disservice. What your brother or neighbor needs done on their brakes may be different then what your car will need. If you called a doctor with an aching bum knee, you would expect to make an appointment and have him look at your knee. If he said just take two aspirins or we are doing a whole knee replacement without taking x-rays or even doing an MRI, you would be shocked. So, think of us as your car doctor, let us give your car a health assessment. We do an assessment on every oil change, we cover your belts, filters, check your fluids, brakes, tires, and much more than that. Let us keep your car healthy and you worry about your knees!!! #brakerepair #mechanic #autorepair #oilchange

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

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

"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

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  

  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

Your vehicle’s tires should be checked frequently for inflation and tread depth. Underinflated tires can wear out more quickly, needing to be replaced sooner, and can negatively impact safety, gas mileage and performance. Didn’t realize there were so many steps in just checking the tire, don’t you just look at it?! Understandin the primary function of tread on a tire: it is to divert water to improve traction and avoid hydroplaning on wet roads. Look at tread pattern. All tires have “tread wear bars”. Small bridges that form between treads, when tread bars are even with tire’s tread, replace your tires. Check with “penny or quarter test”, depending on tire size. If you see top of presidents head replace tire immediately. If only hair showing on presidents head time to go shopping for tires. If you can’t see hair on top of had, tires do not need to be replaced. Use a tread depth indicator or guage Know legal re ... read more

Getting “Fall & Winter ready” We are entering into the colder weather still can’t bring myself to saying, well it’s white that’s all I’m going to say!!So as the temperatures become extreme, they can be very hard on your car. Here are some beginning steps to take before the weather takes over. 1-START WITH THE LIGHTS      With daylight savings time almost on us, it’s darker later in the morning and earlier at night. It’s hard sometimes wondering if that is a motorcycle behind me because the vehicle is missing it’s lights. Most bulbs are easy to replace. Also check all interior lights, headlamps and turn signals as well as brake lights. 2-Check those tires.  Check your owners manual for when your tires should be rotated. If tread is worn especially with ice and “snow”(oh man I said it), if you can’t replace all 4 you can start with one pair at a time e ... read more