Mishawaka Auto Repair

Do Struts need to be replaced? Some people would say no, but in all honesty I personally prefer a smooth ride. It could also be a matter of safety. If experiencing a bumpy ride, or the Steering becomes stiff or harder to turn, it can also sway or lean to one side. You may also be hearing noises such as clunking or a knocking noise.  The Struts and Springs are part of your Vehicles Suspension System. They absorb all the excess bouncing of your Vehicles Suspension System. What the struts house are the Coil Spring, Spring Seats and Shock Absorbers. The Strut Bearing and the Steering Knuckle. The Struts provide the structural support – connecting the upper Strut Bearing to the lower Ball Joint. The Picture below is the  Vehicle that had the Struts and Springs replaced.   

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

Why are my Brakes making a grinding noise? This picture shows how worn both sides are with the right being worn a little more. These Brakes were Grinding, making a very loud noise every time the customer braked!  It is good to have your Brakes inspected at least annually if not every 6 months. The reason for this is to catch minor problems before they become major or more costly problems. What do I notice if I have brake problems. Pulsating when braking whether at low speeds or high speeds can be caused by warped Brake Rotors or Brake Drums which can affect stopping distances. Squeaking can be caused by Brake warning tabs or inexpensive quality of Brake Pads. Grinding is usually cause because brake pads are completely worn out and you have metal on metal rubbing against each other. Soft brakes, can be caused by a number of things including, worn out brake parts, air in the brake hydraulic system or under adjusted brakes. Brake smells, If you have a part o ... read more

My car is overheating. Vehicles today have amazing cooling systems that have heat sensors run by a computer-controlled electric fans. With all that, your vehicle can still overheat. A leak or blockage in the engine cooling system or another part could be the problem. Parts may leak after regular wear and tear can be your: rubber hoses, gaskets, and water pumps. DON”T ignore. Some signs that your car is overheating: steam or smoke from under the hood. The temperature gage spikes to red or “H”. Leaking coolant can have a burnt odor, or a strange smell.  If you are not car savvy, give Ricks Auto Service a call in Mishawaka. Be cautious looking under the hood it can overheat to almost 230 degrees, hot water or steam may spray on you.  From preventive maintenance to major repairs, Ricks Auto Service at 405 W. Jefferson Blvd. Call 574-255-4724, or visit online: https://ricksautoservice.org/  ... read more

Thank you Sandy for your review. Getting your Nissan Cube in, we replaced your front rotors and pads. If you had noticed your alignment or steering of your Cube a little bit difficult, replacing the Sway Bar link and Strut assembly, will make driving so much smoother. Our 3-year 36,000 mile warranty ha you covered, so glad we were able to take care of your Nissans problem. 

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 function does a timing  belt play? The timing belt connects the camshaft to the crankshaft and keeps the engine valves opening and closing in time with the movement of the pistons….Ok stop right there what is a cam- shaft/crankshaft and pistons…I asked A camshaft—this may still be Greek to you and me so here goes!!! The #camshaft is critical to the basic function of an #engine.  It has two distinct parts: the #cams  and the #shaft, the camshaft is the element that enables #valves to open. As the shaft rotates, the egg-shaped cams (or “lobes”) push the valves open in sync with the crankshaft gear. A Crankshaft is a shaft which transmits the power developed by the engine to various parts of the vehicle. As one website put it: the major link between the input and output of the vehic ... read more