Auto Repair In Fairbanks

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Yearly Archives: 2022

​Why Is My Car Vibrating When I Brake?

​Why Is My Car Vibrating When I Brake?

If you're driving your car and notice it vibrates when you brake, this is usually a sign of an underlying issue. While some vibrations may be expected and not indicative of any problem, others can point to potentially dangerous issues with the brakes or other vehicle parts. In order to keep yourself safe while driving, it's essential to understand why your car is vibrating when you brake and what steps you should take in response. What Causes Vibration When Braking? Generally speaking, cars tend to vibrate while braking due to one of three potential causes: Warped rotors - Warped rotors occur when the metal part of the rotor becomes distorted from heat, causing it to vibrate while braking. Worn-out brake pads - Worn-out brake pads are the most common cause of vibration when braking; they can be caused by age, excessive use of brakes, or poor driving conditions. Faulty calipers - the part that holds the brake pad against the rotor -can also cause a car to v ... read more

How to Use Your Vehicle’s Defrosters

How to Use Your Vehicle’s Defrosters

The car defroster is essential for drivers in Fairbanks, AK. However, they stand to be one of the most confusing parts of a car. It is a part of your vehicle’s HVAC system, and it plays a major role this time of year. Read on to learn everything you need to know about auto defrosters. Front vs Rear Defrosters The most commonly known defroster is the one located on the front of your vehicle. Your car engine generates heat that goes through the HVAC to point the air on your windshield. There’s also the rear defroster, which doesn’t use engine heat. Instead, it uses thin heated lines in the glass to defrost your back windshield. They both serve to defog and clear ice off your glass surfaces. To turn on your defrosters, look for the symbol with arrows pointing upward towards a windshield or rear windshield.  What Temperature Should You Set It? The temperature setting to which you should set the defrosters on should depend on whether you need to defog or defrost ... read more

Six Maintenance Musts to Get Your Car Holiday Road Trip Ready

Six Maintenance Musts to Get Your Car Holiday Road Trip Ready

Whether you are packing up the family for a trip to see your in-laws or just taking the ones you love on a national tour of the most spectacular holiday lights in the US, one thing that should never interfere with the holiday cheer is car trouble. In order to avoid trouble on the road, here are six maintenance musts to get your car ready to get out on the open road. Battery Most car batteries last about three to five years. However, you don't want to get halfway to Grandma's to find out that your battery's life has come to an end. A routine maintenance check with professionals to clean the battery's connectors or simply replace one damaged beyond repair altogether, will keep your holiday plans moving along as designed. Fluids and Filters Make sure your car's fluids are full. Your engine's oil and coolant (antifreeze), windshield washer fluid, power steering and transmission fluids should all be at manufacturer-recommended levels to make certain you are cove ... read more

Common Causes of Oil Leaks

Common Causes of Oil Leaks

Engine oil is the blood life of your engine, and without proper lubrication from the fluid, your engine parts would suffer from friction damage. Your car motor works under extreme pressures and temperatures, and it relies on this one fluid to keep running. As automobiles get older, however, parts tend to wear out. If one of these engine oil-related pieces goes wrong, it can inevitably lead to oil leaks: Worn Gaskets Old gaskets are a common cause of oil leakages. Gaskets are essentially rubbery seals that provide a cushion between metal pieces within the engine. Like most rubber materials, they can break down from extreme pressures/temps and wear and tear over time, causing oil to seep out. Clogged Oil Filter  The oil filter is responsible for sifting out filthy and nasty contaminants from the oil before letting it go back into the engine. If you have neglected to replace the filter, oil can leak out from the clogged filter. Additionally, poor-fitting and incorrectly installed ... read more

What Is a Tire Blowout & How to Prevent Them

What Is a Tire Blowout & How to Prevent Them

For drivers, a tire blowout is worse than a flat tire. Tire blowouts are a quick and explosive loss of tire pressure and are almost always unrepairable. The scary thing about them is that they happen out of nowhere. You might be wondering, “what can cause a tire blowout”.  Underfilled tires Uneven and thin tread wear Damage (from nails, glass, etc.) Hauling too heavy of items Tire defects Tire blowouts cannot go unmissed, as they make a loud, disruptive sound. Additionally, a tire blowout may also produce a strong, burning rubber smell as the tires pop. If you catch any of these signs, the first thing to remember is to stay calm. Do not slam on your brakes as that could lead to an accident and worsen the damage. Instead, we recommend using your hazards to signal to other drivers that you need to get out of the road. Once you are able to pull off to a safer spot, call for roadside assistance immediately.    Prevention Tips Tire blowouts are unfortunate ... read more

My Car Feels Sluggish - What Could Be The Cause?

My Car Feels Sluggish - What Could Be The Cause?

If you are traveling and find your car has a poor acceleration feature, then it is high time you check on these key factors. For instance, your automobile might not have enough power or petrol. Also, your automobile may lose power for several reasons, particularly if you want to accelerate. The following are typical explanations to explain the problems. 1. Worn Out Clutch The Clutch is a crucial part of a car that requires regular maintenance to prevent sluggishness. A problem with the Clutch can be detected when the accelerator fails to function as expected. Your car will have trouble accelerating whenever the Clutch cannot effectively engage the gearbox. When this occurs, pay attention to the clutch operations. 2. Clogged or Dirty Fuel Filter An issue with your fuel system may cause low acceleration and sluggishness in operations. A depressed accelerator pedal blocks the fuel filter, so debris and dirt seep into a car fuel system. Your car gasoli ... read more

What You Should Know About Fuel Filters

What You Should Know About Fuel Filters

If you want your car to run smoothly and efficiently, a clean fuel filter is a must-have. The fuel filter is a vital part of your vehicle’s fuel system that keeps the impurities out of your engine. In other words, it prevents your fuel injectors from getting clogged.    After miles and miles of driving, the film on the filter collects dirt, debris, and other particles that can harm other parts of your fuel system. When your fuel filter is dirty, it forces the fuel pump to work harder.    Your fuel system isn’t the only part of your vehicle that can be affected. A clogged filter restricts the flow of gasoline going into the engine. When the fuel flow is affected, it can cause the engine to perform poorly and even fail to start.    The fuel filter is an indispensable part of the injection system. Changing the fuel filter keeps the injectors and the rest of the system clean longer, which means more power and improved gas mileage.   So ... read more

How to Summerize Your Car

How to Summerize Your Car

It's about to be summertime, and that means many drivers will be out and about more often. Whether you are planning a summer road trip, running errands on the weekends, or spending your evenings out, you're going to need a reliable car to take you places.   Therefore, it's time to think about your automobile and the kinds of maintenance it might need this season. Here are some crucial tips to ensure you are driving safely throughout the summer: Beat the heat with cooling system maintenance. Your car's cooling system is critical to keeping your summer driving cool and smooth. Your engine needs a clean flow of coolant to prevent it from overheating. Cool down with air conditioning maintenance. It's not actually summer if you aren't cranking up the car A/C. We advise that you make sure of your air conditioning by getting a freon recharge. Plus, our technicians can inspect the system for any worn or damaged components.  Change to summer tread. All-Wea ... read more

Greatest Car Movies Ever Made

Greatest Car Movies Ever Made

The action sequences of great car movies are exciting. The chases and the getaways filled with death-defying maneuvers and driving tricks are often enough to get people to cheer for their heroes and sit on the edge of their seats. The superior cars with souped-up engines and fearless drivers make car movies have a large following. These are all something this list of the greatest car movies ever made has in abundance. Baby Driver (2017) A talented young getaway car driver is trying to escape from the mobster with whom he has been serving. The film boasts some of the most jarringly wild automobile pursuits, masterfully synchronized to the trendiest music. Death Proof (2007) A ruthless stuntman uses his automobile as his unusual weapon. Death proof has two long, actual car battles in which vehicles such as a Chevy Nova SS are skidded, leaped, and smashed with impunity. Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974) An adaptation of the 1963 novel, The Chase, features hot pursuits with several near ... read more

Are Radiator Flushes Necessary?

Are Radiator Flushes Necessary?

  If you didn’t know already, coolant or antifreeze is a fluid in your radiator that keeps your engine from freezing in the fall/ winter and overheating in the spring/summer. At our shop, we’ve seen way too many cars running on old or corrupt coolant. As a result, they end up having to get further repairs.   Coolant raises the boiling point of water, which allows it to draw heat away from the engine. If your coolant is bad or running low, your engine will get very hot and steamy. All of this can be avoided if drivers regularly checked their coolant levels.   When checking your coolant levels, make sure to look at the markings as they tell you the min and max. The radiator often collects deposits and gunk over time. If your coolant looks contaminated in any way, it is imperative that you get a coolant or radiator flush. Neglecting this can cause your radiator to break down and corrode, leading to irreversible engine damage. Thankfully, a cooling flush onc ... read more

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