Maintenance Archives - Page 4 of 9 - Steve's Auto Repair & Tire Blog

Engine repairs needed on Toyota Avalon

In Maintenance by Steves Auto Repair and TireAugust 20, 2020

Oil leaks occur for a number of reasons, and may be fixed through various methods.

For a 2006 Toyota Avalon, engine repairs were needed.

When the car was previously brought in for general service, we noticed oil leaks and recommended a new engine oil pan gasket and engine timing cover gasket. The customer also noticed small drops of oil under the vehicle.

Engine repairs performed

One of our technicians replaced several seals, the timing cover gasket, camshaft seals, valve cover gaskets and the oil pan gasket.

To complete the repairs, various parts and the engine were removed.

Oil leaks and oil changes

A bad oil filter, broken filler cap, and insecure drain plug are other issues that could lead to oil leaks.

Regular maintenance, such as oil changes, can prevent engine wear and keeps the internal system clean by preventing sludge build up. This can keep passages open and PCV Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) systems clear.

If the PCV systems become clogged, they can put increased crankcase pressure on the engine which could produce oil leaks.

We recommend oil changes every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. To learn more about when and why to get an oil change, read this article we published.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

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How to prepare your car for fall

In Maintenance by Steves Auto Repair and TireAugust 10, 2020

It’s hard to believe that fall is just a couple of weeks away.

As the temperatures begin to drop, we recommend being watchful of a few items that can help prepare your car for fall.

Tips to help you prepare your car for fall

Tire pressure

Drastic changes in temperature can lead to tire pressure loss. Tire pressure should be checked at least a couple of times each year, or when an oil change is performed.

If all of the tires have low tire pressure, it’s most likely due to the temperature change. However, if one tire is much lower than the others, it may indicate a leak.

Having low tire pressure can cause additional tire wear and makes it more difficult to control your vehicle in an emergency.

Car battery

Checking your vehicle’s battery is another way you can prepare your car for fall.

Weak car batteries tend to go bad when it’s extremely hot or cold outside. A car not starting could mean that the battery is dead.

Other possible reasons why a car won’t start are discussed in this article.

You should also watch for the battery alert light, which is a sign that there is a problem with the battery or it’s low on power.

Windshield Washer Fluid Concentration

As strange as it sounds, your vehicle’s windshield wiper fluid concentration is something you should consider as it gets colder.

During the summer, some people dilute windshield washer fluid to save money. If that diluted fluid is in the system during the fall and the temperature drops low enough, it can freeze.

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Oil changes: When and why are they needed?

In Maintenance by Steves Auto Repair and TireJune 4, 2020

Car costs can add up.

Maintaining your vehicle through regular oil changes is one way you can prevent engine damage — and essentially — cut down on future spending.

Some cars burn oil overtime. If a vehicle doesn’t run on the correct amount of oil, the oil won’t be able to lubricate engine components. Items actuated by oil pressure also won’t work as efficiently.

We suggest having it replaced every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

Types of oil available

Different oil change options are available. Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire used to carry multiple oil types, such as regular oil and semi-synthetic oil.

Last year, we switched to full synthetic oil, which has lowered the cost of synthetic oil for oil changes. Synthetic oil helps extend the lifespan of engines that normally operate on regular or semi-synthetic oil.

We also offer Mobil 1, an oil option that is used in various cars, including BMWs and Mercedes.

What happens during our oil changes

In addition to changing the oil and oil filter, we also perform a tire rotation and conduct a courtesy check during an oil change. When doing a courtesy inspection, we look over parts of the car, such as the lights and brakes.

Our technicians can write notes about the car in a digital inspection.

The inspection report, which also provides information about the car and recommendations, can be accessed by our customers via email or text.

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Servicing vehicles with driver assist

In Alignment, Maintenance, Safety by Steves Auto Repair and TireApril 8, 2020

Today, many vehicles use Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS).

For the automotive field, servicing vehicles with driver assist has started to become a challenge, even when it comes to regular maintenance.

Parts of the ADAS system can include: adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, cross traffic alert, surround view, blind spot detection, park assist, rear collision warning, and rear park assist/back up park assist with surround view.

Some of the things that work with the sensors are: long range radars, LIDAR, cameras, short-medium range radars, and ultrasound.

Driver assist resets

Depending on the vehicle, there are different levels of ADAS system resets — some of them are passive, some are hard resets where you have to use targets.

Some vehicles have different radar set ups and blind spot detection, which require different targets on certain vehicles, and they can be kind of tricky to reset.

Replacing a windshield with the incorrect kind of windshield may not allow the ADAS system to work correctly. Even body shops putting metallic paint on a car can impact the sensors located on the front bumper.

An ADAS system reset may also be needed after a wheel alignment or if technicians remove the bumper to replace the timing belt.

Why ADAS system resets are important

Another challenge is that a lot of people don’t know that a reset is needed. There’s no direct warning light for ADAS, unless you have a driver’s information center. So, you could be driving the car and not know the system isn’t set up correctly to help you in an emergency situation.

In extreme conditions of the ADAS system not working correctly, the car may try to compensate for your regular driving.

So, if your vehicle has an ADAS system and you bring it to a repair shop, you may want to ask them if the work will affect your driving assist system. That way you can make sure that it does get reset.

What we see is a lot of people in the industry don’t even know that they’re supposed to do it.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire has invested in the complete ADAS system — everything from Fords, Chevys, Subarus, Mercedes, BMWs. We even can do the camera systems and the targeted systems.

It’s quite an investment, but we know that we need to make sure that we’re fixing these cars correctly, and we’re keeping your family safe on the road.

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Having the timing belt replacement done right can save you money

In Maintenance by Steves Auto Repair and TireJanuary 31, 2020

When having work done on your vehicle, cutting corners can lead to costly mistakes.

The driver of a 2011 Volvo learned this after bringing his car into Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire.

They expressed concerns about a moaning or clunking sound the car made when traveling at 25 miles per hour. The sound would go away a little when the vehicle accelerated.

While working on the vehicle, the technician discovered that a couple of camshaft seals were leaking oil on the timing belt and serpentine belt.

Surrounding the pulleys, a timing belt makes sure that the timing of the crankshaft and camshaft is correct. The serpentine belt runs the power steering and the alternator.

Both belts and the camshaft seals needed to be replaced.

Correct way to perform timing belt replacement

How often you should replace the timing belt depends on the vehicle and manufacturer’s recommendations. Some timing belts should be replaced every 60,000 miles and others need to be changed every 100,000 miles.

When performing a timing belt replacement, it’s important to replace the camshaft seals at the same time.

Some auto shops will choose to do the work for a cheaper price and won’t install new seals.

This can lead to massive oil leaks and disintegration parts. It also means that the customer needs to pay for new parts and have the work done all over again.

Cheap doesn’t always equal good. Doing the job right using good, high quality parts will save you in the long run by preventing you from doing the job over or breaking down on the side of the road.

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