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Serpentine belt on BMW gets caught in engine

In Diagnostics by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

The driver of a 2009 BMW 535xi had an unexpected experience recently: his car stopped running in the middle of the road.

The culprit? A leaking oil filter housing that caused the serpentine belt to get caught in the engine.

Oil Filter Housing.

Oil Filter Housing

How the serpentine belt became caught

Because of the leak, the serpentine belt — which surrounds parts of the engine — became soaked with oil. It slipped off the pulleys, wrapped around the components, and began to fray.

After getting caught around the crankshaft pulley, the belt started working its way through the crankshaft seal into the timing cover.

Parts of the belt wrapped around the timing chain, throwing the car’s timing off. It was also caught around the oil pan, which clogged up the oil pickup tube and prevented oil from entering the engine. 

Oil pickup tube.

Oil pickup tube

Timing chain replacement

When the customer’s car stopped running, he cranked the car and a crunching metal sound could be heard in the front timing cover. We knew that the timing chain needed to be replaced.

After removing the old timing chain and timing chain unit, our technician cleaned out material from the serpentine belt that had gotten into the timing cover.

New chains, a new tensioner and new bolts for the camshaft, sprockets and crankshaft were then installed.

New timing belt.

New timing belt

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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Signs that you need new brakes and rotors

In Brakes by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

The braking system is one of the many parts of a vehicle that need to be taken care of.

In Northern Virginia — where there’s a lot of stop and go traffic — car brakes and rotors tend to wear out more quickly than other parts of the country.

So, if you are living or commuting in this region, it’s especially important that you make sure your brakes are working right.

When to replace brakes and rotors

How long do brakes last in Northern Virginia?

The lifespan of brakes varies and is based on different factors, including the vehicle make and model, the driving style – like whether you drive with one foot or two feet.

It also depends on if you’re commuting or driving around town. A lot of people don’t realize that commuting is heavy duty driving. Many also don’t know that parents who are just driving to school, running errands, and bring kids to soccer puts a lot of wear and tear on the brakes.

How do you know when to get new brakes and rotors if the time frame is different for each vehicle? There are signs you need new brakes.

These include a steering wheel that shakes or shimmies. You may also notice squealing, groaning, rattling and grinding sounds. This can be the result of parts becoming loose or not being lubricated enough.

Large amounts of brake dust building up on the wheels, and the brake pads and rotors experiencing excessive wear are also indicators of brake problems.

You should also have the braking system checked out if the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) warning light has turned on.

When looking over brakes, we check to see if the brake rotors are scoured and if the customer noticed a vibrating brake pedal. The brake pads could have plenty of thickness, but the rotors may have a variation where it feels like they’re pulsating when you press the brake pedal.

Drum brakes and disc brakes

There are two types of brakes — drum brakes and disc brakes. Both are made up of an array of components.

Drum brakes have two shoes that push outward and pull the drum up.

Brake pads, rotors and calipers are some of the parts that make up disc brakes. 

The wheels of a vehicle are connected to the brake rotors through the wheel hub. Calipers hold the pads that clamp against the rotor, stopping the wheel.

You should always replace brake pads and rotors at the same time. This ensures that they last a long time and work properly.

Most cars today have disc brakes in the front and rear. Some cars have disc and drum brakes.

Brake technology is available for some vehicles. 

Almost all BMWs, for example, have brake wear indicators that let you know when your brakes are getting low.

Steve’s Auto Repair offers brake services

Brake service doesn’t just refer to brake replacement. It also includes changing brake hardware, making sure the caliper slides are working correctly, and brake fluid exchanges. 

Brake fluid exchanges, which maintain brake parts and the braking system, should be conducted every 30,000 miles.

The technicians at our Woodbridge auto repair shop are able to perform these types of brake repair and do a complete brake job. We can also replace brake hoses and brake lines.

So, feel free to reach out if you live in the Woodbridge area and are thinking about typing “brake repair near me” into your preferred search engine.

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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Auto parts shortage: Why you shouldn’t put off car repair

In Uncategorized by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

Some auto parts have been more difficult to find since the Coronavirus outbreak started.

For example, Goodyear was slowing its tire production, meaning that there could be a shortage on certain types of tires as the country gets moving again. You may be able to get a tire that fits your car, but it might not be the right speed rating or load rating.

Auto parts shortage problem

Many of the parts we use are made by companies located in other countries. With countries around the world shut down, not as many people are working, which has cut down on the production for these products.

We recently needed a new computer for a Ford F150. Normally, we can receive one the next day. This time, there was one located in the United States, and it took five days for us to get it.

From what we’ve been told, the part stores and manufacturers have done a good job of tapping into each other’s resources to move products around. However, with the factories being closed or reduced production, we could see a drop off of supplies being produced.

While parts are still readily available, it’s probably a good idea to have something repaired that you’ve been putting off. If you wait a month or two, it may be more difficult to get it completed.

Our pickup and drop off services

If you need work done on your vehicle, we have a scheduled pickup and delivery service. A few drop off options are also available.

Anyone who doesn’t want to come into the building can bring their cars using our “After Hours” drop off slot. They can also give us a call at (703) 670-8005, and a staff member can meet them outside to get their keys and information.

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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Is your car’s state inspection due?

In Inspection by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

Is the due date for your car’s state inspection sticker or emission test coming up?

Now is a good time to bring it in and have them completed.

Why you should get your state inspection now

Last month, Governor Ralph Northam directed the Virginia Department of State Police to not enforce state inspections for 60 days. The Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) has closed its customer service centers until at least May 11 and extended certain credentials, according to the DMV website. 

Once given the OK to return to work, many Virginia residents will rush to the DMV to have their tags renewed, which will require an updated emission test. They will also head over to an auto repair shop for their Virginia Safety Inspection.

You can avoid the rush and bring your vehicle to have the emission test and state inspection completed.

Customers who don’t want to come inside can drop it off by using our “After Hours” slot. They can also call us at (703) 670-8005 and a staff member will come outside for the keys and information.

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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Coronavirus and car problems

In Battery, Cabin Air Filter, Tires and Wheels by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

We hope everybody is getting through this time of staying home. We know it’s been tough on a lot of people. 

As people are starting to go back to work over the next few weeks, it’s a good idea to go out and check your car. There are some car problems you can expect.

Car problems to be aware of

Dead car battery

Vehicles have a lot of electronics on them, including the radio, clocks, alarm systems, and computers. Over a two week period, that can drain the battery. These are other factors that can cause a car battery to fail.

Jump start your car using jumper cables or a jump box have it run for at least 30 to 40 minutes.

Low tire or TPMS light on

Having a low tire or flat tire, or the tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light turning on are some other issues that could come up. 

While a vehicle is sitting, its tires can lose air over time, or there may be a small leak that wasn’t noticed before.

TIP: Be careful when using gas station air pumps. Most of the time, the gauges are wrong.

Brakes

Once you get on the road, you might notice a rotating grinding noise, especially when you step on the brake. Most likely, this is from rust building up on the rotors and drums. Most likely, it will go away between 12 and 15 minutes. If it doesn’t, you may want to have it looked at.

Check engine light

The check engine light could also turn on. We have been getting a code for the Evaporative Emission Control System (EVAP) and finding that the gas cap seals are the culprit. We recommend clearing the code, top off the car with some fresh gas, replacing the gas cap, and driving it to see if the light comes back on. If it does, we know that we need to do check engine light diagnostics.

Cabin air filter

We also suggest having your vehicle’s cabin air filter changed — not just because of the Coronavirus, but because of pollen season.

This is a perfect time to change the filter, which purifies the air that goes into the front of a car. 

Part of our replacement service includes using BG Frigi Fresh, a disinfectant that gets rid of viruses and bacteria.

If you have any problems, call Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire at (703) 670-8005.

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.