Auto Repair In Crown Point

Like your brakes, it is easy to tell when your clutch is giving out. An aging clutch will make your vehicle a lot harder to handle, and you may notice your pedals "sticking" and other troubling signs. Most drivers should know that a clutch doesn't last the entire lifespan of a car. Instead, it needs to be replaced every 30,000 miles to 50,000 miles, give or take. Below are some signs that indicate your clutch is failing: Weird Sounds When Pressing Down Pressing down on the clutch pedal should be a silent driving task. If you hear unsettling noises or catch weird smells from your clutch, it's time to take your vehicle to a trusted auto repair shop. Your tech will likely need to adjust, repair, or replace your clutch. Trouble Shifting Gears  Troubles changing gears can be frightening. If you hear a grinding sound arising when attempting to drive, it means the power transfer between the engine and the transmission is incomplete. Considering the clutch is respon ... read more

Why can’t my vehicle drive straight? If you’re asking this question, you’ve come to the right place. We understand how frustrating it can be to drive a car that keeps veering left or right when you need it to go in the right direction. When a vehicle feels like it is no longer in your control, it can be quite dangerous. And the problem we are talking about today is: wheel alignment.  You probably hit a pothole or a curb poorly and simply suffering the consequences. In some cases, people can experience this phenomenon from neglecting tire maintenance. Whatever the reason may be, we’re here to help you spot the signs of wheel misalignment.  Off centered steering wheel Shakiness  Loose vehicle handling Pulling to one side of the road Premature and/or uneven tire wear  A wheel alignment service is a simple maintenance service that involves adjusting the angles of your tires and wheels so that they can point in the direction you need them t ... read more

The muffler and exhaust are two car parts that people often confuse as the same. Although they have similarities, there are some differences between them. Learn the difference between mufflers and exhaust and how they work together to make your car run smoothly. What is Muffler? A muffler is a device that reduces the noise level of an internal combustion engine. It is also known as a silencer. The term muffler comes from the fact that it muffles or reduces the sound of an engine, although it does not eliminate all sounds. The main function of a muffler is to slow down and cool exhaust gases before they leave the engine and to produce less sound during their exit phase by trapping them in cavities inside the muffler assembly, so they can't spread out into the atmosphere quickly. What is Exhaust? The exhaust system is a series of pipes carrying exhaust gases from the engine to the outside of the vehicle. It includes everything from where it leaves your engine and all its compone ... read more

Windshield wipers are the most helpful, yet overlooked, tools in our cars. Without them, your chances of an accident would skyrocket whenever it rains or snows or gets foggy. To make sure you are safe this fall, check on your windshield wipers’ condition as a part of your fall maintenance.   The weather in Indiana can go through waves, bringing breezes, sun, and rain during the Autumn. To ensure you and your passengers’ safety on the road, having a good, effective set of windshield wiper blades on your vehicle can make a world of difference.    Drivers often neglect wipers, yet they are on the outside of our cars, experiencing rigorous wear and tear. That is why most drivers don’t change their wipers until it is too late. Fortunately, replacing windshield wipers is easy and inexpensive.   Most mechanics and manufacturers recommend swapping out windshield wiper blades every six months to a year. The timing depends on how often you use them and ... read more

Depending on where you reside and the kind of vehicle you drive, smog checks are required in certain parts of Indiana. Some drivers often have their concerns when it comes to having an emissions test. To make sure your vehicle is running clean and passes the smog test, be sure to follow these helpful tips below! Repair Check Engine Light - Most people go into emissions tests blind. And if your check engine light is on your dash, it will result in an immediate failure. Therefore, it is crucial for you to fix and reset any dashboard warning lights before taking the test. Oil Change - Clean oil makes your engine and other related components run smoother and more efficiently. When your engine runs seamlessly, your car will release fewer emissions. Adjust Tire Pressure - You might be wondering, “what do my tires have to do with my vehicle emissions”. During smog checks, your car may be positioned on rollers to run at higher speeds to get an accurate reading. If your tires are ... read more

A vehicle's engine needs gas, air, and spark to operate. Therefore if a car's spark plug is broken or not put in correctly, the car might not work at all or just stop running. Spark plugs must be maintained and replaced on a regular basis, although there is no actual timetable. So it falls to you as the owner, to examine the plugs on a regular basis and replace any that are broken. What Is A Spark Plug? A spark plug is a device that plugs into the engine's cylinder and generates a spark for combustion through a conduit from the battery. A four-cylinder engine has four spark plugs, but a V8 has eight. Copper, nickel, iridium, and platinum are used in the formation of spark plugs and they are protected and insulated by ceramic. Functions of a Spark Plug A spark plug generates high-voltage electricity between a center and a ground electrode. The air-fuel mixture is ignited by the cylinder spark. This explosion causes the piston to fire. Symptoms Of Bad Spark Plugs The ... read more

As a driver, you are responsible for checking your car tire pressure on a regular basis. Driving with the wrong pressure on your vehicle's tires could lead to negative consequences, including the cost of having to replace them a lot sooner. To monitor and adjust your tire pressure, you'll need a tire pressure gauge and air compressor. What is a tire pressure gauge? A tire pressure gauge is a specific tool that can give you the exact psi of each tire. They are cheap and easy to obtain. There are some variations between gauges, including digital tire gauges. They are more advanced and easier to read. Other pressure gauges are analog and digital. These are connected to an air compressor hose, which will allow you to inflate your tires. What is an air compressor? As mentioned before, air compressors are devices that help you inflate your tires. They can be found at gas stations. Additionally, you can also buy a portable one. They help your tires reach their recommended psi. Ho ... read more

As a vehicle owner, there are various car care tasks that you need to do to keep your car healthy. Cooling system maintenance is especially important because it deals with your engine. You need a clean flow of coolant to draw the heat away from your hot engine. It also prevents the metal parts from rusting.    Unfortunately, your coolant can collect contaminants over time, which makes it less effective. If you want to avoid overheating or rust problems, a coolant flush reis the answer to your issue.  Below are the three benefits of coolant flushes: Removes Contaminants As mentioned earlier, deposits can build up throughout the cooling system and cause rust and other damages. During a coolant flush, a technician rinses the system and gets rid of all harmful deposits.  Protects the Water Pump A coolant flush involves removing all the old coolant in the system before adding fresh new fluid. The new coolant will help restore the water pump and protect it from bre ... read more

Even if you are a prudent driver and car owner who regularly takes your car for maintenance, emergencies are aspects of the road that you neither predict nor prevent. However, you can equip your vehicle with the necessary items to help you if you are stranded in the middle of the road or helping a fellow motorist. Below are the top ten emergency kit items you should have in your vehicle and constantly replace. First Aid Kit A first aid kit is essential to possess in your car to help save a life. It should have everything from antibiotic ointment, non-latex gloves, band-aid sizes, tweezers, pain relief tablets, blood stopper compress, adhesive tape, etc. These items are crucial to have in the event of serious injury and can also be termed a "life-saving kit". Fire Extinguisher No matter how small it is, a fire's occurrence can accelerate to a full-blown catastrophe. Therefore it's essential to have a way to put the fire out as soon as it starts. It would help if yo ... read more

Your vehicle battery contains all the electrical power your car needs to run its engine and other electronic accessories. Over many years of usage, your battery will inevitably weaken and die. So when it starts declining, you may notice a few signs. Here's what they are: Dim Lights When your car battery can hold a sufficient charge, your headlights provide more than enough light to light up the road ahead of you. But with a weakened battery, your headlights will malfunction by being dimmer or flickering. Battery Corrosion Your battery may show physical signs of stress, such as corrosion. It often shows up around the battery terminals as a white, blue, or green residue.  Engine Backfires If your engine backfires, it could be due to a weakened battery and insufficient spark. If you experience this type of problem, it's best to leave it to the professionals to diagnose and fix it. Difficult or Failure to Start Engine An aging battery ... read more