Mooresville Auto Repair

April is national car care month, and it is the perfect time to give your car some love. As we close the books on winter, it's time to have your vehicle prepped for the thrilling drives this spring and summer. This month, we encourage you to take your car to our auto repair shop for a check-up. We'll thoroughly check your tires, brakes, filters, windshield wipers, etc., so that they can handle the pollen, rain, and more.  Plus, it's not uncommon for vehicles to need some fixing up after the harsh winter months. We'll renew your car, so you don't have to worry about more expensive repairs later on. Below are some of the maintenance items you should check off your list for National Car Care Month! Check your tire pressure and tread depth Check the brake system Change your engine oil Top off your other fluids Test your battery Replace air filters Exchange windshield wiper blades Examine belts and hoses for wear and tear Test and recharge the A/C system R ... read more

If you want to prepare for your vehicle's upcoming services, the timing belt should be on your list. Over many miles of wear, your car will inevitably require a new timing belt. To avoid damages, drivers must replace this rubbery component before it breaks. Here's how to figure out the best time to replace your timing belt.   What Does the Timing Belt Do In order to understand the timeline, you must know what the timing belt does. This vital engine component has grooves that ensure the camshaft and crankshaft move in sync. In other words, it guarantees that the valves open and close at the right time for smooth engine operation.   When to Replace the Timing Belt The ribbing on the timing belt keeps your engine parts moving at the right pace. However, with years of wear, the teething will wear out. Automakers know this, which is why you can find more information regarding its replacement in the owner's handbook. Ideally, it would help to replace the belt befo ... read more

Your vehicle's exhaust smoke characteristics may be a huge indicator of what is going on in your emissions system. Most of the time, you should not see your vehicle's emissions at all. Maybe, you'll catch the condensation on a cold morning, but that's truly it. If you start seeing white, blue, or black/dark gray smoke coming out of your tailpipe, then it means there's something wrong. You should look at it closely for its color and communicate it with your mechanic when you bring your car in for an inspection. What Does Dark or Black Smoke Mean? If you see dark puffs coming out the tailpipe, it most likely means that your engine is burning excess fuel. Ignoring this problem for too long can even lead to a fire. It would be wise to pull over immediately, especially if there is smoke coming out from the front end of the car. Then, you should call for roadside assistance. What Does Blue Exhaust Smoke Mean? If your exhaust smoke almost looks blue, you should immedia ... read more

You should be prepared for any and every challenge that the winter in Mooresville will bring. A few snow flurries can turn in deep snow real quick. To ensure you're driving safely this season, you must winterize your vehicle before the harsh weather strikes. Here are some of our top tips to nail winter driving! Plan a Winter Maintenance Check-Up Some necessary items to check off before the dead of winter include your vehicle's tires, battery, brakes, radiator, engine oil, exterior lighting, wipers, belts, and hoses.  Carry an Emergency Kit Around Your vehicle should have one of these locked and loaded. Here are some musts to include in your vehicle safety kit: Jump cables First aid kit Simple tools Windshield wiper fluid Shovel Snow brush Non-perishable energy foods and water Flashlight and batteries Check the Weather and Road Conditions Before Leaving A great habit to get into is checking the road conditions before hitting the road. The prior search will help ... read more

A proper wheel/tire alignment is essential when it comes to safe vehicle handling. All of your wheels need to be correctly pointing at the same, precise angles in order to drive straight. Operating a vehicle with poor alignment makes for an unsafe ride; since your wheels are not straight, you may experience difficulty steering and maneuvering your vehicle. Furthermore, it can cause your tires to wear down a lot faster. All of these are why you should have an alignment issue taken care of as soon as possible.    Having wheel alignments every now and then will keep your tires in great condition, saving you money on tires throughout the years. With even tires, you'll also attain higher fuel efficiency. Lastly, you can protect your vehicle's suspension components from unanticipated repairs with regular wheel alignments. Misalignment can be driven by various things, including:  Driving over potholes Speeding over speed bumps Ramming against curbs or hitting road ... read more

It's no mystery that driving a vehicle with worn-out tires is extremely dangerous for you and others. And the hazards are even more amplified in wet weather conditions. Regardless of the road surface, driving with bad tires can cause the tires to split or thin out and burst at high speeds.   When tires wear thin, they will not be able to grip the road correctly since the ridges have worn down. If it's worse enough, you can lose all control of the vehicle and cause an accident. Thus, examining tire depth or tire tread is super essential for vehicle owners. If you want to safely get from point a to point b, please understand what tire tread is and how to measure it.   The depth of the tire is called tread, and having enough tread will allow you to brake properly in any conditions, dry, rain, or now. Your tires must have adequate tread to attain proper contact and friction on the road.   It is vital to know what the standard is for tire tread depth in your cou ... read more

Like many other vehicle parts, spark plugs eventually need restoring. The electrodes on each spark plug gradually wear down until they can’t produce the spark necessary to start your engine. While spark plug wear and tear is expected and anticipated with a correctly maintained engine, other factors such as engine overheating, dirty engine oil, and carbon buildup can cause spark plugs to wear prematurely. The interval for which you replace spark plugs can vary depending on which kind is used. It can range anywhere between 30,000 to 100,000 miles. It would be best if you always referred to your owner's manual for model-specific guidance. If you're uncertain when you last replaced your spark plugs, it's okay. Your vehicle will display these common signs of worn-out spark plugs: Poor Fuel Economy Engine Misfiring Rough Idling and Vibrations Rattling Noises Slow or Sluggish Acceleration Trouble Starting Car Check Engine Light On If you experience one or more of the ... read more

Your transmission is accountable for carrying the power generated by the engine to the car's wheels. Similar to motor oil for your motor, transmission liquid is utilized to keep the transmission system components cool and lubricated so that parts don't interfere with one another and cause internal damage. Without a sufficient amount of transmission fluid, you could experience complete failure of the transmission.   Transmission fluid is a pinky-red solution that flows through a passage from the impeller to the turbine. It's designed to do several things concurrently when the car is both on and off: Enables the engine to shift gears Provides hydraulic pressure Oils the parts Acts as a layer between moving components Allows engagement of the clutch Prevents premature wear, rust, and corrosion If you put extra tension on the transmission, the hotter in temperature, the transmission will become. Arguably, the most crucial role of transmission fluid is to transfer h ... read more

Every person has their methods and beliefs on how to get the best gas mileage. It's pretty tricky to know what holds true and what doesn't. STR Automotive is here to set the record straight -- we're going to be debunking some common myths about gas mileage that may shock you!   Myth #1: You have to drive a small car to get good fuel economy. Advancements in the automotive industry such as hybrids, diesel engines, direct fuel injection, turbocharging, advanced transmissions, and low rolling resistance tires enable mid-sized vehicles to be very fuel economical. In 2014, about half of the top 10 most efficient vehicles were midsize or large cars.   Myth #2: It takes more gas to start a car than it does to let it idle. Modernized engines start more efficiently. Idling can use a quarter to a half-gallon of gasoline per hour, which comes out to be around 1 to 2 cents a minute. Instead, turn off your engine when your vehicle is sitting still to save you those coins ... read more

Your carburetor is responsible for combining the appropriate amount of fuel and air. There has to be a specific ratio of both maintained at all times, and the carburetor is one of the components that help achieve this balance. The carburetor is also responsible for controlling your engine speed.    Three types of carburetors are used in modern vehicles today. They include a 1-barrel carburetor, a 2-barrel carburetor, and a 4-barrel carburetor. The type of engine your car has dictates the type of carburetor it needs. Higher-performing machines will typically require multiple carburetors to provide the right amount of fuel.   Symptoms of a Failing Carburetor Lower Gas Mileage - If you’re getting poor gas mileage, it could be an indicator that your carburetor is taking in more fuel than necessary. Black Exhaust Smoke -  If your car is burning extra gas, some of it can end up in your cylinders. As a result, it may come out of your exhaust pipe as a thick, bl ... read more