Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Replacing Your Car Battery

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Christmas in July!?  Just as most of us are not thinking about Christmas or purchasing gifts in July, many of us aren’t thinking about replacing our car battery in the middle of the summer.  Whether or not you choose to purchase Christmas gifts in July isn’t really important.  What is important is replacing your car battery before it dies on you.

Most of you are aware that the winter cold shortens the life of your car battery.  But did you know that summer heat is harder than winter cold on the life of your battery?

We’ve all seen the advertisements showing the motorists stranded in the bitter cold with a dead battery!  It is almost automatic to think of dead batteries  and cold weather at the same time.  But we usually don’t think about our car battery in the summer as we should.  Summer heat can kill a battery 33 percent faster than winter cold!  On a day where the temperature reaches 90 degrees, the temperature inside the engine compartment can soar to 140 degrees or higher and running the air conditioning works the battery even harder!  Considering the fact we have been experiencing temperatures in the 100’s this summer, our batteries are really being put to the test.  We also need to remember that our car battery also powers all of the “toys” that we have in our cars,  MP3 players, GPS receivers, and DVD players.  So what do we need to do to ensure we aren’t stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery this summer?

  1. Have the battery fluid checked.  Some batteries have removable filler caps and the heat evaporates the fluid more rapidly.  If this is the type of car battery you have , you might want to consider replacing it with a newer, flush- top battery.
  2. Have the battery case inspected.  It shouldn’t have cracks or bulges or be leaking fluid.  If any of these are present, it should be replaced immediately.
  3. If your car battery is more than three years old, get it tested by a trained technician, they should be able to give you a good idea if you should replace it or not.  The life of the average car battery is about 4 years long, so keep that in mind as you consider whether or not it should be replaced.

Don’t let a dead battery interfere with the plans you have for this summer.  Come in and see us for a battery check and save yourself the time and aggravation that a dead battery brings.

How To Make Sure Your Auto Air Conditioner Is In Great Shape

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Summer is here and the temperatures are rising! Nothing is quite as miserable as having to drive in the sweltering heat without an air conditioner. That is why it is so important for you to make sure your car’s air conditioner stays in top shape all summer long. Otherwise, you may be stuck in traffic one day with no air conditioning to keep you cool. The following tips will help you make sure your auto air conditioner is in great shape for the summer.

Check the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. If it is not cold, your air conditioner may be low on refrigerant. You can use pressure gauges to determine if your air conditioner needs a charge.

With the car running, turn on the air conditioner and listen for the clutch to engage. If it does not engage or if it engages and disengages rapidly, you could be low on refrigerant.

Make sure that all mounting bolts connected to your air conditioning system are tight. This will help eliminate any rattling or other noises. [Read more…]

What You Should Know About Auto Repair

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Owning a car is much more than buying insurance and fuel. As a car owner, you have a responsibility to your car if you want it to give you many years of service. At some point in the life of your car, you are going to have to seek repairs.

For many of us, a car is just a car. It is our means of transportation. We want it to be ready when we are, and give very little thought to how it runs or what it requires to keep running. If your car is just a car to you, you may not know the first thing about auto repair. There are several things you need to know about auto repair, including:

Prevention is a must. If you want your car to last for many years, you need to take care of it. This means arranging for maintenance, such as oil changes, tune-ups and new tires.
[Read more…]

Does Your Car Transmission Need Repair?

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Your car transmission is a pretty awesome device.  The way each part of the transmission, the bell housing, gears,  the filter and the transmission fluid, all work together to send power to the wheels and keep them rolling.  Your transmission also knows how and when to  shift the engine smoothly from one gear into the next and does it, at exactly the right time.   At least that’s what it does when the transmission is performing the way it was designed to!  But what happens when your car transmission needs repair?

There are a few things to look for such as:  leaking fluid, unusual noises,  whining or clunking, rough shifting or grinding.  For a more detailed explanation of these symptoms, read How to Determine If Your Car Transmission Needs Repair.  Give us a call at (303) 691-2760 or come in and see us.

How To Avoid Auto Repair Fraud

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Owning an automobile means being responsible for the upkeep and maintenance. If you neglect your car, your car will fail you – and most likely, it will fail at the most inopportune time.

Unless you are skilled in auto mechanics, you will need an auto repair technician to take care of maintenance and repairs. Unfortunately, auto repair strikes fear in many hearts, as there are some shady auto techs that only want to take your hard-earned money. While it may seem tough to find a fair and honest technician, we are here. The following tips will help you avoid being a victim of auto repair fraud.

If your car is still under warranty, head back to the dealer for repairs. Even a used car can come with some type of warranty – make sure you have a full understanding of the warranty and what it covers. [Read more…]

How is Your Car Cooling System Working?

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We have been having record breaking heat here in Denver and throughout our state.  There have been major wildfires and severe drought conditions and it doesn’t look like the record heat is going to be changing any time soon.  Since we usually use our air conditioning a lot more during the hot weather, it’s even more important we find out, “how is our car cooling system working?”  Is it functioning properly so it can do the job it was designed to do?

A typical car driving down the highway will produce enough heat to warm two average-sized homes! That is a lot of heat!  This is the amount of heat that needs to be diverted away from your car’s engine to keep it running the way it is suppose to run.  The job of your car cooling system is to maintain a constant engine temperature whether the  air temperature outside is 100 degrees or 5 degrees below zero.  If the temperature of the engine is too low the car’s emissions will go up and you will get lousy gas mileage.  But if the temperature of the engine gets too hot and stays that way for too long,  it will cause costly damage and great inconvenience to you.  If you would like to avoid all the inconvenience and damage that a faulty cooling system can cause or you would like to know more about how a car cooling system works, read our blog “Is It Time For a Cooling System Flush?  Then give us a call at (303) 691-2760 or come in and see us and let us know what we can do to help.

 

 

What To Do When Your Car’s Air Conditioner Fails

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It can be quite frustrating to get into your car, ready to hit the open road, only to find out your car’s air conditioner is not working. With the summer months bearing down on us, having a working air conditioner in your car is practically a necessity. In this day and age, there is no reason why you should be miserable from the heat during your travels. So, what do you do when your car’s air conditioner fails? The following tips will help you determine where the problem may lie and what you can do to fix it.

The most common resource for your car’s air conditioner to stop working is a lack of refrigerant. Your system may be losing refrigerant due to a leak. If you suspect a leak, you need to pinpoint it. It may be a cracked hose, a pinhole in the condenser, or a leaky compressor. You can add a special dye to your system to help find the leak.

You can check the clutch of your compressor by turning your air conditioner on and seeing if the clutch engages. If it does not engage, you may have a blown fuse or the clutch may need replaced. If the clutch engages, but does not turn the compressor, you may need to replace the compressor. [Read more…]

Brake System Service

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The official start of summer is almost here and if you haven’t already gotten started on all those summer time activities, they will be starting very soon!  So before you head out on the road and spend all those hours driving here and there in summer traffic.  Now is the perfect time to take a few minutes and bring your car in for a brake system service.  Our brakes are one of the most important parts of our cars and if something malfunctions in the brake system, we can be in real trouble.  Proper maintenance and having the brake system inspected regularly can go a long way in preventing major problems from developing.  We are usually carrying precious cargo with us as we drive and getting the proper brake system service will help us keep it safe!  To learn more about our brake system service click on our link Service Brake System and then let us know how we can help you.

5 Car Noises You Shouldn’t Ignore

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Thinking about how pricey a trip to the mechanic can become?  As a result, you may stall when it comes to having car issues looked at.  Think again.

For some issues, this is no big deal.  But with others, hesitation can have very unpleasant results.  So, the next time your car makes one of these noises; don’t delay, have it checked today.

1.    The wheels squeak or chirp while you drive – If your car tires chirp or squeak at you, it could be a sign that your wheel bearing or axle bearing is failing; especially if the noise is altered by speed.  If this issue is left unchecked, the part could completely fail, leaving you with a locked up tire or possibly no tire at all.

2.    Engine hissing – Your car’s engine should hum…not hiss.  If you hear a hissing sound coming from the engine compartment either during or after driving, you probably have an issue with the heating system.  Carefully watch the temperature gauge, as overheating can cause serious damage to your engine. [Read more…]

Automotive Air Conditioning Service

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What do you smell when you use the air conditioning in your car?  Do you have clean, cool air blowing into your face?  Or are you not using the air conditioner during this hot weather streak because of the foul odor that comes out when you turn it on?  If so, you may want to come in and see us for an automotive air conditioning service. 

Automotive air conditioning systems are made up of a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator,  and several valves, fittings and hoses.  If you have a mold or mildew smell when you use your air conditioner, condensation has probably become trapped within one or several of these areas and mold has begun to grow inside.

One of the key elements of the air conditioning system is the evaporator.  When the air conditioner is running, the evaporator becomes cold, but the temperature and air around the evaporator is hot, so condensation is created.  This condensation isn’t always allowed to drain properly or completely, and it begins to collect in the vents and hoses.  Mold and mildew love condensation and they will thrive in these conditions. When these conditions are present, the air that is blown out of the vents passes over the mold or mildew and you get that  foul odor. But fortunately we offer a service here at Express Care that can get rid of the mold as well as the awful smell that comes with it!  Come in and see us or give us a call at (303) 691-2760 and let us help you today!

For more information on air conditioning check out our blog Spring Cleaning-Air Conditioning Repair Before You Need It.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks