Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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.

What Every Car Owner Should Know About Motor Oil

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Whether you are a first-time car owner or you are on your fourth or fifth car, basic maintenance comes with owning a car. And one of the most routine items on your maintenance schedule is changing your motor oil on a regular basis.

Motor oil is essential to the operation of your vehicle. Without it, your car is not going to get very far before the motor locks up – and you are left without transportation. Understanding what motor oil does to protect your motor will help you ensure that you are never left on the side of the highway due to motor oil problems.

Motor oil is a lubricant for your engine. However, it does much more than simply keeping the parts lubricated. Motor oil creates a film on bearing surfaces that helps to separate the parts and keep them from rubbing on each other. This minimizes friction and reduces wear and tear on your engine. Motor oil also cushions the moving parts of your engine. It keeps certain parts of your motor cool and keeps rust and corrosion at a minimum. In short, motor oil serves many purposes within your engine – each one vital to the longevity of your motor. [Read more…]

Timing Belt Service

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We all want to do our best to maintain our cars and do everything that we can to keep them running smoothly.  And one of the parts that needs to be maintained is the timing belt. The timing belt has an extremely important part in making your engine run.  The timing belt controls the camshafts in the engine.  The camshaft is the shaft that opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves that let the air in that creates combustion and also vents the exhaust created by the combustion. This opening and closing of the valves has to be perfectly synchronized with the movement of the pistons.  The instant at which the valves open and close affects the engine performance, fuel economy and emissions.  This is why the timing belts function is so important.  The timing belt is the only part that keeps the camshaft and crankshaft in sync.  In some engine designs, the timing belt may also drive other engine parts like the water pump and oil pump.

Timing belts are typically made out of rubber that has been reinforced with strands of fiberglass, this makes them nearly unstretchable and extremely strong. But after rotating around the crankshaft and camshaft  millions of times, the strands become brittle and may begin to break.  The reinforced strands crack and give way, the belt snaps, and your engine stops.  This can happen without a lot of warning.  Sometimes there might be a rattling noise from the front of the engine but that isn’t always the case.  The best way to avoid being stranded is to check your  manufacturer’s recommendation for a timing belt service and have it replaced when they recommend it.  If you drive an older car or put a lot of miles on your car, it might be a good idea to have the timing belt service sooner rather than later.   Some manufacturers may also recommend replacing other parts, such as the water pump, at the same time as the timing belt because the additional cost to replace the water pump is small compared to the cost of having to access the timing belt twice.

If you would like more information or a coupon for a timing belt service, look at our When to Replace Your Timing Belt blog.  For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care.  Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.

 

What Your Mileage May Be Telling You

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Keeping track of your mileage is an easy way to determine how many miles you can get per gallon of fuel. But why should you track it for every tank of gas you fill you car with? Because your mileage can tell you more than your mileage.

When you notice changes in your mileage, it may signify a problem with your automobile’s system. And while a change in one tank may be from a variety of conditions, concurrent changes that continue from fill up to fill up should make you take notice.

There are several non-mechanical reasons why your mileage might change. It is normal for mileage to drop during cold weather. Your mileage may also change if a tank is consumed by several short trips over a time period as compared to predominately highway driving. And if your driving style has changed, your mileage may reflect the changes. If your driving pathways change (for instance, your commute to work), your mileage may change. While these are not the only reasons why your mileage might change, they provide you with a starting point to determine why your mileage might change. [Read more…]

What Motor Oil Should I Use?

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We all know, or at least we should know, that we need to put motor oil in our vehicles so they can run properly.  The main function of motor oil is to lubricate the moving parts of our cars, but it also cleans, prevents corrosion, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from the moving parts.  Although we might know we have to use motor oil, we don’t always know what motor oil we should use.  There has been an age long battle going on between synthetics, synthetic blends and conventional motor oil.  What motor oil should I use?  Which kind would work best for me and my car?  If you have ever asked these questions, we have some more information for you in Motor Oil Types-How to Choose the Right One for Your Car

Using motor oil is essential in keeping your car on the road but knowing what motor oil works best for your car can greatly extend the life of your car!

For all of your Denver Auto Repair needs, trust Express Car Care.  Call (303) 691-2760 or stop by our shop today.

 

What You Should Know About Servicing A Hybrid

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Hybrid automobiles are becoming more and more popular. With environmental concerns rising, consumers want a vehicle that reduces their carbon footprint – hence, hybrid automobiles.

Yet with this new line of automobiles comes the need for a new need for maintenance. Hybrids are still cars, yet they work in different ways from traditional makes and models.

Complicated repairs to hybrid autos are best left to the experts. However, if you are an expert or if the repair is something you are comfortable making, here are a few facts to remember when servicing a hybrid automobile.

  • Make sure the hybrid system is “off” – while this may seem obvious, it is easy to forget that a hybrid automobile is ready to turn on at any time [Read more…]

Fun Ideas for Summer

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Fuel system cleaning, radiator flush, clutch repairs or automatic transmission service, do these repairs sound like fun ideas for summer?  Not really.  But just because your car might be in need of some repairs, doesn’t mean you have to spend your summer trapped inside an auto repair shop.   Our shop is conveniently located across the street from the Colorado Light Rail Station, this allows you to drop your car off for repairs , catch the train, and enjoy yourself while we repair your car.  That sounds like it would be a little more fun than before, doesn’t it?  We also have provided a key drop system for you if you need to leave your car during our off hours.  What could be more convenient?!       

There are a lot of fun activities to do here in Denver this summer.  How about those Rockies!  You can drop your car off with us and then head out to watch them play and not miss a pitch!  Or if you’re not into baseball, there is always shopping and dining on the 16th Street Mall.  Some of you ladies may want to relax and have afternoon tea at the Brown Palace.

There are also fun summer ideas that you can do with your kids.  You can spend the day at the Children’s Museum, or take them on a tour of the State Capital and expand their minds and imaginations.  If you’re looking for ways to help them get rid of some excess energy, you could spend some time at Elitch Gardens.  They have over 40 rides plus the Minderaser and the Tower of Doom.  That should successfully wear them out!

We understand how difficult it can be to juggle the important along with the fun issues of life.  None of us want to sacrifice our fun activities all the time, so if you find yourself in a position where you think you can’t enjoy your day and have your car repaired too, check the Light Rail  schedule, give us a call at 303-691-2760,  and let’s see if we can’t make auto repair more  “fun”  this summer!

 

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks