Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Cooling System Service

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Cooling System ServicePeople often ask questions about the cooling system – the system that cools your vehicle’s engine and keeps it at the proper operating temperature.  Let’s examine the topic in two areas:  First, the coolant itself and second, the parts that make up the cooling system.

The coolant is the mixture of water and antifreeze that circulates through the engine to draw off heat.  It’s important to have the proper amount because if you don’t have enough coolant it won’t be able to keep your engine cool.  You also need the right kind of coolant.  Different makes of vehicles require different coolant formulation to protect against corrosion.

Finally, your coolant needs to be fresh.  Over time and miles of driving, the anti-corrosion additives in the coolant are depleted and the coolant can actually start to eat away at the vehicle’s cooling system parts.  Your owner’s manual and Express Car Care adviser can help you with the recommended coolant replacement schedule and make sure you’re getting the right type of coolant.

Now let’s focus on the cooling system components.  These will all eventually wear out and need to be replaced.  Starting with the radiator, we see them coming into our shop with leaks or clogged with deposits.  Depending on the extent of the damage, at Express Car Care, we will clean, repair or replace.  We also see radiator pressure caps that can no longer hold the proper pressure.  We recommend replacing pressure caps when you change your coolant to avoid this problem.  We see leaky water pumps and hoses that need to be replaced.  there’s also a part called the thermostat that opens and closes to regulate the flow of coolant.  Sometimes they stick open or closed and the cooling system won’t work properly.

Engine damage from overheating can be very difficult and costly to fix so it’s important to maintain your cooling system properly with scheduled coolant replacement and periodic cooling system inspections.  Certainly come into Express Car Care if you suspect a leak and have us take a look.

Worn Shocks and Struts

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Worn Shocks and StrutsShocks and struts last a long time and wear out pretty slowly for most vehicles.  But let’s face it, they’re easy to take for granted.  Because your shocks and struts do a very important job we need to make sure we pay attention to them.  They keep your tires on the road; and your tires are what connect your vehicle to the road and allow you to safely handle it through turns, over bumps and every single stop.

When you have worn shocks and struts, your tires bounce excessively over  any bumps that may be in the road that we’re driving on.  Your vehicle will wallow through corners; your front-end will dive when you stop; and the rear-end of your vehicle will squat when you accelerate.  All these hurt your ability to safely control your vehicle.  Plus your ride just isn’t as comfortable.

Worn shocks and struts cause excessive tire wear, so you’ll need to replace your tires sooner than you would if they weren’t worn.  Worn shocks and struts also stresses other suspension and steering parts, causing them to wear prematurely.  Struts are actually a major structural component of the suspension system; there’s a lot riding on them.

Replacing worn shocks and struts saves money in the long run for drivers – and you can’t really put a price on your safety and that of your passengers.  We generally recommend replacing shocks and struts at 50,000 miles.

When it’s time for new shocks or struts, we’ve got you covered.  We can give you back the ride and handling of a new vehicle.  And if you have special needs we can help you there too.  We have premium shocks and struts that will improve performance.  We can even help you with upgraded, heavy-duty shocks that will give you the confidence you need to handle those big towing or hauling jobs.

Experts recommend replacing all four shocks at the same time so that handling is even at each wheel.

If you think you have worn shocks or struts and need new ones, let us help you take care of this important safety service.  You’ll feel better, and also save money on tires and other suspension repairs down the road.

Fall Checklist

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Fall ChecklistWe all have a Fall checklist of things we need to accomplish, whether it’s in our head, our phone or on paper.  But let’s make sure we don’t forget to put our car maintenance on that checklist.  Because without a proper running vehicle, it will be more difficult to accomplish the other things on our list.

If it’s been a while since you’ve had the oil in your car changed, Fall is a perfect time to do it.  Regular oil changes are a very important service to have on our Fall checklist.  Having clean oil in the engine helps keep your car running smoothly.

Our radiators should also be checked, they won’t last forever. Over time, they can break down and start corroding, which leads to cooling problems and a radiator repair.  Fall is a great time for a radiator flush, which is a quick and easy fix to avoid bigger problems later.  All it takes is about 30 minutes for us to drain and flush the entire cooling system, refill it with fresh anti-freeze/coolant, and check for leaks in the hoses, clamps and the radiator cap.

Check to see if your headlights and wiper blades are working.  Every day brings darkness to us a little bit earlier and good working headlights will light your path and keep you safe.  Replacing worn wiper blades and refilling the washer fluid will prepare you for those unexpected storms that can come in the Fall.  You might want to use snow blades now, since they are designed for better snow removal.

Last, but certainly not least, our Fall checklist needs to include a brake check.  No one wants to go through the terror of trying to stop suddenly and realizing the brakes aren’t working.  If you haven’t had your brakes checked in the last six months, now is the time to have it done.

Fall is a beautiful time in Colorado, but before you know it the leaves will be off the trees, and the snow will start falling.  So don’t be caught off-guard, get your vehicle ready now.

 

A Clean Fuel System

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FuelTank_1Hello drivers, today we’re going to talk about your fuel system.  The fuel system on your vehicle encompasses everything that it takes to get the fuel from your tank to your engine.  It starts with your fuel pump, which is located in the tank, then there are fuel lines, a fuel filter, a throttle assembly and fuel injectors.  When all of these parts in the fuel system are clean, fuel flows as it should and gives you a good and strong engine performance.  But when your fuel injectors, valves and fuel intake are clogged or gummed up, your engine doesn’t run as efficiently and its performance will suffer.

The fuel in our vehicles just naturally gums things up over time.  The government requires all fuel to have detergent in it to help clean the fuel system, but not all fuel is created equal.  Bargain fuel may just have the minimal amount of detergent to meet the government standards, so using a good quality fuel that may have several times the minimum amount of detergent will help you have a clean fuel system in your vehicle.

Sometimes, even if you’re using a quality fuel, your fuel system can still get too dirty and you’ll need a professional fuel system cleaning.  If your vehicle has lost some of its zip, or is sputtering a bit, it could be because of a dirty fuel system.  Your helpful and knowledgeable Express Car Care adviser can check it out and tell you if it’s time for a fuel system cleaning.

Give us a call if you have any questions.

Transmission Service

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Transmission ServiceAutomatic Transmissions have gotten more sophisticated in recent years for car owners.  Take the number of gears for starters:  The base is four speeds, five is very common.  Many manufacturers are using six speeds and several have seven or even eight speeds.  As you can imagine, this means more parts in your vehicle’s transmission.

Today’s transmissions are computer controlled.  Some high end transmissions have two or three computers.  Car owners are trusting that transmissions are engineered to last, but motorists need to understand that they are also engineered to tighter tolerances.  If a portion of the transmission is starved for lubrication, it can lead to failure.

This can happen if there isn’t enough fluid and also if the transmission fluid gets dirty or sludgy.  Small passages in the transmission can get clogged, then the lubricant is blocked and can’t get to all the parts to protect them, so they wear out prematurely.

Most newer vehicles require special transmission fluids and at Express Car Care we can make sure you get the type of fluid your manufacturer recommends.

As you can imagine, repairing one of these new transmissions can be quite costly at most auto repair shops.  That’s why manufacturers have a transmission service schedule for how often drivers should change the fluid and what type of fluid to use.  Come in and see us and let us help you with this or any other of your car’s service needs.

Power Steering Service

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Power Steering ServiceIt’s easy for us to take power steering for granted – you spin the steering wheel and your car turns.  But behind the scenes your power steering is making it easy.

The vast majority of vehicles today have hydraulic power steering systems, which means that pressurized fluid is used to help you do the work of steering.  A pump pressurizes the power steering fluid to provide the boost that you need.  In some vehicles the pump is driven by the serpentine belt and in others there is an electric pump.

The problem is that over time the fluid becomes contaminated and can actually cause leaks in the hoses and connections.  It gets harder to steer and could even cause total failure of the power steering system.

Periodically, your friendly and knowledgeable Express Car Care service adviser may recommend that you have your transmission fluid changed, which involves removing the old, dirty fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid.  This helps the power steering components last longer and maintains your vehicle’s power steering performance and keeps you safely on the road.  Your technician will also have your system checked for leaks and the belt inspected for other pending needs.  Ask your service technician if it’s time to perform a power steering service on your vehicle today.

Prevent Cooling System Problems

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Prevent Cooling System ProblemsCooling system problems are the most common reason for mechanical failure in a vehicle and they are largely avoidable.  Here’s what you need to know to prevent cooling system problems.  First, the terms coolant and antifreeze are often used interchangeably.  The fluid cools your engine while it’s running and it keeps it from freezing when it’s cold.

Your cooling system is filled with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze/coolant.  So if you’re topping off antifreeze/coolant it is important to add the proper amount of each.  Distilled water is much better than tap water.  Now you can buy premixed coolant so you can be sure you know the mixture going in your vehicle is correct.

Two important precautions:  First, never add coolant when the engine is hot.  This can lead to serious burns.  Second, there are many antifreeze formulas out there.  Your manufacturer recommends a specific type that won’t harm your cooling system components.  Use the wrong fluid and you could en up voiding your cooling system warranty.  Your knowledgeable Express Car Care adviser can help you with all  of this.

Each manufacturer has a schedule for when you should change the coolant in your vehicle.  It’s important to follow this schedule because neglecting your cooling system allows the fluid to become corrosive.  Corrosion leads to leaks which can lead to greater damage.  Check with your service adviser at Express Car Care to see if it’s time for a cooling system inspection and service.  Give us a call and let us help.

Suspension Integrity

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Suspension IntegrityHello – today we’re talking about suspension integrity.  Your skeleton provides the structure to hold up your weight.  Your joints cushion you as you walk and allow you to change direction.  Your vehicle’s suspension system is similar:  it bears the weight of your vehicle, absorbs bumps in the road and controls the body as you steer.

Like the bones in your body, vehicle suspension parts are connected by joints that allow all the components to move as they should.  Over time and miles, the joints start to wear and your suspension gets loose and doesn’t operate as precisely as before, reducing proper tire contact with the road.  An accident, pothole or hitting a curb or rock can also damage or break vehicle suspension components.

If you’ve ever hurt your foot, you know you’ve had to walk differently to keep it from hurting.  Do that long enough and your ankle, knee, hip and even your back will start to hurt from the strain of not moving normally.  The same thing happens in your vehicle when one joint or part is worn or damaged:  it stresses everything else and causes premature wear to the whole system.

Signs of suspension problems include uneven tire wear, vibration, rattles or clunks when you hit a bump or turn on a windy road, or the vehicle pulls to one side.

If you suspect a suspension problem, ask your helpful Express Car Care service adviser about your suspension system.  They can also check your alignment while they’re at it.  Taking care of a worn or damaged suspension component early, will head off future damage and repairs down the road.

Give us a call.

Tire Rotation & Balancing

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Tire Rotation & BalancingYou can make your tires last longer with regular tire rotation and wheel balancing.

Let’s start with tire rotation.  In normal driving around, your front tires wear more on the shoulders because they handle much of the cornering forces in turns.  Front-wheel drive vehicles have even more force on the front tires.

We rotate the tires so that all of the tires do some duty on the front end as well as getting a little break on the back end.  That way, all four tires wear more evenly over their life and last longer.

For most vehicles, tires are rotated front to back.  Some manufacturers recommend a cross rotational pattern that includes the spare tire, and some high-performance vehicles have different size tires on the front and rear and may even have uni-directional tires that can only be on the left or the right side of the vehicle.  Your service adviser at Express Car Care can help you sort that out and will perform the right tire rotation for your vehicle.

Your tire manufacturer will have a recommendation for how often you should rotate your tires.  It’s usually somewhere around 5,000 to 8,000 miles.

Let’s move on to wheel balancing.  That’s when there are heavy spots on the tire and wheel that cause it to wobble.

Balancing adds weights to the wheel to balance it out.  We are talking about very small weight differences.  Variations in the tire and wheel manufacturing can cause a slight imbalance.  the valve stem, and now the tire pressure monitoring sensors in the tire, also play into the equation.

Even small differences can cause annoying vibrations at speed:  the wheel is essentially bouncing a bit as it goes down the road.  For example, at freeway speeds, an out of balance wheel can be slamming into the road 14 times a second.  That’s annoying and can cause your tires to wear out more quickly.

If a front wheel is out of balance you’ll feel the vibration through the steering wheel.  When it’s a rear tire, you’ll feel the vibration through your seat.  If you’re getting bad vibrations from your vehicle, bring it in to see if it’s a balance issue or something else.  You should balance your wheels whenever you get a new tire or remount a tire, as when it’s been removed for a flat tire repair.

Clean Air For Your Engine: Air Filters

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Clean Air For Your Engine: Air FiltersEvery Denver car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told at one time or another, that their engine air filter is dirty.  Here is what goes into the determination of when the air filter needs to be changed.  First, your vehicles owner’s manual will have a recommendation of when to change the filter.  Second, a visual inspection by your service technician may determine that your filter is visibly dirty and needs to be changed.

So between your vehicle owner’s manual and your technician’s inspection there’s really no guesswork involved.

Now, most air filters purchased in Denver don’t cost a lot to replace.  It’s just that car owners hate getting caught with an unexpected expense.  On the plus side though, changing a dirty air filter at Express Car Care can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change.

Think about a dirty furnace filter in your home.  When it’s all clogged up, enough clean air can’t get through.  In your vehicle, that means that your engine can’t get as much air as it needs to burn the fuel efficiently.  So it makes do with less air and has to use more gas to move your vehicle around on the roads.

Your vehicle actually needs about 12,000 gallons of air for every gallon of gas it burns.  Engine air filters don’t cost much and provide clean air for your engine.  When it’s time to change yours, just get it done.  You’ll save money, protect your engine and get better performance.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks