Repairing Auto

We all know how important it is to keep your brakes in top shape. After all, it doesn’t do any good to drive to the store if you can’t stop once you get there. Unfortunately, for many people “top shape” means making sure they have enough brake pad to make a safe stop, but nothing more. Pads are important, but there are other aspects of your braking system that need to be attended to. For instance, have you checked your brake fluid lately? Low brake fluid is a common cause of brake failure. And how about your parking brake? Adjusting your parking brake can be a pain in the neck, and is very different with each vehicle. If you have a good repair manual you can adjust your own parking brake. If not, have your regular mechanic or a brake shop check the adjustment next time you bring your car in. It’s a worthwhile safety check.

Having Your Brakes Serviced? Don’t Forget the Parking Brake originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 23:09:59.

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Find car ac compressor replacement instructions and parts. Mechanic provides 10 steps needed to protect your new ac compressor. Avoid repeat failures.

The stories of bodily injury and death by explosion pop up almost instantly when you mention Fix-a-Flat in the company of a seasoned auto mechanic or tire tech. I say seasoned because it’s usually older guys that tell the stories. I’m here to tell you with 100% conviction that Fix-a-Flat will NOT explode! If you’re using another product, be sure to check it out, but the Fix-a-Flat brand is non-explosive and can be used without risk of injury to the person who is removing the tire. Messy? Oh yeah. But not deadly. I could go on and on about this, and since I can write whatever I want, I did go on and on about it here! Read up on the history of the explosion myth and why there’s nothing to worry about.

Is Fix-a-Flat Safe To Use? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 01:25:14.

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I know I’ve been on the aftermarket warranty rampage of late, but things keep popping up which remind me of how careful you need to be when buying an extended warranty of any type. The latest comes from Pennsylvania, by way of Rhode Island. It seems a number of people in Rhode Island purchased extended warranty coverage from Eagle Warranty Corp., of Eynon, Pennsylvania, only to find that they had no coverage at all when a major repair arose. More than 600 people have filed an official complaint against the now-bankrupt company. We can’t be sure whether Eagle was trying to scam their customers or just victims of bad business who ended up in bankruptcy court. Either way, the end result is the same — car owners and honest repair shops left holding the bag, and the bill.

Read more here in the Providence Journal.

More Aftermarket Warranty Woes originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 21:57:34.

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Charging car ac correctly can not only provide the coldest air output but can protect the system from damage. See the problems with just adding Freon.

When disputes arise between repair shops and customers, many car owners are quick to get on the phone with their credit card company to reverse the charge. The chargeback is an important tool when things get bad, but don’t pull the trigger too fast. Communication is key when you’re in any type of transaction. Sure, if you think you’re being scammed or stonewalled, get the ball rolling on a chargeback. I urge drivers to use a credit card for all of their maintenance and repairs they have performed at a shop — it’s good protection. But if you skip the important communication steps and don’t try to work things out, you might be shooting yourself in the foot. As soon as the chargeback takes place, you’re telling the shop that you’re finished talking and you want the powers that be — the credit card company — to decide the fate of the transaction. Unfortunately if you have a legitimate dispute but it doesn’t qualify for a chargeback, you’re going to lose. If that happens, what are the chances your mechanic will be willing to work something out? He probably won’t even want you as a customer anymore.

Credit Card Chargeback? Be Cautious originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 21:32:36.

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Auto repair news for do it yourself car mechanics and vehicle owners. Find auto repair articles from insider trade publications and service bulletins.

Repairing ABS problems on older cars. Review of a bulletin for a 95 Bonneville abs light. These diagnostic tips can be applied to many older vehicles.

Lemon laws are nothing new. In fact, the phrase “lemon law” is evoked pretty often during car repair conversations. But what can lemon laws really do for you? Are you protected if your car seems like a citrus? The lore is so thick involving these rules and regulations, it’s worth brushing up. I found lots of helpful information on Your Lemon Law Rights.com. Even if your state is not listed, the information varies little from state to state. Might be worth a read.

Bought a Lemon? You May Be Protected originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 15:00:20.

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Momentum is building for HR 2057, the House’s version of the Right to Repair Act. Right to Repair legislation has been gaining speed and building support quickly over the past few years, and this just may be the year that it makes it all the way. The Right to Repair Act would give independent repair shops better access to important information they need to repair new model vehicles. You can read about Right to Repair legislation here, and there’s a great update I found in the Fairfax Times here.

51 House Members Support Right to Repair originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Saturday, January 9th, 2010 at 14:53:51.

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