Auto Repair Tempe

Did you know you should have your vehicle inspected at least once every year or so? This is because you need to do some preventative maintenance yearly to avoid major problems. After all, most people go see their doctor, optometrist, and dentist once a year so any major health issues can be caught and dealt with as early as possible. You need to do the same for your car. The beginning of the fall is the perfect time to have this preventative maintenance done. There are a few reasons why it's a good time. You've Driven a Lot Over the Summer Many families do a little more driving during the summer than usual. While it's true you don't have to drive your kids to school or to their various activities, you may drive them to other activities, such as a summer sports league, summer school, a sitter, or to the playground or park on a regular basis. Many people take vacations over Labor Day or Memorial Day, plus some people drive to their summer ... read more

Visiting the gas station to fuel up is an activity almost no one enjoys. As a result, many ideas and strategies have been formed to reduce the visit to a gas station, whether they work or not is an entirely different can of worms. One of the most popular strategies is topping off at the gas pump. While it sounds practical, unsuspecting car owners may be causing more harm than good by trying to ‘cheat’ the gas pump. Will My Car Take in More Gas After the Initial Nozzle Click? The short answer: Yes. The longer answer: Yes, but here’s why: Your car is capable of admitting more gas after the first automatic nozzle click. The nozzle itself is controlled by a vacuum system which senses when it’s time to off the flow of the fuel. If you were to inspect the fuel nozzle closely, you might see a small port or hole at the tip, which is responsible for relieving some of the air that is trapped in your gas tank. Once the fuel flow stops, this trapped air is permitted to e ... read more

Today we're going to talk about transfer case service. Not a super sexy topic, but very important nonetheless. :) Now, you may not know much about transfer cases, but if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, you've got one. It makes sure you have power available for both the front and rear axles and the right time and in the right proportion. For example, if you have a rear-wheel drive SUV, power goes to the rear wheels until you need four-wheel drive. That's where the transfer case steps in and transfers some of the power to the front wheels as well. You might use a shift lever to go into four-wheel drive or it could be a button on the dash or it might even go into four-wheel drive automatically, depending on your vehicle. The transfer case is serviced by periodically draining its fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid. We also check for leaks and damage. Transfer case fluid cools and lubricates the gears, chains, bearings, shafts and other parts. Over time, the additives i ... read more

I probably don't need to tell you how important your disc brakes are! Having good brakes just keeps you out of trouble. Carefully maintaining your brakes is the key. With disc brakes, brake pads rub on a disc, or rotor, to slow the wheels. The pads are attached to a caliper that squeezes them against the rotor. It's kind of like how squeezing the handbrake on a bicycle pushes the brake pads against the wheel of the bike. Now, pads just wear away with use, kind of like how a pencil eraser wears out. But the good news is replacing brake pads is a straightforward repair. If you hear squealing or grinding when you use the brakes, have your service advisor here are Elite Auto Repair in Tempe check them out. He'll have one of our certified technicians perform a thorough brake inspection to see what needs to be done. He'll check for signs of brake problems and go over other brake components to see tha ... read more

The Mazda 2 has sold almost 2.5 million units all over the world since 2002. Big changes in this five-door hatchback model have recently been announced. It will have a range of available engine options including a 1.5 liter diesel engine, identified as one of the Mazda SKYACTIV engines. The new Mazda 2 now shares some similarities with the Mazda 3. In fact, if you were just looking at the two from the front you might be hard pressed to tell which is which. The Mazda now has the same large grille in the front, headlights with an angular touch, and a sloping front end. Now more on the engine choices. In Japan there will be 1.3 liter G-version as well as a 1.5 D-version putting 105 horsepower with 184 foot pounds of torque. There will also be some new safety features with Mazda's i-ACTIVSENSE on board system. The 2016 Mazda 2 will start rolling of the assembly line around September, 2014. Photo Credit: MazdaUSA.com

Scotty Kilmer, a mechanic for the last 42 years, shows how to avoid some common auto repair mistakes. This time, Scotty talks about avoiding common mistakes with removing and replacing your oil filter, safely doing any kind of electric work on your car, changing spark plugs, and the motor oil you use in your car

This is some rare and exciting footage of the world's first car's engine igniting & running. Regarding this car, Wikipedia states: Have a look! (After watching this you'll be glad starting your car only takes the turn of a key!)

During the early days of the automobile, it was difficult to start a car using a hand crank, and it was even harder to bring it to a halt once it had begun moving. Drivers relied on a block of wood to create friction on the wheels to stop a carriage. However, even though the lever system was capable, it was only effective when the carriage was moving slowly, approximately ten to twenty miles per hour. In 1890, the Michelin brothers introduced pneumatic rubber tires, and their idea came to replace the use of wood block for braking. History Of Automotive Braking System The introduction of electronic controlled braking systems was in 1898. The man who patented this idea was Frederick William, who was an English engineer. However, the first electric car was invented in Cleveland by Elmer Ambrose Sperry and the car relied on disc brakes to stop or slow down the car. The disc brakes were attached to the front wheels, and this made it difficult to h ... read more

This week We dive into the history of the Chevrolet Corvette at a special 60th anniversary exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Come join Car and Driver contributing editor Csaba Csere as he explores the rich history of this iconic sports car. The Corvettes in this episode: 1953 Corvette EX-122 - 0:45 1956 Corvette SR-2 - 4:25 1960 CERV (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) 1 - 6:34 1962 Big Tank Corvette - 13:25 1964 World's Fair Corvette - 15:54 1959 Corvette Italia by Scaglietti - 19:38 1963 Corvette Grand Sport - 21:50 1967 Corvette L88 Coupe - 24:33 1968 Corvette L88 - 25:31 1969 Corvette L88 Race Car - 28:06 1968 Corvette Sundowner Bonneville Race Car - 30:56 1984 C4 Corvette - 32:30 2004 Corvette Convertible Indianapolis 500 Edition - 35:05 2010 Corvette ZR

Did you know that the force from hitting a pot-hole or speed bump can exceed several tons? The vehicles suspension and steering system supports the weight of the vehicle, absorbs shocks and bumps from the road, and allows the front wheels to pivot allowing steering and controls the geometry of the tire and road relationship for best traction and handling under changing road conditions. Key components of the suspension system include: - Shocks - Struts - Springs - Control Arms - Bushings - Ball Joints Key components of the steering system include: - Power Steering Pump - Power Steering Gear - Steering Linkage - Power Steering Hoses - Steering Column - Steering Knuckle The suspension and steering system is a critical to the safe operation of your vehicle. Abnormal noises or clunks when rolling over bumps or loose steering should be inspected immediately. Have the system checked periodically to catch potentially dangerous conditions early. Visit us here at Elite Auto Repair for expe ... read more