Auto Repair Tempe

How Do I Know If My Mechanic is Honest?     Considering there are some 800,000 auto mechanics in the US, about one for every 316 cars, it makes sense that most drivers don’t know much about cars. Unfortunately, dishonest mechanics might exploit that inexperience, overcharging for auto repairs or suggesting unnecessary and expensive services, to name a few. How do you know if your mechanic is being honest? How Dishonest Mechanics Work Dishonest mechanics may exploit the unaware by hyping up a service, with confusing technobabble, or suggesting “shotgun” repairs. If you hear, “Your car is going to (explode, burn, die) if you don’t do this,” be wary and get a second opinion. Rarely is a repair such a dire emergency. Dishonest mechanics and hack mechanics might suggest shotgun repairs. There’s almost no chance that your no-start problem will need a starter, battery, and alternator to fix. Similarly, there’s almost zero chance t ... read more

Engine Cooling System If your car is overheating, it can be very serious. You shouldn't continue to drive if you see the temperature gauge has moved towards the "hot" side. Your car may not immediately explode or anything like that, but driving with an overheating engine can cause serious damage to your vehicle. It's better to pull over and deal with it right away instead of risking very expensive repairs later. There are a number of things that can cause your engine to overheat. Some of these are fairly common issues, especially on a hot summer day in the Phoenix, Tempe and Chandler areas. Improperly Circulating Coolant If the water/antifreeze mixture isn't circulating correctly, the engine will start to overheat. This mixture keeps your engine cool during the hot months and prev ... read more

You've probably noticed a bunch of warning lights on your dash when you start your engine. They flash on to test the circuits and then go off if everything's okay. One of the warning lights looks like a car battery. Its job is to tell you if your battery is not charging properly. Now, you know that your battery stores electricity, enough to start your engine and get you moving, but that's about it. You can only get a few miles on battery power alone. You need an alternator to generate enough electricity to run your engine and power your electrical accessories, like the stereo, power seats, heater fan, onboard computers and so on. On top of that, the alternator needs to recharge your battery. So when your alternator isn't working properly, there isn't enough electricity for all those things. One thing's for sure, when your alternator fails, you aren't going very far. Why would your alternator not work? Usually they've simply worn out. Alternators are driv ... read more