The Most Important Gauge on Your Dashboard!
Cooling systems are only reliable for 80k.
Yes it's
true!
After 80,000 miles, the radiator and
various other components are on borrowed time.
Unfortunately, we get cars towed in with broken radiators
and expansion tanks very requently.
Often, the upper
radiator inlet will brake right off of the radiator or the
expansion tank will split right down the middle - then
it’s time for the tow truck.
I know it sounds strange to replace a
seemingly good radiator but it is just part of the
preventive maintenance on these cars. If you are not sure if
your cooling system has been replaced we can usually tell by
looking at it.
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BMW Rear
Suspension Issues:
Modern BMWs have a lower a arm with a
removable ball joint and an upper camber struts that wear
out.
The consequence to these wearing out is
more negative camber on the rear tires which will wear out
the rear tires exponentially faster. This is even more
critical with lower profile tires.
It is important to replace these
components when they start to wear out so that you
don’t cause accelerated wear on your rear tires. This could
double the price of the repair, because you can end up
paying for tires and suspension components.
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We do Windows (regulators)
Window regulators have proven to be
very unreliable. We have to replace them constantly. All I
can say about this is if one starts to make noise,
immediately stop using it, so that it doesn’t break on
a Friday night with the window down...during a rainstorm.
We have all the regulators in stock all
the time. If you need one we can get you in right away to
get you back on the road.
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Know Your Icons
As automotive systems become more and
more complex, we find our dashboards filled with more and
more warning lights. If a warning light appears (or
fails to go out after you've started the engine), you should
stop as soon as possible in a safe place and refer to your
owner's manual.
Besides describing in detail an explanation
of each warning light, the manual will also indicate if you
have a little time before you have to take your car into the
shop, or if it's not safe at all to continue driving.
Below are some of the more common
dashboard indicator lights and their meaning. Some
manufacturers, like BMW, will have the same indicator show
in 2 different colors.
YELLOW will mean to have it checked
as soon as you can, while the same icon in RED means you
need to pull over right now and have the car towed. If you
have any questions please give us
a call!
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Combined with a temp gauge in
the red, and a 'coolant level' or 'check coolant'
warning, this means trouble. Stop driving as soon as
it is safe to do so and call us. |
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These
indicator lights tell you there is a problem with
your anti-lock braking system.
Your brakes should
still function normally, but the anti-lock function
has been disabled.
Don't make any sudden stops as
you could lose control. Call us to make an
appointment to see what has cause the issue. |
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Here,
your Dynamic Brake Control System (DBC) has
malfunctioned (in a BMW), or that you have possibly lost
pressure in your braking system (in a Porsche). Either
way, contact us asap to determine what has caused
this. |
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This indicator is telling
you it is about time for new brake pads, although
the squeal you hear when you stop is also telling
you that! Call us!
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This simply means the parking brake is engaged. If you have disengaged
it and the light remains turned on, contact us. It
could mean the fluid is low in your system.
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Low oil indicator. Check your
oil level and top off if needed. If your oil is at
the recommended level, call us. It means there is
something else going on with your system and it
could grow into a large issue if left unchecked.
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This means stop the car as soon
as it is safe to do so. Call us right away. It tells
you that a major malfunction as occurred with your
engine management system.
The exclamation mark means
it is OK to swear when this light comes on. It won't
really solve the problem, but it might make you feel
better...
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Know what 'NORMAL' sounds like.
Try driving your car around with the
radio turned off. Take a good listen.
You will hear
wind noise, tire noise, rattles, creaks, etc.
It is vital
that you know how your car sounds when all things are
'normal' and functioning correctly.
Most problems
start small and many will make small noises too! If you can
catch these early, the repair costs are usually MUCH LESS.
Make it a habit as you drive in to work on Mondays
to take a few minutes to listen to your car as you drive and
ask yourself, "Are there any new sounds?" "Does my car
'feel' different in regards to steering, acceleration,
braking, etc.
If so , give us a quick call to
schedule a visit. It could be nothing, or it could be the
start of something big...
Of course, if everything
feels and sounds fine...then turn that radio back on and
enjoy the tunes!
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Porsche (gives you the) Shaft Bearing
Failure
Porsche intermediate shaft bearing
failures: we’ve seen a few of these failures recently, where
the engines in the Boxters and 996s start to make a rumbling
noise before they completely stop.
When this happens, it is a catastrophic
failure and the whole engine has to be rebuilt! If you start
to hear a deep rumbling from your water cooled Porsche
please have it checked out.
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BMW refuses to go back!
Loss of reverse in BMW automatic transmissions. This happens
on many of the BMW ZF and GM transmissions.
If you lose reverse, don’t fret. We can fix it for not too
much money. We stock all the parts and we can get you back
on the road very quickly. We are experts at this repair!
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