Maumee Auto Repair

Today we want to talk about a system in our vehicles – the cooling system. It's one of those things that Maumee auto owners don't give much thought to until it fails and then they're stranded by the side of a road in OH.Cooling systems fail more often than any other mechanical system – usually because of neglect. Don't you hate it when something breaks and you could have done something to prevent it?The good news is that if Maumee drivers take care of their cooling systems, they can keep working for the life of their car.Here at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. in Maumee, we emphasize preventive maintenance services like replacing your coolant according to the factory schedule. But the various parts that make up the cooling system need attention too. The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, freeze plugs, the thermostat, radiator, cooling fans, the heater core, the pressure cap, the overflow tank and the hoses.It ... read more

High gas prices in Maumee increase the cost of living for OH drivers. You've probably budgeted a certain amount for vehicle related expenses. Increased fuel costs now consume a larger portion of our incomes, causing some Maumee vehicle owners to skimp in other areas – like scheduled maintenance.According to OH news reports and automotive industry studies, this is becoming increasingly more common. In fact, nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn't been done. Some of these items pose serious safety risks. Others are just more likely to make it more expensive to drive. In this area, we can take a lesson from professional Maumee vehicle owners. I'm talking about fleet owners and operators. You know, Maumee folks like the trucking companies and delivery services. Because their livelihood depends on it, they have gotten scheduled maint ... read more

What type of technology do you use? Do you prefer an 8-track tape or an iPod? When it comes to winter tires, much of Maumee driver's perception dates back to when 8-track was the best way to listen to the Bee Gees.Twenty years ago in OH, winter tires differed from highway tires only in their tread design. OH drivers called them snow tires back then, and they had big, knobby lugs that were designed to give good traction in deep snow. They had the same rubber compound as regular tires and they weren't very good on ice, packed snow or wet OH roads. They were not even very good on dry roads. They really helped in deep or loose snow, but they did a poor job the rest of the time. They were loud and rode hard. People couldn't wait to get them off in the spring.Then all-season tires started to appear in Maumee tire shops. All-season tires are really a compromise between summer and winter performance. They have acceptable hot weather ride and tread life and can get OH drivers through mild winte ... read more

A lot of Maumee drivers have asked whether or not they should use their severe service maintenance schedule, which is listed in their vehicle's  owner's  manual. It can be somewhat confusing, so we decided to consult an expert. Cricket Killingsworth is from QMI/Heartland, a manufacturer of automotive products and fluids. She's been in the automotive business for over 30 years and is a speaker, a trainer and a writer. Cricket says there's so much confusion on this topic because, "Most owner's manuals actually have two maintenance schedules. Sometimes these are called 'regular service' and 'severe service.' Sometimes they're simply called Schedule 1 and Schedule 2. A severe service schedule recommends that things like an oil change, air filter replacement and transmission service be done more often: either in fewer miles or in less time." Foreign and domestic vehicle manufacturers create a specific schedule for each vehicle they manufacture. So ... read more

The last new American vehicles sold in Maumee with a carburetor rolled out of the OH dealerships in 1990. Since then, all new vehicles here in Maumee, and nationally, have had fuel injectors. In very simple terms, a fuel injector is a valve that squirts fuel into your engine. Your engine control computer tells the fuel injector how much gas to deliver as well as the precise time it should be delivered. Of course this happens thousands of times a minute. Fuel injectors deliver fuel far more precisely than carburetors. That translates into better fuel economy and more power for Maumee drivers. Virtually all fuel injectors for gas engines are known as port fuel injectors because they deliver the fuel to a port just outside the cylinder. Port fuel injectors operate at about 40 to 80 pounds per square inch of pressure.A few vehicle manufacturers have introduced gas direct injection systems on some engines recently. These systems inject the gas directly ... read more

Whenever they hear the term "exhaust service," most Maumee residents think about exhaust pipes and mufflers. Well, actually, exhaust service at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. is a lot more comprehensive these days. For example, catalytic converters were mandated in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. Governmental emissions requirements have forced manufacturers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental regulations.Exhaust service has really become exhaust and emissions service. High-tech computer controlled emissions devices are now a big part of exhaust service. Because it is so sophisticated, your recommends you have your emission system checked out by a qualified Maumee exhaust technician regularly to make sure everything is working right - usually every 6 months or 10,000 miles/16,000 kilometers.If your Check Engine light comes on, especially if it's flashing, get your car looked at right away. Technicians at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. in Mau ... read more

When you take a corner in your car, the outside wheels have a slightly longer distance to go than the inside wheels.  That means that the outside wheels must turn a bit faster than the inside.  The piece of mechanical wizardry that makes this possible is called the differential. The differential allows the drive wheels to rotate at different speeds in turns without the wheels binding or hopping.  If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the differential is on the rear axle.  You’ve seen that bulge in the middle of the axle when you’re behind a truck – that’s the differential. If you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, the differential function is handled by your transaxle.  Of course, all-wheel drive vehicles have differentials on both axles.  They also have a center differential or a transfer case between the front and rear axles to compensate for speed differences between the front and rear. Because all the power of the engine is tra ... read more

Here is a questions for Maumee drivers: What is a cabin air filter?Is it: A filter for a house in the middle of the woods? A fresh, piney scent? A filter for the passenger compartment of your car? Clever you, it's 3.A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment. It filters out dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, sparrows, exhaust gas and odors.These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.Now not all vehicles in the Maumee area have cabin filters. They are fairly new on the scene in OH. About 40 percent of new vehicles come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year.Cabin air filters can make for a very nice driving environment for Maumee. Your car can be a haven during OH allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. However, like all filters, your cabin air filter eventually gets clogge ... read more

Hey Maumee! Let's talk about one of our OH summertime must-haves: your car A/C. It's real easy for Maumee drivers to take their car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool. Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. in Maumee. When most Maumee folks hear the words "air conditioning problems." it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's hard to repair.What things can Maumee drivers do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can ... read more

For most of us living in the Toledo area, it is hard to remember life without power steering - cranking those great big steering wheels? It was a pretty good workout. Now power steering is standard. The heart of any power steering system is its pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid that provides assist for steering. Most pumps are driven by a belt that is run by the engine - a few are electrically powered. A high-pressure hose passes fluid from the pump to the steering gear. A low pressure hose returns the fluid back to the pump. These hoses can develop leaks, so it is a good idea to inspect them at every oil change. Low fluid can damage the power steering pump. That is why fluid level is on the checklist for a full-service oil change. The fluid needs to be compatible with the hoses and seals, so check your owners' manual for the right type - or ... read more