Gig Harbor Auto Repair

With front-wheel drive being so common these days in Gig Harbor, Washington, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Gig Harbor auto owners don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of mind for our Gig Harbor customers. So it's not uncommon for auto owners to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service. To better understand what a differential does, think about our local Gig Harbor high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That's to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run. The differenti ... read more

Safe Washington travel starts with preventive maintenance and good car care at Mackert Automotive. But there are other things Gig Harbor drivers can do to prepare for emergencies on the road. Here's some auto advice that can help you plan for emergencies, and just may save your life - or someone else's. First, Gig Harbor motorists should consider keeping an auto emergency kit in their car. The kit should contain items that will allow you to deal with common emergencies on the road. Some vital items you should carry in your car, truck, SUV include jumper cables (or a booster box), flares, a flashlight and some basic hand tools. Other useful items include gloves, two quarts of oil, some antifreeze, water and everything you need to change a tire. You might also consider a can of tire inflator, which is a great temporary fix for minor flats. But taking care of your car ... read more

Gig Harbor service centers have a menu board that lists the services they provide. Some Gig Harbor drivers may not be familiar with all of the items on the board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed. Mackert Automotive fuel system cleaning: Over time, the car, truck, SUV fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas, by the way. Mackert Automotive headlamp replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. It's usually good to change them every year or so. Mackert Automotive inspections: Gig Harbor drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they're going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle's ready for Washington summer or winter. Maybe they just bought a used car, truck, SUV and want to give it the once over. An inspection may reveal some things that are broken or ar ... read more

The price of gas in Washington has got Gig Harbor drivers talking. It seems that Gig Harbor folks who need a bigger vehicle to carry family and gear, or provide four wheel drive, are hit especially. That is why we thought it would be good to review some things that anyone can do to improve gas mileage. First let's start with how we drive in the Gig Harbor area. Gig Harbor motorists may not realize that they can really save money on gas by just changing a few driving habits. One of the biggest is jackrabbit starts - you know, flooring the gas as soon as the light turns green. That really wastes a lot of fuel. Building up your speed at a slower pace uses less fuel and is easier on your engine and drive train. And don't drive with one foot on the brake. That's also a drag on fuel efficiency, and it wears out your brakes faster too. Another thing Gig Harbor motorists can do is drive slower - but only when it's safe. Sometimes on the inter ... read more

Service to a vehicle's power steering system is a critical part of preventive maintenance for astute Gig Harbor motorists. This system provides power to the steering wheel so you can turn it with ease. Without power steering, all of the power to turn your car, truck, SUV's wheels would have to come from you. The central element of most power steering systems is a pump. The pump pressurizes the power steering fluid, and it is this pressure that provides auxiliary steering power. A belt connected to the engine usually powers the pump, although some systems use an electric pump. Some newer car, truck, SUVs have an electric motor that directly provides the power steering boost. Pressurized fluid moves from the pump to the steering gear through a high-pressure hose. A low-pressure hose returns fluid to the pump. Power steering fluid cleans, cools and lubricates the system. Gig Harbor car owners should remember that fluid ... read more