Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Car care is a vital part of auto safety in Gig Harbor. But the most important thing we can do to improve safety on Washington roads is to drive safely. Defensive driving is safe driving. And defensive driving is all about attitude. You have to decide that you will be a safe driver in Washington, no matter what anyone else is doing. Gig Harbor drivers can start with awareness. Always maintain awareness of your surroundings, the road conditions, other vehicles on the Gig Harbor road or freeway and road hazards. Have you ever suddenly realized that you have arrived somewhere, but you don't really remember driving there? That is unsafe driving. Never assume that other Gig Harbor drivers are paying attention. You be the one on alert. You be the one to take initiative to stay out of the way of other Washington drivers. And don't let familiarity dull your alertness. Remind yourself to pay as close attention ... read more

Here's a question for Gig Harbor, Washington auto owners: How long have you been enjoying the romantic glow of your check engine light? Hey, it's not there to create ambiance; it's a warning that something's wrong. (And, by the way, Homer Simpson's fix of covering it with tape is not a good idea.) If your check engine light comes on, check your gas cap. A loose gas cap can cause a false sensor reading that'll make the check engine light turn on. Many conditions that trigger the check engine light can hurt your MPG. A lot. If your date's eyes are smoldering in the soft glow of the check engine light, try to think of all the gas money you'll save by getting it fixed. Give Mackert Automotive a call when you are ready: 253-851-3307

Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of Gig Harbor motorists driving around on under-inflated tires. Admittedly, it's hard to tell when a radial tire is under-inflated. If your auto manufacturer recommends 35 pounds of pressure, your car, truck, SUV tire's considered significantly under inflated at 26 pounds. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds. New laws required vehicle manufacturers to include a Tire Pressure Monitoring System - or TPMS system - in all cars and light trucks by the 2008 model year. The system has a dashboard mounted warning light that goes off if one or more of the tires falls 25% below auto maker's pressure recommendations. This technology has been used by Gig Harbor race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from under inflation by closely monitoring tire pressure on the track. It's up to your car, truck, SUV ... read more

Hello Gig Harbor, let's talk about brakes. Braking, as all Washington auto owners know, is slowing or stopping your vehicle. As you can imagine, brakes are engineered to work well on a particular vehicle application. For example, you would expect more powerful brakes on a heavy-duty pickup that routinely hauls big loads and pulls trailers, than you would on a compact car. And a Corvette that can go over 180 miles per hour would have much different braking needs than the family mini-van you drive around between Gig Harbor, Gig Harbor and Gig Harbor. But the mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There's also the power brake pump and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes. Let's step back. A new car, truck, SUV or truck rolls off a local Gig Harbor showroom floor. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads ... read more