Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Virtually all vehicles come with power steering so many motorists have never driven a car or truck without it. Power steering assists you when you turn your steering wheel. Without it, it would be very hard to steer. Now this power assist comes in a couple of forms. In recent years, a lot of vehicles have an electric motor that reduces steering effort and helps improve gas mileage. The other kind of power steering is hydraulic. This is the kind most older vehicles, and a lot of newer ones, have. Power steering fluid is pressurized by a pump and is used to assist steering. Of course, motorists need the right amount of fluid in the system. If it's too low your steering is affected and you could damage your pump. Also, power steering fluid can become corrosive over time and damage the pump, hoses and connectors; leading to leaks and repairs. Power steering service at Makert Automotive include ... read more

Our cars have to operate in a wide range of , temperatures and our engine coolant must be able to perform ‘no matter what'. Think for a moment about the environment where the coolant works. Very hot, high pressure, corrosive… And all the while, it has to protect the components of the cooling system from corrosion. These components are made from steel and aluminum, plastics and rubber. The coolant has to be formulated to protect against corrosion for all of these different materials. That's why different manufacturers recommend different types of anti-freeze for our , vehicles. There are several different ‘families' of anti-freeze available to us here in , Gig Harbor, WA. Your owners' manual will tell you what kind you should use. Of course, will know what to put in your car. It's important to stay on top of this because coolant system failure is the most common mechanical problem people have here in , . Regular service at needs to be done to avoid failures and also ... read more

Every car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter's dirty. Here's what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your owner's manual will have a recommendation of when to change the filter. Second, a visual inspection by your technician may determine that your filter it is visibly dirty and needs to be changed. Now, most air filters purchased in , , or don't cost a lot to replace. It's just that people hate getting caught with an unexpected expense. On the plus side, though, changing a dirty air filter at can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change in . Think about a dirty furnace filter in your home. When it's all clogged up, enough clean air can't get through. In your , that means that your engine can't get as much air as it needs to burn the fuel efficiently. So it makes do with less air and has to use mor ... read more

If you've ever been driving around and had a headlamp go out, you've probably just wanted to replace the bad bulb. If your car uses halogen headlamps, they dim over time. So if you just put in one, they won't have the same brightness which can be distracting and will affect your field of vision. To have your headlights inspected, visit us at Mackert Automotive. We're in Gig Harbor, Washington. Or give us a call at 253-851-3307. Experts in recommend replacing your halogen headlamps every year. It's easy to remember if you do it when daylight savings time changes in the fall. That way you'll have bright headlamps for those long winter nights. There are other types of headlamps in addition to halogen. There are the old standard bulbs that have been around for decades. These are OK, but you can usually upgrade to halogen. They cost a little more but you can't believe the difference. If you do a lot of night driving you might want to use a premium halogen bulb that filters out the yellow h ... read more

Getting enough fuel to your engine is very important for performance, fuel economy and safety. In order to accomplish this, your fuel system needs to be clean. Today's production cars have fuel injectors, rather than a carburetor. The injectors need to be cleaned from time to time in order to deliver the fuel with the correct pressure, spray pattern and volume. You can buy fuel system cleaners that you just pour into your gas tank that can help maintain an already clean fuel system, but can't do a major cleaning. For that, you need to see . They have the tools and chemicals to do the job right. can remove particles, gum and varnish from your fuel system and get those injectors running cleanly and efficiently. You'll enjoy more power, better gas mileage and reduced exhaust emissions. The cleaners also help prevent rust and corrosion in your fuel system and lubricate vital engine parts. And, as w ... read more

One topic that hits the news in on a regular basis is the price of gas. The answer for some people in is to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle. For the rest of use, we need to improve our fuel economy anyway we can. Following recommended service intervals by coming into is one of the best ways to keep your car running efficiently. That means better fuel economy. When you give it some thought, it only makes sense. Dirty oil or transmission fluid can't lubricate or clean. That means more drag which reduces fuel economy. Keeping up with scheduled oil changes and transmission services will save gas. Dirty engine air filters are another efficiency pirate. They rob your engine of enough air to effectively burn the fuel, so you need more gas to get the job done. Replacing a dirty air filter can pay for itself in fuel savings before the next oil change. You can imagine what dirty fuel injectors can do to your as you drive around . If your owner's m ... read more

We're living in a disposable society. Everything from elaborate packaging to our clothing. Even cell phones are disposable. When replacement is cheaper than repair, the term "built to last" goes by the wayside. An exception is our vehicles. They're still a very big investment and we want to make them last as long as possible - and we want to make keeping them as cheap as possible. When talking cars, it's all about preventive maintenance. There is an old saying that says, "a stitch in time saves nine" and that is really true when it comes to taking care of your car. A great example is coolant service. Your coolant not only protects your engine from overheating and freezing - it must also protect cooling system components from corrosion. Over time, coolant becomes corrosive and actually starts to damage your radiator and other parts. That's why you need to have your cooling system serviced on a regular schedule. The same is true for your power steering system, brake fluid, air condi ... read more

All pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget important steps. It is also how you can assure a predictable outcome. That is why and automotive service centers have procedural standards for each service they perform. Technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and you are happy with how your car performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they service. An example is how service technicians grade problems and communicate their recommendations. If a technician tells you that a repair or replacement is req ... read more

Your cooling system is very important. It circulates coolant through the radiator and your engine to protect your car from overheating. There are five main components to the cooling system: The water pump's like the heart of your cooling system, circulating the fluid throughout. It's a small pump that's driven by the engine; usually by belt, but sometimes by a chain or gear. The water pump only operates when the engine's running. Water pump failure is pretty routine. Some start failing at around 40,000 miles, but most fail by 100,000 miles. Consult your owners' manual or service technician to see what's recommended. Since a water pump either works or it doesn't, you need to change it when it fails. Water pumps fail in one of two ways: the bearings fail or they begin to leak. It's possible to have a leak from a cracked water pump, but it usually leaks at the gasket where it attaches to the engine. So how can you tell ... read more

Let's talk about transmission service. It can be easy to forget about getting your transmission serviced because it doesn't need it very often. It's easy to remember to change the engine oil - you know, every 3,000 miles or 5,000 kilometers. But proper transmission servicing keeps your car running smoothly and helps you avoid costly repairs down the road. The transmission undergoes a lot of stress. The grit you see in used transmission fluid is actually bits of metal that wear off the gears in the transmission. In addition to that, the transmission operates at very high temperatures. Usually it's 100 to 150 degrees higher than engine temperatures. Those high temperatures eventually cause the transmission fluid to start to break down and loose efficiency. As the fluid gets older, it gets gritty and doesn't lubricate and cool the transmission as well - leading to even more wear. The fluid can actually get sludgy and plug up the maze of fluid passages inside the ... read more