Gig Harbor Auto Repair

The transmission system in your vehicle allows you to change gears. Lower gears are power gears. They get your vehicle moving and get it up hills. Higher gears get the vehicle up to speed and get it rolling faster. If you have a standard transmission, then you have to do the work of shifting gears yourself. But with an automatic transmission, the vehicle shifts gears on its own. It automatically starts out in low gear and automatically shifts to high gears as it gets rolling. Again, it will automatically shift to a lower gear to climb hills or when you need a burst of speed. How does it know when to change gears? Today's automatic transmissions are computer-controlled. The computer gathers information about what the vehicle is doing, and changes the gears as needed. Automatic transmissions are becoming more sophisticated all the time. More gears, or "speeds" are being added. Almost all vehicles have four at least speeds. Five or six is common. Some auto manufactu ... read more

If you've ever been in a car accident around Gig Harbor Washington, even a minor one, you know how upsetting it can be. It's hard to think straight and know what to do. Let's review what you should do in case of an accident in Gig Harbor, Washington: When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident is considered a crime in Washington - even if it's not your fault. And hit-and-run penalties are fairly severe, possibly resulting in steep fines, loss of your driver's license or even jail time in our local Gig Harbor lockup. Most states, including Washington require that you try to help someone who is injured by calling for help or performing first aid if you are able. Warn other Gig Harbor motorists by putting out flares, using your flashers or lifting your hood. Call 911 as soon as possible. Tell the operator if medical or fire help is needed. Always file a police report ... read more

No one in Gig Harbor, Washington likes to spend a chunk of change at Gig Harbor gas pumps. Rising Washington fuel prices, however, have spurred Gig Harbor car owners to focus on how to improve their fuel economy. North Americans literally drive billions of miles less each month during times of high fuel prices. But we still need to drive (we are car-loving Americans, after all!), so it makes sense to try and increase our fuel economy however we can. Let's look at a real life example of one of our AutoNetTV producers. He has one of those really big SUVs. Lots of kids and horses to haul around, you know. His family was planning a four day camping trip. Here's what he did to cut his fuel costs: First, he installed a new, high flow engine air filter. Then he had his Gig Harbor service center change his oil, flush his cooling system and service his front and rear differentials along with the transfer case. He also had a fuel system cleanin ... read more

< There are a lot of Gig Harbor people who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in Washington these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Gig Harbor folks 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. So it's not uncommon for Gig Harbor people to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service. To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any Washington high school. 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 th ... read more

Most people in the Gig Harbor area are aware that automotive manufacturers have recommended service intervals. Following recommended service intervals is very important. The engineers that design our vehicles have tested the various systems and components to meet durability and safety standards. Some of these standards are self-imposed and others, like those for emissions components, are government mandated for the areas around Gig Harbor, Gig Harbor and Gig Harbor in Washington. The maintenance schedules are designed to achieve the standards. Think of the benefits of following recommended intervals as falling into three general categories: Protection, Efficiency and Safety.Protection. Let's start with motor oil. First of all, the engineers recommend a particular weight and type of motor oil for your car, truck, SUV. All of their oil change recommendations assume using the proper motor oil ... read more

Let's talk about deciphering the auto service menu board. Gig Harbor, Washington service centers like Mackert Automotive have a board that lists the routine services they provide. But some people don't know what these services really are unless they ask. Let's go down a typical list, in alphabetical order, starting with air conditioning service. First remember that all of these services are recommended by vehicle manufacturers. They set how often or at how many miles the service should be done. Air conditioning service involves purging the old refrigerant and capturing it for proper disposal. Then fresh refrigerant is installed. The fresh refrigerant will lubricate the system and will also help it cool better. Alignment. Service centers like Mackert Automotive make sure all four wheels are lined up and track with each other. This reduces tire and suspension wear and improves safety and handling. Battery service ... read more

Hi Gig Harbor drivers. Let's talk fuel injectors. A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle's engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel, to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine. Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized. The pressure in a fuel injection system varies depending on its type. Many gasoline car, truck, SUV engines use port injection systems, which operate with a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Newer direct injection systems operate at 10 to 30 times that pressure. Some diesel passenger vehicles have fuel injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch. Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Y ... read more

Today Mackert Automotive is talking about the proper fluids for your vehicle. It's become more complicated with changes in automotive design and manufacturing. It's not that people in Washington are confused as much as they don't realize how much things have changed in recent years. Let's take engine oil. Twenty or thirty years ago, there were just a handful of different weights of oil. The weight of an oil is a scientific measure of its properties, particularly its viscosity or thickness. It was common in those days to use a lighter weight oil in the winter when it's cold outside. That way the oil would be able to splash around inside the engine and protect the parts before it was fully warmed up. And a heavier weight oil would be used in the summer. The thicker oil wouldn't thin out too much in the summer heat and vaporize in the engine. Modern valve trains have become very complicated with more moving parts and small passages than ever befo ... read more

Today's tires and wheels offer a lot of options for every Gig Harbor driver's style, habits and driving conditions. Tires are designed for high-performance in winter or summer and even come in a long-wearing variety for all Washington seasons. Gig Harbor off-roaders should be excited about the options available to them as well. The tread on off-road tires is designed to handle the wear from bumps and rocks. The tires' high profile protects rims from damage. But what if you own an SUV but aren't interested in off-roading around Gig Harbor? You can change out those high-profile beasts for a lower, wider look if it suits your style. Mackert Automotive tire professionals can offer great auto advice on how to choose tires that match your needs and style. The same goes for wheels. When Gig Harbor auto owners shop for new wheels, they can be hard-pressed to make a selection from the thousands of styles available at Washington tire stores. If they ... read more

There are a lot of things in life that Gig Harbor residents have to do on a regular basis. We wash dishes every day, do our laundry and mow our lawns every week, and pay the bills every month. We should go to our Gig Harbor dentist twice a year and see our doctor for a check-up once a year. When we don't stay on schedule with these routines, it can lead to embarrassing, painful or expensive consequences. Scheduled maintenance is also part of good car care. Gig Harbor drivers should take their car, truck, SUVs in regularly for a good check-up. But many Gig Harbor folks struggle to remember, or actually even ignore, this auto advice. When it comes to our cars, we're more likely to listen to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" than "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Yet it is the second adage that is the more applicable one. Regular brushing treatments prevent cavities. Filling a cavity prevents a more painful and more expensive root can ... read more