Gig Harbor Auto Repair

You know your body temperature is supposed to be 98.6 degrees F, 37 degrees C.  Your vehicle has a normal temperature, too, and if you pay attention to it, that can save you some big headaches down the road. Many vehicles have a temperature gauge on the dash that takes the temperature of the engine's coolant.  Some have a thermometer symbol, some read C-H (cold to hot). Many will have a red zone that shows when water temperature is getting into the danger zone.  Others are digital and have a red warning light that signals overheating.  And some vehicles have a light that goes on when the engine temperature is out of the normal range. If your vehicle has a gauge, pay attention to it.  If you need help locating it, ask one of our Mackert Automotive LLC experts to give you a quick explanation.  Chances are when the vehicle has been running for 15 minutes or more, the temperature gauge will settle into its own "normal" zone, often just below the midway point ... read more

Maybe that little sticker on your windshield is giving you the reminder that it’s time for your vehicle to have an oil change.  You’ve thought, “Aw, I can skip this one and save myself a little money.”  When it comes to things you should never ignore on your vehicle, timely oil changes are number one on the list.   When the oil stays in your vehicle too long, it can accumulate dirty particles and begin to break down, defeating its lubricating properties.  Skipping or delaying an oil change can lead to far more expensive repairs down the line. Another is seeing a warning light and doing nothing about it.  Lights that advise you to check your engine or tell you things are running hotter than usual under the hood can be early warning signs to have a technician determine why.  Consider getting the answer earlier rather than later.  It could save you major headaches and money. Don’t skip having important fluids checked. That i ... read more

When it comes to brakes on your vehicle, we all know how important it is to keep them working well because they are vital safety equipment.  After all, if you can’t slow down and stop, you can’t drive safely.   While many vehicles use what are called disc brakes, there’s another type of brakes that are used on the rear wheels of vehicles that have something called drum brakes.  Drum brakes were the original type that were invented in the early twentieth century.  The term drum comes from the part of the brakes that is a housing connected to your wheel.  Inside there are parts called brake shoes that press against the drum when you step on the pedal, and the friction slows and stops your vehicle.   Signs your brake shoes might need replacing are your rear brakes make noise when you step on the pedal and they vibrate when you brake.  Another sign of bad brake shoes is that your hand brake stops working.  If you notice one or both ... read more

If you haven't shopped in the GIG HARBOR area for a new vehicle recently, you're likely to experience some sticker shock. It seems everything is costing more these days. And when you consider the price of auto financing in GIG HARBOR, and insurance, the idea of hanging on to your old vehicle for a few more years gets even more attractive.On the plus side, vehicles these days are engineered to last for 150,000 miles (250,000 km) or more. So why don't they? Usually it's because GIG HARBOR drivers don't stay on top of preventive maintenance. Good vehicle care at professional automotive service centers like Mackert Automotive LLC in GIG HARBOR is the key to getting the most mileage out of your vehicle.Too often, GIG HARBOR vehicle owners are inclined to wait until their vehicles develop an obvious problem and take them in for repairs instead of maintenance. Repairs can be expensive, but allowing routine vehicle maintena ... read more

When one of your vehicle’s warning lights comes on, the first thing that comes to mind is, “Oh, no, what’s wrong now?” When it’s the battery light, it means there’s something wrong with your vehicle’s battery or charging system.  And because both are important for your vehicle to work properly, it’s a good idea to get it checked out.  Here are some things that may cause a battery light to illuminate. It could be that your battery has failed.  It could be on its last legs or completely dead.  When it isn’t showing it has the voltage it should, your vehicle lets you know. If it’s not the battery itself, it could be the system that charges it.  The alternator is part of that system and could have a problem.  It could be putting out no power, too little power, or too much.  The alternator may not be working because the belt that drives it (using the engine’s mechanical power) could be broke ... read more

There's nothing that radiates cool like a vehicle radiator that's helping to keep your engine running at the proper temperature.  You don't have to baby it, but you can't simply ignore it, either.  Let's take a quick dive under the hood to let you know what the radiator is doing.  It takes the heat your engine produces and moves that heat outside.  It's not an easy job and heat is an engine's number one enemy.  Now that you're thinking how nice you want to be to your radiator, we have a couple of ideas how you can take care of it. The easiest thing is to pay attention to your vehicle's temperature gauge. If it gets in the "too hot" or "not hot enough" range, have it checked out soon.  Make sure your coolant is kept at the correct level and if you see a trend that you have to add coolant more than a couple of times a year, you might have a leak. Even if there are no obvious problems, every couple of years or so, consider taking your vehicle in for radiator ... read more

Every one of us has a little procrastinator inside us. Some put off getting our teeth cleaned. Others put off answering our emails. Yet others put off calling friends and family (sorry, Uncle Joe). And there are those of us who put off getting our vehicle's service done, whether it's a repair or regular maintenance. You may make the excuse that you don't have time, it can wait until tomorrow, you have other things to do. Well, there are some things you should NEVER put off when it comes to your vehicle because that procrastination could have dire consequences down the road. The biggest one is changing your oil. Yes, it's one of those things you may hear somebody nag you about, but changing your vehicle's oil regularly is probably the one thing that will do the most to keep things running smoothly… and well. It's the lubricant that keeps metal engine parts from wearing out. Oil doesn't last forever and it gets dirty, so you have to swap it out for fresh every so often. How often ... read more

It's bad enough in cold weather when ice and snow block your visibility.  Add to that fog on the inside of your windows and you could be driving blind.  So here are a few tips on how to keep your windows from fogging up when there's a chill in the air. You probably know fog is really condensation, when moist, warm air meets a cold surface and turns to liquid.  If your windshield fogs up, you probably turn on your windshield defroster. Most defrosters blow heated air on the windshield glass to warm it up so it won't condense the moisture.  Many also turn on the air conditioning to reduce the moisture.  That same strategy can work on the rest of the windows.  First, turn up your heater's temperature setting.  The hotter the air, the more moisture it will hold.  Also, turn off the "recirculating" setting since you want all outside air to come in. Then switch on the air conditioning.  It will remove the moisture from the outside  air that i ... read more

Seems like these days, we're hearing about more and more electric or hybrid vehicles.  Keep in mind that conventional gasoline internal combustion vehicles have important electrical components, too, and it's important to make sure they're operating at their peak. In a vehicle with a gasoline engine, the part that keeps the battery charged is the alternator.  It converts the mechanical energy created by the engine into electrical power.  To do that, a shaft in the alternator has a pulley on one end that's driven by a belt that is turned by the engine.  A series of magnets then spins around coiled wires and it creates alternating current, or electricity. Your vehicle uses that to charge the battery that, in turn, keeps other electrical components in your vehicle working. Here are a few signs that the alternator isn't doing its job right.  The battery keeps going dead, your instrument panel's battery light is on (it looks like a rectangle with a - and + inside and ... read more

We all want to breathe clean air and keep our planet green.  One of the ways to do that is by requiring all vehicles with internal combustion engines to pass an emissions test.  That’s because these vehicles can be big polluters.   Everyone wants their car to pass the test so they can continue their day-to-day driving routine.  But then comes that one day when they tell you your vehicle has failed.  Why does that happen? One of the most common reasons is that your gas cap is leaking or loose (or maybe you don’t even have one on your vehicle!).  The gas cap is supposed to seal in vapors, but sometimes its seals or gaskets dry out or crack. Replace it, and you’re good to go. Another common reason your vehicle failed the test is that your catalytic converter isn’t doing its job. It is supposed to convert toxic gases from your engine into ones that don’t pollute the air.  There are many reasons the catalytic converter may not ... read more