Gig Harbor Auto Repair

There's a reason we use the word “diagnose” when we talk about fixing cars in GIG HARBOR. Figuring out what's wrong with your vehicle has a lot of similarities to figuring out what's wrong with someone who is ill. Vehicles are a mass of complex systems that can produce a variety of symptoms when something goes wrong. As with human diagnoses, a specific symptom may be indicative of a number of problems, and figuring out the specific cause takes training and experience.Sometimes the diagnosis of your vehicle's trouble comes down to a matter of trial-and-error. This can be frustrating for GIG HARBOR drivers because time and money are on the line. You may feel you should only be paying for repair work. Of course, you only want to pay for the right repair – and a proper diagnosis is part of getting it right. Like at the doctor's office — some of what you pay for is the doctor's time and effort to figu ... read more

You may have noticed when you start your vehicle, you’ll see several symbols light up on the dash.  They’re different colors and shapes, and sometimes it’s hard to figure out what each of those symbols mean. They are warning lights and symbolize something in your vehicle is sending you a message.  It’s the result of today’s vehicles having lots of computers.  The good thing about having so many of these warning lights is they can let you know there’s an issue in need of attention before a more serious failure.   Sometimes it can be challenging to figure out what each light means, so here are some of the most common ones.  One looks like your vehicle’s engine from the side, the Check Engine light.  It alerts you to something as simple as a loose gas cap to a far more serious problem like an overheating engine.  When the Check Engine light comes on, bring it into our shop.  If it’s blinking or flashin ... read more

As your vehicle ages, its performance isn’t quite what it used to be, but many of us never notice the change because it’s gradual.  So here are a few questions to ask yourself.  Does your vehicle feel like it doesn’t have the pep that it used to? Have you noticed your fuel economy isn’t quite as good as it once was? Does it idle roughly or is it hard to start?  Do you hear the engine knocking? Has it recently failed an emissions test? All of those can be signs that your fuel and air induction systems are dirty and need cleaning.  Your fuel system takes gasoline from the tank to the engine’s combustion chambers where fuel injectors spray fuel that mixes with air and is ignited by spark plugs.  Black carbon deposits eventually can build up, obstructing fuel flow and diminishing your engine’s performance and fuel efficiency. The air induction system is what allows air to go into the engine’s combustion chamber.  Getti ... read more

Every car in GIG HARBOR, WA, is at risk for theft. So it's up to us to make our cars a less appealing target and more of a challenge – hopefully sending potential thieves to look elsewhere.The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends a layered approach to protecting vehicles: Common sense Visible and audible devices Immobilizing devices Tracking devices Let's review each of these. One is common sense; you would be surprised how many vehicles are stolen in WA where the keys were left in the ignition with the doors unlocked. Always take your keys and lock the doors. In fact, in some places it's against the law to leave a vehicle unattended with the keys in the ignition.And don't leave spare keys in the car or hide them outside – because a thief will find them. GIG HARBOR drivers would be wise to park in well-lit areas that have a lot of foot traffic. If possible, park near the end of a r ... read more