Mooresville Auto Repair

Let's talk about air conditioning service and repair issues. Most of us we don't give our air conditioning a second thought as long as it's making cold air. But it's a complex and expensive system that we should think about before it starts blowing hot air. The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains a special oil that lubricates and cools the A/C parts. The A/C system should be an airtight system; if there are leaks then it is a priority repair issue and should be serviced. Customers may opt to add fresh refrigerant as well; this protects the air conditioning components and keeps the system operating at peak efficiency so it doesn't have to work as hard to keep you cool. Even with regular service A/C parts can just wear out. Normal wear and tear eventually gets to all moving parts. Addressing early problems can save on more extensive repairs down the road. Check your owner's manual or ask your Honest-1 Service Advisor for recommendations. And if you ... read more

Question: My car has a bad odor when I run the heater or air conditioner. My friend said I might need a new cabin air filter – what's that? Honest 1 Auto Care Answer: A cabin air filter is a special filter that cleans the air that comes into the vehicle's passenger compartment – or cabin – of your vehicle. Most new vehicles sold today now have a cabin air filter. A cabin air filter catches dust, pollen, spores and other pollutants before they can get into your cabin. It's kind of like the filter on your furnace in your home, and it cleans the air you breathe inside your vehicle. As you can imagine, it eventually gets filled up and can even start to get smelly. So – just have it replaced. Now some cabin air filters are really easy to access and others are much tougher to get to. Your friendly and knowledgeable te ... read more

It's no surprise that your vehicle will drive better here in the MOORESVILLE area if all the wheels are pointed in the same direction. That's called wheel alignment. If your wheels are out of alignment you may notice that your vehicle pulls to one side or the other. Something that you won't notice right away, but one thing you will notice if you keep driving around when you're wheels are out of alignment is that your tires are wearing unevenly and fairly quickly. That's because when the vehicle is pulling to one side, you have to steer it back straight. The outside of the tire just wears out fast because you're constantly turning, which can be very exhausting on a long road trip – fighting to keep the vehicle going straight down the road. Some of the things that commonly throw a wheel out of alignment are slamming into a pothole or smacking a curb. And, it doesn ... read more

Question I’m confused about when I should get my spark plugs replaced.  What’s the deal? Answer Well it can be confusing because there are several types of spark plugs and some last longer than others.  Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for when your spark plugs should be changed.  Here’s a little background.  Spark plugs are in the combustion chamber of your engine.  They send a little spark between two electrodes at the end of the spark plug which ignites the gasoline.  This little spark goes off thousands of times a minute.  Over the miles, the electrodes on standard grade spark plugs wear away increasing the gap between them.  When that happens, the spark isn’t as strong, and the fuel doesn’t burn as well. As I mentioned above, there are several types or grades of spark plugs.  The standard grade is copper core.  They are great for quick starts and may last 12,000 to 13,000 miles ... read more

Certainly that inevitable winter camping trip or weekend drive to the park will include every member of the family, including your beloved Schnauzer, Beagle, or Weimaraner! We have put together a few pointers (no pun intended) for making sure that your pup is safe and happy during the trips you take this holiday season. Here are our recommendations for riding in cars with dogs: No Shotgun for Fido–It is always recommended not to allow your pet to sit in the passenger seat of your vehicle. For your safety, his safety, and the safety of others on the road, make sure your dog has plenty of room to sit behind the driver. For about $20 you can get a pet restraint device that buckles your pet to the seatbelt, but still allows plenty of flexibility. Windows Up!–Your poodle is going to want to stick her head out the window, but it simply isn’t safe. If she needs fresh air, take her on a relaxing walk. Too many times dogs catch ear infection ... read more

Summer is here, and studies show that 60% of Americans plan road trips during the hot and sunny summer months. With fuel prices low and alternate methods of travel being less economical, people will be taking advantage of our country’s vast infrastructure of highways. Here are some items to have checked and keep an eye on before you head out on the open road. Your Vehicle’s Cooling System is comprised of numerous parts that work together to keep your engine at an optimal temperature. Your radiator is one of the most important parts to keep your engine cool and running. The radiator core is comprised of little tubes full of engine coolant that is cooled by having airflow over these tubes. This coolant then flows back to your engine, keeping it at a safe operating temperature. If your radiator core is leaking, plugged, or filled with old coolant, it cannot function properly and in turn, keep your engine from overheating. Be sure to have your radiator inspected to ensure prop ... read more

JUNE CAR CARE TIPS Your air conditioning system uses refrigerant to create cold air. The most common reasons car owners lose their cold air have to do with the refrigerant. The first is not enough refrigerant. Refrigerant is a gas in the system, and tiny holes in a hose, seal, or coupler can allow enough to leak out to prevent the creation of cold air. Another potential problem is contamination. Over time, the inside of the rubber hoses can deteriorate and little bits of rubber can clog up various filters and other critical parts of the vehicle A/C system, preventing proper circulation of the refrigerant. A component could also be worn or broken. So the first step for Honest-1 customers who can’t cool their vehicle properly is a thorough air conditioning inspection, looking for leaks and worn parts. In fact, Federal law requires an inspection before adding refrigerant. Once any critical repairs are made, refrigerant is added. At the same time, special oil is added to the syste ... read more

Safe Towing Let's talk about towing safety in MOORESVILLE. Too often MOORESVILLE drivers just slap a trailer on the hitch and take off. But there are safety considerations to protect your tow vehicle, comply with NC laws and limit your liability. Know your tow vehicle. Your options will affect the tow rating, so you need to carefully read the towing section of your manufacturer's owner's manual to know how much your vehicle can tow. Know the weight limits of your trailer hitch. It will have a maximum tongue limit and an overall limit. Know your hitch type: a weight-distributing hitch may be required by your manufacturer for certain trailer weights. Know the towing laws for the areas in which you'll be towing as they may have stricter equipment requirements. Your owner's manual will also give you some help in determining how to calculate how much weight you can tow. It's more ... read more

Honest 1 Auto Care Tech Question: I was driving on the Interstate in NC and my vehicle engine started to get hot. I turned off my air conditioner and was able to drive the short distance to my meeting and then found a shop in MOORESVILLE. It turns out that my water pump was leaking. It cost me many hundreds of dollars to get it fixed. What could I have done to avoid this? Honest 1 Auto Care Answer: This guy's story really did have a happy ending. When you continue driving when your engine's overheating you risk a catastrophic engine failure. It really is a good idea to pull over and let your vehicle engine cool down before driving again. If you add water or coolant, be sure your engine is cool or you risk serious burns. Now there's no way for MOORESVILLE drivers to predict when their water pump will fail – they just wear out. This fellow's water pump replacement was more expensive because his water pump is driven by his timing b ... read more