Knowing when it's time to get an oil change can help you avoid costly engine repairs and keep your car running smoothly. Keep an eye out for these signs that it's time for a fresh batch of oil:   Low oil level: Check your dipstick regularly to make sure you've got enough oil. If it's low, it's time to head to the shop.   Dirty oil: If your oil looks dark and sludgy or has debris in it, it's time for a change. Dirty oil can't do its job of lubricating and cleaning the engine.   Engine noise: If your car is sounding extra noisy, your engine may be crying out for fresh oil. Give it what it wants!   Warning light: This is one of the most obvious signs, and is easy to look out for. Most cars have a warning light that tells you when it's time for an oil change. But don’t ignore it! It’s important to get in and get your oil changed ASAP.   Mileage: Most cars need an oil change every ... read more

Our winters have been odd in the past few years, which has meant a rollercoaster of ice and snow and random bouts of warmer, thawing weather. That much back and forth leaves an opportunity for black ice and other dangerous weather conditions. Whether you get stranded in a blizzard or spin out on hidden ice, it’s important to know how to prepare for, stay safe in, and act in the event of a winter road emergency. This week, we’ll go over how best to stay prepared for the winter conditions ahead.    Get a winter tune-up     As the seasons change and the year goes by, it’s important to get regular tune-ups on your vehicle. When you’re getting your car checked for the winter, you’ll want to make sure that you check on your battery, brakes, heating and cooling systems, components like belts, hoses, spark plugs, and other wires and cables, and all your fluids; oil, antifreeze, wiper fluid, etc. Check that everything is in working order ... read more

The holiday season is practically here! If you’re getting ready to visit home, visit loved ones, or simply find your way to a delicious seasonal feast, here’s how to make sure your vehicle is ready to get you to your destination.   Start System       Have your battery/starting/charging system checked. Your battery provides electrical power to start the engine, stabilizes voltage for the charging system, and supplies additional current to the charging system. It’s always good to catch a weak battery before you get on the highway, rather than having it fail while you’re on your trip.   Emergency Kit       If our tips missed something in your vehicle, or something unforeseen happens and you find yourself in a sticky situation, having a kit with all the necessities will hold you over until help arrives. In this kit, you’ll at least want to pack some blankets, drinking water, snacks, first aid, and refl ... read more

  There’s nothing scarier than making an investment that doesn’t pay off. This spooky season, don’t get stabbed in the back because you don’t have all the information. So today, we’ll investigate if having an extended warranty is worth the investment? Before we begin, we acknowledge that extended warranty companies aren’t all the same. While most are fine, there are some companies that may set off red flags. However, it’s completely up to you, and with this information, you can make the best decision based on your needs.    There are typically three main types of extended warranty packages: basic (or bronze), plus (or silver), and deluxe (or gold.  The basic extended warranty package will be an extremely basic warranty. It will only have coverage up to a certain amount of money per hour paid out, as well as it generally will only cover half of the bill up to a maximum amount. Usually, it covers internally lubricated parts ... read more

  There always comes a point with vehicles where you have to decide whether it’s worth it to put in the time and money to give it the repairs it needs or to move on and buy a new car. With today's vehicles becoming more complex and sophisticated, falling behind on important maintenance in a car can really cause some major problems with some unexpected repair bills.    When you bring a vehicle to Honest Wrenches Automotive Repair, we always follow our 300% rule. 100% of the cars that come into our service centers will get inspected 100% of the time. We will estimate those findings and present them to you 100% of the time.   We do this, not to sell you something, but to ensure you are always fully aware of the condition of your vehicle and the investment required to get it back up to safe and reliable condition. It's then up to you whether or not you want to do any of it at all.    So, now we have to figure out whether or not you should ... read more

  As the summer months come to an end, a warm car might not seem like a problem. But what do you do if it gets a little too hot? Here are 5 reasons why your car may be overheating that we can help you with at Honest Wrenches.   Failed serpentine belt     Your serpentine belt powers multiple essential systems, like your cooling system. A failed belt means that your water pump isn’t getting power, so your engine won’t be receiving any coolant.   Blown head gasket     Your head gasket is another vital part of your engine and system. A blown gasket could mean that coolant is entering your engine, where it either burns off or leaks out. As the coolant escapes the system, your engine can overheat.      Failed thermostat     Just like the thermostat in your home, your vehicle’s thermostat controls the temperature in your car’s cooling system, regulating the amount of coolant being circulat ... read more

  Your battery does a lot in the function of your car, especially as more and more features are added into our cars. The battery contains plates that interact with a mixture of chemicals that form an electrolytic solution, allowing electrons to flow between the plates. This reaction and the flow of electrons is essentially the electricity that powers your car. The battery provides the energy to start the engine, provides energy to the ignition system, powers electronics, and regulates voltage. With a dead battery or dying battery, it can’t provide power to start the car, the ignition, or your radio and GPS systems. So how do you know when it’s time to change it?       The rule of thumb is to change your battery about every four years under normal conditions. However, depending on where you live, your driving habits, the condition of your charging system, along with other factors, that lifespan may change.      For example, tr ... read more

On Tuesday, we broke down the myth of causing harm to your transmission by servicing your transmission fluid. This service is vital to your transmission’s performance, but if not done properly, there are risks. Like topping off your spoiled milk with fresh milk, adding new transmission fluid to old transmission fluid will just taint what’s good. Transmission fluid cleans, cools, and lubricates the internal components of your transmission, so you want to make sure that you’re keeping up on its maintenance.   If you don’t clean out all of the old “spoiled” fluid that captured all of the debris, sludge, and grime from the transmission, and then add new fluid that’s going to continue to clean the system, the debris, sludge, and grime will just be mixed back in with the good fluid. So, when we perform our transmission fluid service, we add an effective cleaner into the system prior to servicing the fluid and we get the fluid up to operating t ... read more

5 Reasons Why Your Car is Overheating   No one wants to see a dreaded warning light flashing or the temperature gauge rising off the charts, but when you’re on the road and the alarm bells are ringing (literally and metaphorically) what do you do? The first thing you’ll want to do is turn your heat and fan on high and roll down your windows to help dissipate heat through the car’s heater core. Next, quickly find a safe place to pull over and shut the vehicle off right away. In these instances when your car is overheating, it is not recommended to open your hood immediately, in case of burst or broken equipment that could expose you to hot engine coolant and cause injury. Once you’re pulled off safely, you’ll want to call your trusted automotive repair shop, Honest Wrenches.    So what could have caused this overheating? There are many reasons, 5 of which we’ll dive into today to help you understand what’s happening with your ... read more

Troubleshooting an Overheating Car: What Can You Do   Last Thursday, we talked about high temperatures–not just the sweltering summer weather, but high temperatures in your vehicle causing it to overheat. We’re rounding out our 10 reasons for an overheated engine with our final 5 this week.    Failed serpentine belt     Your serpentine belt powers multiple essential systems, like your cooling system. A failed belt means that your water pump isn’t getting power, so your engine won’t be receiving any coolant.   Blown head gasket     Your head gasket is another vital part of your engine and system. A blown gasket could mean that coolant is entering your engine, where it either burns off or leaks out. As the coolant escapes the system, your engine can overheat.      Failed thermostat     Just like the thermostat in your home, your vehicle’s thermostat controls the temperatu ... read more