Rockville Auto Repair

Modern vehicles in and around Rockville run on 12 volt electrical systems. 12 volts is enough to get the job done for Rockville drivers without having so much power that there is danger of electrocution. But today's vehicles have more electrical components and do-dads than ever before. This really strains your electrical system, making it hard for the battery to keep up. Think about it: electric seats, seat heaters, power locks windows and sun roofs. And then us MD drivers have all the power outlets for our cell phones, computers and DVD players.We also have navigation systems and powerful stereos. Plus there are all the engine and transmission computers, traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes, sensors and on and on. Even the security system is running off the battery while the car is turned off.Fortunately, battery technology has given Rockville drivers resilient batteries that are able to meet these strenuous requirements. But the fact is, batteries just wear out ... read more

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Rockville, MD: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Rockville motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the Rockville area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in MD have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give Auto Clinic Care a call at 301.881.7891 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done. In ... read more

  Most Rockville drivers don't even think about their air conditioner. Now here's a tip for Rockville vehicle owners: Run your air conditioner every so often during MD winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out. The air conditioner actually removes some of the moisture in the air. So if you have trouble with fogging on your vehicle windshield during MD winters or during a rain storm, running the A/C on the defrost setting should help. Now on some Rockville cars you can't run the A/C at the same time as the defroster. Don't ask me why, but I suspect lawyers were involved.Also, air and water can get into the A/C system. That can reduce the efficiency of the system and also lead to corrosion that causes damage. Rockville drivers should periodically purge the system and replace the refrigerant to remove the air and water.MD drivers would be wise to ... read more

When it comes to their vehicles, some Rockvilleresidents don't have amaintenance mindset. They know they need to take care of their cars, but it just seems really hard to get them to remember to do it. Rockville drivers generally accept that many things in life require regular maintenance but just may not have applied it to their vehicles.Here's something that will help: The key to good vehicle maintenance starts with the oil change. Think about it – when you go in for a full-service oil change, your friendly and knowledgeable Auto Clinic Care service advisor will check all your fluids. If one of them is low, he can look for the reason. If your serpentine belt is cracked, he'll see it and let you know. Corroded battery cable – they've got you covered. And at Auto Clinic Care, we check to see if your vehicle manufactu ... read more

If you've ever been in a vehicle accident around Rockville, MD, 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 Rockville, MD:When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident is considered a crime in MD, 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 Rockville lockup.Most places, including MD, require that you try to help someone who is injured by calling for help or performing first aid if you are able.Warn other Rockville 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. It's tempting to skip ... read more

Have you ever gone to listen to an orchestra? The musicians take the stage early and tune their instruments. Each individual instrument must be in tune, but the critical thing is for the entire orchestra to be in tune with each other. That's why they tune up together.Now this is no surprise; I'm going to relate the orchestra to your vehicle. Your engine has many component systems that each need to be working properly. And the components need to be working in sync, all timed up together in order for the engine to work efficiently.We call this... (ta-da) a tune-up. When an orchestra's out of tune you get a bad concert. When your vehicle's out of tune you get bad performance and bad fuel economy.So check your owner's manual for recommended tune-up intervals. Or ask your Rockville service advisor at Auto Clinic Care what he thinks....Just be careful not to say you want to make beautiful music together – that kinda makes us uncomfortable. Auto Cl ... read more

  Today we're going to be talking about serpentine belts for our Rockville, MD, customers. Let's start by talking about the accessories that are driven by the serpentine belt. First is the alternator. That's the device that makes electricity to power the vehicle and recharge the battery. Then there's the air conditioning compressor that makes cool air for you while you're driving around MD in the summer.The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in most Rockville residents' vehicles. Those pumps provide pressure that assists your steering and braking.In many vehicles, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. The water pump is what circulates the coolant that protects your engine. In some cars around Rockville, MD, the water pump is driven by the timing belt.The radiator cooling fans on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt. Some have separate electric motors. That's really a lot of work for one belt ... read more

Today we want to talk about a system in our vehicles – the cooling system. It's one of those things that Rockville auto owners don't give much thought to until it fails and then they're stranded by the side of a road in MD.Cooling systems fail more often than any other mechanical system – usually because of neglect. Don't you hate it when something breaks and you could have done something to prevent it?The good news is that if Rockville drivers take care of their cooling systems, they can keep working for the life of their car.Here at Auto Clinic Care in Rockville, we emphasize preventive maintenance services like replacing your coolant according to the factory schedule. But the various parts that make up the cooling system need attention too. The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, freeze plugs, the thermostat, radiator, cooling fans, the heater core, the pressure cap, the overflow tank and the hoses ... read more

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your vehicle into Auto Clinic Care for a check up.In today's Auto Clinic Care auto post,we're talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. Rockville residents need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better mileage .A clean fuel system saves money for Rockville drivers at MD gas stations. We guess you could say it all starts and ends at the pump. One of the most important things Rockville residents can do to keep their vehicle fuel system clean is to buy good quality gas. Major brands have detergents that keep gum and varnish from rapidly building up in the fuel system.So buying cheaper gas in MD can actually be more expensive for Rockville drivers in the long run. Now, most cars on MD roads are more than five or six years old. That means they've had time for some dirt and rust to ... read more

The price of gas in MD has got people in Rockville talking. It seems that Rockville folks who need a bigger vehicle to carry family and gear, or provide four wheel drive, are hit especially hard. That is why we thought it would be good to review some things that anyone can do to improve fuel economy. First let's start with how we drive around MD. People in Rockville may not realize that they can really save on gas by just changing a few driving habits. One of the biggest is jackrabbit starts - you know, flooring the gas as soon as the light turns green. That really wastes a lot of fuel. Building up your speed at a slower pace uses less fuel and is easier on your engine and drive train. And don't drive with one foot on the brake. That's also a drag on fuel economy, and it wears out your brakes faster, too. Another thing Rockville drivers can do is drive more slowly - but only when it's safe. Sometimes on the freeway we drive an extra f ... read more