Rockville Auto Repair

At Auto Clinic Care we get a lot of Rockville drivers asking about vehicle trip preparation. That's a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas around MD, so it's important to know that the vehicle is up to the task and won't leave you stranded.Smart Rockville drivers plan ahead for a major road trip – and there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around Rockville to see if you can feel any vibrations: Are the wheels in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? Come to Auto Clinic Care for a peace-of-mind trip inspection.5531 Nicholson Lane Rockville, MD 20852 301.881.7891http://WWW.autocliniccare.com ... read more

There's a lot of auto advice in MD right now on how to save money on gas. Some of it is good advice. Some of it isn't. Some of it is myth. And it may well be a scam. Plain and simple. When someone offers you a product designed to save money on gas, ask yourself, “Does this sound too good to be true?” If the answer is yes, do more research.The internet offers us a convenient and quick way to research someone's claims about gas savings. Rockville drivers can usually find out in only minutes whether that claim is questionable or not.Chances are other Rockville drivers have already tried what you're being offered. If you find evidence that others feel they have been scammed, you should be wary of becoming the next victim. There aren't any pills, magic or otherwise, that you can drop into your gas tank to improve your gas mileage. Drop in enough of those pills and you can actually harm your vehicle. The last thing you need is a bunch m ... read more

So you've bought a used vehicle in the Rockville area. Do you know what you're getting? It is hard to know what you're getting because people in the Rockville area sell vehicles for different reasons. Think about why you've sold vehicles. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both.Used vehicles in MD with 25,000 to 35,000 miles/40,000 to 55,000 km on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most Rockville buyers feel pretty confident about these because they're newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?Rockville drivers who are planning to own a vehicle for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid repairs down the road. But, if you know you're only going to have the vehicle for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think tha ... read more

There are several important factors that go into how often Rockville drivers should replace their wiper blades. Of course, the more you use your wipers, the faster the blades will wear out – especially if you use them on an icy windshield. Whether it’s a lot of bugs and road grime from MD freeway driving or lots of wet weather – your blades get a work out and start to wear. But your wiper blades break down even when they aren’t used frequently. They are damaged by sunlight and temperature changes as well. The rubber in the blades can dry out and crack and eventually fall apart. Check your wipers: If they’re not doing their important job, have them replaced at Auto Clinic Care in Rockville. Talk to your Auto Clinic Care service advisor about how you drive - we can counsel you on the optimal blades for your needs.Auto Clinic Care5531 Nicholson LaneRockville, MD 20852301.881.7891http://WWW ... read more

Your vehicle's suspension system has two jobs: to prevent the passengers from getting tossed around inside the vehicle every time it hits a bump in the road and to keep the tires firmly planted on the road around every corner and over every bump.To see your suspension system, you'll have to look under your vehicle. Anything that connects the wheels to the vehicle's frame is part of the suspension system. They're heavy-duty parts that work hard while you're driving and take a lot of wear and tear. Because of this, you should have your technician at Auto Clinic Care look at them once a year as part of your preventive maintenance routine. A good time for it is every time you get your alignment checked. If your suspension is in trouble, you often feel it in how your vehicle drives. You should get a check of your suspension system: if the vehicle pulls to one side or wanders, if the steering is erratic, if your ride isn't as smooth as i ... read more

A big part of the service we provide at Auto Clinic Care for our Rockville customers is education. We want you to feel confident with your service decisions. And we're always open to questions from our valued Rockville area customers. Even though we try to be proactive in our Auto Clinic Care automotive education, we sometimes get busy fixing vehicles and need a reminder. Please, just ask. We've found our Rockville customers like the service reminders. They've grown to trust that our recommendations are based on the vehicle manufactures’ published maintenance schedules and that Auto Clinic Care is not just pulling them out of the air. We know that people in Rockville live a busy life with a lot more to think about than wondering if it's time to replace the PCV valve on their vehicle. Part of our Auto Clinic Care service process is checking the vehicle manufacture's schedule to make sure we don't overlook service. We hope MD drivers appreciate ... read more

Richard Petty once told AutoNetTV, “You've gotta have good brakes. If you've got good brakes you can keep yourself out of a lotta trouble.”That's why a regular brake inspection is on every Rockville driver's maintenance schedule. An inspection by your service advisor at Auto Clinic Care will check your brake system and let you know if there are any problems.Of course, if you're having trouble with your brakes, get your car into Auto Clinic Care in Rockville right away. Here are some symptoms for Rockville drivers to watch for: Low or spongy brake pedal Hard brake pedal A brake warning light that stays on Constantly squealing or grinding brakes Vibrations or clunking sounds when you apply your brakes If you are experiencing any of these, it's time to get your brakes checked. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at Auto Clinic Care .There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that's attached to the axle ... read more

Imagine waking up one morning with a stomach ache. You pick up the phone, call the doctor’s office and say, “I’ve got a really bad tummy ache. How much will it cost to make me feel better?” Of course you wouldn’t do that. You know that there could be a lot of reasons for your symptoms and that the doctor will have to examine you, ask some questions and probably run some tests before she can tell you what’s wrong and give you treatment options. This same scenario plays out every day at MD auto repair facilities. When the cause of the concern isn’t obvious, the car will need to undergo a diagnostic examination. The typical car has about 30,000 parts, including several networked computers and miles of wiring. Finding exactly what is wrong can be very complicated and take some time. The most experienced technicians at Auto Clinic Care in Rockville are the ones who tackle the difficult diagnostic jobs. Once they have determined the cause of the ... read more

No matter what vehicle you drive, when certain things break, you have to make a decision.  Should I get it fixed now, later or never?  Air conditioning is one of those things.  You can certainly live without air conditioning, but it sure is nice to have on a sweltering day. Let's say your air conditioning breaks in the fall and you live in a climate where it gets quite cold in the winter.  Should you get it fixed now, wait until spring since it won't get warm until then or maybe not get it fixed at all? That can be a tough decision.  There are several reasons air conditioning in vehicles break.  One is fairly simple: It could be an electrical problem, perhaps a relay or solenoid is not turning on the system.  It's also a fairly inexpensive repair and doesn't require hours of labor. Or, the problem is that the coolant has leaked out.  Your service facility can find the leak and replace the parts that are leaking.  With a refrigerant recharge ... read more

Virtually all vehicles come with power steering, so many Rockville drivers have never driven a car or truck without it. Power steering assists you when you turn your vehicle steering wheel. Without it, it would be very hard to steer. Now this power assist comes in a couple of forms. In recent years, a lot of vehicles have an electric motor that reduces steering effort and helps improve performance and handling. The other kind of power steering is hydraulic. This is the kind most older MD vehicles — and a lot of newer ones — have. Power steering fluid is pressurized by a pump and is used to assist steering. Of course, vehicles need the right amount of fluid in the system. If it's too low, your steering is affected and you could damage your vehicle pump. Also, power steering fluid can become corrosive over time and damage the pump, hoses and connectors, leading to leaks and repairs. Power steering ... read more