Rockville Auto Repair

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