Rockville Auto Repair

You may have never thought about it, but when you turn a corner, the wheels on one side of your vehicle turn at a different speed than the other side.  What is this magic? The answer is something called the differential.   A differential is a gear box placed between the drive wheels and needs lubrication to work.  Over time, that fluid can become contaminated, reducing its effectiveness. You likely won’t be able to detect any signs that it’s happening, though it may get a little noisier over time.  If you continue to drive with contaminated and degraded differential fluid, the gears may wear prematurely. That can also contribute to excess wear on the drive-wheel tires.    Two-wheel drive vehicles have one differential while all-wheel and 4-wheel drive vehicles will have two or three.   Your vehicle’s manufacturer has guidelines on how often you should have the differential fluid changed, and we recommend you follow those.   Chan ... read more

Heat is one thing that can damage a vehicle, especially if a problem isn’t taken care of soon.  Be on the lookout for signs that it’s getting too hot in some parts of your vehicle, starting with the most obvious one: the heat gauge/warning light on your instrument panel. When you see that heat gauge heading into the H zone or the warning light comes on, it’s often because your engine’s coolant is contaminated or running low.  It’s important to let a pro look at it soon before serious damage is done, The radiator is another trouble spot that can cause overheating.  It has a fan that needs to run properly, and it needs to be free of debris and dirt. Another radiator trouble spot is the core.  When it gets clogged and coolant isn’t circulating as it should, an overheated engine can be the result. Have your cooling system checked regularly, including its thermostat. Your water pump is another part of the cooling system that can wear o ... read more