Rockville Auto Repair

About 80% of the vehicles on Rockville roads today are behind on their preventive maintenance schedules. That translates to about 160 million vehicles in the United States that aren't performing as well as they could be - thousands right here in MD. Some of the maintenance issues are minor. Others represent serious safety concerns. There are many reasons Rockville drivers neglect their routine car care. Some of the more common ones are complacency, lack of confidence, lack of trust and budget issues. Modern vehicles are amazingly reliable compared to their older counterparts. They can run for years without any repairs, and we sometimes translate that to mean they don't need any maintenance. The trouble is that without maintenance, parts in the vehicle are gradually wearing out, fluids are getting dirty, oil is developing sludge — a lot of stuff is happening that we can't see, and it is destroying the vehicle. The first time we learn there is a pr ... 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

Some Rockville vehicle owners wonder why Auto Clinic Care and other Rockville auto repair shops charge a fee for vehicle diagnostics. Receiving a diagnostic charge at Auto Clinic Care for a tricky automotive problem shouldn't be a surprise. In the Rockville area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your vehicle brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy MD road, you pull off at the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you're having an intermittent problem with your vehicle engine, however, a Auto Clinic Care diagnosis may be much more involved.Much of the Rockville driver's confusion comes when the problem involves the Check Engine light. The Check Engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem. There's a common misconception among MD drivers that the trouble code tells the Auto Clinic Care technician exactly what's wrong. They wonder w ... read more

When you drop your vehicle off at Auto Clinic Care in Rockville, they don't just poke around under your hood looking for stuff to do. Auto Clinic Care professionals have lists and procedures they follow for different types of service. First of all, your Rockville service center will note the mileage on your vehicle. They'll then check to see what inspections and services the vehicle manufacturer recommends for a vehicle of your make, model and mileage. If you are a regular customer, they will also check your vehicle's history.If the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations go beyond the services you've ordered, they'll let you know. They'll also indicate whether those services are urgent or if you can wait a while to take care of them. The Auto Clinic Care pros won't do work that you don't agree to.They will, however, perform inspections while they're servicing your vehicle. They'll check belts, filters and fluids. They'll check your windshield wipers for wear. They ... read more

Rockville drivers may feel intimidated when they take their vehicles to a service center. They have questions but aren't sure how to ask. They don't want to feel embarrassed about their lack of knowledge. They don't want to make the service technician feel that they don't trust him.If your service advisor at Auto Clinic Care uses a term you don't understand, just ask him to explain. Remember, they are the auto service experts. If they came to your place of work, they probably wouldn't understand the jargon, either. When you take your vehicle in to be serviced, make sure you understand the financial issues up front. Ask about payment policies, warranties and, of course, the cost of the work being done.It helps to understand basic services your vehicle needs. Know the difference between a quick check-up and a thorough inspection, which you are getting and which you are asking for. Understand that diagnosing a problem takes time, and time isn't free. If you have concerns about cost ... read more

We're going to be talking about the ethics of automotive repair. It seems like news outlets really like hit-and-run reporting; they hit everyone from groceries stores to retail to physicians. And the Rockville automotive service and repair industry hasn't been given a pass either.Unfortunately, every profession in Rockville has some bad actors that hurt the reputation of everyone else. On the automotive side, industry associations and professional licensing organizations are very committed to high ethical standards.Yet some people remain uncomfortable with Rockville automotive service and repair. It may start with the fact that our vehicles are a big investment and we rely on them for so much in our lives. That alone guarantees our attention. And how well we understand the recommendations really impacts our comfort level.If we understand what's recommended and the benefits of taking care of the work – and the pitfalls of putting it off ... read more

We've all seen drivers do crazy things while driving to or from Rockville. A guy shaving in the rear-view mirror, a woman applying makeup, people talking on their phones, texting or drinking from an enormous coffee mug. It's a wonder we even dare drive on MD roads.The truth is that all of us are distracted when we drive. Unfortunately, traffic, road construction and other external factors are beyond our control. The distractions inside our car, however, are things we can often control.Here's some things that'll give you more control in your car, and help keep your attention on the roads around Rockville. Rockville drivers who are 16 to 20 years old tend to be more distracted by the radio, CD or MP3 player. Rockville drivers who are 20 to 29 are more distracted by passengers in the car, including small children. Those over age 65 tend to be more distracted by objects or events that are outside of the vehicle. Other factors like fatigue, stress and lack of sleep make it harder to pay ... read more

Today we're going to talk about on-board diagnostics and the questions we hear from folks around Rockville, MD, who need answers about diagnostic services. They want to know what diagnostics are, what's involved and what the benefits are. They really want to understand the value of diagnostic scans by a trained technician in Rockville.These are valid concerns. If you don't understand something it's really hard to know its value. Let's start with some history.Since 1996, all cars and light trucks in Rockville, MD, have been required to use a standardized diagnostic system to help repair technicians determine what's wrong with your vehicle. The diagnostic system works with the vehicle's Engine Control Module – the computer that controls many engine functions.The computer monitors dozens of components and processes. Depending on what the sensors read, the computer will make adjustments to compensate for conditions and minor problems. When there is a condition that it can't adjust fo ... read more

We find that a lot of Rockville drivers are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions but don't want to be embarrassed or seem pushy. Vehicles are very complicated and there's more to know about them than most of us have the time to learn. Maybe it's because vehicles have become so much more reliable that the average person just doesn't need to know as much to keep their vehicle on the road.You know, your local hospital has a Patient's Bill of Rights that they post throughout the hospital. We think our Rockville automotive service customers also have a right to ask any question they need to understand what is wrong with their car and what it will take to fix it. They need to feel free to ask the cost and benefits of recommended services. And they certainly have a right to understand the financial end of the transaction.It's all about the communication. It's a little harder when you're trying to find the right ... read more

All MD pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget steps. It is also how they can assure a predictable outcome. That is why Rockville automotive service centers including Auto Clinic Care have procedural standards for each service they perform. Auto Clinic Care technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, MD service centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and Rockville customers leave happy with how their vehicle performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The MD automotive industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual MD service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they service. An example is how Auto Clini ... read more