Reliable Transmission Service Blog

Common Summer Auto Repairs and How to Avoid Them – Rock Hill, SC

11 April 2014

Few things are as troubling as a when your car or truck breaks down when you are away from home or on vacation. Many car and truck owners put off regular auto repairs and maintenance, which increases the risk of breakdowns.

As summer travelers pack up to go on weekend getaways and long road trips, CarMD has identified the top five most important car repairs that can significantly reduce mileage and, when ignored, can increase roadside breakdowns.

Replace the Oxygen Sensor – The top reason for check engine indicators last year was a faulty O2 sensor that monitors how much unburned oxygen remains in the engine exhaust. It tells your onboard computer if there’s too much or too little fuel. A faulty reading can reduce mileage by as much as 40 percent. Over 500 miles, an unrepaired O2 sensor can cost an extra $50 in fuel.

Inspect Gas Cap – A loose or cracked gas cap is the second most common cause of a check engine indicator. A poorly fitting gas cap can reduce your engine’s efficiency by a couple miles per gallon and industry wide causes an estimated 147 million gallons of fuel to evaporate each year.

Check Catalytic Converter – The third most common repair is replacing the catalytic converter, but it really shouldn't even be in the top 10 most frequent repairs. Catalytic converters normally won't fail unless a part such as a spark plug or O2 sensor is overlooked too long. This repair can cost $2,000, giving any traveler anxiety when they are supposed to be enjoying vacation.

Replace Mass Air Flow Sensor – The fourth most common repair is replacing the mass air flow (MAF) sensor, which measures the amount of air supplied to the engine and determines how much fuel to mix in. Malfunction can result in a lack of power, engine hesitation or over-acceleration. If can also lower your fuel economy by 10-25% and they are susceptible to dry, dusty summer roads. The best way to keep your MAF sensor healthy is with a clean air filer. Air filters cost less than $20, MAFs cost about $300 in parts and labor.

Replace Spark Plugs or Wires– The fifth most common repair was replacing spark plugs or spark plug wires. Spark plugs ignite the air/fuel ratio and can cause big problems when not functioning properly, reducing mileage by 10 to 20 percent. They can also permanently damage your car's catalytic converter. Spark plugs should be replaced every 30,000 to 40,000 miles, but can fail earlier if oil or dirt builds up in your engine.

According to CarMD, the best way to avoid these problems and breakdowns is by following regularly scheduled maintenance including fluid changes, proper tire maintenance and quick attention to all warning lights. To schedule your regularly scheduled auto service, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Original article on Torque News - Don Bain

Types of Transmissions and Their Benefits – Rock Hill, SC

4 April 2014

Reliable Transmission Repair has the transmission mechanics of choice in the Rock Hill, SC area. Because we are trusted transmission repair specialists, we are experts in transmissions. This means that not only do our customers come to use for repairs they come to us with questions too.

We often get questions about the different types of auto transmissions on the market. Not that long ago choosing between transmissions was easy: manual or automatic. If you were looking for value, fuel economy, performance or driving pleasure you chose a manual transmission, everyone else chose automatics.

Now there are several different types: Manual, Automated Manual, Automatic, Tiptronics, and Duel Clutch. What are they? Are they any different the transmissions from years past? What are their benefits?

Manual

For most of their lif, manual transmissions have given drivers’ more control, more gears, faster acceleration, higher top speeds, lower fuel consumption and, when driven well, smoother gear shifts. But with the computer-led evolution of automotive transmissions, some cars are reporting better performance and fuel economy figures with automated transmissions.

Automated Manual

Numerous car makers have dabbled with clutch-pedal-free manual transmissions over the years but it’s an idea that has still yet to be executed well in road cars.

Jerky gear changes are the main problem with automated manual transmissions. In semi-automatic mode, this can be partially alleviated by lifting off the throttle when changing gears.

Many systems also offer a fully automatic mode, but these are plagued with either brutally aggressive or overly slurred gear shifts.

Automatic

Although automatics are still heavier and more expensive to purchase or repair, nowadays they give up little ground to manual transmissions in terms of performance, efficiency and gear count — five- and six-speed transmissions are the norm, and seven-, eight- and nine-speed models are becoming increasingly common.

Tiptronic

Tiptronic transmissions supposedly combined the best of both automatic and manual transmissions. Really, tiptronics weren’t really a different type of transmission, but rather an automatic gearbox that allowed for easy gear selection. Tiptronic features are now available in most automatic vehicles.

Dual Clutch

There are two types of dual-clutch transmission on the market: dry and wet clutch. Wet clutch models are so called because the clutch is bathed in a sea of oil and this type is often found in high-power cars. Dry clutch versions are more efficient, but restricted in the amount of power and torque they can handle.

For information on transmission repair, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

CarAdvice.com

Ways to Increase your Gas Mileage – Rock Hill, SC

27 March 2014

Gas prices have been creeping higher. But there are plenty of things you can do to give your car better gas mileage both on the highway and in-town.

There are some car maintenance and repairs you can do to maximize gas mileage. Keeping your car tuned up, and taking care of all regularly scheduled car maintenance, as well as changing your air filter, and keeping your tires inflated to the proper size all help you save money on gas. A clogged air filter decreases your car's performance and has an effect on your gas mileage. The air filter allows your car to breath. If the air filter is clogged or dirty, it is working too hard and using extra gas.  In the same way, if your tire air pressure is too low, your car works too hard to move it down the road.

But there is something you can do to improve your gas mileage that won’t cost you a thing. Better your driving habits. They way you drive directly affects your gas mileage. Driving less aggressively can save you gas. Here are some driving tips.

• Accelerate gradually. The harder you press the gas pedal the more gas you are using.
• Anticipate stops. Many people look right in front of their car while driving. Look half a block ahead so you can see lights changing, braking and stop signs.  This way you can begin to coast, and when you coast instead of driving under power, you use less fuel.
• Drive the speed limit on the highway. We don’t mean slow; we mean slower, like drive the speed limit. Slowing down by 5 or 10 miles per hour on the highway saves lots of gas and really doesn’t add too much time to your drive.
• If your car has a manual transmission, shift gears earlier at a lower RPM. The higher your engine is revving the more gas it burns.

For more information or for an appointment for car maintenance, contact Reliable Transmission.

Seasonal Car Maintenance – Rock Hill, SC

21 March 2014

We have one of the coldest, strangest winters on record. But spring is here, and warmer weather is fast approaching. Get ahead on your seasonal car maintenance. Hot weather can be tough on your engine, so be sure to take care of important auto maintenance.

Radiator Flush: The coolant in your radiator doesn't last forever. Over time it can break down and start to corrode the inside of your radiator. This can lead to cooling problems and radiator repair. A radiator flush once a year is cheap insurance against radiator repairs.

Replace Your Air Filter: You should replace your air filter twice a year, so now's a good time to get that job out of the way.

Tire Checks: Summer traveling could mean driving in the rain. The tread on your tires must be adequate for rainy weather or you could end up off the road. Have your tire pressure checked too.

Replace Your Windshield Wipers: Winter weather can be brutal to your windshield wipers, making them almost useless if you get caught in a summer rain shower. Replace them at the beginning of the summer.

Have Your Brakes inspected: It's a good idea to get your brakes inspected twice a year just to be sure everything is fine and safe. Have your brake fluid checked too while you're at it.

Have Your Battery Checked: Corrosion is very likely to build up during winter weather driving. Your battery posts and cables should be checked to ensure you'll have no starting problems.

Check Your Headlights: Sometimes you don't notice that you have a bulb out; now is a good time to take a look to see if you need to replace a headlight bulb. Driving with one headlight out is unsafe and you can get a ticket!

Addressing regularly scheduled car maintenance is important for your safety and for the life of your car. For more information or to make an appointment, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Choose the Right Transmission Repair Specialist – Rock Hill, SC

14 March 2014

If you own a car in Rock Hill, SC, some of the worst news you can get is that your transmission needs repair and your warranty has expired. Transmission repair and replacement can be expensive, but it can be even more expensive to replace your car. Usually, you can’t get a new reliable car for the same price as a new transmission. So, the decision now comes, “who do you hire to replace the transmission?”

You don’t want just any car mechanic; you want a transmission repair specialist.  Before you choose where to take your car, you should ask around and check references and reviews.

Before you choose a transmission shop, find out about the certifications of the mechanics who will be fixing your vehicle.The transmission specialists that you choose should always be ATRA certified. ATRA is the world’s largest trade organization of transmission rebuilders, specialists and suppliers.

Do your homework while searching for reliable and experienced transmission repair shop. When it comes to transmission repair or replacement, don’t just trust any car mechanic. Transmissions are a specialty and the auto-service shop you trust to work on your car should specialize in transmission repair. At Reliable Transmission Service, repairing and rebuilding transmissions is our specialty.

Reliable Transmission Service pledges that we will not remove a transmission from a vehicle in order to complete a repair unless absolutely necessary. Additionally our shop promises to diagnose transmission problems in an honest and expert manner.  For more information, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Uneven Wear on Tires, What are the Causes – Rock Hill, SC

7 March 2014

Tires for cars and trucks are expensive, and no one likes to replace them too early. Uneven tire wear can compromise the safety of your car and can result in just that, replacing your tires too early. Several things can cause uneven wear on your tires, including lack of regular vehicle maintenance, tire alignment issues and worn components that affect the tires.

• Inflation -When tread is deeper on the edges than in the middle, the tire is overinflated. In contrast, when the tread is deeper in the middle than the edges, the tire is underinflated.
• Rotation - If a tire has raised bumps on it, commonly called scallops, the tires are probably not being rotated often enough.
• Worn Shocks - Worn shocks or struts also can cause uneven tire wear.
• Alignment - Driving a vehicle that is out of alignment can cause uneven tire wear. A symptom of bad alignment is your car drifting away from center on a straight and level road.
• Worn Components - Alignment components can become worn and cause problems. For example, on sharp turns the tire angles may not compensate properly, and the tires may squeal.
• Wheel Balancing - Improper wheel balancing also can cause uneven tire wear because of excess vibration. This can show up as a scalloped wear area on the tires.

At the first sign of uneven wear on tires get the problem resolved quickly so the tires do not become significantly damaged.

For more information or for an appointment, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Signs of Transmission Problems – Rock Hill, SC

28 February 2014

Car and truck transmissions take a lot of use and abuse during the life of your car. They are bound to start having problems at some point.  Transmission repairs can be expensive, so pay attention to your car if you start to hear, see or smell anything unusual.

If you think you have potential transmission problems, check for these signs of transmission trouble.

Doesn’t go in gear - Manual transmissions have their share of things that can go wrong. One is that the transmission refuses to budge when you push in the clutch and attempt to move the stick shift. It can happen at any point up and down the gears.

Burning smell - If smell burning transmission fluid, this may mean your transmission is overheating. Transmission fluid not only keeps the transmission's many moving parts properly lubricated, but it prevents itself from burning up.

Noisy in Neutral – If you hear strange sounds in neutral, it could be the transmission.

Gear slipping - In a normally functioning transmission, the car stays in gear, or until you or the computer initiate a gear shift.

But on a transmission in which the gears slip, the car can spontaneously pop out of the gear it's in while driving and in a manual.

Dragging clutch - A dragging clutch is one that fails to disengage the clutch disk from the flywheel when the driver pushes in the clutch pedal. When the driver attempts to shift gears, they can't because the still-engaged clutch is still spinning along with the engine. You will know this is happening because of the  grinding noise that happens with each attempt to shift.

Leaking fluid - Leaking transmission fluid is probably one of the easiest ways to identify that your transmission needs attention. Automatic transmission fluid is vital to your car's shifting capabilities, so fluid on your driveway can quickly turn into a major problem. When you check your automatic transmission fluid, make sure it's not a dark color and that it doesn't have a burnt smell. If it is, you'll need to take it to a mechanic and have it replaced.

Check Engine Light is lit - The check engine light can be a great early indicator that something is starting to go wrong with your transmission. The check engine light can come on for any number of reasons not related to your transmission as well, but don't overlook this clear warning sign.

No Response - Transmissions are designed to go into the correct gear every time, so when they hesitate or refuse to go, it's a sure sign there's something wrong.

For more information about transmissions and transmission repairs, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Howstuffworks

Car Maintenance to Keep your Car Running Smoothly – Rock Hill, SC

21 February 2014

You want your car running smoothly all the time. That way you know you can really count on it when you need it. Proper car maintenance is important. There are things you can do, and there are maintenance tasks for your mechanic. But proper car care keeps your car running reliably. It may sound silly, but you should pick the leaves off your car. In the long run, it might be worth it. One of the few places that leaves accumulate is under the hood on top of the vents which allow fresh air to enter your car. Over time, leaves can cause problems by clogging  things up. This can cause your air conditioning to work harder in warm weather, it can also cause the air to blow slower overworking the fan.

Cleaning the leaves off the car that you can see is easy enough to do. But don’t forget to raise the hood and get those leaves off of your air vents. This quick work will do a service for your car.

But there is more you need to do to keep your car working smoothly. Keeping the proper coolant mixture is vital to your car's health. Antifreeze should be close to a 50% mixture, depending on the climate and driving conditions. But how are you supposed to know whether your coolant mixture is right for you and your car? Have it checked out and at the same time, all of your fluids can be checked as well.

While you are there, get the air filter in your car inspected and replaced too. A clogged air filter can reduce your gas mileage and cause higher emissions. Your air filter should be changed every 15,000 miles or more often if you are often in a dusty area.

A clogged air filter affects your car's performance on a number of levels. It robs your car of power, which you need every ounce of when you're navigating around Massachusetts. Perhaps more important is the effect a clogged air filter has on your gas mileage. It takes 10 minutes and is very inexpensive, and the results can save you money in the long run.

For more information on proper car maintenance, contact Reliable Transmission Service.

Auto Transmission Problems Top the List of Auto Complaints – Rock Hill, SC

14 February 2014

For the first time in 15 years, an annual survey by J.D. Power shows cars to be less reliable than the year before. In the vehicle dependability study, querying owners of three-year-old vehicles showed a 6% increase in problems for 2011 models over the year-earlier report.

That reverses regular progress since 1998. "Until this year, we have seen a steady improvement in vehicle dependability," said David Sargent, vice president at J.D. Power.

There were 41,000 original owners surveyed, and this year's complaints centered on engine and transmission problems instead of electronics and audio systems that caused the most trouble in recent years. Sargent said the 2011 model issues accompanied a push for higher gas mileage and cropped up especially with four-cylinder engines. "Increases in such problems as engine hesitation, rough transmission shifts and lack of power indicate that this is a continuing challenge," he added.

Reliable Transmission Service provides high quality transmission repair services for all transmissions. All transmission repair and service is done on the premises by ATRA certified technicians; whether it’s a simple repair or a complete rebuild. ATRA is the world’s largest trade organization of transmission rebuilders, specialists and suppliers.

In the ranking of brands for reliability, Lexus came in first for the third year in a row. The rest of the top five -- with two from General Motors (GM) -- were Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Acura and Buick. Ford's (F) Lincoln brand was sixth, but the Ford brand ranked 17th out of 31 nameplates and was just below the industry average. The other Detroit-based automaker, Chrysler Group, had its Chrysler brand finish 23rd and its Ram, Jeep and Dodge vehicles still lower.

For information on transmission repair for your automobile or for an appointment, contact Reliable Transmission Service in Rock Hill.

WBZK

Struts and Shocks, Do They Need to Be Replaced? – Rock Hill, SC

7 February 2014

You know that struts and shocks give you a smoother ride, but do you need to replace them? The struts and the shocks have two essential functions. They absorb road shock and stop unnecessary motion in the suspension system, giving you a smooth ride. They also keep your tires firmly on the road when you accelerate, stop, turn, or go over a bump.

Yes, if they are worn, your struts and shocks need to be replaced. You should not continue to use your car with worn out shocks and struts. On a rough surface, driving with worn shocks increases your cars stopping distance.

Usually the owner manual recommends shock and strut inspection and/or replacement every 50,000 miles. But your driving habits have much to do with how fast your shocks and struts wear.

Look for the following warning signs that your shocks and struts might need replacement.

• Does the car bounce too much or too dramatically When driving over bumps?
• When you turn, does the car sway?
• When you brake, does the front of your car dip down?
• Does the suspension often bottom out, especially when backing up?
• When you have extra passengers or cargo, does the car bottom out?

If you experience any of the above warning signs, contact Reliable Transmission Service for a strut and shock inspection.