Greenwood Village Auto Repair

 Many people think that as long as they have fresh gasoline in their tank and their engine is running smoothly, they're all set. However, there's one very important maintenance task that far too many drivers neglect: getting their oil changed on a regular basis. Keep reading to learn more about why this is such an important task and why you should never forget to do it. Engine oil is one of the most important fluids in your vehicle. Its primary purpose is to lubricate your engine's parts and prevent them from grinding against each other, which can cause serious damage. In addition, oil helps to cool your engine by dispersing heat away from its critical components. Over time, however, oil breaks down and becomes less effective at performing these tasks. That's why it's important to change your oil on a regular basis according to your manufacturer's recommendations. If you don't change your oil often enough, you run the risk of damaging your engine. The ... read more

So you have some exciting plans for your Colorado weekend. You’re going to take some of your friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you’ve gotten the boat all ready. And you haven’t forgotten about your tow vehicle. You’ve gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is something even more essential than the cleanliness of the interior for your little road trip: you want to make sure that your truck maintenance is up to date. Think about it – heavy expressway traffic on the way out of Denver. There’s hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it’s going to be pretty hot this weekend. And all the time you’ll be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes, and transmission. Let’s just consider the transmission. It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than norm ... read more

4th of July weekend is here! Warm weather, long weekend and the road are calling, but before you hit the road for an Independence Day weekend trip, make sure you take a few minutes to check these: 1. Oil When the oil level drops too low (or just gets dirty), your engine is not lubricated properly and will wear quickly. If the oil is dark and old, be sure to change it before leaving. If you’ve changed it recently and the level is low, make sure to add the proper amount and check for leaks. 2. Tire Pressure Driving with low tire pressure reduces your fuel efficiency and increases the likelihood of a blowout. Imagine dealing with a blowout on E-470 at 75 mph in traffic… no thank you! Check your owner’s manual and make ... read more

Most auto owners don’t even think about their car air conditioning system unless it fails. That’s because many Centennial and South Denver motorists don’t really understand that auto A/Cs need periodic service. Let us share some of the reasons why they fail. First, like every machine, your car, truck, or SUV’s air conditioner parts need – you guessed it – lubrication. The lubricant is actually mixed in with the refrigerant (that’s the stuff that makes the air cold). Remember that even if the air conditioner is still blowing out cool air, the oil that lubricates the parts may be used up: and unlubricated parts can fail in any vehicle. Here’s a tip for Centennial motorists: Run your air conditioner every so often, even during our freezing Colorado winters. This circulates the lubricant to help keep the seals from drying out. The air conditioner actually removes some of the mois ... read more

Part of the engineering that goes into designing a vehicle includes testing its components to ensure that they meet durability and safety standards. Because of this, manufacturers have a good idea how long the parts in your vehicle will last under normal driving conditions. For this reason, they give us guidelines to follow regarding how often to inspect the various parts and systems on our cars, trucks, and SUVs. Vehicular components are required to meet certain standards. The government mandates some of these standards, while others are set by the auto industry. Recommended car maintenance schedules are designed to help motorists maintain these standards. Disregarding routine maintenance or procrastinating on preventive maintenance will result in lowered performance and reduced safety for any vehicle. Maintenance schedules are designed to ensure three areas of vital automotive performance for vehicle owners: protection of the vehicle itself, fuel economy, and safe ... read more

Hello Centennial drivers, let’s talk about batteries. Car batteries are just like any rechargeable battery; they will eventually wear out and die. If you are shopping for a new battery for your vehicle, here’s some auto advice to help you. There are two measurements to consider when purchasing a new battery: cold cranking amps and reserve capacity. The power required to start a cold engine is measured in cold cranking amps. The number you need is determined by what kind of vehicle you drive and where you live. In general, higher-cylinder engines require more cold cranking amps than lower-cylinder engines. In other words, an eight-cylinder engine needs more cold cranking amps than a six-cylinder one. Also, diesel engines require more cold cranking amps than gasoline engines. The Denver weather also determines the number of cold cranking amps you need. The colder the truck engine, the more power it takes to get it started ... read more

Hi Centennial auto owners. Let’s talk fuel injectors. A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle’s engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel, to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine. Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized. The pressure in a fuel injection system varies depending on its type. Many gasoline truck engines use port injection systems, which operate with a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Newer direct injection systems operate at 10 to 30 times that pressure. Some diesel passenger vehicles have fuel injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch. Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Your vehicle’s cont ... read more

Everyone in Greenwood Village, Colorado knows we are advised to go to our local dentist twice a year. Oral-conscious people have both a teeth-cleaning and examination. Once a year, we get x-rays to look for problems that can’t be seen with the naked eye. When our dentist is done, he/she tells us what was found – “Everything’s fine, see you in six months.” Or “You’ve got a small cavity starting, let’s schedule an appointment to take care of it.” By the time you leave, you have a plan for addressing any necessary issues. This system works so much better than waiting for a painful problem before going into the dentist. Small problems are fixed before they turn into big expensive problems. And you avoid those huge bills. If Denver folks understand the wisdom of using this system for handling dental care, why do many resist when facing the same system for our vital car maintenance? Following the auto manufacturer’s reco ... read more

Today we’re going to talk about following recommended service intervals. Your vehicle isn’t the only aspect of your life with recommended intervals: Let’s start with twice yearly dental check-ups and regular physical exams. How about laundry, watering your lawn, and paying your bills? Now, what would happen if you didn’t follow these intervals? Well, you’d probably get more cavities. You may not discover health conditions that could be more effectively treated with early detection. And you’d have to wear dirty clothes, be embarrassed by your brown lawn, and have your utilities shut off. Clearly, there are some things in life that we have to take care of regularly. If we don’t, there are negative consequences. Our quality of life takes a hit and it inevitably costs more money. So why is it so hard to remember to follow regular preventive maintenance on our vehicles? Probably for a couple of reasons. One is that au ... read more

Brakes really aren’t optional equipment. And taking care of them isn’t optional either. A regular brake inspection is on every car’s maintenance schedule. An inspection 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 a Centennial or Greenwood Village service center right away. And watch out for these problems: 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 There are two types of brakes: disc and drum. Disc brakes have a rotor that’s attached to the axle. Calipers straddle the rotor, kind of like the brakes on a bicycle. Drum brakes are more common on back wheels. Pads, called shoes, push against the inside of the drum to slow the vehicle. There are several things that need to be serv ... read more