Arizona Auto Repair

The jargon of the inner systems of your vehicles are easy to confuse you unless you've interacted with them for a long time. You must have heard your mechanic talking about belts in your car, but it might be hard for you to differentiate between the various belts that help your car function. The serpentine and timing belts are the two most important belts in a vehicle with different functions. And they may be easily confused, but they are not the same thing. You can easily see serpentine belts when you open the hood of your car. They are located in the engine block and are made of thin rubber belts that snake around several components around the engine block. They are called serpentine belts because they look like snakes. The main role of serpentine belts is to transport power to important automotive components of your car. It helps in the normal functioning of the alternator, the steering pump and the air conditioners. Unlike the serpentine belts, the timi ... read more

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System, also known as TPMS has its own warning light on the dashboard as you might have noticed. If your tuns on, the question now becomes, "What does it mean and what should I do?" Do not panic! What Does the TPMS Warning Light Mean? The first step is to physically gauge your tire pressures and pump more air as necessary to bring them up to the product's recommended levels according to your vehicle handbook. Remember that your TPMS does not substitute for regular tire pressure checks. Although it is a device that can assist notify you when pressure level is reduced, a wheel might deflate below the recommended level of inflation long even before TPMS warning light illuminates. When the pressure is either excessively low or high, the TPMS light illuminates. What To Do The light shows up differently for various reasons. Which means that there are different ways to also react to the issue. The TPMS warning light turns on and remains lit if a ... read more

There is nothing like jogging out to the car full of anticipation, only to crank up the ignition...to silence. The dreaded dead car battery. Without a working battery, you can't start the engine. Which means you are stuck. The battery also powers the electrical components, which means you are stuck...without a radio. Starting the ignition signals the battery, setting off a chemical reaction inside which ignites the electrical energy that starts the engine cranking. If your battery is dead the dash lights might flicker, but the engine won't have enough power to turn over. This havoc can be avoided by watching for early signs of battery age. One sign to look for is if you ‘check engine' light keeps coming on. This can be a sign your battery is starting to wear out. If your engine is slow to start it can mean that the battery components are taking longer to create a charge and is usually a sign that the battery is about to kick the bucket. Because the battery powe ... read more

Brakes are easy to take for granted; our cars start and stop, and a working brake system is so seamless that drivers hardly give it a second thought. However, understanding your car's setup can make or "brake" your day when brakes go wrong. When it comes to your car's brakes, there are two standard options: brake pads and brake shoes. Both are designed to create friction that stops your car, but they work in different ways. Brake pads are found in disc brake systems and are located in the caliper, which is the component that holds the brake pad against the rotor. When you press the brake pedal, the hydraulic fluid pushes the caliper pistons out, causing the pads to make contact with the rotor. The friction between the pads and rotor slows down your car, bringing it safely to a stop. Brake shoes are found in drum brakes, which are usually located in the rear of the car. When you press the brake pedal, a spring-loaded shoe is forced outward, pressing against the insid ... read more

Suspect your catalytic converter is failing? Avoid interrupting your summer fun by taking care of car repair issues as soon as they happen. The catalytic converter is an integral part of vehicle exhaust systems that help reduce the effect of vehicle emissions. Without a properly functioning catalytic converter, your car can release harmful emissions gasses. Keep reading for three symptoms of a bad or failing catalytic converter. Symptom #1. - Check Engine Light Flashing The check engine light is a yellow light on your dashboard that provides critical alerts about your vehicle and engine performance. When your vehicle's check engine light flashes yellow or stays illuminated for extended periods, this can be a sign of a declining catalytic converter or poor fuel economy. Vehicle manufacturers equipped most of today's cars with computerized diagnostics systems. These systems have warning indicators that alert drivers to potential issues under the hood. A rapid ... read more