Many drivers wait until the check engine light comes on before taking their vehicle into an auto repair shop. A little preventive maintenance, however, can take care of minor repairs before they become major, costlier issues.
What are some of the auto repair jobs that come to mind first? Most people think about brakes needing to be replaced, or the battery being swapped out. Perhaps they think about tires needing to be changed, or the transmission being out and needing some serious attention.
At our auto mechanic shop in Loveland, Colorado, we definitely tend to these tasks on a regular basis, but they aren’t the only repair jobs your car may need; in fact, they may not even be the most common ones that surface in our region!
Here’s a list of some of the needed auto repair jobs we frequently do at Metric Motors in Loveland.
Spark Plug Replacement
Sometimes by themselves, and other times in conjunction with ignition coils, spark plugs need to be replaced when they begin to malfunction or reach a point where they’re too worn to keep working properly. When spark plugs are replaced, the wires they’re connected to usually need replacing, too.
Just to be clear, spark plugs make up an essential component of your car engine. They’re needed to ignite the fuel inside the cylinders, which forms the basic principle of the internal combustion engine your vehicle operates under. Faulty spark plugs degrade gas mileage; even worse, they can harm your catalytic converter, which is a much more expensive repair. It’s a good idea to replace malfunctioning spark plugs before other things break in your engine.
Replacing The Oxygen Sensor
What does the oxygen sensor do? Its purpose is to first check the concentration of oxygen that has not burned in the exhaust, and then to send this information to the vehicle’s computer system. The computer uses this data to adjust the air-to-fuel ratio for improved engine performance. In particular, the catalytic converter depends on this information. As you might expect, replacing a faulty oxygen sensor is an important part of keeping your engine running smoothly.
Power Steering Maintenance & Repairs
If you’ve ever had your power steering quit, you know what it feels like. Moving your steering wheel suddenly feels like work! Normally it’s easy to steer your car, with barely any effort and no real force needed on your part. When your power steering mechanism fails, however, you are using all your muscles to move that steering wheel, and yet, it barely moves!
When your power steering starts to act up, maintenance and repair work may involve something as simple as replacing the power steering fluid. It’s also possible that there’s a leak in the power steering pump. A good auto mechanic will be able to pinpoint the issue fairly quickly.
Fuel Pump Replacement
Your vehicle’s performance will suffer greatly if your fuel pump is clogged or has suffered some form of damage. Having your fuel pump replaced is a very common job seen in auto repair shops.
Windshield Wipers
We’ve seen so many vehicles with windshield wipers that are so worn that they do practically nothing! Even though the vehicle owner may come in for something else, we end up replacing the wipers because it’s a hazard to keep driving with ones that can’t maintain good visibility in rain or snow.
Catalytic Converter Work
A major component of vehicles’ exhaust systems, the catalytic converter’s role is to neutralize potentially harmful compounds (like carbon monoxide). The best way to prevent catalytic converter failure is to tend to maintenance and small repairs on a regular basis. Major signs that the catalytic converter is not working properly include the sudden appearance of the check engine light, or a frequently overheating engine.
Other Sensors
Every vehicle has many different sensors nowadays. They include:
- Mass Air Flow Sensor
- Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor
- Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor
- Intake Air Temperature Sensor
- Crank Position Sensor
If any of these sensors malfunction, you’ll notice unusual and even unpredictable behavior. Sensors can be checked and replaced during maintenance appointments to ensure smooth driving and reliable engine performance.
Fuel Cap
Don’t laugh, but very often we see cars where the fuel cap isn’t screwed on properly, or it’s missing altogether! One of our very common (and fairly simple) repair jobs is to replace the vehicle’s fuel cap. The cap is important because it improves both safety and fuel economy.
When Your Car Needs Attention In Northern Colorado
If it’s been a while since your car or truck has had a check-up, or your check engine light is on, bring it to Metric Motors in Loveland. We’ll take a look and do the necessary maintenance and repair tasks to get you back on the road and have your vehicle performing at its best. Give us a call today!
