Centennial Auto Repair

With the demand for gas increasing this summer, gas prices seem to be on the rise again. Whether you're going back into the office for work or heading to the beach for a much-needed getaway, getting the most out of your gas will once again be a priority. Here are some helpful tips to improve your fuel mileage: 1) Pay Close Attention to Your Tires There are three factors regarding tires that will impact your fuel consumption: tires out of tread, tires out of alignments, and imbalanced tires.  2) Take It Easy On The Gas  Research shows that driving slower and smoother has more significant savings. Every time you jack up your RPM when accelerating, you're burning more fuel—the less of that you do, the more money you'll save.  3) Consider Using Cruise Control on the Highway If your car has a cruise control setting, you might consider using it to maximize your MPG. Using this feature on the highway will save you some coin by putting your car at a stead ... read more

The air in the passenger compartment is cleaned by a cabin air filter as it reaches the vehicle through the heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system. Before the air reaches your car, the filter clears it of dust, pollen, smoke, and other pollutants. Many late-model vehicles have a cabin air filter, which is normally located around the glovebox area, including directly behind the glovebox with access to the filter either through or through glovebox removal. The cabin air filter can also be found in the back section of the outside air intake, above the fan, or between the fan and the HVAC enclosure. If you're not sure, have a mechanic look at your vehicle and see where the cabin filter is located before removing it. When Do You Replace The Cabin Air Filter? It can be difficult to know when to adjust the filter. You don't want to waste money by replacing it too fast, but you also don't want to wait until the filter stops working. According to recommendations, the c ... read more

Engine misfires are on the list of annoying vehicle issues accompanied by horribly loud sounds. Whether it's been your own car or someone driving around town, the loud pop that a misfire makes is unmistakable. After the sound comes to the smell of hot gas and oil, cementing the notion that something is very wrong. What Causes An Engine Misfire Misfires happen when there's a failed combustion within the engine. Your pistons work with the fuel and ignition systems of your vehicle to create small controlled explosions inside each cylinder. This creates power and force to drive the piston back up and keep repeating over and over for consistent engine power. When any of those cooperating systems fail, you get a misfire. It could be a bad coil, ignition wire, or spark plug which means the explosion isn't being triggered properly. Another option would be that the air/fuel mixture created doesn't have the correct ratio needed for the right level of combustion. Are Misfires ... read more

Over time the starter of your vehicle can wear out. Looking for the warning signs in advance can help. Let's discuss some of the symptoms of a bad starter so that you would know what to expect. Read on for more information. Symptoms of A Bad Starter Your Vehicle Doesn't Start Let's say you start the vehicle by turning your key, but nothing happens. Your vehicle refused to start. There could be a variety of reasons, but it could be because of a bad starter. You Hear Grinding Noises It's possible that the driver gear is worn out and you can hear the grinding noises. There could be an issue with the starter motor that's producing such a noise. Don't ignore it as it can lead to further damage. Whenever you experience weird noises from the car, let a mechanic inspect it for you. You See Smoke Coming Out From The Car When you start the car and see the smoke coming out from the car then it's time to ask for help! There could be an issue with the starter as ... read more

Brake fade is a term that describes the temporary reduction or complete loss of your vehicle's braking power. Brake fade happens when the brake pad and the rotor no longer create enough friction to stop your car; the result being inconsistent or unexpected braking behavior. Of course, this is inconsistent behavior can be very dangerous since it most often results in increased and unusual stopping distances. Brake pads can be made of different materials as well as have different running temperatures. Brake system manufactures always surface scorch their brake pad linings under a simulated operating pressure. Manufactures also heat the friction materials to a particular temperature, specific to the model of the vehicle. There are two types of materials used in the manufacture of friction pads. One type is sintered metallics and the other is known as organics. Sintered metallics contain synthetic materials. Organics brake pads contain phenolic resins which help to bind the other com ... read more