Articles:

Why Is There Smoke Coming From My Car?

Why Is There Smoke Coming From My Car?

When your combustion engine is put to work, air and fuel are burned. As a result, there are a lot of byproducts that your vehicle has to deal with and eventually expel. The used-up fuel and air mixture goes through the exhaust system, which comprises many pipes and vital components. With most cars nowadays, engine emissions are odorless and colorless. That is why it can be alarming to see your vehicle puffing white, black, or gray-blue smoke. An excess amount of exhaust smoke means there is something wrong with your car, and it is not running at peak performance. More often than not, you will need repairs. Reasons for Exhaust Smoke Condensation/Steam - Condensation is the best-case scenario that can come of this. On cold mornings, you may notice wispy, white smoke coming from your exhaust pipe. Relax because this is normal. It is caused by the heat warming up your emissions, causing it to turn into steam. As your engine warms up, it should go away. Oi ... read more

What Damage Can Speed Bumps Do To Your Vehicle?

What Damage Can Speed Bumps Do To Your Vehicle?

We've all been in that situation, where you're driving along not paying close attention, then all of a sudden your car plows into a speed bump, giving you the shock of your life. Although speed bumps are intended to deter drivers from going too quickly, sometimes doing so might harm a car. It is recommended practice to slow down and properly manage a speed bump or hump if you can see it coming. No matter how big your car is, avoid racing over speed bumps frequently. How speed bumps affect your car: They Ruin Your Shocks - Shock absorbers, commonly referred to as shocks, are used by cars to smooth out road imperfections. This explains why not every dip, rock, or bump your car encounters is felt by you. Shocks are regulator coils that respond to changes in the driving environment. However, a pothole can cause you to jump because shocks can't handle the sudden, abrupt drop in the road's surface. Speed bumps could be compared in this way. Your shocks can't quickly ab ... read more

What Does an Oil Filter Do?

What Does an Oil Filter Do?

  Whenever you bring your vehicle to German Motorworks for an oil change, our technicians will always replace the oil filter too. Many drivers tend to overlook this step of an oil change service, but it makes a world of difference. It is the most critical component in assisting the lubrication of the engine. In simple terms, this device cleans the oil to prevent wear and tear in your engine.  What Does an Oil Filter Do? Oil filters are pretty simple actually, but they can vary depending on the filter and brand you use. They can be found below or near the engine block. When motor oil runs through the engine, it picks up dirt, dust, sand, and other harmful particles that get mixed into the fluid. To reduce contamination, the oil filter collects the contaminants and lets clean oil flow into the engine. The filter plays a significant role in extending the life of your engine and improving its performance. When Should You Replace the Oil Filter? You should change the oil filte ... read more

Are Vehicle Pre-purchase Inspections Worth the Cost?

Are Vehicle Pre-purchase Inspections Worth the Cost?

Whether you're looking to buy a new or used car, purchasing a vehicle is one of the biggest investments you can make in your lifetime. A vehicle can add convenience, allowing you to move comfortably from one place to another. However, you shouldn't make your purchasing decision based on the face value of the automobile you intend to buy, especially if you're going for a used car. Pre-purchase inspections conducted by a trained automotive repair technician can help determine the safety and reliability of your vehicle before you've made the final decision. Below are more reasons why vehicle pre-purchase inspections are worth the cost. Pre-purchase Evaluations Provide a Clear Picture of a Car's Real Value Many car sellers set a higher asking price than a vehicle's actual worth. Fortunately, a pre-purchase inspection can help reach a fair price based on its current condition. With the help of a certified automotive repair service provider, you can assess differen ... read more

Why Does My Brake Pedal Feel Spongy?

Why Does My Brake Pedal Feel Spongy?

Your brakes could feel spongy for a number of reasons, or the brake pedal could move closer to the floor than usual. If you encounter one of these circumstances, make sure to have your car checked out right away by a dependable technician. Remember safety comes first. The Causes of a Spongy Brake Pedal There are a few different reasons why your brake pedal might feel spongy. Read on for some of the most common ones: Low or Outdated Brake Fluid The main component required to stop your car is brake fluid. But over time, brake fluid can deteriorate exactly like brake pads. Poor braking performance may therefore be brought on by aged brake fluid. It's also possible that you have a leak, which would make your fluid level low. In either case, have it examined! Brake Lines With Air One of the most frequent reasons for spongy brakes is this. The system becomes out of balance as a result of unevenly distributed hydraulic air pressure, which leads to a problem with soft brake pedaling ... read more

5 Signs Your Car Needs Clutch Repair

5 Signs Your Car Needs Clutch Repair

For those who are still rocking a vehicle with a manual transmission in 2022, kudos to you. Manual transmission vehicles are cool and run just as well as automatic transmissions. For many manual drivers, you know that your car has a clutch. This integral part of the car is not easy or cheap to replace, which is why you should repair it at the first signs of issues.    To put things in simpler terms, the clutch is a device that transfers the rotational power, or torque, from the engine to the wheels. It can be found near your other foot pedals, and it is only present in manual vehicles.  5 Signs of a Bad Clutch Soft Clutch - The clutch should naturally be firm. However, a loose clutch indicates that your clutch has worn and needs to be replaced.  High RPM with No Acceleration - When you get your vehicle in the correct gear and rev the engine, your car should naturally launch to its speed. But if your car can’t reach the same speed as it used to, it is a si ... read more

How Bad Driving Habits Can Hurt Your Vehicle

How Bad Driving Habits Can Hurt Your Vehicle

Accidents cause stress and property damage or loss to those involved. It results in medical bills and even death. The majority of vehicle accidents are often caused by the driver's actions rather than their knowledge of how to operate a vehicle. Therefore, highlighting the major causes of road accidents will go a long way to help drivers drive safely and keep their vehicles in good shape. Distracted focus while driving is one of the main reasons for accidents. This may be in the form of a driver receiving a phone call, text messages, taking eyes off the road ahead, staring at a billboard, eating, talking to passengers, or being absent-minded and taken over by emotions of anger due to a bad day. Switching off your phone and focusing while driving goes a long way to avoiding distractions. Tailgating another vehicle too closely behind is dangerous. This causes rear-end collisions if the vehicle in front hits the break or prompts emergency action. To avoid having to break too quickly ... read more

Starting Problems? Is it the Battery or the Alternator?

Starting Problems? Is it the Battery or the Alternator?

Starting a vehicle's engine and keeping it running involves three simple steps. Firstly, the battery delivers a current to the starter, which starts the car, prompting the alternator into action. The alternator charges the battery while the vehicle's running, completing the cycle. If your car won't start, the culprits could be the battery or alternator. Jump-starting it may help identify the cause of the problem. If the jump-start works, but your vehicle goes off shortly after, the alternator may not be charging the battery. If the car starts, but you have trouble starting it later using the battery's charge, it's a sign that the battery may be dead. Read on to discover the signs of a malfunctioning alternator or dead battery. Signs of a Malfunctioning Alternator Alternators can serve your automobile for approximately six to 10 years. If it malfunctions, it'll only be ... read more

What Can Cause Your Car to Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

What Can Cause Your Car to Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

Have you ever experienced unpleasant strong sulfur- or rotten egg-like smell when driving? In most cases, this issue results from a faulty exhaust system. The exhaust system's catalytic converter converts hydrogen sulfide into odorless sulfur dioxide. However, when your vehicle's exhaust or fuel system breaks down or one of its components, it can inhibit the conversion process, thus producing a rotten egg-like smell. With that said, here are the three common reasons your automobile smells like rotten eggs. Worn Out Fuel Filter or Failing Fuel Pressure Sensor The work of a fuel pressure sensor is regulating the use of fuel in an automobile. Therefore, when the fuel pressure regulator fails, there tends to be much clogging in the catalytic convertor with excess oil. This phenomenon prevents it from processing exhaust byproducts completely, thus exiting your car via the tailpipe and generating a rotten egg-like smell. These byproducts can also accumulate in excess within the ca ... read more

The Importance of Tire Rotations

The Importance of Tire Rotations

Tire rotation, what is it, and just how important is it? Tire rotation simply refers to the routine re-positioning of your vehicle's tires either from front to back or side to side. Tire Rotations Can Increase the Life of Your Vehicle's Tires! There is more than just one reason why regular tire rotation is good for your tires and is safer for your vehicle. Regular tire rotations help in maximizing your tires' tread life. How? Well, each of the four tire positions of your vehicle requires different efforts from each of the tires meaning that the wear on your vehicle's tires will differ from tire to tire. By routinely rotating the tires, you help even out the wear in the tires thus maximizing their life. Because new, deep tire tread is more susceptible to wearing unevenly, it is recommended that new tires be rotated by 5,000 miles. By keeping the tread depth on your tires more even, you help your tires keep more traction as well as handling. All of this will in turn ma ... read more

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