When driving around town, your vehicle's engine needs clean air to burn the fuel – and it needs a lot. In fact, a typical vehicle needs about 216,000 gallons of air for every tank of gas. All that air passes through a filter that catches the dust and dirt. Eventually, the filter gets completely full, and because the filter can only hold so much, dirt starts getting through. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we want to help you get the best air quality in your vehicle, but first, we want to explain the process of where this dirty air is going. 

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we understand how vital solid battery power is to a truck driver. A dead or weak battery isn’t a big deal in a passenger vehicle; in a commercial truck, missed deadlines, incomplete jobs, insufficient equipment, and inconvenient situations are all consequences of a less than adequate battery.

“Tire rotation” is a term you hear frequently in the realm of vehicle maintenance, but what does it actually mean? How often should you have it done? South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown has the answers you’re looking for.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, efficiency is a concept that interests us. While your fuel economy is largely dependent on what kind of car, truck, or SUV you drive, there are a variety of tips and tricks to get the most bang for your buck. We’ve provided a few of our favorites here.

The fuel system is an integral aspect of any combustion engine, but it’s particularly important on diesel trucks. Your Ford, Dodge, or Chevrolet pickup requires a perfectly functioning fuel system, devoid of buildup, leaks, and debris, to provide you with the most powerful and efficient engine performance possible. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we understand that fuel system flushing is an essential process in maintaining a properly functioning engine.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we understand that safety and driving comfort are largely dependent on truck maintenance. Driving in the rain can be a hassle, especially if your vehicle isn’t prepared.

Ride quality is an essential part of your driving experience. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we strive to keep your car, truck, or SUV as smooth and comfortable to drive as the day it came off the lot. Your shock absorbers play a huge role in ride quality; here’s what you should know.

Transmission fluid leaks can often be a pain to track down. If you have a leaky transmission, South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD has some information for you on what you can expect. We’ve repaired countless leaky transmissions, and now we’re here to share some of our knowledge with you.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our main goal is to keep your car, truck, or SUV always performing at its best. Valve adjustments are an integral aspect of that goal.

The operation of your transmission depends on your hydraulics. Even if that sounds like a foreign language to you, at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we speak the automotive language. We want you to understand what we're talking about, so here are the basics of the hydraulic functions behind your transmission.

If you drive a vehicle with more than a few miles on it, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed an occasional drip underneath it that leaves spots wherever you park. Identifying what is leaking from your car will help you determine whether or not it’s a cause for concern, and what to do about it.

There are seven liquids a car can possibly drip: oil, gas, brake fluid, transmission fluid, gear oil, water, and coolant. How do you tell the difference? This article aims to help your know-how.

Repairs are costly and we all want to avoid them including our team here at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center!  It's our job and we take it seriously.  Here, it is all about keeping your car or truck serviced and looking for problems "before" they happen to avoid those high repair costs and ensuring you avoid any breakdowns when it's hot outside or cold outside as either is a problem for our Middletown drivers!  Nobody can forsee a flat tire or blowout due to running over a nail, but we can avoid some of the regular issues we see all the time such as....

If you own or operate a fleet or commercial truck, you know it’s hard to keep everything working perfectly all the time. You have to choose what types of maintenance to give priority to, and what can wait. However, some small problems are indicators that a bigger issue is on the way. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our goal is to keep your fleet going.

Something will go wrong with your car, truck, or SUV eventually. The important thing is knowing what to do, and how to deal with it. Just knowing what to do in a situation often means the difference between a quick repair and thousands of dollars worth of work. If you see steam coming from under the hood, it’s important to deal with it appropriately and quickly. Here’s what’s going on, and what to do, from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD.

The time to know if your brakes are going bad is NOT when you go to stop at that red light or on the parkway when someone suddenly swerves in front of you.  It's not always "just" brake pads either, your brake master cylinder could be an issue. How do you recognize the signs that you have a real problem with your brake master cylinder and just what is it?   Here atSouth Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD we not only have the answers, but we also put together a service schedule for you and keep an eye on issues based on your driving habits, vehicle type and your description of issues you are having.  We treat your car, truck or SUV as if it were ours keeping you informed of issues we find so you can get them fixed "before" there are larger repair bills so you can keep your vehicle Newer - Longer!   Below is everything you need to look for and tips on your brake master cylinder.

Exhaust systems are one of the most neglected aspects of most vehicles. Exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are exposed to heat, emissions, and road damage. While your exhaust system is fairly simple and straightforward, these conditions mean it is inherently prone to rust and damage. As a result, this system is often one of the first systems you will have trouble with on your car.

Sometimes, it’s obvious when you need new brakes and sometimes it isn’t. Knowing what to look for and what causes issues will help keep you safe and remind you of when you should get your brakes checked out. Here are some symptoms of bad brakes, and what causes the issue from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD.

“Water pump” is a term you’ve most likely heard in conversations about vehicles. But what is it, what does it actually do, and how do you know if you need a new one? At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we know the answers to these questions, and soon you will too.

Exhaust systems are one of the most neglected aspects of most vehicles. Exhaust pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are exposed to heat, emissions, and road damage. While your exhaust system is fairly simple and straightforward, these conditions mean it is inherently prone to rust and damage. As a result, this system is often one of the first systems you will have trouble within your car.

We know you’re busy. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we also know that while there are certain issues with your car, truck, or SUV you can ignore for a while, some of them shouldn’t wait. While serious issues are often obvious, sometimes they aren’t - ball joints are one such case.