Once your transmission has been replaced and you’re shifting smoothly once more, you’ll probably want to keep it running smoothly. Here are some tips from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD to help keep you reliably on the road.

Trucks aren’t like cars...your average personal vehicle usually holds about 5 quarts of oil, and you are supposed to change it every 3-5k miles. However, the same logic doesn’t apply to large trucks. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know how important proper oil changes and diagnostics are to keep your truck on the road, for hundreds of thousands of miles. Here’s what you need to know:

Trucks aren’t like cars...your average personal vehicle usually holds about 5 quarts of oil, and you are supposed to change it every 3-5k miles. However, the same logic doesn’t apply to large trucks. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know how important proper oil changes and diagnostics are to keep your truck on the road, for hundreds of thousands of miles. Here’s what you need to know:

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we aim to keep your four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive car, truck, or SUV ready for anything. 4X4 systems are pretty low maintenance, but equally as important to maintain as your engine or transmission. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center our technicians have the tools and knowledge to help keep yours going strong.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we aim to keep your four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive car, truck, or SUV ready for anything. 4X4 systems are pretty low maintenance, but equally as important to maintain as your engine or transmission. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center our technicians have the tools and knowledge to help keep yours going strong.

Keeping your fuel system maintained will prevent premature parts failure and poor running conditions. Here at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center we have tips on the important aspects of diesel fuel system maintenance, to keep your diesel fleet trucks running smoothly - longer.

Air.Air in the system causes all kinds of issues, from hard starting, poor running conditions, or an engine that won’t run at all. If too much air gets in the system, the fuel pump won’t be able to deliver fuel, and the engine will stall, die, or fail to start.  Air enters the system via a leak or a bad seal - a deteriorated o-ring, worn component, faulty hose, or otherwise. Here we inspect your lines and connections to ensure they are in good shape and track down any leaks we notice air in the system.

Are you leaking oil? South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD can help. Oil leaks mess up your driveway and make a mess under the hood. It can also get pricey constantly having to fill the engine, not to mention inconvenient.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we see our fair share of damage that could’ve been prevented. Leaking injectors are one of the main ways a diesel engine can meet its demise - but the good news is, engine failure can be avoided, as long as the problem is taken care of.

Sometimes it is EASY to see if your car or truck needs to come into our shop for professional repairs! 
1.  You see steam rising from the engine!
2.  The Check Engine Light is on!
3.  The engine starts, but there is an odor that is not right.
4.  You hear grinding or thumping noises.

Keeping your fuel system maintained will prevent premature parts failure and poor running conditions. Here are some important aspects of diesel fuel system maintenance, to keep your fleet running smoothly. While your system and components should typically be serviced by a professional technician, there are some things you can be conscious of that will go a long way toward keeping your engine in good shape.

Correct fluid levels are essential to keeping your Ram, Ford, or Chevrolet diesel pickup on the road. Luckily, checking your coolant, oil, brake, and transmission fluid are easy to do, and will save you from a variety of issues down the road. Here’s what you should know about keeping the fluid levels in your truck maintained, from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD.

Nothing works if your transmission doesn't work!  Simply put you are going nowhere without it and it is the one thing that both car and truck drivers alike never think twice about until it really acts up or they have no power or simply don't move forward.  Most of us have a newer car or truck with an automatic transmission in it vs. a standard transmission so do not notice that it is slipping gears until the problem is really serious so the question is how do you get the most out of your transmission?  The obvious answer is to take care of your transmission with scheduled service per your owner's manual recommendation but we have put together a simple checklist for our Middletown drivers to help them become "transmission aware" as it were.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know the key to making your vehicle last; good maintenance. An overwhelming percentage of the problems we see, especially the really catastrophic ones, are a result of poor maintenance. While properly maintaining a vehicle can seem like a bit of a hassle, it is absolutely worth the payoff. Good maintenance is the only difference between a car that lasts 80,000 miles and a car that lasts 400,000 miles. Preventative maintenance and repair when a problem occurs are your two concerns, and both will keep your car on the road far longer if observed properly.

There’s a good chance you don’t know much about pistons or engine building, which is why you rely on the technicians at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD when your vehicle has a problem. However, there’s some practical information regarding modern engine design that helps you better care for your vehicle, and keep it going strong. Here are some important aspects of modern piston design, and what it means for you.

Don’t you hate it when potholes sneak up on you? There is a lot of money being spent on vehicle damage due to potholes. Do you know what parts of your car could receive the most damage? South Mountain Collision & Auto Center is the leader in Middletown, MD for the service and repair of automotive tires. We know the kind of damage that can be done, so if you suspect something is wrong with your car or truck, it’s always a good idea to stop by so we can take a quick look.

Your car’s radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used. This is where your car battery comes into play. The battery of your vehicle holds electrical energy while the car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you allow our team here at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center to perform proper maintenance, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

Whether you drive a Chevy, Ram, or Ford diesel pickup, South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD is here to make sure your truck stays up to the task for a long time to come.

The exhaust on your truck is an important series of components, that work together to ensure smooth, reliable operation. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we also know that exhaust systems are especially susceptible to damage and rust; pipes, mufflers, and other parts are exposed to hazards on the road, and to the environment. This situation, combined with caustic emissions and extreme heat, creates a perfect opportunity for problems to arise.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we see our fair share of warning lights and dashboard notifications. If your ABS light is illuminated, here’s what you need to know.