Diagnostics

  • ABS Lit On Your Dashboard, Here Is What That Means!

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we’ve got every answer to your transmission questions and needs, and answers to a lot of things that fall outside of that realm as well. Today, we’re talking about the ABS light - an issue that plagues many modern drivers at some point or another.

  • AC Diagnostics

    A/C - Heat Control Panel in Vehicle

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we understand how important it is to have ice cold AC in your truck on a long, hot day. Whether you drive a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge diesel pickup, chances are you have a lot of cab to cool down, and a subpar AC just won’t cut it.

  • AC Diagnostics for Your Vehicle

    air conditioning in a car

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we understand how important it is to have ice cold AC in your truck on a long, hot day. Whether you drive a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge diesel pickup, chances are you have a lot of cab to cool down, and a subpar AC just won’t cut it.

  • Bad Alignment on Your Diesel?

    alighnment computer view

    Your truck’s alignment is an essential aspect of its reliability and ride quality. From South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, here’s what you should know about the alignment on your Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford diesel pickup, from symptoms to keep an eye on, to how it affects your vehicle.

  • Dash Light On? We Can Fix It

    dash light on

    Diagnostics are an important aspect of modern vehicle maintenance and repair. Your car or SUV is equipped with an array of computers and sensors which monitor your engine activity, and flag anything that isn’t operating as it should. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, we are experts in performance and luxury automobile repair - and when diagnosing the problem is sometimes the most difficult part of the process, an expert is what you need. For cars like Audi, Porsche, BMW, VW, MINI, and Subaru, selecting the right shop is key to correctly diagnosing and correcting any sort of malfunction.

  • Diagnosing a Bad Brake Master Cylinder

    mechanic working on brakes

    Your brake master cylinder is an integral part of your brake system. When one fails, some odd symptoms may arise, and it may be difficult to diagnose. Here’s some information to help you decide if yours has gone bad. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD we want you to know what to look out for so that you can be safely on the road.

  • Diagnosing Issues with Your Vehicle

    mechanic sitting in vehicle working on a screen

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we understand the importance of being on top of the latest in automotive technology. That’s why we invest heavily in top-notch diagnostic and programming equipment, and why we have technicians that know how to use it.

  • Diagnosing Issues with Your Vehicle

    technician running diagnostics

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we understand the importance of being on top of the latest in automotive technology. That’s why we invest heavily in top-notch diagnostic and programming equipment, and why we have technicians that know how to use it.

  • Diagnosing the Issues with Your Vehicle

    mechanic running diagnostics on a vehicle

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our technicians have a wide variety of top of the line tools and equipment available to diagnose and repair your vehicle. We utilize equipment at the forefront of technological innovation to best provide for the specific needs of your car.

  • Diagnosing Those Dash Lights

    check engine light

    Since the first automobile, vehicle electronics have become increasingly more complex with every passing era. In the modern-day, your car, truck, or SUV likely depends on an array of modules, sensors, and components that control every aspect of how your vehicle runs and drives. Here’s what you need to know about your vehicle’s electronics systems, from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown.

  • Even Your Fleet Needs Diagnostics

    computer under the hood of car

    While fleet trucks and vehicles tend to persist as some of the more simplistic vehicles on the road, the modernization and computerization of the automotive world has not left them untouched. These days, everything is equipped with computer systems, sensors, modules, and more. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our professional technicians have the knowledge, equipment, and ability necessary to provide the accurate and vital diagnostics required to keep your fleet on the road.

  • Everything you need to know about transmission sensors!

    Diagnostic Tablet on engine transmission sensor

    Our Middletown drivers have been experiencing issues with their transmissions and there are a few things that we here at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center feel are important to know so that you are more comfortable and confident if you are, indeed experiencing a transmission problem of any kind. First, if you drive a vehicle manufactured in the past few decades, there’s a good chance your transmission has a variety of sensors attached to it which monitors all kinds of things - fluid pressure, vehicle speed, temperature, air intake at the engine, and so on.  The first thing to check is your Transmission Sensor, which is a much more affordable fix than replacing your transmission!

  • Fuel Contamination - What's The Problem?

    fuel

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know that fuel contamination is one of the priciest and most problematic issues that may plague a diesel engine. There are a variety of issues that cause contamination in fuel. Knowing these issues will help drivers become aware of fuel contamination and hopefully prevent these issues. 

  • Have you checked your battery? If it looks like this - It's bad!

    corrosive battery in car image

    When you are having trouble with your car or truck starting and you open the hood up to take a peek to see this....you'll see what an overly corroded battery looks like. This happens naturally over time on vehicle battery terminals.  If you are like 99% of normal Middletown drivers, you don't check your oil or your battery so you don't keep an eye on the amount of corrosion that's building up on your car or truck battery.  Here at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center, we do and there are solvents that we can use here in the shop during a battery maintenance service that will help slow the corrosion process but nothing that can prevent it 100%. Way before it gets to this point, we will be suggesting you consider replacing the battery. 

  • If you see steam, pull over!

    Woman checking out under the hood where steam is coming from

    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.

  • Is it time to replace your engine?

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know it isn’t always easy deciding what to do next when it comes to major engine repairs. Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for - to help you make the best decision for your situation.

  • Leaky Injectors Need Your Attention

    Injector

    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.

  • Looks Like A Problem? YES!

    Lady with car hood up - steam rising

    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.

  • Noticing an Emergency on your Dashboard

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we have seen our fair share of preventable engine failures. Frequently, engine disaster could have been avoided if the driver had known beforehand what the warning lights or gauges on the dashboard indicated. While some dash lights are fairly benign, others indicate imminent trouble. This guide from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD will prepare you for the next time your vehicle shows you a warning you shouldn’t ignore.

  • Recognizing Flood Damage When Buying A Vehicle

    Unless you are confident in your abilities as an automotive mechanic, there is really only one rule when purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: don’t do it. Unfortunately, sometimes sellers aren’t particularly straight-forward with their used cars. Many will try to hide the fact that it’s been damaged by floodwaters at all or try to convince potential buyers that the car is in fact fine. “It has gone months with no issues” or “technically it is flood-damaged but” are two red flags, and while it isn’t impossible for a flood car to be fine, it’s altogether a good idea to stay away.
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