Vehicle Maintenance

  • Extending the Life of Your Engine

    Mechanic taking apart of an engine out from under the hood

    An engine can last anywhere from 50 to 500,000 miles depending mostly on how well you maintain it. While some engines are certainly more reliable than others, all of them depend on maintenance to fulfill their greatest potential. South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD has provided for you some of the determining factors of engine lifespan, to help you make sure your engine lasts as long as it possibly can.

  • External Components - Making Your Manual Transmission Work

    gear shift on a vehicle

    There are many parts and systems outside of the car’s transmission that is equally as important as the parts and systems inside the transmission. Without them, the transmission won’t do much. There’s no way to transfer power from the engine to the shafts, disengage it to shift the gears, or power the differential without them. Just in case you need us, at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we can help keep your transmission in top shape, but here’s what you need to know.

  • Feels Like Trouble (Is your vehicle driving right?)

    Nobody knows your vehicle better than you; if you suspect it isn’t driving the way it used to, there’s a good chance you’re correct. The truth of the matter is there are countless reasons and remedies for such a broad subject, but South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD has compiled a list of a few common problems that can cause a vehicle to drive poorly.

  • Fuel System Cleaning - What's In It For Me?

    fuel tank on dash board lit up on E

    Obviously, the dirtier your fuel system is, the bigger the improvement you will see in performance and fuel economy after a fuel system cleaning. But it is important not to wait until your system is running poorly. If you do, by the time you get a cleaning, you’ve wasted hundreds of dollars in gas or even possibly damaged your fuel injectors and catalytic converter.

  • Get a Grip on Tire Conditions

    Tread of Tire

    What condition are your tires in? At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we want to make sure you can tell. A simple visual inspection is all you need - it’s easy if you know what to look for.

  • Have You Changed Your Oil Lately?

    Oil being poured into a diesel vehicle

    If you drive a Dodge, Chevy, or Ford diesel pickup, you know the amount of hard work your truck puts in. You may also be aware that diesels run a little dirtier than your average gas burner. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our goal is to keep your Duramax, Cummins, or Powerstroke truck on the road for many miles to come. A huge part of that is keeping your oil maintained.

  • Hints Your Transmission Is Failing

    transmission in car

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know that transmissions are witchcraft to most people. More often than not, if major damage has occurred, it’s a lot more time and cost-effective to just replace the entire unit and get a fresh start. Our trained technicians at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center want to keep you informed so you are aware of what to look out for.

  • How Critical Are Belts On Your Vehicle?

    drive belt

    Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.

  • How Do I Choose the Right Repair Shop?

    Mechanic working on car and smiling

    There are many factors that go into making South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD a repair shop that’s above the rest.

  • How Do I Fix My Manual Transmission Problem?

    mechanic working on car

    Manual transmissions are generally more reliable than automatic transmissions. They don’t have as many parts, aren’t as complex, and can take a lot more abuse. However, if an issue is allowed to persist, more and more damage to surrounding components on your manual transmission will occur. South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD can help you take care of your car as soon as you notice a problem.

  • How Do You Know When to Get a Tire Rotation & Wheel Balancing?

    Tire in automotive shop

    The interval for the tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles. So why do tires need to be rotated and how do you know when the right time is for your vehicle?

  • How Do You Maintain Your Engine?

    man working on car with hood up

    No matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive, maintenance is the key to giving your engine a long life. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we focus on keeping your engine running strong.

  • How is the Air Quality in Your Vehicle?

    technician holding a clean and dirty air filter comparison in the front seat of a car

    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. 

  • How Low Is Too Low - Let's Talk About Your Fuel Gauge

    gas pump putting fuel into vehicle

    If you drive a car, truck, or SUV that runs on gasoline, there's a good chance you’ve run it low on fuel a few times (or more than a few times,) and maybe even run out of gas completely a time or two. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we like to provide information applicable to you. Running a vehicle low on fuel is something we’re all guilty of, and most of us don’t think twice about it. But, can it be bad for your car?

  • How Often Should You Have Your Truck Maintenanced?

    At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we know there’s a lot of conflict on when you should maintain certain things on your truck. We also know there are consequences to neglecting maintenance; the difference between a truck that breaks down all the time and a truck that has covered over a million miles virtually trouble-free all boils down to maintenance.

  • How Potholes Damage Your Vehicle

    technician inspecting the tire and rim

    Hitting a pothole always hurts - you may not be sure exactly what happens when you hit a pothole, but you can tell it’s not good for your car, truck, or SUV. Here are issues caused by potholes, and what to watch out for if you hit a really rough one, from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD.

  • How to Improve The Longevity of Your Tires

    tread on a tire

    Everyone knows to get routine tire care every so often. Tire rotations, alignments, and even replacements are necessary to ensure your tires stay in competent condition and don’t pose any harm when you’re driving. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center, it’s important to us that your tires perform well and are safe to be on the road. Routine maintenance is sometimes not enough to get the most out of your tires. Here are just a few tips and steps to extending the lifespan of your tires, so they can continue to take you wherever you need for as long as you need.

  • How to Keep Your Older Vehicle in The Best Shape!

    Tail lights on bumper of older car

    As your vehicle ages, it not only gains sentimental value but a number of maintenance measures arise as well. Vehicles from previous decades have the potential to keep their value and functionality for many years. But how can you make that possible? Here are some tips from South Mountain Collision & Auto Center to keep your older vehicle running and on the road for a long time!

  • How to Maintain your 4X4

    4X4 vehicle in desert

    Is your Cummins, Powerstroke, or Duramax diesel a four-wheel drive? At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, our goal is to help you maintain your four-wheel drive so that it can last you for years to come. Our professional technicians at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center are here to make sure your truck stays ready for anything.

  • How to Reduce Your Vehicle Maintenance Costs

    Man working under the hood of his vehicle

    If you want to avoid nasty and unexpected surprise maintenance costs, sticking to a regimented schedule of preventative maintenance is something you are going to want to get used to. The reason being is simple – frequent maintenance will keep your vehicle in good health, ensuring you get the most out of all those expensive-to-replace parts. While it might sound counterintuitive, the best way to reduce maintenance costs is to stick to a prescribed maintenance schedule.

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