Automotive News & Information - South Mountain Collision & Auto Center

Changing the oil in big trucks and commercial vehicles is an expensive, but necessary, part of keeping your vehicles going. You don’t want to wait until it’s too late to change your oil, but changing it too early can be a waste of time and money. Having your oil tested regularly helps us to hone in on exactly how often your oil needs to be changed, to optimize reliability and efficiency.

The climate control system in your car works hard to keep you at a comfortable temperature. If you’re having heater issues, trust the performance car specialists with us at South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD to get you comfortably back on the road.

U-joints are a small, simple component - in fact, they have changed much since the very first automobiles. However, on any vehicle with a driveshaft, its ability to move depends entirely on the u-joint being there. You’ll often hear “maybe it’s the u-joints” as a solution offered for problems with a vehicle - but what are they, what do they do, and how do you know if yours is bad? South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD has the answers.

At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we’re all for additions that make your trucks last longer and work better. Here’s some info on the benefits of undercoating, and why you might want to consider it for your truck.

When you think about diesel engines, you probably think about large trucks and machinery, and maybe a few oddball cars over the years. But how long has diesel really been around, and why is it used the way it is today? South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD has the answers you need to become more in-tune with your diesel truck and engine.

If you drive a lightweight car, truck, or SUV, the torque converter you have installed is probably just fine. For those of you with more heavy duty applications, like high horsepower setups or towing rigs, the stock converter may not be enough. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we can help with that.

Failed engine mounts are an irritating issue to live with causing your car or truck to vibrate and you don't know why. At South Mountain Collision & Auto Center in Middletown, MD, we can help, no matter what type of car, truck, or SUV you drive and it is an easy issue to detect on a test drive.

There are a few indicators your engine mounts need to be replaced. For one, you can do a visual inspection, if they’re accessible enough - if they looked cracked, smashed, or dry-rotted, it’s probably time for new ones. If the engine visibly shakes while it’s running, engine mounts are also likely the culprit. However, if you are like most drivers you simply get in and drive on down the road until something is different or a light comes on! Then you call our shop for help!

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!