Morgan Automotive Repair

One of the most common car issues that vehicle owners encounter during the summer months is their car overheating. An overheating vehicle can be extremely problematic and can lead to extensive and costly car repairs being needed. As such, it is important to learn more about why cars overheat, the signs that your car is overheating, and what you should do if your car is overheating. Here are a few frequently asked questions about overheating and automobiles along with the answers. 

Why Do Cars Overheat? 

When a car is overheating, it is because the engine has gotten too hot. There are a number of reasons why this may happen. The most common reasons include radiator problems, issues related to the car’s cooling system, a broken water pump, a clogged coolant hose, low oil levels, a bad thermostat or problems with the heater core. An auto repair shop can inspect a vehicle that is overheating and determine the exact reason why your car may be getting too hot. 

How Do You Know If  Your Car is Overheating? 

The easiest way to tell if your car is overheating is to keep an eye on your temperature gauge. The temperature gauge has a "C" at the bottom for cool and an "H" at the top for hot. When you first turn your car on, it will likely stay around the "C" or bottom of the gauge until the car warms up. Once the car is warm, the indicator or arrow should be around the middle of the gauge. If the arrow starts to hit the upper 75 percent of the gauge or higher, your car is getting too warm and is starting to overheat. If you continue to drive your car when it is overheating, you may notice steam coming from the front of your car. This is an indication that the car has overheated. 

What Should You Do If Your Car is Overheating? 

If your car is starting to get too warm, you should immediately turn off the air conditioning system. Roll down your windows and turn on your heater to full blast, allowing the hot air to escape your engine area. If the car does not start to cool down or only gets hotter, you will need to pull over when it is safe to do so and shut your car off. You should not drive your car until you get the problem repaired. 

You should not drive a car that is overheating. You can cause major problems to the engine if you do so, and unfortunately, engine repairs can be pricey. If your car is overheating, you should tow your vehicle to a car repair shop to get it assessed and repaired. At Morgan Auto Repair, with locations in Tracy, Manteca, and Stockton and a Sacramento location coming soon, we can assist with all of your car-related problems, including an automobile that is overheating. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment to bring your car in for repairs. 

It can get hot in Northern California during the summer months. As such, you likely rely on your car’s air conditioning system to keep you comfortable when you are going from one location to another. One of the components that help the air conditioning system operate is the air conditioner compressor. A compressor should last about 10 to 15 years but may have a reduced lifespan if you use your air conditioning system frequently. If your air compressor is going bad, you need to take your vehicle to an auto repair shop to have it replaced. Here are a few of the signs that the compressor may be nearing the end of its lifespan. 

You Hear Strange Sounds When You Turn on the Air

One of the signs that your car may give you if the air conditioner compressor is nearing the end of its lifespan is strange noises when you turn on your air conditioner. The compressor is made up of different parts, so you may hear different noises coming from the unit. The most common noises people hear are screeching or squealing, but you may also hear squeaking, grinding, or hissing sounds. 

You See Fluid Leaking Under Your Car When Running the Air

If your car’s air conditioner compressor is at or near the end of its lifespan, it may start to leak. As such, you may notice a puddle of fluid under your car after you have been running the air conditioning unit. It is important to note that your car can leak a small amount of condensation when the air conditioning unit is operating, so small amounts of water should not be a concern. However, you should be concerned about car fluids under your car. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell if the leak is caused by the compressor or a different part of your car, so you should always have a car repair shop check your vehicle out if you notice any leaks. 

You Notice Reduced Air Flow When Your Air Conditioner is Running

If your air conditioning compressor is going bad, you may notice that there is less air blowing out of your vents than normal when you run the air conditioning unit. This can be caused by many problems, including air filter issues. So this problem should be inspected by an auto repair shop to determine if the problem is the compressor or something else. 

Your Air Conditioner is Blowing Hot Air

Finally, if your car’s compressor has actually gone bad, the car will not blow cold air. Instead, the air coming from your vents will be hot. Once again, there are many reasons your car may blow hot air, such as low refrigerant levels or a bad air conditioner compressor. A mechanic should be consulted to determine the reason you have no cold air when you operate your car’s air conditioning unit. 

If your car’s air conditioning system is not keeping you cool, you should take your vehicle to a car repair shop, such as us here at Morgan Auto Repair. We can help you determine if the compressor or another part is going bad and repair the problem so cool air starts to flow through your vehicle again. Schedule an appointment at our Tracy, Manteca, or Stockton location today. 

If you are looking for a car repair shop to maintain and care for your automobile, one of the things that you should look for is whether the shop hires ASE certified technicians. Unfortunately, many people have no idea what an ASE certified technician is and why they should look for this when searching for an auto repair shop. Here are a few of the questions that you may have pertaining to ASE certified technicians and the answers. 

What Is an ASE Certified Technician? 

An ASE certified technician is an auto repair technician who has fulfilled the work requirements and has passed testing with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Upon completing the work requirements and passing the test, the technician is deemed to be a certified technician. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is a non-profit company that works hard to provide a consistent standard for auto technicians, so consumers know that a technician has the skills and experience to work for an auto repair shop. 

Why Should You Look for An ASE Certified Technician When You Need Car Repair? 

While a car repair shop mechanic is not required to obtain an ASE certificate in order to work, the top repair shops in the country only hire ASE certified technicians. This is because these mechanics have demonstrated that they have the skills and expertise to complete maintenance and repair work. As a consumer, you should look to work only with ASE certified technicians as this is only of the only means of gathering insight about a mechanic before hiring them. You know the technician has had to demonstrate a high level of automobile repair knowledge to obtain certification. Mechanics also have to retest for the certification every five years, so this helps to prove that a technician is staying on top of new trends and repair methods as well. 

How Can You Determine if a Technician is an ASE Certified Technician? 

There are a few different ways that you can determine if a technician is an ASE certified technician. First off, you can find out if the business is part of the ASE Blue Seal Program. This is a program that businesses apply for to show that they use ASE certified technicians. If a company is part of the ASE Blue Seal Program, it will likely have this information displayed on the door or on its wall. In addition to this, you can ask a specific employee if they are an ASE certified technician. If they are, they will have a certificate naming them as a certified technician. This certificate lasts for five years before the mechanic has to reapply and retest for recertification. 

Here at  Morgan Auto Repair, we are proud to employ ASE certified technicians. When you are in need of car repair, our technicians can help you. Visit our website to request an appointment at either our Tracy, Manteca or Stockton location. Or, if you prefer, you can call us to set up a service or repair appointment. 

 

 

When you are in need of a car repair, one of the decisions you may be faced with is making the auto repair on your own or bringing your car to a car repair shop. Thanks to the Internet, it is easier than ever to find videos and tutorials that can help guide you as you work to make repairs to your own vehicle. However, while you can find these tutorials, there are still many benefits associated with bringing your car to an auto repair shop instead of making the repairs yourself. Here are some of those benefits.  

You Maintain a Factory or Dealership Warranty

If you have a warranty on your vehicle, either from the factory itself or from the dealership you purchased the car from, one of the conditions of the warranty is that you have to have auto maintenance and repairs completed by a licensed technician. While you do not have to use the dealership you bought the car from, you will have to show that the shop you took your vehicle to was licensed and the technicians were certified. As such, you can void the warranty by attempting to do any maintenance or repairs yourself, including basic oil changes. 

You Ensure the Work is Done Properly

Another benefit associated with utilizing an auto repair shop for your vehicle’s maintenance and repair needs is that you ensure the work is done properly. Unless you are a trained mechanic, you can easily make a mistake when making repairs yourself. Something as simple as using the wrong fluid, forgetting to replace a cap, or not tightening a screw or bolt can be damaging to your car. And unfortunately, if a mistake is made, it may not only damage the part you were repairing. It can cause additional damage which can increase the overall time and costs to repair your vehicle. 

You May Actually Save Money

The final benefit of using an auto repair shop for maintenance and repairs is that you may actually save money. One of the biggest misconceptions is that you save a lot of money making repairs yourself. The average person does not have the right tools and equipment to make repairs to their vehicle. As such, they have to not only purchase the parts for the repairs they need, but the tools and equipment as well. By the time you purchase specialized equipment and expensive replacement parts, you may spend more trying to make the repairs than you would have if you took your car to a mechanic. 

There are many benefits associated with bringing your vehicle to a car repair shop when it needs maintenance work or repairs. If your car is due to be serviced or needs auto repair, Morgan Auto Repair can help. We have three convenient Central Valley locations, in Tracy, Manteca and Stockton. Call one of our locations today to schedule an appointment to have your car serviced or repaired. 

If your automobile is in need of a car repair, it may provide you with many signs that something is not quite right. One of the signs that your car may give you is unusual or abnormal sounds. While you should also take notice if you hear any unusual sounds coming from your car, some sounds are more pressing than other sounds. Bring your vehicle to a car repair shop promptly if you hear any of the noises below.  

Squealing From Under the Hood or From Your Tires When Coming To a Stop

If you hear squealing coming from your vehicle, you should try to listen to where the squealing sound is coming from. If the squealing sound is only present when you are coming to a stop, chances are, your brakes are letting you know that they need to be replaced. If your brake pads are not replaced timely, the squealing may turn into screeching or grinding, letting you know that your brake repairs are past due. 

If you hear squealing coming from the front of your car, chances are, you have a belt that is loose or worn. This may be a fan belt, serpentine belt or timing belt. If the belt comes loose or breaks, you may find yourself stranded on the side of the road. 

Hissing Noises From Under the Hood or the Back of Your Car  

Hissing is not a sound you want to hear coming from your car. Hissing typically occurs under the hood of the car. Hissing can be caused by a leak in tubing that allows air to leak out. Hissing can also be caused by a fluid leak. If oil, coolant or other fluids leak out of your car and onto a hot part, you may hear a sizzling or hissing sound. 

Hissing noises may also be heard coming from the back of your car. The most common reason you would hear hissing from the back of your car is due to leaks within the exhaust system. This is not an emergency, but it can cause your car to run rough and possibly fail a smog test. 

Banging or Clanking From Under the Hood, Under the Car or From Your Tires

The final car sound that you should never ignore is banging, clanking or knocking sounds. If you hear banging or knocking from under the hood, you may have an engine problem. You should pull over and have your car towed to a car repair shop if this problem is present. 

You may also hear banging or clanking coming from under your car. This is indicative of problems with the tie bar, sway bar or ball joints. These issues will need to be repaired timely, or they may negatively affect steering control. 

Lastly, if you hear banging or clanking coming from your tires, you may have tire problems. You may hear banging or clanking if a tire is worn, misaligned, or going flat. You may also hear clanking or knocking if the wheel bearings on your wheel assembly are going bad. You should bring your car to an auto repair shop or tire repair shop to have your tires inspected. 

If you hear squealing noises, hissing noises, or banging or clanking noises coming from your car, your car is likely in need of auto repair. Bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop, such as us here at Morgan Auto Repair. We can inspect your vehicle, determine what is causing the noise, and make the needed repairs to ensure your car safely and quietly gets you where you need to go. 

When you purchase a new vehicle, it may come with a warranty that covers specific parts against early wear or malfunction. If your vehicle is under warranty, you may find yourself wondering if you have to have the vehicle serviced by a direct dealership. For example, if you bought a new Toyota, you may wonder if the vehicle needs to be serviced at a Toyota dealership or if you can bring your vehicle to your preferred auto repair shop. Here is what you need to know about this topic. 

The Simple Answer Is No

According to the law, you are not required to use a specific auto repair shop to maintain or repair your vehicle in order to keep a warranty valid. This means that you can decide to use the dealership for maintenance or repairs or you can use a car repair shop of your choosing for maintenance and repairs. The benefit to having work done at the dealership is that they can tell you what the manufacturer recommends for your vehicle and can track that information so there will be no disputes pertaining to your warranty. 

The Exceptions to Having a Warranty Voided

While your warranty cannot simply be voided because you had work done outside of a direct dealership, your warranty can be voided if you cannot prove to the manufacturer or dealership that offered the warranty that you have stayed up to date on routine maintenance or repairs. Your warranty can also be voided if the auto repair shop you selected was not licensed or if the auto dealership that you selected damaged your car during the course of performing routine repairs or maintenance. 

How to Document That You Had Work Done

In order to ensure that your warranty is not voided, you need to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance and repairs. For example, if the manufacturer recommends that you have oil changes every 5,000 miles, you need to be able to show that you had those oil changes performed. When you have work done outside of a dealership, you need to keep both the receipts and the work orders to show what work was done. This is the best way to protect yourself and ensure that your warranty cannot be voided. 

If you are looking to have routine car maintenance performed or need a car repair, Morgan Automotive Repair is here to help you. Call us today to schedule an appointment with either our Tracy, Manteca, or Stockton car repair shop.