Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

When someone says you have a "blown" shock or strut they're saying that your shock/strut seals have leaked the internal fluid out that smooths the movement of the tires over bumps. This can cause the tire to not maintain contact with the road. In an emergency situation this can cause excess rolling to the side and increased stopping distance.  Basically if you have to swerve you could potentially roll over or if you have to slam on the brakes you may not stop as soon as you would like. This is more important than you think. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures,  Heather    

Your air filter is an important component to your car. It prevents dirt from getting into your engine damaging it. If it's dirty then it is restricting air flow which means that your engine is starving for air and it won't run as well or as efficiently as it should. It can also cause your engine to burn oil. Air filters should be changed when they are dirty, there is no timeline for this, it all depends on where you live and where you drive.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

An alignment is a suspension adjustment that effects the angles and direction that the tires are pointed. This can effect both handling and tire wear. Basically if you're vehicle is out of alignment then it's going to drive poorly and it can cause your tires to not wear properly and be damaged.  We can take care of your vehicle from top to bottom, bumper to bumper. We service all makes, models from domestic to Asian to European. Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures,  Heather

Your check engine light is a picture of an engine and when it comes on there is a problem with your engine or your transmission. It can come on due to a misfire, engine failure, a sensor, and it also monitors your transmission and drivetrain.  The maintenance light typically says "service engine soon" it's usually your reminder for your oil change. On some vehicles it also monitors the life of your fuel filter and other components too.  Give us a call and let us take care of you and your automotive needs.  Happy Adventures, Heather

Your vehicle could overheat from several reasons, one being that the water pump is no longer pumping antifreeze/coolant into your engine. It's called a water pump but it's really a coolant/antifreeze pump. It circulates the antifreeze/coolant from your engine and radiator keeping your engine at the proper temperature.   Give us a call and let us take care of you and your automotive needs.  Happy Adventures, Heather

The coolant or antifreeze that your vehicle uses depends on the year, make, model and engine of your vehicle. The purpose of coolant/antifreeze is to keep the engine cool under harsh operating conditions and also prevents damage in extreme cold conditions.  It also provides anti corrosion protection due to the many different types of metals that your engine is made up of.  Water is not coolant and should not be used as such. It should ONLY be used in emergency situations until you can get more coolant/antifreeze in your car.  Happy Adventures, Heather

A shifting issue with your transmission can be from low fluid, if your transmission is leaking fluid then the fluid would be low causing the transmission to not function properly due to low oil. The other reason could be an internal failure. There are also sensors that can fail or in some vehicles cables that break that could also contribute to the issue. The best way to know why it's doing what it's doing is to have it examined.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

Your brake fluid flows through your brake hydraulics from the brake master and slave cylinders or your ABS pump to the calipers and/or wheel cylinders. If your fluid is contaminated with debris that debris it can get plugged in the lines causing your brakes to not work properly. If you have excess moisture it can rust the internal components and cause the fluid to boil which would also prevent your brakes from working properly. A brake fluid service doesn't sound important, but it is an important safety item.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

When your heater isn't blowing hot it is typically an indication that you may have low coolant or you have a coolant hose that is plugged. When you don't have enough coolant in your engine, it will overheat, but it will also cause the thermostat to work overtime to keep your engine cool. When this happens it's not producing heat and your heater will not work.  Give us a call and let us take care of you and all of your automotive needs.  Happy Adventures, Heather

That depends on how much oil you are losing through the oil leak. If your engine doesn't have enough oil in it then yes it can "blow up". What happens is the engine seizes when the internal parts aren't lubricated and they stop rotating. If your engine has an oil leak the best thing for it is to have it repaired. Gaskets and seals wear out over time and they are a maintenance item. Unlike a tune up or transmission fluid service they don't have a mileage or timeline, when they're worn out they need replaced. Fortunately most gasket and seal replacements cost considerably less than a new engine.  Give us a call or request an appointment online and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather