Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

A ball joint is a pivot point in the suspension that connects the wheel to the car and allows the tire to move up and down and left and right. When you have excess movement or to much movement it will cause premature tire wear and bad driveability. If you have a ball joint that has excess movement then it needs to be replaced as it is a safety concern.  Give us a call at 541-791-2886 and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

When a shock begins to leak it is not repairable. You have to replace the assembly. It is a sealed high pressure cartridge and when the seals deteriorate they begin to leak and that will cause poor handling, stability and stopping ability. Your shocks and struts should be replaced every 75,000 to 100,000 miles. Possibly sooner it really depends on you and your car.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

A tie rod is part of your steering linkage. It connects your steering gear or rack and pinion to the knuckle which is attached to your tire. When this worn out or has movement in it, it can cause tire wear, unstable steering and driving conditions.  Give us a call at 541-791-2886 and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

You probably have tire wear due to your alignment being out of specifications. To correct this you should have an alignment performed on your vehicle. This won't undo the wear you have but it will prevent more wear from happening in the future. You should have your alignment checked every 12 months, or anytime you may have hit debris in the road or a large pothole.  Give us a call at 541-791-2886 and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures,  Heather

On the other side of your brake rotor are wheel bearings. These allow your tires to have a smooth rotation and if they have excess movement it means the bearings have dried out and are falling apart internally. If they have movement in them then they need to be changed, or sometimes we can re-pack them. If there is too much play then it can cause your wheel to fall off.  Give us a call at 541-791-2886 and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures, Heather

If your engine gets hotter than it should it can "cook" your oil causing it to smell burnt. This typically only happens when your engine get much hotter than it should. If this happens you need to have your oil changed as soon as possible and to have your cooling system checked to see if it is functioning properly.  Give us a call at 541-791-2886 and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather 

This all depends on you and the amount of work that your vehicle needs. Most times vehicles are worth putting money into rather than getting a new car. If you're in the market for a new car and you're ready for that monthly payment along with all the maintenance to keep it in perfect condition then CONGRATULATIONS! If you're not then it might be worth looking into repairing what you already have. If you were to take the money that you need to invest into your vehicle, and went to purchase a different vehicle most likely you would just end up with another set of problems. This isn't always the case, but many times it is. If you've got questions and you wonder if your vehicle is worth investing in give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures, Heather

If your brakes are smoking then you most likely have a brake caliper that has seized and it causing drag on that side. If this is happening please pull over immediately. It's not likely but your brakes could catch on fire. Your caliper, rotor and pads will all need to be replaced to get you back on the road again.  Give us a call and let us take care of you.  Happy Adventures,  Heather

Changing the fluid in your transmission is just as important as changing the oil in your engine. It does not have to be done as frequently as it takes a specialized fluids. Your transmission should be serviced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. Servicing your transmission extends the life of your transmission and the life of your vehicle.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. Happy Adventures,  Heather

The weather's been much nicer the last few days, it's been warm enough that when I'm driving that I am turning on the air conditioner in my car. If your's isn't blowing cold there is a good chance that you have a leak in the air conditioning system that is letting the refrigerant leak out.  In order to find the leak, we have to perform a test and fill the system with a fluid that allows us to see where the leak is under a black light. At that point we will have the data that we need and we will be able to diagnose your problem properly and let you know what needs to be done to keep you chilly this summer.  Give us a call and let us take care of you. 541-791-2886 Happy Adventures, Heather