Tangent and Albany Auto Repair

Diesel pickups typically have two batteries because they have much higher compression which makes them more difficult to turn over. When it is time to replace batteries both of the batteries should be replaced at the same time even if one is still testing good. When they are a matched pair they will have a longer life, when they are unmatched it causes strain on the charging system and one battery will always be working harder

This is something that we hear often, that the car is getting old or worn out since it's getting a few miles on it. W always tell people that 100,000 is just getting broke in. If you're ready for a new car because you have the budget or that you just really want a new one then that's great, but if it is reliability that you're worried about you shouldn't be. If you have done all of your scheduled maintenance and you take good care of your vehicle then it should last you for many more miles.    Happy Adventures Heather

The count down is officially on at my house for back to school. We don't start until 7 days out and that was officially yesterday. Now I will miss my kids, but really I work all day and I don't get to see them so they might as well go to school and learn something. I say this like I have to drag my kids to go back to school, but they are ready too. We don't live in town and that means they don't get to see friends as often as they would like and they are ready to see someone other than a sibling for sure.  With the start of back to school is also the start of fall sports in my house, now they've been practicing for a few weeks now, but our first game is on tuesday. That just means more going and miles on the road. I love watching my son play so every mile is worth it. It just means I need to make sure my car is in good shape so I can get to all those games.  Are you a sports parent too? If so you know how much fun it is to watch your kid play something t ... read more

  We had this question the other day and I thought wow that is an awesome question. Most people just assume that it's just a good thing to have and really and that it is updated technology.   I found this picture on-line and I thought it was the perfect way to describe the difference between the two.   Without ABS in a hard braking situation you could slide and then possibly lose control of your vehicle. If you have ABS then your brakes will pulsate in a hard brake and allow you to remain in control of your vehicle.   Most vehicles are now equipped with ABS as a standard feature. For those looking for a classic or older model car this is something that you should ask about.     Happy Adventures Heather

The fact of the matter is your cars a/c system is a sealed unit.  The E.P.A. has mandated that automotive a/c should not leak freon/refrigerant into the air. If you are adding to your cars a/c system there is a leak that should be found and repaired. Some leaks are large and very easy to find, while others can be very small and very difficult to find. We have very expensive leak detectors that help us find those small leaks, even with these tools we sometimes can’t find it and we will fill the system with a dye and ask you to come back for a recheck in a week or two. The whole point of an a/c system is to keep you cool on your adventures and not that the breeze doesn't feel great, but with all this smoke in the air I would rather not. Happy Adventures Heather

School has already started for some kids and others still have a couple weeks to go.  In honor of that school starting, here is some friendly reminders. With children heading back to school, we wanted to share these safety reminders with you. 1. Watch your speed in school zones! Be aware that school zone speed limits may vary in hours and speeds. Be sure to follow the posted limits. 2. Slow down in residential areas. Watch for children crossing the street and congregating near bus stops. 3. Do not pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children. Traffic in both directions on undivided highways must stop when students are entering or exiting a school bus (the red flashing lights and extended stop sign arms are your cue to stop). On a divided roadway, all traffic behind the school bus must stop. 4. Be alert! The area 10 feet around a school bus is where children are in the most danger of being hit. Children walking to and from their bus are usually very comfortable wit ... read more

Steering and brakes are the two most important safety components of your vehicle, not that being able to drive and move isn't important, but if you can't steer or stop then that becomes a problem very quickly and we all want to be safe out there on the road. Modern vehicles come with disc brake pads for the front braking system. These consist of a brake pad, brake rotor and a caliper. It works by the caliper squeezing the pad onto the rotor and that is how you stop. Over time the pad material wears and has to be replaced. The brake rotor will also have to be replaced when they are worn. Brake calipers unless they begin to stick or seize are not a item that typically has to be replaced.  For rear there are two options one is the disc brake pads and the other is brake shoes. The disc brake pads are the same as the front with the same components. The brake shoes are part of a drum system and they usually wear at a slower rate.  The same components are used on cars, pi ... read more

HAir filters are important to the health of your vehicle's engine, the air that flows into the engine goes through the air filter first and when your air filter is dirty or clogged that means that your engine is being starved for air. It should be changed before it ever gets to that point to keep your vehicle running at it's best. We advise for the engine air filter to be changed based on condition. Some vehicles have a cabin air filter too, these filters are for the air that you breath in the car. We advise that your filter should be changed between 15,000 and 20,000 miles and some of that depends on the places that you go, if you smoke in your car then we advise it to be changed every 10,000 miles.  Happy Adventures Heather

The other day while I was in town with my youngest he saw a car and pointed it out and asked what was wrong with it. I told him it was smoking and that it looked like they had it under control as there were plenty of people around the car. He told me that it shouldn't do that it's not good for it, and I agreed immediately.   If your car is smoking you should have it looked at as soon as possible. If you're having issues give us a call and we will make sure you're safe to be out on the road.   We don't just do repairs we can take care of all your maintenance needs from oil changes, tune ups, brakes, belts, water pumps, air conditioning, alignments, suspension and more.   Happy Adventures, Heather

Your check engine light can come on for so many reasons - sometimes it's as simple as a loose gas cap and other times if not addressed can cause engine damage. The best way to know what is going on is to take it in and have it checked . It happens to all of us. The picture is of my check engine light that came on just a few weeks ago. It was for the knock sensor which is a common failure on my car. I had them replaced and now it's running beautiful again.   Give us a call and we'll make sure you keep going to where you're headed.   Happy Adventures Heather