Yearly Archives: 2020

IS YOUR BATTERY READY FOR WINTER?

IS YOUR BATTERY READY FOR WINTER?

As the cold weather approaches fast for us in Wisconsin everyone is hoping their car will start! Winter weather put more stress on your battery, especially if the vehicle is kept outdoors in the cold elements. Avoid that feeling of hearing nothing when you turn the key in your ignition by bringing your vehicle into our shop for us to check the battery and charging system now. The battery serves a few major purposes for one’s vehicle. The battery stores electricity to start the vehicle, keeps your vehicle running, and powers all of the electrical components. For example, the battery produces power and communicates with the starter, which then interacts with the engine. When the starter communicates the power from the battery to the engine it allows the vehicle to “crank” or “turn over.” After the vehicle is started, which takes a lot of power, the alternator takes over.  The alternator is what keeps your engine running and the also what maintains the ... read more

Categories:

Battery

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF PUTTING THE BRAKES ON BREAST CANCER!

Throughout October automotive repair shops across the country are looking to end breast cancer with a unique fundraising campaign. During the Month of October, Bob’s Main Street Auto & Towing in West Bend, WI and hundreds of Independent Auto Repair Shops across the US are raising funds for a breast cancer vaccine as part of the Brakes for Breast fundraiser. As part of the fundraiser, the auto repair facilities are giving away FREE (quality) brake pads or shoes. The customer simply pays the labor and any other ancillary parts necessary to complete the brake job and the shops then donate 10% of the brake job directly to Dr. Vincent Tuohy & the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund. 100% of what we donate goes directly to research! Celebrating our 10th year and $1,000,000.00!2020 marks the tenth year for the Brakes For Breasts fundraiser. 2011 Our 1st year – 5 shops in Ohio raised $10,000 2012 Our 2nd year – 27 shops in 17 states ... read more

Categories:

Brakes

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAR CARE FOR YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT!

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAR CARE FOR YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT!

As it is that time of year again, and you’re getting ready to send your children off to college, one thing to keep in mind is the safety of their vehicle. We all know some of them choose a school that is pretty distant from home, which means long trips that are far from home. All of us hope that they are able to get to their destinations as safe as possible and the first step to make it reality is to check over the vehicle. To start, the first thing to check is the engine oil level. This is the most basic maintenance item to check off the list.  The engine oil level is very important because having little to no oil can cause extreme engine damage. All cars need the required amount of oil to keep the moving parts lubricated and to keep engine friction to a minimum. Our best advice to you is to keep up on your oil changes! What next? Brakes! These are a very important factor when it comes ... read more

Categories:

Auto Blog

THE 5 MOST COMMON DASHBOARD LIGHTS

As we all know it can be terrifying when a light comes on the dashboard of a vehicle. The most common lights that illuminate are the check engine, engine temperature light, tire pressure, oil pressure, and the battery alert.  When one of these illuminates it’s normally never a good sign and could mean an expensive repair.  However, it could also be something as simple as just routine maintenance for your vehicle. Watch for theses common dashboard lights and understand what they could mean about your vehicle. We will start with discussing the check engine light (which every vehicle has). The check engine light itself may not all look the same in each vehicle, but the meaning behind them is all the same. Everyone always dreads their check engine coming on, which is understandable. Although it could be a simple fix such as a gas cap not on properly it could also be something more expensive such as catalytic converter failing. Our ASE certified technicians are able to run extensi ... read more

Categories:

Diagnostics

WHEN DO I REPLACE THE BELTS ON MY VEHICLE?

When do I need to replace the belts on my vehicle? Although it’s a broad question, it is a question we hear a lot at the shop from our customers. Did you know that there can be more than one belt in your vehicle? While some vehicles only have one belt, other vehicles can have two belts including the accessory belts and/or serpentine belts. Let us help you gain more knowledge on the belts in your vehicle. To begin, let’s start by talking about the vehicle’s serpentine belt (which is a single belt). This belt keeps various systems in your vehicle functioning properly. The serpentine belt in your vehicle keeps the power steering, air conditioning, water pump, and alternator all functioning the way they need too.  This belt generally lasts between 50,000 and 100,000 miles depending on driving conditions. The vehicle’s belt will eventually wear down from continuous exposure to heat and friction causing the belt to need replacement. As the belt ages and wears down, the rubber eventually ... read more

Categories:

Auto Blog