Sterling Auto Repair

A recent survey conducted by the Car Care Council found that drivers tend to stall when it comes to regular vehicle maintenance. Listen, we realize nobody wants to pay for costly auto repairs; however, regular maintenance is the key to keeping vehicles running well today and down the road. Their study indicated the following results: 25%of cars had low or dirty engine oil. 13%had low or contaminated brake fluid. 18%had dirty air filters. 17%had inadequate cooling protection or low coolant levels. 16% needed new windshield wiper and 27%had low or contaminated washer fluid. 18%needed new belts Overall, 89% of vehicles were in need of at least one service or repair. Regular service schedules can keep your car running at its best. We suggest you check out their website for a detailed Service Interval Schedule

Timing Belt. Ever heard of it? It’s a very important belt under the hood of your vehicle that helps keep the internal parts of your motor in alignment, and if it breaks, you’re going nowhere fast. Unfortunately there is no warning sign that your timing belt is going bad. The only way to know if you’re in need of replacement is to have it checked regularly by a professional mechanic. This is important because should it break, it can cause additional detrimental damage to the engine, resulting in a very costly repair. Another reason why regular maintenance on your car is so important

What does it mean when the Oil Engine Light comes on? Your Engine oil light comes on when the engine oil pressure drops below a certain level. Oil pressure is needed in the engine in order to lubricate all the internal workings of the engine. Without good oil pressure, the engine will be damaged and will require very costly repairs. You can avoid this in most cases by turning the engine off immediately and having repairs made… otherwise known as an oil change. It may be as simple as adding some oil to the engine if the level is low. Preventing the engine oil light from coming on is very simple. Check your fluid levels frequently!!! Make sure your engine oil is between the safe and full marks on the dipstick. This is very easy to do yourself. However, you can always swing by Gill’s Automotive, and we will be happy to check your oil level for you free of charge. Most commonly, the light will come on because the oil level is too low. Although another common reason could be be ... read more

“Better do it sooner rather than later” is a phrase that we all use regarding many aspects of our life. When it comes to your vehicle, there are so many components this phrase can relate to. Being an auto repair shop, we’d like to talk about your Spark Plugs. Many manufacturers claim that extended-life spark plugs maintain a precise gap for 100,000 miles. BUT, before you wait that long to replace your vehicle’s spark plugs, we want you to know that when spark plugs hit the 80,000-mile mark, they are 4/5 worn out. Just like we are some days! As the gap in the plug widens, gas mileage and engine performance begin to suffer. Spark Plugs that have been in place for tens of thousands of miles can have a tendency to seize in the cylinder head or the 2-piece designs tend to break. If this happens, it can become a rather costly job to remove them. So, since your car’s spark plugs will require replacement as time goes by and mileage racks up, isn’t it &ldquo ... read more