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Cobb Tire and Auto Repair in Greenville SC 29615

By Alicia Lewis – Service Advisor for Cobb Tire and Auto Repair

How To Find A Reliable Auto Repair Shop Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 296

To be sure, this is an excellent question! There is no one on the planet that doesn’t suffer this conundrum. Our vehicles are to some, family. To others, means of income. To everyone, a large investment. When something of this importance needs tending to, it’s a giant question.

We have all heard horror stories about what has happened to those who have failed to investigate. I myself, had the same questions. I don’t any longer, but I’m in a position now to know the difference. This is why I’d like to share with you some important facts on how to make the best decision.

I implore you to read Google reviews. Granted, there are people out there that are never satisfied. There are bound to be a few negative reviews on anything. Yet, in the broader scope look at the content. More positive than negative. Especially on features and services that are important to you. Very Important!! Next, call the 3 locations (no more than 3), ask for a courtesy inspection. Reputable Centers want your business, as well as your family and friends. So, shouldn’t be a problem. Appointment options that work for you. Amenities like, complementary loaner vehicles, shuttle services, and the like. Again, I say, look for features and services that are important to you. When you take your vehicle in, are you given a report, information on findings in a tangible way? Are you spoken to in a manner that you can understand, and not in a condescending way? What kind of warranties do they offer on work performed? Do they listen?

A reputable establishment offers these important features. They are not going to be the cheapest. If they were, they couldn’t offer these important and essential services. It takes a more competitive than bargain rate to offer vehicles and quality parts. Cheaper is never better, it’s only cheaper.

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair

Why does my battery keep dying Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC

There is nothing worse than hopping into your car on an early morning to begin your day. You crank the engine over and nothing happens. What now? What do you do? Chances are, the battery is dead and it is failing to start the engine. So now you have two choices. You can jump off the battery using cables or a jump box. Or you can call a tow truck over to have your car towed to a repair facility. I would opt for jumping off the battery because towing can be expensive and time consuming. The best and easiest method for jumping the battery is to use a jump box. A jump box only requires 1 person and your 1 car. You attach the jump box to your battery and turn the key over. Once the engine starts, the charging system will keep everything running. Running long enough for you to drive to a repair shop. I recommend that you buy a jump box from your local parts distributor and keep it in your trunk. Doing this will save allot of time and aggravation, and allow you to begin your day.

My battery is not charging Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC

Why does my battery keep dying in my car Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC

Why does my TPMS light come on, Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair in Greenville SC 29615

We have all experienced this while traveling. Everything is going well. You are on the highway driving at normal speed and suddenly you see a warning light. This light seems to be in relation to the air pressure of your tires. The light is on either because the tire pressure is too low, or the pressure sensor is faulty. Now what?

My suggestion is to find a safe exit from the expressway. As soon as possible, stop your car, get out and have a look at all 4 of your tires. You should be looking for a tire that is soft. It will appear kind of squished down compared to the others tires. If you have a pressure gauge with you then well done. Use it to check the tire pressure on all your tires.

Expect the tire pressure to be 28 to 37 pounds on most cars. If any of your tires are below 28 pounds. but above 23 pounds, then drive to an auto repair shop and have your tires checked and filled. If a tire is below 23 pounds, then I recommend you move your spare tire down to replace the low tire.

This is because an extremely low tire will overheat while running at normal speeds and eventually fail. A good rule of thumb is to have your tires checked every 3 months, as tires normally leak down over time.

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair in Greenville SC

Tire Rotation Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Why Should I Rotate My Tires. There are a couple reasons why this is important. The first reason is to insure a long life for your tires. The front Tires wear quicker than the rears. The front Tires are doing all the turning. When turning occurs, the outer tire tread edges carry the weight and wear faster. Over time, outer edge wear will develop on both front tires. If the air pressure is low or if the alignment is off, the edger wear will develop faster and be much worse.

Why Rotate My Tires Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

The second reason is to keep the tire noise levels down. Tires that are on the free rolling axle, will develop cupping and flat spotting if the Alignment or the Balance is off. When this occurs, the noise levels will increase while driving. Setting the Alignment and Balancing the tires will stop the wear pattern from getting worse. Now the rear tires on a front wheel drive, and the front tires on a rear-wheel-drive vehicle will need rotating. Crossing them during the rotation even helps more.

If you are driving your car more in town then I recommend Rotating the tires every 5,000 miles. If you are driving your car more on the highway, I recommend Rotating the tires every 10,000 miles. Coordinating the Tire Rotation with the Oil Change Service is the easiest way to do it.

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Computer diagnostic Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

There are many reasons why your Engine may be Shaking while you are Driving. Let’s go over the 3 most common.

Your car is a big maneuvering computer system. The onboard computer runs everything. For the engine to run smooth, the ignition system, the fuel delivery system and the air delivery system must be working correctly.

Why is my engine shaking Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

The most common issue that we come across is faulty ignition at one or more cylinders. This is usually due to a bad spark plug or bad direct ignition coil. Sometimes this problem will occur because of a faulty electrical system. A bad wire in the harness or a bad electrical connector is an example of this. A faulty onboard computer can also cause this issue as well, but this is rare. Without the correct ignition spark, the engine will run rough.

Another issue that we come across is a fuel delivery problem. The electric fuel pump, located in the fuel cell, pumps the fuel to the individual fuel injectors. When the onboard computer needs gas, it turns on the fuel injector to get it. A faulty fuel injector can cause too much fuel or not enough fuel which will cause a rough running engine.

The third issue is an air delivery problem. The fuel from the injector will not ignite without a mix of air. The air supply travels into the motor through the front of the vehicle. It travels through the air filter and then through metering sensors. The sensors measure the volume of air coming in. When you push the throttle pedal down, the throttle valve lets air into the motor to run the engine. If the engine is getting too much air or too little air, the engine will run rough.

These problems can be tough to figure out. It will require Test Equipment and Computer Scanners to perform engine diagnostics to find and correct a problem. Cobb Tire and Auto Repair can help you with this.

Timing Chain Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

By Alicia Lewis Service Advisor for Cobb Tire and Auto Repair.

What Is a Catalytic Converter Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

What is a catalytic converter is? Why is it important? How do you know if there is something wrong with yours? Well, let me tell you.

A catalytic converter is a part of your car’s exhaust system. It converts harmful engine-exhaust pollutants into something less harmful. It also plays a large part in efficiency, health, and performance.

Why Do I Need a Catalytic Converter Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

What kind of performance? A clogged converter can make your vehicle feel like it has no acceleration. It can cost you money at the pumps, and damage other exhaust components. It can even make your car fail at start up. To help identify a failing converter, these are some signs.

CEL(Check Engine Light).
Decreased gas mileage.
Decreased Acceleration.
Smell of rotten eggs.

These are a few ways to help you identify if you are having a problem with your catalytic converter.
Are you having any of these issues? Make an appointment with your trusted repair shop and have them check out your vehicle. Keeping up on your maintenance saves you money in the long run!

By Alicia Lewis Service Advisor at Cobb Tire and Auto Repair

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Fluid Maintenance is Expensive! Do I Really Need it?

Why do repair shops keep trying to sell me Maintenance Packages? Do I need them? Yes, you do, and this is why.

Regular fluid maintenance keeps your vehicle running at its best. It also helps prevent breakdowns and part failures due to excessive wear by low or dirty fluids.

Transmission fluid heats up, breaks down its fluids, and will get debris. Servicing every 30,000 miles prevents damage to your transmission components.

Coolant helps protect your engine from being too hot or cold. Old fluid loses its ability to regulate temperature. Coolant also prevents engine parts from corrosion. Cooling system maintenance is recommended every 30,000 miles.

Brake fluid heats up and over time condensates and becomes corrosive, hindering performance. To keep your stopping power at peak performance, we recommend flushing your brake fluid every brake replacement.

Power steering fluid becomes dirty over time. When it does, it creates friction and becomes abrasive. It can ruin seals in the pump or the steering rack. Which becomes a very costly fix. Servicing every 25 to 30,000 miles prevents this from happening.

Your vehicle’s fuel injection system needs a balanced mix of fuel and air. Over time it becomes clogged with carbon deposits and debris. This impacts engine performance, starting, acceleration, and gas mileage. Fuel injection service is recommended every 15,000 miles.

A differential separates engine torque in a couple ways. It allows a different speed for each output’s spin. Compensation for the difference is what its job is. Example is when you turn a corner the inside wheel doesn’t have to travel as far as the outside one. So, the outer wheel must move faster than the inside to stay in pace. All the power of an engine goes through the differential. Differential oil is thicker than motor oil. It begins to wear thin and become contaminated, causing metal to metal contact. So, servicing your differentials is essential. It’s recommended to do your differential service every 30,000 miles.

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

What are Engine Diagnostics and why is it important.

As I have said in past blogs, your car is like driving a giant Computer. There are hundreds of feet of wire that is inside the wire harnesses. The wiring system is color coded. It is designed to carry important information data to various Computer Electrical components. This is how the Onboard Computer Module Communicates with the vehicle.

Let one wire or one electrical controller fail, and your Engine may stop running. We have seen thousands of Electrical Issues over the years. We have had to fix rodent damage to Wires. We have seen defective Electrical Sensors damaged from prior Repairs. And we have seen failures do too old age, water damage, collisions, and poor design.

What is Engine Diagnostics Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

The actual Diagnostic Procedure is a multi-layered system of steps. The first step is recreating the issue. This is done by test driving the vehicle or by running the engine inside the Auto Repair Shop. Computer Electrical issues that only act up once or twice a week can be very difficult to pin down. Even problems acting up once or twice a day can be a challenge.

Once we verify the problem then the Test Equipment is utilized. Computer Scanners, Digital Volt Meters, Specialty Tools and Chemical Dyes are a few things that will aid the Technician in solving the problem. The challenge is to get the vehicle to act up while the Testing Tools are being used. Next the technician will isolate the malfunctioning system. He or she will then manipulate the system to note any changes that may occur.

Slowly and surely, the Technician will become familiar with the problem. Now the vehicle is Diagnosed, and the customer is informed. If the owner ok’s the recommended Repair, then the Technician will correct the problem. A retest is then done to verify that the Repair is fixed.

Why is Engine Diagnostic Expensive Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

By Alicia Lewis Service Advisor for Cobb Tire and Auto Repair.

A Diagnostic is vital in finding out what is going on with your Vehicle. It is the what, how, and why. Without a thorough Diagnostic there is no way to determine the extent of a repair.

Your vehicle’s systems have a multitude of components. An example would be “My A/C isn’t working. How much will it cost to fix it?” Without running dye through the system and pressure testing, determining leaks would be impossible. Checking to make sure that your Compressor and Condenser are operating is essential.

Technicians must spend the time so that your car’s needs are addressed. Liken it to going to the doctor because you have a cough. Your physician runs tests to determine if you have an infection or allergies. It’s only then do they treat you.

The time it takes to run these tests vary from issue to issue. This is why checking your Charging System is less expensive than checking your Cooling System.

From your physician to your Auto Technician, Diagnostics are vital. And there are always associated costs. In the end, they save you time and money. Instead of throwing money at maybe, you find the cause… you can get the cure.

Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 2961

How do I know if my Starter Motor is going bad?

The Starter Motor is an important part of your electrical system. When you turn your Ignition Key over to start the engine, the electrical system goes into action. The Ignition Switch sends a signal to the On- Board Computer to, “start the engine”. The computer then sends the signal to the relay panel that delivers voltage to the starter motor. When voltage arrives at the Starter Motor, it cranks over the engine. It does this by pushing forward on the Bendix Gear to mate with the Engine Flywheel. Now the Starter can crank over the engine.

How do I know if my Starter is going bad Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

But how do you know if your starter is going bad? Usually, 1 of 3 things will occur when your Starter is malfunctioning. First is that you will hear a onetime click when cranking and nothing else. Every time you try to start the engine, it will only click. Second is that the Starter will drag when cranking. This will sound like the engine is struggling to crank over. The Starter Motor is working but it is so weak that it doesn’t have the power to crank over the engine enough to start up. The third is that when you turn the key over to crank the engine, nothing happens at all.

Engine Starter Motor Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615

Diagnosing a faulty Starter Motor can be tricky. It requires testing equipment and scanning tools that interface with the computer and the Electronics. I would recommend taking your automobile to a qualified Auto Repair Shop. A skilled Mechanic will be able to test the electronics and provide the proper Diagnosis. There are allot of things that can cause an engine not to crank over. The Starter Motor is one of many.

Starter Motor Cobb Tire and Auto Repair Greenville SC 29615