DELAWARE & PENNSYLVANIA AUTO REPAIR

Four Common Car Noises and What they Mean When turning on your car, you hear a loud squeal. When turning the corner, you hear clicks coming from your steering wheel. Let’s dive-into the four most common car noises and what they mean. #1: Squealing noise coming from the engine area after turning on the car. Commonly caused by a worn-out serpentine belt that is slipping on the metal pulleys inside the engine. This belt is important because it helps power devices such as your alternator, starter, water pump, air conditioning compressor and radiator fan. Most of the time the belt can be readjusted, and the problem can be fixed. While other times the belt just needs to be replaced. #2. High-pitched squealing while braking Another common car noise comes from your brake system. High-pitched squealing while applying your brakes can point to worn out brake pads that need to be replaced. The more metallic the sque ... read more

7 things you should never do in an automatic transmission vehicle   Don’t shift from drive to reverse before the car stops moving-- When you do this, you will damage the transmission and components because you are technically using the transmission itself, not the brakes.Consistently doing this will run you the risk of expensive damage. Never put the car in park before stops completely-- If you put the car in park while it is still rolling, either the locking pin or the output shaft may break or become eroded. Don’t put the car in neutral at stop lights-- When in neutral, you don’t have much control over the vehicle. This means, if you must perform emergency action and you may not have time to execute the ma ... read more

How do I heat the inside of my car faster in the winter? Turn on you ignition without starting the engine. This will cause the fuel pump to prime the engine. Start the car but do not turn the heater on right away. Though it is primed, you still have a cold engine, meaning everything else is also cold, including the air coming out of the vents. Turning on the heat immediately will also prolong the engine from getting hot, keeping your car colder longer. Next, idle the vehicle for about 30 seconds. This allows the heater core to produce warm air. You can now begin to drive. It is recommended to point the vent at the passenger’s chest first, followed by directing the heat towards your feet. If you find that your car is still taking an abnormal time to heat up, you may want to bring it a Pau ... read more

How do I extend the life of my brakes? Brakes are the most important safety feature on a vehicle regardless of the type. Before finding yourself having to get them replaced by a certified mechanic such as Paul Campanella’s Auto & Tire Center, there are a few ways you can prolong the life of your brakes. Allow plenty of room to stop: Sudden stops are hard on your brakes and put a lot of pressure on the brake pads which will wear down the rubber and metal. By leaving a fair amount of distance to come to a full stop, you minimize the amount of pressure you need to apply to stop the vehicle.   Slow down: Speed also contributes to wear on the brakes. Braking at a lower speed dissipates less energy than braking at a higher speed. Lighten up ... read more

Why does it take so long for your car to heat up? There is nothing worse than having to wait for your car to warm up on a cold winter day. Every second you need to wait seems like a lifetime. You tell yourself, if you drive more the car will get warmer, yet your car remains cold.  The lack of heat is certainly not a feature you are looking for in your car, and it is time to take it in for an inspection to Paul Campanella’s Auto & Tire Centers. There a few possible reasons for the delay in your car warming up; let’s explore. Low or Dirty Coolant: Usually, the first thing that would be assessed if you are having heater issues would be the coolant levels. While it is referred to as coolant, what some people don’t realize is that coolant is most important ... read more