DELAWARE & PENNSYLVANIA AUTO REPAIR

Drive Safe This Holiday With Campanella's 5-Point Winter Car Maintenance Checklist Does cold weather make you lose tire pressure? What about brake performance? If these are concerns you have about your vehicle this winter, you’re in the right place. Your car deserves a nice holiday, too! Having a reliable vehicle during the winter months provides peace of mind and a relaxing holiday season. Poor maintenance has a negative impact on vehicle performance in cold and snowy weather. Here are five common car concerns during winter months and what you can do to prevent them: 1. Coolant System Coolant prevents your engine from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer. It cools down your engine and operates your heating system. Any blockage in your coolant will prevent heat from working—during the cold months, this is not ideal! Did you know? Our technicians at Paul Campanella’s Auto & ... read more

How can I keep my HVAC System Running Efficiently? Many of us simply can’t imagine driving our cars without temperature control, whether to stay warm in the cooler months or cool in the warmer months. Your HVAC System works hard to keep you and your family comfortable. However, the benefits will not last long if you do not give the system care and keep it properly maintained. First, change the dirty cabin air filter. The cabin air filter is responsible for filtering out the air that enters the cabin of the vehicle through the HVAC System. Just like the filter in the HVAC unit at home, it is critical to keeping the air quality healthy inside your vehicle. Second, it is important to keep your condensers free of leaves and debris. If debris gets in, the system will not cool as well as it should. Bottom line, if you allow your HVAC System to become dirty or clogged, you will need to turn up the Power making it work harder, and in turn making your engine work hard ... read more

Why is there noise coming from the air vent when turning on the fan? 1. Leaves stuck in the blower motor. When the fan is turned on, the leaves will spin around the blower motor making a rustling sound. 2. Bad vent blend door or actuator. The actuator responsibility is to control the vent blend door for a specific function. For example, it is used to move the vent blend door for temperature changes, defrost mode, recirculation, fresh air and so on. When the vent blend door or actuator fails, it can make a flapping or slapping noise. 3. Failed blower motor. When a blower motor is failing, it can make a whistling noise, whining noise, grinding noise, and other odd noises. Usually, the noise will gradually increase as the fan speed increases. At this point the electric motor is failing and will need replacement. 4. Rattling noise. Sometimes, objects can fall into the air duct through the vent entrance and make a rattling noise when the vehicle is in motion or when the ... 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

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