You probably have a cabinet in your kitchen filled with pots and pans. Your vehicle has one very important pan in it as well. It’s the pan that holds oil for your engine called, naturally, an oil pan. The oil pan is a very important, though simple, component of your engine’s lubrication system.  The oil…

Clean air quality is something that helps all of us thrive here on Planet Earth.  And considering that motor vehicles are a contributor to air pollution, emissions tests in the U.S. and Canada are in place to keep vehicles from needlessly spewing dangerous gases into the air. While laws vary from place to place, the…

Let’s address a very important maintenance item – timing belt replacement.  It’s important because letting this one slide can lead to very expensive engine damage. Your timing belt choreographs the timing of your combustion process.  Your pistons travel up and down in the cylinder.  Intake valves open at the right time to let in air…

Simple Answers Service Intervals Question: What is the benefit of winter tires? Mountain View Automotive Answer: This is a really good question. Most new vehicles in Thornton come with all-season tires that work pretty well in the Denver winter conditions drivers many encounter. First, let’s talk about the things that dedicated winter tires do really…

Nobody loves wasting money.  Gasoline costs money, so using less saves money.  One of the ways vehicle manufacturers are helping you save gasoline (and money) is with smaller, turbocharged engines. You might have heard of turbos associated with race cars, but more and more everyday street vehicles are getting into the turbo game.  The big…

I’d like to give you a quick overview of the fuel system.  It starts with the fuel tank.  The fuel pump is located inside the tank and pumps fuel out to the engine.  Somewhere along the way is a fuel filter whose job is to filter out dirt before it hits the engine.  Then there’s…

Question What is the benefit of winter tires? Answer This is a good question.  Most new vehicles come with all-season tires that work pretty well in the winter conditions many people encounter.  First, let’s talk about the things that dedicated winter tires do really well, touch on all-seasons and then you should have some information…

Question My car failed its emissions test – what do I need to do? Answer Let’s get this out of the way: a leak in your exhaust system could be deadly.  If you smell exhaust in the passenger cabin or hear an unusual exhaust sound, get your exhaust system checked and repaired.  This is important:…

Air and fuel are mixed together to be burned in your engine. You request how much of each you need by how hard you press on the accelerator, by going up or down a hill or by how much you are carrying in your vehicle as your drive around Thornton. Based on how much air…

Question: What are the signs that I need a brake job? Answer: Signs of brake problems often fall into one of two categories for Thornton: making noise or a pulsation in the brake pedal. Let’s start with the noise. Most brake pads have an audible brake wear indicator. This is a small piece of metal…

All cars and trucks manufactured since 2006 are equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems – or TPMS.  TPMS alerts you when your tires aren’t properly inflated with a warning light that looks like a cross section of a tire with an exclamation point in it.  Some vehicles may also have a digital readout showing tire…

When it comes to vehicle service, a lot of people procrastinate.  The reasons? Don’t want to spend the money, don’t have time to get it done, it’s not urgent.  Sound familiar? Here are the three service items you shouldn’t put off, no matter what. Oil Change.  Oil is one of those things that just quietly…