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…

An oil change:  Sounds simple, but there’s some important things to know about preventing oil sludge. Oil eventually starts to turn into jelly.  Literally – petroleum jelly.  Sludge clogs up oil passages and keeps oil from getting to some areas of the engine, causing parts to wear out prematurely.  And that means expensive engine repairs.…

A driver got a surprise the other day when he took his vehicle to a service facility for an oil change.  He knew his owner’s manual schedules an oil and oil filter change every 5,000 miles/8,000 km, but when the Service Advisor suggested his cabin air filter should be replaced, he thought they were just…

Question: I need new tires. How do I know which tires to get? Mountain View Automotive Answer: Let’s look at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: weather conditions, terrain, temperatures, etc. New family vehicles sold in Colorado come…

Heard of synthetic motor oil but would like to learn more information?  Well, synthetic oil is a substitute for conventional oil. Synthetic doesn’t gel or gum-up like conventional oil and it doesn’t vaporize as easily.  It protects better in severe driving conditions like stop and go driving as well as in very hot or very…

The moment someone invented headlights that had a high-beam and a low-beam, they also invented a problem.  That problem was what happens when you meet someone on the road going the other way who forgets to switch off their high-beams? We’ve all had it happen, of course.  All you can do is look to the…

You may have noticed your tires have a pretty long number on them.  Yours might start with a letter, then a 3-digit number, followed by a few more numbers and letters.  That string of letters and numbers is very important for your vehicle because it contains useful information on what tires will give you the…

This fuel saving tip for Thornton residents is so simple you won’t believe it. It has to do with your gas cap. The first thing is to make sure it’s screwed on tight. If it’s loose, gas vapor will be constantly leaking out – reduced fuel economy. This could cause the check engine light to…

Question: My new car has a “GDI” engine. What does that mean to me and other Thornton vehicles with this new type of engine? Answer: GDI stands for Gasoline Direct Injection. It’s a type of fuel injection system that is becoming very popular on modern engines. Let’s talk about the two most common forms of…

A lot of service and repair customers in Thornton are a little tentative when they talk with their automotive advisors. They want to ask questions but don’t want to be embarrassed or to seem pushy. Cars are very complicated and there’s more to know about them than most of us Thornton drivers have the time…