AUTONET TV

Keeping Yourself in Suspension (Control Arm Assembly Replacement)

When you are pointing your vehicle straight down the street, it should go straight.  That’s pretty straightforward, right? Sometimes, though, you may notice you have to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep going straight.  While that could be caused by many different issues, one possibility is that you have a failing or bent control arm.

Another sign is that when you brake, your vehicle pulls to one side or the other.  Sometimes your suspension may sound noisy, especially when you’re traveling on rough surfaces.  A damaged control arm may also make it almost impossible for you to get a good wheel alignment. 

The control arms are part of your suspension, and some vehicles have upper control arms and lower control arms.  Not all have the same number of control arms, but one thing is important: If you have worn bushings on your control arms or a worn-out ball joint, the control arm on the other side should also be replaced.  The rubber bushings are susceptible to damage from age and exposure to the elements, and ball joints usually shouldn’t be replaced separately. 

Any time you have a suspension issue, it’s important that a technician inspects the other parts of your suspension as well.  If one part of it is showing its age, it’s not unusual for other components to show similar wear.  

One other thing.  If you’ve had one of your control arms bent or damaged in an accident, you must have it replaced.  Your suspension is an important part of your vehicle’s safety and handling, so you should keep it in good operating condition.  After all, your life is riding on it, literally.   

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Why did my vehicle fail its emissions test?

We all want to breathe clean air and keep our planet green.  One of the ways to do that is by requiring all vehicles with internal combustion engines to pass an emissions test.  That’s because these vehicles can be big polluters.  

Everyone wants their car to pass the test so they can continue their day-to-day driving routine.  But then comes that one day when they tell you your vehicle has failed.  Why does that happen?

One of the most common reasons is that your gas cap is leaking or loose (or maybe you don’t even have one on your vehicle!).  The gas cap is supposed to seal in vapors, but sometimes its seals or gaskets dry out or crack. Replace it, and you’re good to go.

Another common reason your vehicle failed the test is that your catalytic converter isn’t doing its job. It is supposed to convert toxic gases from your engine into ones that don’t pollute the air.  There are many reasons the catalytic converter may not be working.  It may be physically damaged, or the steady flow of exhaust gases has fouled the converter. 

You may have a bad oxygen sensor. It’s supposed to measure how much oxygen is in your exhaust.  This can cause the air-fuel mixture to be too rich, resulting in too many hydrocarbons in the exhaust. Your ignition system may also have problems, such as worn-out spark plugs.  Dirty fuel injectors can contribute to excess emissions.

Believe it or not, a dirty engine air filter may be the culprit. If it hasn’t been replaced for a while, your vehicle may be emitting too many hydrocarbons -  something that will cause your vehicle to fail the emissions test.

You can usually avoid a failed emissions test by maintaining your vehicle regularly.  The best way to do that is by bringing it to our trained technicians, so your vehicle gets the service it needs, scheduled and non-scheduled.  Plus, you’ll be doing your part to keep our air clean.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Smooth Operator (Shocks and Struts)

Few of us ever drive somewhere without encountering some pretty rough roads, and it's amazing how well our vehicles are able to smooth out the ride. Thank your shocks and struts.

The two parts are similar.  Some cars have shocks in the rear, and struts in the front.  Others have struts all around.  A shock absorber uses a cylinder filled with gas or liquid that's connected to your vehicle's frame and axle.  When your vehicle encounters an imperfection in the road, the shock dampens the motion. 

A strut is essentially a shock absorber mounted inside a spring and can support more weight than a shock by itself.

Shocks and struts take a lot of punishment and wear out.  When they do, your tires are not contacting the road as much as they should, and that can result in a bumpy, unstable ride. Worn-out shocks and struts also transfer the impacts of road imperfections directly to your vehicle's body which can cause further damage to other parts.

You can tell when your shocks and struts are wearing out when your vehicle's ride is bouncy, you feel the bumps and body motion a lot more than you used to, or you may see fluid leaking from the areas near the wheels.

How often your shocks and struts need replacing depends on what surfaces you drive on, how far they've traveled, and how long they've been on the vehicle.  Our technicians can check the condition of your shocks and struts and advise you when they need to be changed.  Shocks and struts should always be changed in pairs.  

Because shocks and struts wear out gradually over a long time and distance, experts recommend you have them checked at least once a year.  Plus, if you know you've recently hit something especially hard in the road, you should have your suspension checked just to make sure it's ok.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

No Fueling Around (Fuel Filter Replacement)

A driver called in to the shop the other day saying his European sports sedan had an odd problem.  He was driving when his car started to slow down.  Applying more throttle didn't help.  He pulled over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and waited a few minutes before starting it up again.  It ran fine… for a couple of minutes.  Then the same thing happened.  He was able to finally get home by stopping and restarting, and he was calling to see if we could take a look at it. 

Turned out it was one of his car's fuel filters that choked up with debris so badly that enough fuel couldn't get through it.  When he stopped the car, enough fuel could flow through the unpressurized fuel line to supply enough fuel for a couple of minutes when he restarted his car. But then the pressure would cause things to clog again.  

There are other symptoms that point to a failing fuel filter. Perhaps your engine misfires, your vehicle is hard to start, or your fuel pump starts making odd noises. 
If you experience any of these signs, bring your vehicle in so we can have a technician check it out. 

Many vehicles have at least two fuel filters. One is a strainer that is part of the fuel pump in the fuel tank, and the other is in the main fuel line. Your vehicle's manufacturer recommends how often yours should be changed, but your driving habits and environment (such as dirty or dusty conditions) may mean yours will have to be replaced more often.  

The technician will also look to see if your vehicle might have another problem that's causing your fuel filter to fail more frequently than normal, such as corrosion in the fuel tank. 

Your engine needs fuel to run. Maintain the health of your fuel system and that will help keep you on the road to your destination.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255