Our Blog

If there’s something wrong with your car and it needs repair, you might think about skipping the mechanic and saving a few bucks with used auto parts. When you take on such a big task as tinkering with your car engine, it’s vital that you look in the right places for quality parts, especially if…

An oil change at Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton, Colorado sounds simple, but there are some pretty 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…

Today, Dakota Ridge Auto talks water pumps for vehicles in Littleton, Colorado. The engine is cooled by coolant/antifreeze mixed with water. This mixture circulates around the engine, absorbing some of the heat. The coolant then flows through the radiator where air cools it down for the return trip back through the engine. Your vehicle’s water…

Today, Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton wants to talk shocks and struts. Shock absorbers and struts last a long time for Littleton drivers and wear out pretty slowly for most vehicles. They’re easy to take for granted, but your shocks and struts do a very important job so you need to pay attention to them.…

The thermostat is part of your cooling system. Littleton residents’ vehicle thermostats perform a similar function to the thermostats in their homes. At home, you set your thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature range. When your home gets too hot, the air conditioning kicks on and when it gets too cool, the heater turns on.…

At Dakota Ridge Auto, we’d like to dispel the maintenance free myth. Sure, quality surveys report fewer problems with new Englewood cars than ever before. So does that mean that modern vehicles have become maintenance free in Colorado? Back when cars spent more time in the Littleton repair shop, Colorado drivers were more mindful of…

Question: My friend just had a very expensive transmission repair in Englewood. How can Littleton drivers avoid transmission trouble? Dakota Ridge Auto Answer: Next to your engine, your transmission is the most important component in your vehicle – so you and your fellow Littleton drivers want to do all you can to avoid transmission repairs.…

Question for Dakota Ridge Auto: My car failed its emissions test – what do I need to do? Do I need an exhaust service? Dakota Ridge Auto Answer: Let’s get this out of the way: a leak in your exhaust system could be deadly. If Littleton drivers smell exhaust in the passenger cabin or hear…

At Dakota Ridge Auto, we know your wheel bearings may be something to which you’ve never given a thought while driving around Littleton, CO. Wheel bearings are what enable your wheels to spin freely. Since they bear the entire weight of the vehicle, they have to be tough. Wheel bearings can last well over 60,000…

It’s very important to your Dakota Ridge Auto service center to provide technician training that keeps you happy and on the road. You might be surprised at the amount of money Littleton service centers spend every year to make sure their technicians are properly trained. Englewood area service centers, including Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton,…

At Dakota Ridge Auto, our techs know that your disc brakes are extremely important as you drive around Littleton, Colorado. Having good brakes just keeps you out of trouble. You’ll want to carefully maintain your brakes. With disc brakes, brake pads rub on a disc – or rotor – to slow the wheels. The brake…

Dakota Ridge Auto Tech Question on a Car Battery: I’m David in Littleton, Colorado. For the last year and a half, I’ve had some car battery problems. I had trouble starting my car so I bought a new battery at a parts store in Littleton. At first everything was fine, then about six months later…