Posts by dakotaridgeauto

Question: What is a power brake service and why do I need to have it done? Answer: Imagine: you pour a tablespoon of water in your hand and throw it as hard as you can.  Now, suppose you suck up a tablespoon of water into a syringe, push the plunger and squirt it out.  Which…

In the sloppy weather months, many drivers rely on protective mats to keep moisture, grime, ice, and snow from making a mess of a vehicle’s interior. But if your vehicle has a mat it could become a hazardous mat if you don’t follow some safety precautions. Here are some things to avoid with your vehicle’s…

When the weather gets cooler, you want the cabin of your vehicle to stay warm.  When you switch on the heat, you may find the air that comes out of the venisn’t hot. The problem could be a part of the heating system that not that many people understand.  It’s called the coolant vacuum valve…

Flats, blowouts, skids, and longer stopping distances can all be the result of driving around CO on underinflated tires. Now, it’s hard to tell when a radial tire is underinflated but your friendly and knowledgeable Dakota Ridge Auto can help you. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds – which is significantly…

Let’s face it, vehicles are complex machines, and hats off to the NAPA AutoCare technicians who can diagnose and repair them when things go wrong.  Here are four tips to follow when you take your vehicle in, according to service advisors and technicians. Describe the problem thoroughly and accurately.  When you tell friends how your…

Question:  What benefit will I get out of a fuel system cleaning? Answer: Well, the dirtier your fuel system is, the bigger the improvement you’ll see in performance and fuel economy.  But don’t wait until your engine is running poorly, you’ve wasted hundreds of dollars in gas or maybe even damaged your fuel injectors and…

Do you know what kind of braking system you have on your vehicle?  It matters.  Do you think you should pump your brakes to get them to stop better on a slippery surface? Or are they the new computerized ones that pump the brakes for you? The most common brakes on today’s vehicles are anti-lock…

Let’s talk about winter tires.  We’re not talking about all-season tires here, but dedicated winter tires. Modern winter tires do a terrific job in a wide range of winter conditions.  First, below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, regular tires become hard and inflexible.  That means they don’t provide the road grip you need. Even if you don’t…

The cooling system in an engine has five components: the radiator, the radiator cap, the hoses, the thermostat, and the water pump. The water is literally the heart of the system. Just as your own heart keeps your blood circulating through your body, the water pump keeps coolant circulating through your engine. The water pump is…

You’ve probably seen them lying around at the side of the road: someone’s outside rearview mirror that’s been knocked off by a driver’s not-so-perfect driving.  And you realize the person who owns that vehicle now has lost an important safety feature.  Having functional mirrors enhances your safety and that of drivers around you. You probably…