Posts by dakotaridgeauto

Reports say that the median age for cars on the road is over nine years and that two-thirds have over 75,000 miles.  In recent years those numbers have continued to rise. Many people are keeping their vehicles longer.  The economy has influenced that, but the fact that modern cars and trucks are more durable and…

Big advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace. A simple example of this is the cooling system. For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses. There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion. Now cooling system components are…

Most people don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails.  Maintaining your air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job.  Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well. Along with the refrigerant, a special…

Batteries are a huge part of modern life. Think of how many battery chargers you have. Of course, our purpose here is to talk about your car battery. When people come into Dakota Ridge Auto and need a new battery, they’re really not that happy about having to spend the money. But the fact is…

Question: What is a differential and why do I need to have it serviced? Answer: First – your vehicle does have a differential.  If it’s rear wheel drive, your differential is on the back.  If it’s front wheel drive, your differential is built into your transaxle (transmission).  If you have all wheel drive or four-wheel…

You’ve just taken your vehicle in to figure out why the air conditioning isn’t working.  You remember a friend of yours just had to get a new evaporator, and your service advisor has told you it’s the same part that needs to be replaced in your vehicle.  But when you hear the estimated price for…

Hello, Littleton! Today’s Dakota Ridge Auto auto care topic is the serpentine belt. Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine. It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems. Let’s go over them. First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator. The…

Most Littleton drivers are aware that manufacturers have service intervals for your car. The engineers that design our vehicles have tested the various systems and components to meet durability and safety standards. Some of these standards are self-imposed and others, like those for emissions components, are government mandated. The maintenance schedules are designed to achieve…

Ever get musky odors coming from your car’s air vents? It’s fairly common for Littleton drivers. Moisture can accumulate in the air conditioning/heating ventilation system allowing mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria to grow. Disinfecting and deodorizing is a process. Depending on how bad the problem is, there are a couple of approaches Dakota Ridge Auto…

Question How do I know when I should get my tires rotated and balanced? Answer The interval for tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker.  The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles.  The background question is why do…