Posts by dakotaridgeauto

You’ve probably seen auto parts delivery trucks in Littleton making their rounds. Every part has a story behind it. Unfortunately, some of the stories are tales of repairs that could have been prevented. One stop may be to deliver an engine air filter and a mass air flow sensor for a customer’s pick-up. His service…

You may not know much about transfer cases, but if you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you’ve got one.  It makes sure you have power available for both the front and rear axles.  For example, if you have a rear-wheel drive SUV, power goes to the rear wheels until you need 4-wheel drive.  That’s when…

If your vehicle has a few years on it, you’ve no doubt had your tires rotated a few times. That means, of course, that a technician has loosened the lug nuts (which hold the wheels on) to remove the wheels and then put them back on.  Many vehicles have lug bolts that go through the…

You try to take real good care of your vehicle. But there is something that you may be overlooking: wheel bearings on your trailer. Whether it’s a small utility trailer or toy hauler up to a big work trailer, boat or camp trailer, they all have wheels with bearings that need to be serviced from…

Simple Answers Service Intervals Question: My water pump went out and it cost much more to replace than ones I’ve had replaced in the past. My Littleton technician said it’s because of where it’s located. Why is that? Dakota Ridge Auto Answer: Some water pumps are driven by the serpentine belt and are bolted on…

It’s always exciting to get a new car – even when it’s used. But it can feel like you’re going out on a limb a bit when you buy a used vehicle. I mean, people sell vehicles for a lot of reasons. Maybe they just wanted a new car, maybe there was something wrong with…

If you’ve walked through the automotive fluids section of an auto parts store, you’ll know how overwhelming the sheer number of products available can be.  How do you know what’s right for your vehicle? As you know, these fluids all serve a function in making your car run.  Your vehicle manufacturer has specified a particular…

Question: What do I need to do for my high mileage vehicle? Answer: This question gets asked a lot more these days.  The median age for vehicles on the road is now over 11 years.  Regardless of your reason for keeping your vehicle around, the good news is that it’s capable of going 150,000 to…

Modern vehicles usually have four wheels, a steering wheel, and an engine, just as they have for decades.  But an awful lot has changed since the days of carburetors and drum brakes.  The addition of computers to so many automotive systems has been a game changer, enabling safer braking systems, stability control, and better fuel…

Clean air quality is something that helps all of us thrive here on Planet Earth.  And considering that motor vehicles are a contributor to air pollution, emissions tests in the U.S. and Canada are in place to keep vehicles from needlessly spewing dangerous gases into the air. While laws vary from place to place, the…