Posts by dakotaridgeauto

Do you wonder if you should use synthetic oil instead of regular motor oil? At Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton, Colorado, we make sure customers understand the difference between synthetic and regular motor oil before getting an oil change. Synthetic oil is the newer oil scientifically engineered to optimize your engine’s performance while regular motor…

DAKOTA RIDGE AUTO: It means that one or more of your tires has low air pressure. The dashboard warning light, which looks like a cross-section of a tire with some lines in it, comes on when the tire pressure is 20% below what the manufacturer recommends. So if your recommendation is for 35 psi (pounds…

Let’s talk about air conditioning service and repair issues.  Most of us don’t give our air conditioning a second thought if it’s making cold air.  But it’s a complex and expensive system that we should think about before it starts blowing hot air. The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains a special oil that lubricates…

DAKOTA RIDGE AUTO: Let’s address a very important maintenance item for everyone in Littleton Colorado – timing belt replacement. It’s important because letting this one slide can lead to very expensive engine damage. Your timing belt choreographs the timing of your combustion process. Your pistons travel up and down in the cylinder. Intake valves open…

The anti-lock braking system is a safety feature that helps you maintain control of your vehicle in the event of an emergency braking. It usually plays an essential role in preventing the wheel from locking up during braking, consequently, ensuring that the vehicle maintains maximum stability on the road surface. However, for it to work…

This Dakota Ridge Auto automotive safety warning is coming from a very unusual source: Littleton fire fighting experts. You’ve probably heard of E85 gasoline. Some newer vehicle models sold in CO are specifically built to run on E85 – the rest are not. E85 gasoline has been developed to fight air pollution and reduce oil…

Today’s cars come equipped with a warning light that indicates when your tire pressure drops 20% below the manufacturer recommended PSI (pounds per square inch.) A pressure this low creates a safety hazard by decreasing traction and causing the tire to overheat which can lead to tire failure. It also wears your tires unevenly which…

Littleton drivers may wonder where the air in a vehicle’s passenger compartment comes from. Well, as your engine starts to warm up, it also warms the coolant/antifreeze that circulates around the engine and through the radiator. There is also a hose that carries coolant/antifreeze from the engine to the heater core and another that takes it back into the…