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Archive | Auto Repair

What is that clunking noise coming from the front of my car?

By on June 4, 2018 in Auto Repair

What is that clunking noise coming from the front of my car? Why do I have problems when turning? Why is my car setting unevenly?   A broken coil spring can cause all these issues. Your coil spring and your shock or strut work in connection with each other to keep your vehicle stable. A broken coil spring will compromise the ride of the vehicle, the height the vehicle sits at, the way the vehicle handles turns or cornering, and the overall comfort of the ride. A broken coil spring can be a safety issue. If taking corners too fast, the vehicle may not react in the same way the driver is used to plus if the broken spring comes in contact with the tire it can cause the tire to blow out. If you are having any concerns about your suspension, call us today to schedule an appointment for a complete inspection so that we can assess the health of your vehicle.  We want your vehicle to be as safe as possible, so that you can have some peace of mind.

 

Why is my air conditioner blowing warm air?

By on April 25, 2018 in Auto Repair

When it starts to get warm, we get asked almost every day “Why is my air conditioner blowing warm air?”  There are numerous reason why this could be happening.  The simplest solution is that your A/C system just needs to be serviced.  Most systems need to be serviced every 5 years.  What happens is, overtime, condensation builds up inside the system, which causes it to blow warm air instead of cold.  When we service the system, we pull all of the refrigerant out and store it, we then pressurize the system to make sure there are no leaks, dry the system, and put your refrigerant back in.  Now you will get plenty of cold air.  Sometime when we do this we find that there are leaks, and the refrigerant is gone, hence the warm air.  If this happens, we need to repair the leak, refill, and you are good to go.  Sometimes it’s a part in the system that has failed, usually the compressor, or the condenser, if that is the case,  we replace that part, and you are on your way.  If your air conditioner is blowing warm air, give us a call, we will set up an appointment for you, and get your A/C blowing nice cool air!

 

Why is my battery light on?

By on March 16, 2018 in Auto Repair

Why is my battery light on?” This is a question that we hear from our customers at least once a week. When your battery light comes on, it means there is a problem with your  charging system.   This could be a failed alternator, a broken alternator belt, a bad battery connection, or a bad battery. We won’t know what the problem is until we have a chance to diagnose the problem.  Your vehicle is safe to drive with the battery light on, but you will want to get in to a shop as soon as possible, because  your battery will die soon.   If your battery light is on, give us a call so that we can get your vehicle in, and diagnose your charging system.  We don’t want you to get stranded because your vehicle won’t start, we want you to drive with peace of mind.

 

Why do I need to replace my loose ball joint?

By on March 2, 2018 in Auto Repair

We are often asked, “What happens if I don’t replace my loose ball joint?”  Well,  your ball joints are a very important piece of your suspension. It is a ball and socket type of joint that allows circular movement but no vertical or side to side movement. If your ball joints breaks your car will be dead in its tracks, and it will usually ruin the brake hose, axle shaft, tire and the wheel it may even damage the fender. We inspect your ball joints and suspension every time your car is in for service. Signs of a loose ball joint are; abnormal and premature tire wear, a pull in one direction or the other and an unstable feeling while driving at higher speeds. Other signs of a loose or worn ball joint are a clunking noise while hitting bumps, a tire that is sitting at a funny angle compared to the other tires.  Also bear in mind there may be no signs or symptoms at all. That’s why having them inspected with your routine maintenance is very important. Also be aware that in order to inspect your ball joints properly, your vehicle has to be off the ground.  At Long’s we thoroughly inspect your vehicle while it is on the hoist so that we can test all of your vehicles components, to make sure everything is in tip top shape.  We also do digital inspections with photos, and videos, so that when we email them to you, you can see for yourself what the issues are.  So if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please give us a call, so that we can get you in and figure out what the issue is, we want you and your family to have peace of mind that your vehicle is in good, safe driving condition.

How do you keep mice and other rodents out of your vehicle?

By on February 5, 2018 in Auto Repair, Automotive Maintenance

It’s that time of year when rodents like to find warm places, so we get asked “How do you keep mice and other rodents out of your vehicle? ”  Rodents of all sizes can cause a lot of damage once they get inside your engine compartment, or even worse in side your vehicle.  They chew on wires, make nests, and can just make a stinky mess.  If you have a vehicle that you are not using often, and can store with the hood up, that is best, as the rodents are looking for a dark/warm place to nest.  If that is not possible, do not store pet food in close range, try to seal all of the entrances, put Pine Sol, peppermint oil, or other “smelling” substance in the vehicle, what smells good to us, does not smell good to rodents.  Put traps in the vehicle.  Open the hood every few days, to check things out.  If you find that you do have a rodent issue, give us a call for an appointment, will be happy to help you repair whatever they have damaged.

 

Emissions Repair Woodinville

By on December 12, 2017 in Auto Repair

Did you fail your emissions test, and want to go to a state certified repair facility in Woodinville?  Give us a call, we have been state certified for over 20 years.  If your testing time is getting close, remember you always want to take the test first, then if you fail come in for the diagnostics and repairs.  This way if you decide you want to get a waiver you can.  The state requires that you spend $150.00 on either the diagnostics or the repairs.  This allows you to not “have” to do expensive repairs that may not be in your budget right now.  If you fail, bring your vehicle, along with any paperwork they gave you to Long’s Car Care Center.  We will get you back on the road in no time.

Why isn’t the heater in my car working?

By on December 8, 2017 in Auto Repair

Is the heater in your car not working?  It’s getting cold outside and you are going to want to stay warm.   Is there cold or cool air coming out of your vents in your car?  There are a number of parts that could cause this issue,  abad water pump, thermostat, faulty radiator along with vent control motors.  If you are shivering in your vehicle, give us a call at 425-481-1739, and we will get your vehicle in as soon as possible so that we can diagnose the issue, repair it, and get you back on the road in your cozy warm car.

How much does it cost to replace a water pump?

By on October 16, 2017 in Auto Repair

Ever wonder how much it costs to replace your water pump?  Give us a call for an appointment and we will make sure that your water pump needs to be replaced.  Most of the time we recommend replacing this at the same time as your timing belt, since you will save on labor fees.  If your water pump is leaking, you will want to replace it.  We will need the year, make and model of your vehicle, to be able to give you an accurate estimate.  We can do the estimate at the same time as we are diagnosing your vehicle, if you need to schedule the repair for a different day, we can take of that for you also.

 

Where can I get my electric windows fixed?

By on October 5, 2017 in Auto Repair

Are your windows stuck up or down, and you are wondering where you can get them fixed?  Well, look no further, we can take care of that for you.  We will need to remove the door panel, and then determine what part has failed.  As soon as we do, we will call you with an estimate for the repair, and also let you know how long we will need your vehicle for.  Most of the time the parts are readily available, but with some, it can take a day or so.  We will gather all of this information before we call you, so that you will know what to expect.  If being without your vehicle is a problem, we do have a loaner car that you are welcome to use at no charge.  So, lets get that window working properly before the rain sets in.

 

How much does an alternator cost?

By on June 26, 2017 in Auto Repair

Are you having issues with your charging system, and you want to know how much an alternator costs?  That’s a fair question, and if you called us and asked, we would tell you that it would be in your best interest to let us diagnose your charging system to get to the root of the problem.  Charging system issues can be as simple as loose connections at the battery, a bad belt, a weak battery, and yes, it could be your alternator not doing it’s job.  We don’t want to spend your money, and install an alternator only to find out it’s something else.  We want to repair it right the first time!!