5 Signs Your Car Needs a Tune-Up and Auto Maintenance in Elgin

When was the last time your car had auto maintenance in Elgin at KS Autocare ? 

And while we’re asking, have you had your check-up lately? 

If we search online, we’ll find a variety of recommendations for how often we should see our doctor. 

The point is that we go to the doctor for check-ups and when needed.

The question is, why don’t we do the same with our cars? 

Shouldn’t we take our car to the “car doctor” for regular check-ups? Some people do, but others wait until there’s a crisis. The benefits of regular maintenance cannot be understated.

Maintenance is vital for a healthy car. It’s the key to:

Everyone wants fewer car repairs, and it feels so much better to be riding in a car that you know is safe. Rather than accepting the vehicle’s condition and thinking there’s nothing you can do about it, the experts at KS Auto Care can recommend ‌the best course of action‌: bring it to us to fix it. 

Maybe it’s not serious right now. Perhaps all you need is a tune-up. 

In between maintenance checks, it helps to know when your car needs some attention.

Everyone has the same reaction: a dashboard light comes on, and you think, “Great. I don’t have time to deal with this.” Unfortunately, you’d better find the time or suffer the consequences. 

If the light is red, it could be a significant ‌problem. You may have an overheated engine. If the coolant is low, your engine could seize up. You could eventually have a destroyed engine on your hands, and that’s the last thing you want.

An‌ ‌orange‌ ‌dashboard‌ ‌warning‌ ‌light‌ ‌means‌ ‌something has gone wrong with the engine management system, which is the computer that controls the engine. ‌

While it may be okay to continue driving a car with an orange dashboard warning light, you’ll want to get your vehicle checked out‌ ‌as‌ ‌soon‌ ‌as‌ ‌possible.

Lots of things can cause an engine to misfire. When one or more cylinders fail to fire, there are several possible causes, such as clogged fuel injectors, vacuum leaks, ignition coil packs, emission systems, malfunctioning oxygen sensors, valve seals, and gasket leaks. 

If you suspect the engine is misfiring, it’s time to get it checked. Left unattended, it could cause more damage to your car.

Is there a problem with your alternator, coolant sensor, or fuel supply? If so, your engine could be stalling. And how can you tell? If you’re having trouble starting or your lights are dim, that could be it. 

Suppose you’re already driving and your car stalls; maybe your battery isn’t getting a full charge. Then again, it might be clogged fuel filters or your fuel pump. 

How are the roads? Are they uneven? Sometimes road repair can damage your car, and before you know it, your car’s doing the shake and rattle. 

If the pavement is even, then you likely have an internal issue. Your car shouldn’t shake, so you might want to take this as a warning sign and get your vehicle to KS Autocare in Elgin as soon as possible. It sounds like you need a tune-up.

Your car knows how to signal for help. One of those signals is grinding brakes. You can’t ignore it; it’s not possible, and that’s a good thing. You want to know when something is dangerous, don’t you? 

It could be your rotors, brake pads, or something else. But you won’t know if you don’t find out. If you hear your brakes grinding, you must get it to the shop immediately.

Everyone in your car is at risk until you get to the shop.

Of course, these are just five things that could tip you off to your car needing a tune-up. 

Think of a regular tune-up as your new best friend. It can keep your car running like it’s supposed to run. You will be at the shop less and with fewer emergency repairs because you’ve been proactive. Your family will be safer in your vehicle (which is the most important thing). 

If you think about it, people take themselves to the doctor for a regular “tune-up,” and yet when it comes to their car, they never think of it until something goes wrong.

If you own a car, you might want to mark on your calendar when your tune-up is due.

Don’t take chances; KS Autocare in Elgin has a full body shop with certified professional mechanics. You bring it to us; we’ll get you back on the road. Call us today.