Car Care Tips

  • What Your Vehicle's Towing Capacity Means

    Towing

    Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

  • What Your Vehicle's Towing Capacity Means

    Towing

    Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

  • What’s a Turbocharger and How Does it Work?

    turbocharger on car

    Every year, more and more trucks come equipped with turbochargers. What was once a novelty or a performance option has become increasingly common as stock equipment. What are they for, and how do they work? Autoworks in Ithaca, NY is here to help.

  • What’s a Turbocharger and How Does it Work?

    turbocharger on car

    Every year, more and more trucks come equipped with turbochargers. What was once a novelty or a performance option has become increasingly common as stock equipment. What are they for, and how do they work? Autoworks in Ithaca, NY is here to help.

  • When and Why Your Vehicle Needs a Tune-up

    man holding spark plug in hands

    Tune-ups are an important and frequently neglected aspect of automotive care. Most drivers don’t really consider the mechanical condition of their car, so long as nothing is wrong with it. However, if a vehicle is tuned-up and maintained correctly, many mechanical failures (and expenses) will be avoided altogether. So whne is the right time to get a tune-up?

  • When and Why Your Vehicle Needs a Tune-up

    man holding spark plug in hands

    Tune-ups are an important and frequently neglected aspect of automotive care. Most drivers don’t really consider the mechanical condition of their car, so long as nothing is wrong with it. However, if a vehicle is tuned-up and maintained correctly, many mechanical failures (and expenses) will be avoided altogether. So whne is the right time to get a tune-up?

  • When is it Time to Test Your Vehicle's Battery?

    Mechanic testing a car's battery

    Chances are you don’t pay much attention to your vehicle’s battery until it dies, when you get to perform the dreary dual task of waiting for a jump while simultaneously calling for an appointment to get a new battery fitted. Of course, that’s if you’re sure it’s the battery that’s dead in the first place. The only way to be certain is to take it in to be tested. However, it generally helps to know the health of your vehicle battery prior to finding yourself stranded.

  • When Is It To Late To Change Your Transmission Fluid?

    popping car hood

    It’s likely you’ve been exposed to conflicting opinions about having your transmission fluid replaced. You may have heard that cars over a certain mileage should not have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced, because it could damage the transmission, or you may have had someone tell you the first thing you should do at any sign of trouble is have your transmission flushed. At Autoworks in Ithaca, our expert mechanics have the answers you’re looking for.

  • When to Call It Quits For Your Vehicle

    man in front of vehicle being towed

    There comes a time in the life of every fleet vehicle or commercial truck when you have to decide - is it time to retire that truck or van, or should you put the money into fixing it? At Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, we’re here to help.

  • When to Call It Quits For Your Vehicle

    man in front of vehicle being towed

    There comes a time in the life of every fleet vehicle or commercial truck when you have to decide - is it time to retire that truck or van, or should you put the money into fixing it? At Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, we’re here to help.

  • Why do vehicles burn oil?

    car broke down on side of road smoking

    When your car, truck, or SUV is burning oil, it can be frustrating and costly. There are numerous reasons an engine will burn oil - these range from an altogether worn out engine to a simple part replacement. At Autoworks in Ithaca, NY we want to keep you informed, here's what you need to know about why your engine might be burning oil.

  • Why is maintaining your antifreeze so important?

    technician checking the engine

    Antifreeze is a fluid that’s just as important as oil to the engine in your car, truck, or SUV. You probably already know it’s essential to keeping your engine cool - but it’s important for more than one reason, and does require maintenance besides keeping it full. From Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, here’s what you need to know about antifreeze.

  • Why Is My 4WD Not Working?

    4x4 Label on a Vehicle

    These days, many four-wheel-drive systems are electronically controlled - a button is pushed to engage four-wheel-drive, which activates a solenoid in the transfer case, shifting it into gear. What happens when yours stops working? Autoworks in Ithaca, NY has the answers.

  • Why is my ABS light on?

    dash lights on in car

    If you drive a Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Subaru, Land Rover, or other luxury or performance vehicle, you’re no stranger to the bells and whistles of the modern automobile. For the past couple of decades, these cars have nearly all been equipped with ABS, or Anti-lock Braking Systems. You may never think about ABS - until the light comes on the dashboard.

  • Why is my ABS light on?

    dash lights on in car

    If you drive a Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Subaru, Land Rover, or other luxury or performance vehicle, you’re no stranger to the bells and whistles of the modern automobile. For the past couple of decades, these cars have nearly all been equipped with ABS, or Anti-lock Braking Systems. You may never think about ABS - until the light comes on the dashboard.

  • Why is My Tire Losing Air?

    mechanic checking tire pressure on tire

    Sometimes a tire goes flat over the course of days, weeks, or even months. A leak like this never has an obvious cause - so why is your tire losing air? From Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, here’s some info on leaky tires.

  • Why is there a puddle under my car?

    car with hood up and puddle underneath of it

    Cars, trucks, and SUVs use and create multiple liquid substances. Here’s what you need to know about the puddle of liquid under your vehicle, from Autoworks in Ithaca, NY. There are a few different substances that can pool under an automobile, and some are more serious than others. Knowing what to look for and what to do could save you from hassle with your vehicle in the long run. 

  • Why It's Important To Change Your Oil

    Oil Change Dash Light

    At Autoworks in Ithaca, we understand all too well the importance of changing your oil regularly. Three to five thousand miles sounds like a lot, but it doesn’t really take that long to rack them up. The busier you are, the more you probably drive, and the more likely you are to forget it’s time to change your oil. Here are some reasons to pay attention to your oil changes, and help you better understand why oil changes are so important.

  • Why It's Important To Have Routine Maintenance

    An article about routine maintenance probably doesn’t sound like the most riveting read, but at Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, proper maintenance is something we believe in wholeheartedly. Routine maintenance is the key to making a vehicle last for decades; if done correctly, your vehicle will stay reliable and enjoyable to drive, and you will save time and money in the process.

  • Why It's Important To Have Routine Maintenance

    An article about routine maintenance probably doesn’t sound like the most riveting read, but at Autoworks in Ithaca, NY, proper maintenance is something we believe in wholeheartedly. Routine maintenance is the key to making a vehicle last for decades; if done correctly, your vehicle will stay reliable and enjoyable to drive, and you will save time and money in the process.

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