Concord Auto Repair

Technology has played an enormous role in advancing our vehicle's safety components, especially airbags. If and when you get in a crash, you can have confidence that you will be protected by these puffy devices. Airbags are becoming safer and smarting, saving thousands of lives every year. Today, we will be going over how airbags work and what they do to protect you.   When driving in your vehicle, you and your passenger's bodies have the same momentum as the car. Therefore, when your car abruptly stops (or hits something), your body's momentum keeps going. You will keep moving forward at the same speed unless you have resistance from your seat belt and airbags. Airbags have sensors that detect when your car hits something, and they will inflate to protect your body from flying out of your vehicle. The combination of seat belts and airbags is undeniably powerful in keeping you safe, which is why they are required to be made and checked in every car.    Wh ... read more

Buying a car is fun, exciting, and a major accomplishment for most people. It also comes with big responsibilities, like buying insurance, keeping up with tags and registrations, paying for gas, and (most importantly) getting proper car maintenance. Typically, when you buy a car, the dealer will remind you of your regular service intervals, alongside the factory-recommended items.   Every manufacturer has a list of specific tasks that should be done at x amount of miles. Typically, oil changes are recommended every 5,000 miles, give or take, along with having the oil filter replaced. Some factory-recommended service intervals involve minor services, while some require major services. Usually, when a car hits 30K, 60K, or 90K, more services need to be done beyond a straightforward oil change.   You might wonder, why do they have the recommendations in place? There are three good reasons why you should keep up with this maintenance: They can improve your gas mileage - This ... read more

Spark plugs are small yet vital parts of an engine responsible for transmitting the spark to ignite the compressed fuel-air mixture. The most common reasons for changing spark plugs are wear and tear, fouling, and improper gap. If you don't know how often to change your spark plugs, here are guidelines on how often a professional can help you do this maintenance.   What Are Spark Plugs? Spark plugs are the tiny pieces of metal that produce the spark needed to create combustion in an engine. They consist of a metal wire and electrode. A car's engine needs a spark plug for ignition. If you don't change your spark plugs regularly, it can lead to problems, such as reduced gas mileage, reduced power, and even engine failure.   How Often Should You Change Your Spark Plug? The time it takes for a spark plug to become worn out depends on many factors. For example, the type of engine oil, recommendations of the manufacturer, and how ... read more

The vehicle's suspension system (i.e., shocks or struts) is a part of our cars that we take for granted. These parts will wear out after holding tons of metal year after year, and you will need suspension repair. Some people only associate shocks and struts with the smoothness of a ride, so they don't consider it a must-have service. However, having poor suspension can significantly impact your control and handling of your vehicle, especially during turns and stops. So how do you know if these parts are worn out? Rough ride A suspension inspection is necessary if you begin to feel every bump in the road or when every divot in the road causes the car to "bounce".  Drifting or pulling With a faulty suspension system, you might feel the vehicle drift left or right when you're making a turn. That means that your shocks are no longer keeping the vehicle body down against the centrifugal force. It's time to get your car to the shop before your car turns ove ... read more

A dead car battery can be a considerable inconvenience, but there are ways to dodge the problem. To avoid dealing with a drained car battery, you need to understand what causes it to begin with. Before you grab those jumper cables, check out these five common causes of a dead battery. Scenario #1: You Leave Your Lights On Similar to how you should always make sure the lights are off when you leave your home, you need to do the same for your car. Thankfully, most modern vehicles have headlights that turn off your headlights when you turn the vehicle off. However, if you have an older vehicle, your headlights may remain on until someone manually switches them off. Otherwise, it will stay on until it drains the battery. Scenario #2 Your Connections Are Corroded The terminals, the points where you apply the jumper cables, can sometimes get corrupted over time. If your terminals are weakened in any way, you will not be able to transmit the power necessary to start your car and run its e ... read more