Olympia Auto Repair

There's nothing better than pulling out of your car shop knowing your car is safer and more controlled. This is especially true after your brake pad replacement. However, you are caught off guard moments later when you hear the annoying squeak (again)! Are new brakes supposed to squeak? Well - sometimes. The truth is that new brakes can cause noises, but you need to use your context clues and listen carefully in case it is a brake problem. Let's go over the reasons why your new brakes may be squealing!   MOISTURE If it is raining or snowing, the precipitation can get onto your pads and rotors, causing them to squeal. Likewise, overnight condensation accumulating on the metal parts can also cause the same effect. The noise should subside as you drive, so do not panic. CONSTANT USE With new brake pads, you probably feel like you can take on anything! Well - not everything! You should remember that constant pressure on the brake pedal and aggressive stops can cause ... read more

Among the various automotive services we provide at Olympic Transmissions & Auto Care, one of the most vital services for nearly all vehicle owners is the basic tune-up. A tune-up at Olympic Transmissions & Auto Care includes replacing the Spark Plugs, Ignition Wires or Boots, PCV Valve, and the Air and Fuel Filter. Tune-ups are among the most significant factors in preserving your car’s value and operational functions as it ages. All in all, regular tune-ups offer valuable benefits in numerous areas.    FEWER REPAIRS  The principal value of a tune-up is its preventive measures. Our skillful technicians can inspect and catch issues before they turn into more severe problems. For instance, a dirty filter may not seem like a significant problem at first, but it will restrict air from reaching the engine if left unchecked. As a result, you could end up wasting fuel and cause the engine to run roughly. Nevertheless, engine trouble could later spread to other ... read more

If you have a home with a driveway, take the pleasure of washing your car at home. It is not as complicated as you'd think, and it is a wonderful way to cool off in the summer heat.    Why Should I Keep My Car Clean? - Keeping it clean will almost guarantee that it holds the highest resale value in the future. - Clean mirrors, windows, and windshields are required for someone to see all angles correctly when driving. - It can simply give you a boost of serotonin. Having a tidy car will make you feel confident and comfortable getting you from point A to B.   While it may seem appropriate to grab your water hose and random soap to start, there are specific things you want to consider when washing your car. The last thing you want to see after your hard work is an over stripped car or one with white water spots.    Use a microfiber cloth or specially made fabric for cars. Using an old t-shirt or rough rag to do the scrubbing can result in scratches on ... read more

  Most people don’t think twice when it comes to spark plugs; some don’t even know what they are and what they do. They might be small, but they are very mighty and are a crucial part of keeping your car running. Here are the tops signs that your current spark plugs are failing:   Your Engine Fails to Start Your spark plugs have a critical function in your vehicle: to provide the spark that powers the engine! Old, worn-out spark plugs have a more challenging time creating the spark that actually powers your motor. If your car stalls when you are trying to turn it on, there could be a problem with spark plugs or damaged spark plug wires.    You’re Getting Gas More Often If you notice that you aren’t pushing the exact miles per gallon (MPG) and stopping for gas more frequently, then it might be time to look at your spark plugs. Spark plugs that are worn down can increase your fuel consumption because they aren’t effectively burning ... read more

The timing belt works to synchronize your car's crankshaft and camshaft's rotations to ensure your engine's valves open and close at the proper times. Essentially, when the timing is off, the top and bottom halves of your engine are no longer in sync. At the moment a timing belt fails, the valves get stuck in the position they are in, but momentum forces the pistons forward directly into the valves, damaging them. Even a loose timing belt can cause problems. The belt can loosen causing it to skip a tooth resulting in out-of-sync timing. Issues with timing can cause serious problems such as misfiring or a decline in power. My timing belt snapped: Is my car a lost cause? The main fear behind a broken timing belt is the need to replace the engine. Often drivers decide to cut their losses and invest in another car. But potential damage to your engine depends on your car's type of timing configuration. Interference engines: The pistons and valves in an interference eng ... read more

An oxygen sensor is a device which measures the amount of oxygen within the system of your car. It plays a vital role in the internal combustion inside the engine. For this process to work, your engine needs 14 grams of oxygen for every 1 gram of gas. So when it gets low, its time to have a look at it. Your oxygen is located right on the exhaust pipe of the catalytic converter and is responsible for moderating your fuel efficiency system. When you lose oxygen, you could burn up a lot of gas, so knowing what to do when it goes bad is good for saving money. Too much oxygen results in a lean ride. But if you have too little of it, the results become serious. You will feel the engine vibrate as you go. This could be a sign of an overheated engine. Since the job of the oxygen is to keep it cool, it should come as no surprise that your exhaust will eventually get affected. If your vehicle starts to emit an unusual amount of pollution, your problem could lie in the oxygen sensor. When the ... read more

If you want to improve the performance of your car, you might be wondering what other regular maintenance your car needs besides oil change. If you know what's important for your car, it can improve the life span. Read on for more information. Regular Car Maintenance In order to keep your car in good condition, consider the following: Make sure you focus on the brake services. If your tires produce a squeaking noise and it doesn't resolve then it's time to let a mechanic inspect the braking system of your vehicle. You should also focus on tire rotation/balancing, wheel alignment, checking/topping off fluids, and inspections. It's important that you are keeping an eye on the performance of your car. Everything in life requires appropriate maintenance. If you neglect the needs of your vehicle then it can lead to poor performance. It's especially important to focus on such services if you drive your car around the city more often. Don't neglect the windshield ... read more

When properly maintained, the transmission in your car may just last forever. At the same time, this does not always happen. Many things can go wrong along the way. Failing to take care of your transmission as you should can lead to engine trouble down the road, so it is important to take heed of this advice. If it does get to the point where your transmission needs to be either rebuilt to replaced in its entirety, it is important to know your options. What is Involved With a Transmission Rebuild? A trained and experienced technician should do the rebuilding of a transmission. It involves taking it apart and completely putting it back together. The overall aim is to return it to a like-new condition so that your vehicle can get many more miles of service out of it. When the transmission has been removed and dismantled, the technician will clean all of its parts with proper chemicals. If there are any seals or gaskets that have been compromised, your mechanic should replace them. The ... read more

Car maintenance is the only thing that helps your car perform the way it was intended. The average car tires cost $137 per tire or more. For SUVs, tires cost at least $187 per tire. Here's what you need to know about caring for your car's tires. Tire Rotations Tire rotations help you get the most from your tires by helping them tread evenly. Evenly treaded tires ensure they last longer and are safer to drive. Tire rotations not only help your tires last longer, but they also help your car's engine and your car's overall performance. Tire Pressure You should check your tire pressure at least once a month. Make sure you inflate your tires when they need to be inflated, but don't overinflate them. Overinflating your tires can cause rapid wear in the center of your tires. You also need to make sure you're not underinflating your tires. Underinflated tires cause the outer edge of your tires to wear. The best time to check the tir ... read more

If your car begins to have starting issues when you turn the key in the ignition, you could be facing a fuel injector problem. Old fuel and gas residue often get caught inside the fuel injector and can result in your ignition not wanting to turn on at startup. With that being said, there are a few simple basics you should know about fuel injectors and how they work. There are a few basics you should know about fuel injectors and how they work. The fuel injector receives the gas through the fuel pump, which feeds it through. From there, the fuel injector "injects" it into the intake manifold with the utmost precision. After that, both oxygen and fuel mix within that manifold before undergoing the final process of compression within the combustion chamber, which is where it officially powers your engine right at ignition. Driving problems will sometimes have their roots in dirty or clogged fuel injectors. Since the fuel injector is primarily responsible for the even flow of y ... read more