Albany Auto Repair

It’s a fair question, even if we are an independent automotive facility. Let's dive in!   Typically, an independent facility is going to be comparable in price. While there are things like warranty repairs and recalls that have to go to the dealership. An independent shop, especially one like Crabtree Automotive, can and will give you better service. They also offer parts and repairs that exceed the factory's specifications. For example, some manufacturers may suggest 10,000 miles or more between an oil change and may use factory oil and filters. They have large change intervals to help reduce maintenance costs, But we always recommend changing your oil at most every 5,000 miles because even the highest quality oil breaks down. We want to change your oil before it has a chance to degrade and cause any issues.  We will also use an oil and filter that meets or exceeds the factory requirement.    Speaking of oil changes, when you finally buy that bran ... read more

Have you ever been driving, hit the brakes, and heard just an awful sound?    It could be something simple like a small rock getting stuck between the brake parts, or it could be time for a brake service. Brakes work off friction; a brake pad or shoe is made of very rough material and is pressed against the brake rotor or drum, and that is what stops your vehicle.    Under normal conditions, brakes aren't going to make noise, but sometimes, small rocks or other road debris can get in there and make noise. Or when a brake pad wears down on some models, they have a part designed to squeal on purpose to alert you that the pads have reached the end of their lifetime and need to be replaced. Most European cars have sensors in the pad or caliper that will warn you on the dash that the pads need to be replaced instead of making a noise.    If you ignore these warnings or if your automobile doesn't have either of these features and you wear completel ... read more

Why Is My Car Leaking Oil   Your car leaking stuff on the ground is annoying and can be embarrassing. It can also be a big problem.    Obviously, a vehicle shouldn't leak anything, but with age, these things can develop. There are several fluids and oils in your car, like motor oil, transmission fluid, coolant, gear oil, and fuel. Even EV’s use coolant and gear oil.  Sometimes, when a leak develops, it can be hard to figure out where it is coming from. The wind from driving can blow the fluid everywhere and really make a mess. Small leaks can build up gunk over long periods of time because they may not leak enough to leave a spot on the ground alerting you to an issue.    Other times, a major seal or hose can fail and cause a massive leak right away. It's always a good idea to check your fluid levels often. Some modern automobiles don’t have dipsticks anymore to allow you to check fluid physically, but some do have sensors to chec ... read more

Why Is My Car Cranking But Not Starting?   Your car not starting is a huge inconvenience, and no one has time for that. We’ve talked about batteries and starting issues before. When a car will turn over or crank but not start, that’s not typically a battery issue.  The engine in your automobile requires all the systems to work in order for it to start and run. While these systems can be complex, they can be categorized into four simple functions.   Fuel, air, spark, and compression. If your fuel injectors aren’t supplying fuel to the engine, then there is nothing for the engine to ignite. There is a pump and filter that supplies the fuel to those injectors, and the computer controls all of it. If anything fails, then fuel won't be sent to the injectors.   If your air filter is plugged, then the engine can’t breathe properly and won’t be able to burn the fuel. Also, a sensor that monitors the air intake could fail, making the e ... read more

How Do You Drive Safe in Winter?   We have discussed getting your car ready for winter, snow chains, ensuring the heat works, and general maintenance. What about driving in that snow, ice, or heavy rain? The first step is having your vehicle inspected and resolving any issues we may find. Next is driving in the cold temperatures with all of the other drivers on the road!   We can’t help anyone's driving habits, but we can help you be prepared for issues you may encounter.   No matter what time of the year or what the temperature is outside, you should have a quality roadside emergency kit. In winter, adding an extra jacket, a warm blanket, and some heavier footwear is a good idea. You may end up stopping for a long time due to an accident, breakdown, or bad weather; especially, if you are traveling somewhere without a lot of traffic. Most importantly, an ice scraper, snow brush, and keeping your fuel tank as full as possible during winter is essential ... read more

Why Doesn’t My Heater Work? It’s getting cool in the morning again. What a bad time to find out the heater in your car isn’t working anymore.    If you have been driving for any amount of time, then you know it takes a few minutes for your vehicle to warm up in the cold weather. But what about when the vents never warm up? There's a problem! We will touch on a few of the basics.   The heater in your car works off the coolant that the engine uses to stay at the proper temperature. If the engine thermostat isn't functioning properly, the coolant may just not be warm enough to blow warm air into the interior.    Also, that coolant flow could be blocked in your heater core, which brings the warm coolant into the vehicle's interior. Or it could be low on coolant as well, which will reduce flow as well.   Another possible issue could be the controls on the dash; if the computer that controls heat and air conditioning malfunc ... read more

Why Is My Engine Squealing?   A belt squeal can be an awful noise. It can be scary too, if you haven’t experienced it before.   A squeal from under the hood is never a good thing, sometimes; it can be something simple. Often, it's an indication of a bigger problem.  The belt that runs all the accessories of your engine is called the drive belt or serpentine belt. That drive belt can sometimes get wet if you are driving in heavy rain or hit a large puddle. That can cause a squeak or squeal that goes away quickly.    Otherwise, if you hear a squeaky noise from your car, you need to get it checked out. The belt itself does age and wear out over time, but it could possibly be that an engine leak has developed and is getting the belt and pulleys wet. Or one of the accessories the belt runs on is starting to fail and isn’t spinning as freely as it should. There are several things that could be causing the squeal, so getting it looked at quickly ... read more

How Do I Get My Diesel Ready For Winter? Diesel engines are known for being more powerful and effective than their gasoline counterparts. An unfortunate thing they are known for is being harder to start in the winter. This is different for modern diesel engines. Because of the way older diesel engines operate, if they have not been very well maintained, there may be some trouble starting when the weather cools down for the winter.   Like modern gasoline engines, diesels have grown in complexity to enable them to produce more power and less emissions at the same time.    Diesel engines use glow plugs or intake heaters to warm the inside of the engine upon starting to help burn the diesel fuel. Since diesels don’t use spark plugs, but instead use heat and pressure to ignite the fuel. On a cold day, the engine needs to be warmed to help them start faster.   That is why in winter, especially on really cold days, you will see big semi trucks and even pickup t ... read more

Why Is My Car Bouncing When I Hit A Bump   No matter where you live, I bet you have experienced rough roads. The United States isn’t known for having perfect roads!   Hitting potholes, bumps, dips, and any other sort of imperfection in the road is a normal part of driving. We try our best to avoid them, but it happens. That’s why automobiles have rubber tires and suspension with shocks and springs in them.   That suspension is what makes your car comfortable to drive on less than perfect roads. Those bumps and holes get smoothed out by the springs your tires are attached to and the shocks help control those springs.    Shocks typically use fluid, compressed nitrogen, or air to dampen the movement of the springs in your suspension. The springs carry the weight of your car and allow it to “float” over most road issues. Large potholes or debris in the road will still cause a rough ride because your suspension is only designed to han ... read more

Why Is My Tire Light On, But I Don’t Have A Flat Tire?   New cars with all their technology are great, but a light on the dash can be annoying if it looks like nothing is wrong. Although, there might be a good reason it’s on. As the temperatures outside start to drop every year, we have increased calls and visits from people with a low tire light on the dash. Without getting too “sciencey”, hot or warm air expands, and cool or cold air contracts. So for a tire, that means the pressure can increase and decrease based on temperature.   The monitoring system in automobiles has a range of pressures it considers safe, so during normal day-to-day conditions, your warning light isn't going to go on and off. A tire that was checked or filled in the middle of summer to the correct pressure on a cold winter day could be just low enough to set the warning light. Nothing is wrong, it just needs to be topped off.   When summer comes back around, you ... read more