A tune up includes a diagnosis of your vehicle’s current health, and a variety of service solutions to get it back in working order. At Glenn’s Auto Repair, we take our time to inspect your engine, and other aspects of your car, working diligently to complete any minor and major work that must be done.

There are many reasons you could require a tune up, and if you notice any of them, you should bring your car to a mechanic as soon as possible. Unsure what you should be looking for in terms of signs for a tune up? Here are a few:

Dash Lights Are Glowing: The lights on your dashboard aren’t just there for decoration, they’re telling you about the health of your vehicle. If your check engine light, or any other light is on and won’t turn off, it’s time to have a mechanic take a peak under the hood. There are also cases where sensor lights don’t function properly, maybe they’re stuck on and there’s nothing wrong with your vehicle. This requires immediate attention, because when something does go wrong, you won’t be able to tell right away.

Brakes Are Squealing: Are your brakes making noises they don’t normally make? Sometimes brakes let off a small squeal on a rainy day as they work extra hard to grip the tire, but if your brakes are making sounds during everyday driving, you need to have them looked at. Brake pads need to be replaced about every 25-50 thousand miles, but there are other working components to your brakes that could need changing, such as rotors or brake fluid.

Engine is Stalling: Whether you’re driving an automatic or a standard, your engine stalling isn’t a good sign. If you find yourself having trouble getting started after stopping at an intersection, or when you try to accelerate, it’s time to have your engine looked at by an expert.

Vehicle is Guzzling Gas: Noticing poor fuel mileage suddenly? This is a reason for concern, it could mean poor tire pressure, a need for an alignment, sticky brakes, and more. Getting fewer miles to the gallon gets expensive over time, especially if your vehicle was giving good mileage in the past. You can monitor your mileage by keeping track of how much gas you use at each fill-up vs. the change in mileage on the odometer.

Shakes and Rattles: Every driver prefers a smooth ride, but there are some internal issues which can cause your vehicle to shake and rattle. If you notice these signs, it’s time to bring your car to a mechanic.

Standard Tune Up Checks

If you’re wondering what exactly a tune-up entails, you’re no alone. At Glenn’s Auto Repair, we like to be transparent with our customers in terms of what happens to your vehicle during a tune-up. When you take you vehicle in for a tune-up the standard line of checks include:

Power Check: This check includes an overview of everything from valves and rings to head gaskets. Anything that could be a drain on power to the engine. This will help to resolve slow starts and accelerations.

Engine Check: An engine vacuum helps us determine whether there are problems with the exhaust or leaks in your engine. Your engine is the heart of your vehicle, and when it isn’t functioning properly, neither is your ride.

Battery Check: We do this by checking and charging the battery voltage, to make sure you won’t run out of juice on your next long trip.

Code Scan: During this check, we monitor exhaust emissions, ignition problems, and any other problem which may put your vehicle below code for road driving.

Whether your car is experiencing concerning issues or not, it’s important to get a tune-up every year, or once every 10-12 thousand miles. The best possible outcome is that your vehicle is in perfect working order and road ready, but the check could also save your vehicle and your life if there are troublesome problems lurking beneath the surface. If you’ve noticed any reason to need a tune-up, or you’re coming to the end of the year since your last, give us a call at Glenn’s Auto Repair!