Automotive News & Information - Joppa Transmission & Auto Service

Mechanic taking apart of an engine out from under the hood

An engine can last anywhere from 50 to 500,000 miles depending mostly on how well you maintain it. While some engines are certainly more reliable than others, all of them depend on maintenance to fulfill their greatest potential. Joppa Transmission & Auto Service in Joppatowne, MD has provided for you some of the determining factors of engine lifespan, to help you make sure your engine lasts as long as it possibly can.

At Joppa Transmission & Auto Service in Joppatowne, we see a lot of dirty filters. Oil filters typically get replaced with each oil change, but air, fuel, and cabin filters last a long time. As such, they are often neglected until well after they’ve run their course. Here’s why you should care:

mechanic working on the suspension of a vehicle on a lift

The steering and suspension systems are key safety-related systems that largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Have these systems checked regularly, at least once a year, and usually with a wheel alignment.

Your drive belts are simple but integral components to the function of your car, truck, or SUV. At Joppa Transmission & Auto Service in Joppatowne, belts are one of the first things we assess when looking over a vehicle, as they alone are in charge of operating your AC, water pump, alternator, and power steering.

The interval for the tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles. So why do tires need to be rotated and how do you know when the right time is for your vehicle?

mechanic placing a car battery into a vehicle

Your car’s radio and headlights, plus a slew of other important functions, are powered by an electrical current generated by your vehicle’s engine. A vital part of generating electricity is having a place to store it while it’s not being used. This is where your car battery comes into play. The battery of your vehicle holds electrical energy while the car is off in order to help the engine turn over and create a spark to start internal combustion. Without a working battery, your car will not be able to start. If you allow our team here at Joppa Transmission & Auto Service to perform proper maintenance, an average car battery can start your car reliably for roughly four years.

Here at Joppa Transmission & Auto Service in Joppatowne we often do diagnostics and sometimes the problem is obvious after hooking the car up to the computer and reading the codes. However, sometimes it isn't obvious during a test drive or after hooking it up to all those computer programs! You know there is a problem and a Check Engine Light is on with the fleet customer telling you the car has been having issues starting and the light has been going off and on depending on several factors. No pattern, no simple answer but the problem becomes obvious when you start following the "threads of the issue" thanks to all that ASE Technician training.

Obviously, your brakes are essential. However, it’s easy to neglect or ignore brake issues, and even miss them altogether; as long as the truck still stops, many people don’t see the need to have their brakes serviced. From Joppa Transmission & Auto Service in Joppatowne, MD, here are some common brake issues, and why you should fix them.