by | May 16, 2022 | Car Care & Driving Tips
When your car breaks down and you get stuck somewhere, it’s easy to get worried and frustrated. You may be wondering what you can do to get yourself and your car home safely. Instead of taking your car home, you should have it towed to a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop, where we can inspect it and find the cause for the issue. If you are worried about what you can do to make sure your car runs again, be sure to keep these options in mind and ask your two truck driver to bring you to our shop for help.
Flatback Tow
If your car breaks down and you can’t safely tow it to the back of the truck, you might be wondering how you can get it home. A Tow truck can handle it. There are flatbed trucks that can transport your truck safely and easily to your home or any location you choose. They simply load it into the back of the truck and secure it in place. You can communicate with the driver and choose where to take the car. Once they have it in the right place, they take it out of the truck and put it where you want it. You can count on a flatback to get you and our vehicle home.
Traditional Tow
If your car has just a minor problem and you need to get it home, a conventional tow truck can do it. Simply contact A tow service and let them know the location and type of your vehicle. They will send you the right truck as soon as possible. They dock your vehicle and transport it safely to your home or the nearest repair shop. You can choose the position and get on the tow truck with the driver. They take care of everything and you just have to call us to be ready to accept your vehicle.
Equipment Transportation
If you happen to travel with your farm or work equipment and it breaks, you might feel like you don’t have many options to get it back. A transportation company may be the best option. There are special trucks that can safely load and transport other vehicles. They can take it to a repair shop or home. You can also take it to the nearest junkyard. You choose where they take it. You can rest assured that they will take every necessary precaution to keep it safe and get it to its desired location without any hitches.
If you are broken down somewhere, the smart thing to do is call a tow truck. If you are wondering where you can have the vehicle towed, be sure to consider bringing it to a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. We are here to help find the cause of your car’s problems and repair them for you so you can get your car back on the road and won’t have to worry about it breaking down again in the near future. If you need help give us a call today and we will make an appointment for your vehicle.
by | May 9, 2022 | Car Care & Driving Tips
If you are planning on taking a long trip or will not be using your vehicle for a while, you may want to have it checked out before you put it in storage or park it. There are numerous storage Chandler, AZ auto repair shops, but finding the right one can be difficult. Here are some tips to help you find one that is affordable and capable of inspecting or repairing your vehicle before you store it for as long as necessary.
Online
You can find repair shops for vehicles by using your favorite search engine to search for the facilities in your area. Simply choose the type of facility you are looking for as well as your zip code or the name of your city. Click on each result displayed until you find the one you like best. You can also find contact information for the repair shops on the websites. This will allow you to call the business to check on prices and hours of operation.
Word Of Mouth
If you want honest answers about the best place to have some work done on your vehicle, ask around. Ask your friends, family members and people who have knowledge about cars such as home mechanics, employees at auto parts stores or even someone who works in a lube shop. These people talk with car owners on a regular basis and likely have knowledge about the best repair shops in your area. They can point you in the right direction so you can have your car inspected or repaired properly.
Advertisements
The best way to find out about any company is to pay attention to advertisements. Many advertisements are very informative and will tell you everything you need to know about a company. Pay close attention to the prices, special offers and hours of operation if they are discussed on the ad. Of course, advertisements can appear on the television, magazines, newspapers, and the radio. Nowadays, many repair shops even have social media pages where they post their deals and other information about the company that can help you decide which shop is the best one for you.
If you want to make sure you car is cared for in your absence, choose a Chandler, AZ auto repair shop that is well known and trusted by other customers. Finding an auto repair shop is half the battle, choosing which one you will use is the other half. If you are ready to have your car inspected before your store it or if you are planning a trip and want to have it checked out before you leave, be sure to give us a call to learn more about our services. You can also arrange an appointment time. We will tell you any problems we find and offer to repair them for you. We will ensure your car is running properly and is safe for the road or to be put in storage.
by | May 2, 2022 | Engine & Diagnostics
You spot it as you pull out of the garage: a fresh puddle where your car spent the night. Every driver’s first two questions are the same. What is it, and how worried should I be? The honest answer is that it depends, and the good news is that the leak itself usually tells you. Color, location, and consistency narrow down a mystery fluid fast, and knowing how to read those clues helps you decide between “schedule an appointment this week” and “do not drive this car.” Here is a practical guide to identifying what is leaking, from a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop that diagnoses driveway puddles every week.
First, an Easy One: Clear Water Is Usually Fine
If you find clear, thin water under the front passenger area on a hot day, especially after running the air conditioning, relax. That is condensation draining from your AC system, and it is completely normal. In Arizona summers, a well-working AC can leave a surprisingly large puddle. The key traits: it is clear, it has no smell, it does not feel slick, and it evaporates without a stain. If your “water” leaves residue or has color, keep reading.
Brown to Black and Slick: Engine Oil
Engine oil is amber when new and darkens toward brown or black as it runs. Oil spots usually appear under the front-to-middle of the vehicle, feel greasy between your fingers, and leave a stain on concrete. Common sources include valve cover gaskets, the oil pan gasket or drain plug, and seals that harden with age, a process our desert heat accelerates.
A few drops occasionally is worth monitoring and mentioning at your next service. A spreading spot, a burning oil smell, or a low dipstick reading is worth a prompt appointment, because running an engine low on oil is one of the fastest ways to turn a gasket repair into an engine repair.
Red or Reddish-Brown: Transmission or Power Steering Fluid
Red, thin, slightly sweet-smelling fluid usually means automatic transmission fluid or power steering fluid, and neither should be ignored. Transmission fluid spots tend to show up under the middle of the car; power steering leaks typically appear closer to the front. Watch for companion symptoms: slipping or delayed shifts point to the transmission, while a whining noise when turning points to power steering.
Transmission leaks deserve special respect in the East Valley, because heat is already the enemy of transmission life, and low fluid makes everything run hotter. Caught early, many leaks are simple gasket or line repairs; you can read more about what is at stake in our transmission archive.
Green, Orange, or Pink and Sweet-Smelling: Coolant
Brightly colored fluid, often green, orange, or pink, with a sweet smell is coolant, and in Arizona it is the leak that can strand you fastest. Coolant leaks come from radiators, hoses, water pumps, and reservoir tanks, and every one of them matters here, because your cooling system has almost no spare capacity in a 110-degree summer. A car that is losing coolant is a car that is going to overheat; the only question is when.
Treat coolant leaks as urgent. Watch your temperature gauge, do not drive a car that is running hot, and never open a hot radiator cap. One more caution for pet owners: coolant’s sweet taste attracts animals and it is toxic, so clean up puddles promptly. Our AC and cooling system archive covers overheating and cooling problems in more depth.
The Two You Never Ignore: Brake Fluid and Fuel
Two leaks skip the watch-and-wait category entirely. Brake fluid is clear to light brown, slick, and typically appears near wheels or under the master cylinder area at the firewall. Because your braking system is hydraulic, any fluid loss can mean reduced stopping power, and a soft or sinking pedal alongside a leak means the car should not be driven. Gasoline announces itself by smell; a fuel odor or a rainbow-sheened puddle is a fire risk and deserves immediate professional attention, not a test drive. For either of these, the right move is to stop driving and call (480) 444-0242 to talk through the situation before the car moves again.
The Less Common Suspects
A few other fluids occasionally show up on driveways. Bright blue or blue-green watery fluid is usually windshield washer fluid, annoying but harmless. Thick, honey-to-dark gear oil with a strong smell can come from a differential or manual transmission, typically appearing near the axles. A slick film on a shock absorber or strut, sometimes with a wet streak down its body, means the damper is leaking internally and losing its ability to control the ride. None of these are as urgent as brake fluid or fuel, but all of them are worth mentioning at your next service, because each one marks a component that is no longer sealed the way it should be.
How to Give Your Shop a Head Start
Want the fastest possible diagnosis? Do this before your appointment: slide a piece of clean cardboard under the car overnight, then note three things in the morning. Where is the drip relative to the car (front, middle, driver side)? What color is it? How much is there? A photo helps too. That small bit of homework, plus a description of any new noises, smells, or driving changes, lets a technician confirm the source quickly instead of starting from zero. Leaks are also easiest to trace when they are fresh, one more reason not to wait until the spot has been reappearing for a month.
Every leak is your car volunteering information; the expensive mistake is ignoring the message. Network Automotive Service Center has been family-owned since 1995, and finding the real source of a leak, rather than guessing at it, is exactly the kind of work we do every day. If something is dripping under your vehicle, explore our services or call (480) 444-0242 to schedule a diagnosis. We will tell you what it is, how serious it is, and what it takes to make your driveway boring again.
by | Apr 25, 2022 | Car Care & Driving Tips
A long road trip with kids is either a cherished family memory or an endurance test, and the difference usually comes down to preparation. Snacks and screens get all the attention, but the foundation of a good family trip is a vehicle you do not have to think about: one that starts, cools, stops, and cruises without drama for hundreds of miles. Here is how East Valley families can prepare both the car and the crew for a long drive, from a Chandler, AZ auto repair shop that preps road trip vehicles all year long.
Get the Vehicle Inspected Before You Pack a Single Bag
A breakdown is inconvenient when you are alone. With a car full of children on a remote stretch of highway in the Arizona heat, it can become genuinely dangerous. Schedule a pre-trip inspection a week or two before departure so there is time to fix anything it turns up. A good pre-trip check covers:
- Tires. Tread depth, pressure, sidewall condition, and the spare, which most drivers have not looked at in years.
- Brakes. Long descents into and out of Arizona’s high country work brakes hard, and a system that is marginal around town will show it on a mountain grade.
- Fluids. Oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and washer fluid, all topped and in good condition.
- Battery. Heat-stressed Valley batteries fail without much warning, and a jump start in the middle of nowhere is nobody’s favorite family activity.
- Belts and hoses. The most common causes of summer roadside breakdowns, and inexpensive to replace before they fail.
Treat Your Air Conditioning as Trip-Critical
For desert families, A/C is not a comfort feature on a road trip. It is a safety system. Hours in a hot car are miserable for adults and dangerous for small children, who overheat much faster. If your A/C has seemed weaker lately, takes longer to get cold, or makes new noises, have it checked before the trip rather than hoping it holds. Our A/C and cooling system articles describe the early warning signs. It is far easier to fix in the shop this week than in a small town halfway to your destination.
Pack an Emergency Kit for the Whole Family
Every car should carry basic emergency supplies, but a family trip raises the stakes and the quantities. Build a kit with:
- More water than you think you need, at least a gallon per person in summer.
- Non-perishable snacks beyond the fun ones, in case a delay stretches into hours.
- A first aid kit, any needed medications, sunscreen, and diapers or wipes for the little ones.
- A flashlight, phone chargers, jumper cables, and a basic tool kit.
- Sunshades for the windows, and a blanket or towels, which do double duty in both hot and cold conditions.
Keep the kit reachable, not buried under all the luggage. An emergency kit you cannot get to is decoration.
Plan the Drive Around the Kids, Not Just the Map
Veteran family travelers plan stops before they are needed, roughly every couple of hours, at places where kids can move and burn energy. Plan drive times around your children’s rhythms too. Many Arizona families leave very early in the morning, which beats both the traffic and the worst heat of the day, and often earns a couple of quiet hours while kids doze.
Load the entertainment, then load backup entertainment. Downloaded shows, audiobooks, simple travel games, and a surprise or two for the roughest hour of the trip can save everyone’s sanity. Assign an easy job to older kids, like navigator or snack manager, and the miles pass faster for them.
Drive for Conditions, Especially in Summer
Arizona road trips can swing from urban traffic to open desert to steep mountain grades within a couple of hours. Keep the fuel tank above half in remote stretches, since gas stations thin out fast outside the metro area. Watch the temperature gauge on long climbs, and if the engine begins running hot, turn off the A/C, and if needed pull over safely and let it cool rather than pushing on. During monsoon season, respect dust storms and heavy rain: pull off the road, lights off, foot off the brake for dust, and slow down significantly for rain. If anything about the car worries you mid-trip, a quick call to a shop you trust can help you decide whether to keep driving or stop. Our number is (480) 444-0242, and we are happy to talk it through.
Prep the Cabin Before You Load It
A long drive is far more pleasant in a cabin that is ready for it. Start with a real cleaning: vacuum the seats and floors, wipe down surfaces, and clear out the accumulated clutter so packing starts from zero. Replace the cabin air filter if it has been a while, because everyone breathes recirculated air for hours on a road trip, and a fresh filter noticeably improves both airflow and odor, especially in our dusty climate.
Then organize for access. Keep water, snacks, wipes, and the day’s entertainment within arm’s reach of the back seat rather than buried in the cargo area. Sunshades on the rear windows make an enormous difference for kids on Arizona highways, where afternoon sun through the glass can make a car seat miserable. Finally, check that every seat belt and car seat is properly installed and adjusted before departure day, when you have time to fix problems calmly instead of in a hotel parking lot.
Make the Memory the Destination
The best family road trips are the ones where the car never becomes the story. A pre-trip inspection, a working A/C, a well-stocked kit, and a kid-aware plan take most of the risk and stress out of the drive, leaving room for the good stuff. Network Automotive Service Center is family-owned and has been keeping East Valley families on the road since 1995. Check out our services and call (480) 444-0242 to schedule a pre-trip checkup. Then go make some memories.
by | Apr 18, 2022 | Car Care & Driving Tips
Traveling with toddlers can be a challenge. Toddlers get bored easily and are not content with sitting in a car seat for long periods of time. The best way to avoid a road trip meltdown is to find a way to entertain your toddlers and keep them occupied during the trip. These five games are easy to understand and fun to play. They are sure to keep your toddler busy in the car, regardless of the length of the trip. If you need to have your car inspected or tuned up before you road trip, be sure to make an appointment at a Mesa, AZ auto repair shop.
I Spy
I spy is a fun game for kids of all ages and is easy enough for toddlers to master and enjoy. One player gives hints about something they can see in the car or out the window, and the other players try to guess the object. The players take turns giving hints and guessing until someone guesses right. Whoever guessed the right answers gets to give the clues for the next round.
The Color Game
The color game is fun and educational and is a great way to teach children about colors while also entertaining them. One player or a parent picks a color and challenges the other players to find as many different objects of that color within a specified amount of time. Whoever finds the most objects of that color within the time span, gets to pick the color for the next round.
Road Trip Safari
Toddlers love animals and the road trip safari game is a fun way to pass the time and encourage your children to look out their windows and enjoy the things they can see. For this game, challenge your toddler or toddler to find any many different animals as possible. They can either call out the name of the animal or even draw a picture of each animal they find.
The Sound Game
The sound game teaches children to associate sounds with the things that make them. Each player takes turns making a sound, and the other players try to guess what makes that sound. Whoever guesses first gets to make the sound for the next round. You can make animal sounds, electronic sounds, car sounds or any other noise or sound.
When it comes time for a road trip, you want to be abel to keep your toddlers busy in the car so they don’t get bored or act up. You also want to make sure your vehicle is in safe working condition and ready for the road trip. Be sure to keep some of these games in mind when trying to have fun with your kids in the car. If you need to have your vehicle inspected or tuned up, you can make an appointment with a qualified Mesa, AZ auto repair shop. We are happy to assist you with all your repair needs.
by | Apr 11, 2022 | Suspension, Wheels & Tires
When you are driving your vehicle there are certain things you don’t want to see or feel, one of those things is vibration. If your car is vibrating severely. It may not be safe to drive. You may want to have it checked out by a Chandler, AZ auto repair shop. There are many different things that could cause a car to vibrate. The sooner you find the problem, the sooner you can find the solution and the safer your vehicle will be while you are traveling.
Wheel problem
Wheel bearings, ball joints, or the ends of defective connecting rods can cause the steering wheel to vibrate while driving. If the wheel alignment issues improve, the car may also shake. If this problem persists, check the balance of the vehicle. Wheel problems should not be underestimated If you are having wheel problems the best thing you can do is have them fixed immediately. If your wheels are off-balance or if they are loose, it could cause you to be in an accident. Balancing your wheels is an easy repair that a shop can do in no time.
Breaking
If the steering wheel vibrates when braking, it may be due to a brake rotor problem. The rotor is a round metal disc and the wear of the rotor can cause the vehicle to move. In addition, damage to the brake calipers and pads can cause the steering wheel and brake pedal to wobble. Your brakes are extremely important and you don’t want to drive your car if you can’t stop it properly. It could be dangerous for you and your passengers, it could also put other people on the road in danger.
Motor
In the event of failure, some engine components may cause the vehicle to vibrate. The usual suspects are spark plugs and air filters. If you have problems, check the spark plug terminal and replace it if you haven’t in a long time. When the air filter is clogged, the car may vibrate, so check the car’s air filter. Motor issues can be serious, and if you don’t have them fixed quickly they could get worse and cause even more severe problems down the road. You could end up having to buy expensive parts or even rebuild the engine. If you think your motor may be vibrating be sure to get it checked.
When you notice your car is vibrating, there could be a number of different things that are causing it. The above are just a few of those things. You shouldn’t drive your car if you think it’s not safe but you can make arrangements to have the car inspected and repaired by a qualified Chandler, AZ auto repair shop. You can give us a call to make an appointment to have your car fixed at your earliest convenience. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. We have a mechanic who will get your vehicle back on the road in no time.