Albany Auto Repair

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 does my car get hot?   Summertime, Bring on the fun and the sun! Some of the best things about summer can give your car the most trouble.   Heat! As we come into the summer months, the warmer temperatures can wreak havoc on your car or truck. It’s already getting warm out there; Texas is melting as we speak! With higher temps, your car's cooling system has to work harder than ever to keep the engine cool and keep you cool inside.    We have gone over the cooling system before, but with summer here now, it's a good time to go over a few things. When your car starts to warm up, your cooling fan will engage, the thermostat opens up, and your water pump may increase its speed.   Usually, that’s enough to keep things under control. But if you have a coolant leak and don’t have enough coolant in your car, then all those things won’t be enough. Or if your fan fails to turn on, the radiator is clogged, or your thermostat gets ... read more

Why Do Cars Need Antifreeze in the Summer?   Your vehicle’s cooling system uses a mixture of water and antifreeze to be able to operate in all weather conditions. Antifreeze is also referred to as coolant because of its chemical composition. It allows the water in the cooling system to work below freezing and above boiling temperatures.   Coolant is pumped through your engine and into the radiator, where a fan is used to pull air through the radiator, lowering the temperature of the coolant inside the radiator. It’s the same process used to heat or cool the inside of your car or home just in reverse.   Your cooling system has a few main components: a pump, radiator, thermostat, and the hoses that connect all these components together.    The Thermostat is what keeps the whole system at the correct temperature, too cold and it keeps the coolant from entering the radiator. Too warm and the thermostat opens, sending all the coolant into the rad ... read more