Norfolk Auto Repair

Tire balancing is an important aspect of vehicle maintenance that helps ensure a smooth and comfortable ride, and also helps extend the life of your tires. If you've ever experienced a vibrating steering wheel or an uneven ride, it's likely that your tires are out of balance. Here's what you need to know about tire balancing and why it's important for your vehicle. What is Tire Balancing? Tire balancing refers to the process of adjusting the weight distribution of a tire and wheel assembly to ensure that it rotates evenly and smoothly. This is important because an unbalanced tire can cause a range of problems, including vibrations, uneven tire wear, and reduced fuel efficiency. Why is Tire Balancing Important? Improved Ride Quality: When your tires are properly balanced, your vehicle will ride more smoothly and comfortably. You'll also experience less vibration in the steering wheel, which can make driving more enjoyable. Extended Tire Life: An unbalanced tire ... read more

Transmission problems are a car issue that you should not take lightly. They can be extensive and costly if not taken care of. To prevent a hole in your wallet, you should perform transmission maintenance when necessary and get regular inspections.  Today, we will go over 8 symptoms that may indicate transmission trouble. If you experience one or more of the following warning signs, we invite you to visit the transmission auto repair specialists at Carmasters Automotive! Odd Smells - When your transmission overworks itself, it can emit an unpleasant burning scent.  Clunking, Humming, or Whining Noises - When you switch gears, it shouldn’t be described as a noisy experience. Otherwise, you should have your transmission checked out. Check Engine Light On - A warning light such as the check engine light may indicate a deeper problem within the transmission. A diagnostic scan can confirm whether or not it relates to the transmission.  Red Fluid Leak - Automatic t ... read more

Question: I need new tires. How do I know which tires to get? Carmasters Automotive Answer: Let's look at selecting new tires in light of three factors: Function, Fit, and Value. Function: This gets at what your needs are for new tires: VA weather conditions, Norfolk terrain, Norfolk temperatures, etc. Most new family vehicles in VA come with all-season tires. They can be used all year long and do pretty well in most VA road conditions – but they aren't ideal at the extremes. Winter tires have a more aggressive tread for handling snow and ice on roads, and they have a rubber compound that helps them have better traction as Norfolk temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit/7.2 degrees Centigrade. In winter weather, you'll definitely experience better stopping and road-holding characteristics for Norfolk vehicles than all-season tires. Dedicated summer tires enhan ... read more

Let's address a very important maintenance item for everyone in Norfolk VA – timing belt replacement. It's important because letting this one slide can lead to very expensive engine damage. Your timing belt choreographs the timing of your combustion process. Your pistons travel up and down in the cylinder. Intake valves open at the right time to let in air and fuel; they close at the right time to allow the fuel to burn and then the exhaust valves open at the right time to let out the exhaust. All this happens thousands of times a minute and it's your timing belt that makes sure the valves are opening and closing at precisely the right time. If the timing is off, your engine won't run. And that's the best case. The worst case is that a valve is opening at the wrong time and collides with the piston. The result is bent valves and maybe even more damage to the cy ... read more

Question I was driving down the freeway and smoke started coming out of my car.  I pulled over and called my husband.  I had to be towed to my mechanic.  He said my car had overheated.  What can I do to prevent that in the future? Answer Oh, sounds like a rough experience.  Unfortunately overheating is the most common engine failure.  It’s also one of the easiest to prevent. The basic idea is this: you need to keep enough coolant/antifreeze flowing through your engine to keep it cool.  Problems come when you develop leaks in the system – like in your radiator or a hose – and the coolant leaks out.  Sometimes the coolant gets so contaminated that it blocks up the radiator so the coolant can’t get through.  Enough of that and you end up broken down on the side of the road.  Your owner’s manual recommends a schedule for replacing your coolant.  That’s because y ... read more