Norfolk Auto Repair

It's natural for Norfolk drivers to be a little anxious when they buy a used car in the Norfolk area; you worry that it has something wrong with it or that it hasn't been well maintained. If it's possible, bring the vehicle in for a used car inspection at Carmasters Automotive. Your friendly and knowledgeable Carmasters Automotive service advisor can tell you if there are current or emerging problems. The peace of mind is well worth the price of the inspection service. It's also important for Norfolk drivers to get on track with the maintenance schedule and stay on track. If you don't have maintenance records for the vehicle, assume the worst and get started with an oil change at Carma ... read more

We understand the anxiety you may feel after detecting a fluid leak underneath your car. If it is a substantial amount, you may need to get repairs ASAP. The best thing to do is get your vehicle into Carmasters Automotive LLC for an inspection. One aspect that will help us narrow down which fluid it could be is the fluid color. Here is our quick guide to fluid colors and what they could mean: Red/Pink - Red fluid is typically a transmission, but it can also be your power steering fluid. They can appear to be a lighter red/pink color as well. Orange - Orange fluid can be a coolant/antifreeze leak. However, it can be rusty condensation from the radiator Yellow - Coolant can also be a yellow-ish color. It can happen if there is a loose hose clamp or a broken o-ring.  Green - Green fluid is the most common color associated with antifreeze. As mentioned before, antifreeze leaks through all kinds of hoses, fittings, or clamps when they’ve worn out. Blue - Windshield wiper flu ... read more

You push a few buttons or turn some knobs, and voila, you have warm air blowing on your feet or cool air chilling your face. How does all that happen? Well, it’s all thanks to the air blend box. This box lives behind your dash and serves up just the right temperature of air right where you want it.   Let’s break it down. First there is the blower fan that circulates the air through the heating/air conditioning system. The fan can blow at different speeds, depending on how much hot or cold air you need to be comfortable. The blend box can either draw in fresh air from outside or recirculate air from inside the cabin. People often choose to recirculate air when first starting the vehicle until it starts to either cool down or warm up.   The next thing the blend box does is direct airflow over the heater core to warm the air, or over the air conditioner evaporator core to chill it – or a blend of hot and cold to get it just right. From there the blend box ca ... read more

The oil and fuel in your vehicle give off vapors that are very harmful to the environment. Evaporative emissions control systems – EVAP for short – are mandated in all cars and trucks. The EVAP system is there to capture these vapors and direct them into the engine to be burned – kind of an on-board recycling program. The EVAP system is a complicated network of hoses, valves, filters and such. Issues with the EVAP system are in the top 5 reasons for a Check Engine light to be illuminated. Your friendly and knowledgeable Carmasters Automotive service advisor can pull the trouble codes and begin a diagnostic procedure to isolate the fault. With the proper equipment, your technician can test the valves in order to trace a blockage. A low pressure smoke test can be performed to find any leaks. The repairs are then made to get the EVAP system working again and to reset the Check Engine light. While EVAP problems don't generally lead to vehicle damage, the fact that ... read more

You expect your key to turn in your vehicle's ignition.  But sometimes it won't, and that's a problem, whether you're trying to start your vehicle or trying to leave it.    Several things can cause this.  One of the most common is that the steering column locking mechanism is stuck.  Locking steering columns are an anti-theft feature introduced in the 1970s.  If yours is sticking, try moving the steering wheel a little from side to side as you turn the key; sometimes it will release.    A key may also stick if the vehicle is in gear.  Most vehicles will only let you start in neutral or park.  If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, make sure it's in park. Move the shift lever through the gears and back into park to make sure. If the key still doesn't turn, you can try jiggling the shift lever as you turn the key.  Electrical and mechanical contacts sometimes don't line up properly, and a little ... read more