Have you ever been in a rush, jumped in the driver’s seat of your car, turned the key, and gotten ready to drive away —but as you turn your ignition, nothing happens? A few clicks or sputters of your engine, maybe. But other than that, nothing. Luckily, you are well-prepared and keep emergency equipment in your trunk—including jumper cables! You have the tools to bring your car back to life, but as you stare at these cables, you are unsure how to properly use them. Though having the right emergency equipment is a great start, jump-starting a car is not something everyone learns how to do. In this article, we have listed what you need to know about how to jump a car. A few simple steps and you are at your destination on time!

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Do you listen when your car is trying to tell you something? Your vehicle gives you feedback and instead of ignoring it in hopes it goes away, it is important to learn about the most common noises to try to identify what the problem might be. This will help determine when you should bring your car down to Luke’s Auto Service!

We have listed some of the most common car noises and helpful tips on what to do if your car is making a certain sound:

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You may have heard of The FIXD device as being known as the “Car Repair Sensor That’s Saving People $1000s” or the HUM device known for a “quick diagnostic”. But do these pocket-sized plugins truly diagnose your vehicle? Both tools are great informational tools that can give you the code or codes that your vehicle computer sees when you are having performance issues or if one of your dashboard lights turns on. These codes are not a diagnosis, they are a starting point that points you in a direction to work towards an actual diagnosis. Diagnosing a vehicle properly requires running tests and following the steps listed below:

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 No car has ever broken down at the “right time”. Whether you’re sitting in a car that won’t start, or preparing for the future, this article will help you figure out what’s wrong with your car!

It is very easy to assume the worst or immediately suspect that your battery died. After reading this article, hopefully, you will be able to know if the issue is a  faulty battery, starter, or alternator. These three parts of a vehicle work very closely together, therefore it can be hard to tell which of the three is the culprit. Let’s take a closer look at each of their roles so it will be easier to diagnose which of the three has failed. Continue reading “My Car Won’t Start! Is it the Battery, Alternator, or Starter?” →

Buying a new car sure has a lot of appeals – squeaky clean, better features, even that new car smell. But did you know that by keeping your current vehicle longer, you can actually save more money in the end? The smartest way to get a solid return on your vehicle investment is to keep your car through what Car Care Council calls the “Cinderella Era”. What is the “Cinderella Era”, you ask? This is the period of time after your loan is paid off and your car is still in great shape, but only needs modest service and repairs. By simply allocating the equivalent of just 1 new car payment, you may be able to cover an entire year’s worth of basic car maintenance!

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