Automotive Industry News & Information - Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center

As cars become more technologically advanced, the importance of your vehicle’s battery becomes continually more important. In the old days, a car battery essentially worked or it didn’t; if it was good enough to start the car, it was good enough. Moderns vehicles are a different story. A faulty battery can cause a variety of issues, including engine codes, sensor failures, irregular transmission behavior, and the list goes on. Battery failure often causes issues that are commonly misdiagnosed, and in the hands of the wrong auto repair shop, a mechanic may spend hundreds of your hard earned dollars chasing problems that don’t exist. At Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH, our mechanics are ASE certified and familiar with modern vehicles and the problems that accompany them.

Here at Jim Van Dyke, in Washington CH we want to remind you the importance of preparing your car to make sure your car is ready for the unexpected.

I like the color green myself, but I tell our Washington CH drivers that when you see it on the ground by your car or truck, it is a BAD SIGN! First, be sure to gauge how much of it is on the ground and remember if your car or truck has been parked overnight, what you see could be a HINT of what has really leaked out. This beautiful green color is your antifreeze on the ground vs in your vehicle where it belongs and your radiator.

We tell our Washington CH drivers to call us immediately here at Jim Van Dyke if they have a radiator - antifreeze leak like this as it could mean extreme damage if they try to drive that car or truck should there be enough of a leak and the engine overheats completely. Here it is all about keeping you safe and those repair bills down so you can continue to drive your favorite car or truck and get on with your daily activities. Talk to our team of experienced mechanics any time you have a question about your vehicle maintenance or engine performance. Something as small as as antifreeze could save you serious money.
NOTE: It is poisonous for animals (see pets information here) and people alike (see information for people here) so don't leave it on the ground. Antifreeze was developed to overcome the shortcomings of water as a heat transfer fluid in your engine keeping it from over heating.
2nd NOTE: DO NOT EVER OPEN THE RADIATOR CAP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS HOT OR EVEN WARM - THE FLUID IS HIGHLY PRESSURIZED.

I couldn't more pleased with my experience at Van Dyke's, very professional and helpful group of people. They installed a new Jasper Transmission in my son's first truck and they never hesitated to answer any questions I had along the way. They have earned my business going forward, I would highly recommend them to anyone! - Jason G.

Some times you just know when it needs to be changed and it's that easy. This is a prime example where no words were needed when our Washington CH driver saw the filter.....it was a done deal. It is a shame you can't see these things from the outside and in this case the filter itself isn't that bad it's the animal that was making a home in the filter that was the issue. When you get home from a trip and haven't moved your car or truck take a look under it after moving it to see if any debris is under the vehicle parking spot. If so let us check it out here at Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH to see just what it may be before they become TOO COMFORTABLE! It's our job to help you avoid high repair costs.

According to recent studies, 5 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities are clearly caused by automobile maintenance neglect. This looks like a bad day for our Washington CH drivers but it isn't just a tire, they also experienced issues with the rim and then there was a problem with where and HOW they stopped the vehicle. Nobody wants an accident so the easy way is to simply take a look at your tires and to have your tires rotated about every 5,000 miles. Check tire pressures once a month; let the tires cool down first. Don't forget your spare and be sure your jack is in good condition. Before you head out on a road trip, check with us here at Jim Van Dyke and lets make sure you are in great shape to enjoy that trip!

There is nothing like watching those smiling faces through the windows of the school bus knowing that our children are safe and learning new and exciting things! Each year we like to reach out and remind our Washington CH drivers to watch out for our kids as they wait for the bus and to be careful around the buses themselves. This year we found some really interesting facts as well.
Did you know that students are about 70 times more likely to get to school SAFELY on the bus than by car?!

When your wiring harness or just ONE wire is compromised it can cause serious problems for you as a driver. It could be as simple as your window not working the way you want it to staying down vs going up on a rainy day to issues with your steering column which will seriously compromise your ability to drive safely. Anytime you have an unusual problem or smell burnt wires, don't simply decide it's a crazy idea that couldn't possibly be true! Small rodents can get into your vehicle and cause minor or major damage to your vehicle wiring and you know your car or truck better than anyone else so give us a call here at Jim Van Dyke in Washington CH and let us know your concerns. We will take the time to talk with you about it and see if there is a safety issue or a small problem that can be handled quickly before it becomes a larger one