COLUMBUS AUTO REPAIR

You’re taking your time during your road trip and glance at the speed limit. The 60-mph sign paces its way past your passenger window as you glance at your dash and realize you’re doing 50mph. While most drivers are wondering how fast they can speed before being thrown a ticket, a select few wonders how slow they can go. This is certainly a twist to the question, but a practical concern.  One thing to note is that the posted speed limit is the maximum speed limit allowed. In its technical definition, drivers should be driving at a speed below what’s posted. The law states that a driver should not drive a speed that impedes normal or reasonable traffic flow. This is outside of any speeds that are reduced for safe operation or in compliance with the law. With the law in mind, it takes us back to the question of what’s defined as “normal or reasonable”?  What is “normal” and “reasonable” depends on the type of road yo ... read more

Getting into your car on your way to a destination to find that your car won’t start can be frustrating. If you get into your car, crank up the ignition, and find that your car clicks but doesn’t start up - your vehicle may have a dead battery. A dead battery is never fun and usually happens at the worst of times. However, the experts here at Luke's Auto Service are here to help when you find yourself dealing with a dead car battery this summer.  Did you know that during the summer, car batteries are actually more susceptible to dying unexpectedly due to the high temperatures? The heat can actually cause your car battery fluids to evaporate and breakdown, causing battery issues on already older batteries. Due to this, there are certain things that you can do during the summer to try and avoid having to deal with a dead battery: Try to park your vehicle in the shade and out of direct sunlight, such as in parking lot structures or in the shade.  &nb ... read more

Your vehicle’s tires are an extremely important safety feature of your vehicle. They are the only component between your car and the road, and help ensure that you are able to accelerate, stop, and turn successfully and safely. Poor tires can cause a number of different issues, ranging from lack of control to tire blowouts. Good tire maintenance will not only protect you on the road, but will also save you money on new tires throughout the years.  A commonly overlooked tire service is proper tire pressure. When your tires are low in pressure, excessive tire wear can occur and blow outs can happen. It isn’t safe to drive with low tire pressure and it is a very easy fix. You can usually do this yourself at your local gas station that provides free air.  If your tires aren’t aligned or balanced properly, excessive wear could be occurring that is severely affecting the overall lifespan of your tires. An alignment and balance is usually required every 6,000 mil ... read more

Here at Luke's Auto Service, we want you to know that we are open and ready to serve you. Auto repair is an essential business because transportation during this time of crisis is necessary. There are many people in our area who are amazing healthcare workers, law enforcement members, and other essential industry workers who are relying on their vehicles right now to get them to work. There are also families who are relying on their vehicles to get them to the store to get food and supplies while staying home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Our vehicles are so critical right now, which is why auto repair shops need to stay open and ready to help when you might need it most. Whether you have a service that you've been putting off for a while and finally have time to take care of it, or your vehicle has stopped working and you need it to get to the store, give us a call here at Luke's Auto. Not only are we equipped and ready to help, but we have also made the necess ... read more

If you've been driving your vehicle for a while, you've probably become familiar with how your brakes feel. This is why when you feel that something is off with your vehicle's braking system, it is apparent and probably concerning. If you hear a grinding noise when you apply the brakes, this is an indication of an issue with the brake system. It is never a good idea to ignore a brake issue, especially because of how important this system is to the overall safety of your vehicle. Let's look at some of the reasons why you may be experiencing a grinding noise when braking.  Your brake pads are worn down, which is causing metal to metal contact between the brake pad component and the rotors.  There is some type of debris lodged in your braking system causing damage to the rotor or calipers.  Your vehicle has low quality brake pads installed. Your brake pad wear indicator is hitting your brake rotors, indicating that it is time for new brake pads.&nbs ... read more

That little “e” makes a big difference! If only one thing on the whole car can work properly, you want it to be the brakes. It doesn’t matter how well the car runs, how fast it is, how good it looks, or how cold the A/C is; if the vehicle can’t stop, you shouldn’t be on the road! So the question is, how do you know you can trust that when you press that brake pedal, your car will actually come to a stop? First of all, brakes are a wear item, meaning over time, most brake components do wear down and need replaced. Most people in the Auto Industry agree that brake pads last anywhere from 30,000 to 70,000 miles (sometimes more, sometimes less, it’s very dependent on how the driver brakes and road conditions). If you haven’t had your brakes checked within the past year or two, getting a basic inspection can not only allow you to financially plan for possible future investment in your brakes, but also give you peace of mind knowing you’ll be ... read more

Is it a term created by mechanics to help bring in business during a slow time of the year? At least that was my thought as a little kid when my parents got the car back from the mechanic. I was disappointed when it looked the same as when it went in! Being a young boy I expected (and hoped) the mini-van would come out looking beefed-up with chains on the tires, off-road lights on top, and a plow on the front. In reality, although nothing looked different, needed services were performed. Winters (at least here up north) can really take a toll on a car. The salt from the roads can do irreversible damage to a car’s frame, the cold puts a lot of strain on the moving parts, and water based fluids can freeze if they haven’t been kept up on. So what all should be inspected before snow starts coming? Tires. You’re going to have a difficult time just getting out of your driveway if there is a shortage of tread left. Even if you can get moving, you wa ... read more

What’s a myth? What’s been tested? Truth: Your driving habits are going to be the most significant factor getting those higher MPGs.Accelerating slower, braking slower, driving the speed limit, and using cruise control. If you normally drive like a maniac, and you start driving conservatively, you could save around 35%. Most of us don’t need to change that dramatically, but we will instantly start to see savings by slowing everything down a little while on the road (not to mention it’s safer too!). Myth: It’s more fuel efficient to roll down the windows than use the A/C.Granted, this does vary some depending on speed (drag is more of a factor at higher speeds), but A/C compressors have become more efficient over time and it doesn’t seem to affect how easy the engine can push the car forward as much as it used to. Howstuffworks.com claims that it’s better to keep the A/C on when at freeway speeds and windows down around town. Edmunds.com test ... read more

Everyone wonders what to expect when their check engine light comes on. Many people know it can be an issue costing a hundred dollars or upwards of a thousand.According to CarMD.com the most common causes are faulty oxygen sensors. This and other problems can be costly to ignore; one or lots of little problems can snowball into large costly repairs. Not replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can cause spark plugs to foul out and not replacing fouled out spark plugs can cause ignition coils to fail. The five most seen check engine light trouble codes will reduce gas mileage. After we have considered the oxygen sensor, the top reasons for you check engine light to illuminate are: Defective ignition coil(s) Defective spark plug wires-These can fail simply over time or due to fouled out spark plugs. Loose gas cap-This is the most common reason for a gas evaporation code or other codes related to cause a check engine light to illuminate. This can result in a significant l ... read more