4 Signs that Your Air Conditioning System Needs Service

Hot air is coming from the air conditioning vents, even though the dial says “cold!”
The air never really feels cold, but seems to be continually running
The air is “freezing” you out, operating colder than the dial setting indicates
You hear the air conditioner making strange irritating noises>

Alternators are used in modern automobiles to charge the battery and to power the electrical system when its engine is running.

In recent years, alternator regulators are linked to the vehicle's computer system and various factors including air temperature obtained from the intake air temperature sensor, battery temperature sensor and engine load are evaluated in adjusting the voltage supplied by the alternator.

An automotive battery is a type of rechargeable battery that supplies electric energy to an automobile. Usually this refers to an SLI battery (starting, lighting, ignition) to power the starter motor, the lights, and the ignition system of a vehicle’s engine.

Automotive SLI batteries are usually lead-acid type, and are made of six galvanic cells in series to provide a 12 volt system. Each cell provides 2.1 volts for a total of 12.6 volt at full charge. Heavy vehicles such as highway trucks or tractors, often equipped with diesel engines, may have two batteries in series for a 24 volt system, or may have parallel strings of batteries. Lead-acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte solution of about 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water.[2] This causes a chemical reaction that releases electrons, allowing them to flow through conductors to produce electricity. As the battery discharges, the acid of the electrolyte reacts with the materials of the plates, changing their surface to lead sulfate. When the battery is recharged, the chemical reaction is reversed: the lead sulfate reforms into lead oxide and lead. With the plates restored to their original condition, the process may now be repeated.

Automotive batteries recycling reduces the need for resources required for manufacture of new batteries, diverts toxic lead from landfills, and prevents risk of improper disposal.

A car alarm is an electronic device installed in a vehicle in an attempt to discourage theft of the vehicle itself, its contents, or both. Car alarms work by emitting high-volume sound (usually a siren, klaxon, pre-recorded verbal warning, the vehicle's own horn, or a combination thereof) when the conditions necessary for triggering are met, as well as by flashing some of the vehicle's lights, and (optionally) notifying the car's owner via a paging system and interrupting various electrical circuits necessary for the car to start.

Car alarms should not be confused with immobilizers; although the purpose of both may be to deter car theft, they operate in a dissimilar fashion. An immobilizer generally will not offer any audible or visual theft deterrence, nor require any additional input from the driver than from the driver of a non-immobilizer car. Car alarms can be divided into two categories:

OEM (built-in to the vehicle at the factory)
Aftermarket (installed at any time after the car has been built, such as by the new car dealer, an auto accessories store, or the vehicle's owner)

Because clutches use changes in friction to modulate the transfer of torque between engine and transmission, they are subject to wear in everyday use. A very good clutch, when used by an expert driver, can last hundreds of thousands of miles. Weak clutches, abrupt downshifting, inexperienced drivers, and aggressive driving can lead to more frequent repair or replacement.

Your vehicle is probably in need of some form of auto repair electrical service if it is starting to experience some of the symptoms below. More than likely, your car may have one of the possible problems associated with starters or alternators. Ignoring the problem will lead to car trouble ranging from “slow” starts to a car that does “not” start at all.

Warning Lights – Remember that warning lights let us know that our auto is not working properly and needs some attention. When the “check engine” light comes on, it means your car needs immediate attention.

Sight, Sound & Smell – Have the engine checked if it is starting to make sounds you’ve never heard before.

Overheating electrical connections will create a burning smell, a symptom of a serious electrical circuit or fuse malfunction.

Dim Lights – If your car’s headlights and interior lights dim periodically, it usually signifies an electrical issue.

Alternators that aren’t working properly cannot keep a battery charged.

Dead Battery - A dead battery is very common.

Of course, it will also happen when the headlights or interior lights are left on without the car running. A jump-start should take care of the problem. But then don’t forget to have the car battery inspected to see if it needs to be replaced.A strong battery can prevent future repairs to starters and alternators.

Broken or Loose Electrical Connections - A single little wire or connection that is broken can lead to a myriad of electrical malfunctions in your car. Don’t delay in having an auto electrical service. Sometimes simply reconnecting an on-line fuse or connection can bring life back to your car.

If your vehicle is a 1996 or newer model, it comes equipped with an On-Board Diagnostics System (OBD II). This system is designed to catch emissions problems before they become a major concern.

OBD alerts you to conditions that waste fuel, shorten engine life and result in potentially expensive repairs.
OBD lets you know your vehicle is contributing to unhealthful air by emitting excess pollutants.
A vehicle will not pass an emissions test when the check engine light is on. If the battery has been disconnected or the trouble codes erased, you will have to drive the vehicle under varying conditions for up to one week before it will pass.

Call 1st Response Mobile Repair (702-489-4048) when you see the Check Engine light. A flashing light indicates a severe problem which could damage the catalytic converter.
Emission inspections are required for many original vehicle registrations and for each annual renewal. Your mailed renewal notice will indicate whether a test is required. Vehicles Requiring a Test:

Based in the urban areas of Clark or Washoe county
Gasoline powered (regardless of weight or size)
Diesel powered with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating up to and including 14,000 pounds
1968 model year or newer (unless the vehicle qualifies for a Classic Vehicle exemption)
New vehicles on their third registration. First and second registrations are exempted. Hybrids are exempt for five model years.
Emissions tests are valid for 90 days.
You must have a valid Nevada test to complete any original registration or most renewals if the vehicle requires a test as listed above. This includes reinstatement of a suspended registration.

Exempt Vehicles - The following vehicles are exempt from emission testing:

New motor vehicles on their first and second registration.
New hybrid-electric vehicles for the first 5 model years.
1967 or older.
Motorcycle or moped.
Alternative fuel vehicles.
Diesel vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 14,001 pounds or greater.
Transfer of ownership/registration if the last test was conducted within 90 days before the transfer.
Transfer of ownership/registration between husband and wife.
Transfer of ownership/registration between companies whose principal business is leasing vehicles if there is no change in the lessee or operator of the vehicle.
Vehicles registered as a Classic Rod, Classic Vehicle or Old Timer and driven 5,000 miles or less per year.
Vehicles registered as a Replica Vehicle.

If the coolant in the overflow container gets too low, fluid transfer to overflow will cause an increased loss by vaporizing the engine coolant causing engine overheating.

Severe engine damage can be caused by overheating, by overloading or system defect, when the coolant is evaporated to a level below the water pump. This can happen without warning, because at that point, the sending units are not exposed to the coolant to indicate the excessive temperature. Opening a hot radiator drops the system pressure immediately and may cause a sudden ebullition of super-heated coolant. Therefore, since opening the cap on a hot radiator can result in steam burns to the unwary person, radiator caps often contains a mechanism that attempts to relieve the internal pressure before the cap can be fully opened.

We offer a thorough Pre-Purchase Inspection service. The inspection takes 60-90 minutes and is primarily a thorough visual inspection of all of the vehicle's major components. It takes all of the guesswork out of an out of state purchase.
We are glad to personalize the inspection to address your particular concerns. These are just a few of the things we look for:

Body - rust, panel fit, poor bodywork
Paint - quality, blemishes, finish
Chrome - pits, cracks, dents
Weatherstripping - dry, missing
Interior - quality, cleanliness
Engine - cold start, unusual sounds or smoking, leaks, oil condition, number matching
Transmission - slippage, delay, linkage, leaks
Suspension - bushings, abnormal tire wear, wheel camber
Cooling - overheating, leaks
Brakes - pedal fade, straight stop
Exhaust - rust, leaks
Electrical - test all electrical components
Wheels - curb rash
Tires - dry rot, uneven wear
VIN & documentation verification

A starter is an electric motor, pneumatic motor, hydraulic motor, or other device for rotating an internal-combustion engine so as to initiate the engine's operation under its own power.

The electric starter motor or starting motor is the most common type. The modern starter motor is either a permanent-magnet or a series-parallel wound direct current electric motor with a starter solenoid (similar to a relay) mounted on it. When current from the starting battery is applied to the solenoid, usually through a key-operated switch, the solenoid engages a lever that pushes out the drive pinion on the starter driveshaft and meshes the pinion with the starter ring gear on the flywheel of the engine.

Timing belts must be replaced at the manufacturer's recommended distance and/or time periods.

Failure to replace the timing belt can result in complete breakdown or catastrophic engine failure, especially in interference engines.[5] The owner's manual maintenance schedule is the source of timing belt replacement intervals, typically every 60,000 to 90,000 miles (approx 96,000 to 144,000 kilometres).[6] It is common to replace the timing belt tensioner at the same time as the belt is replaced.

The usual failure modes of timing belts are either stripped teeth (which leaves a smooth section of belt where the drive cog will slip) or delamination and unraveling of the fiber cores. Breakage of the belt, because of the nature of the high tensile fibers, is uncommon.[citation needed] Correct belt tension is critical - too loose and the belt will whip, too tight and it will whine and put excess strain on the bearings of the cogs. In either case belt life will be drastically shortened. Aside from the belt itself, also common is a failure of the tensioner, and/or the various gear and idler bearings, causing the belt to derail.

Because it has moving parts and is burning fuel, an engine heats up to a very high temperature. This is normal; in fact, engines run better at a fairly high temperature than cold.

However, it can also get too hot. This results in damage ranging from something as minor as the need for fresh engine coolant, to complete destruction of the vehicle's engine, including fire. So the car also has a cooling system to keep things at just the right temperature.

The system can (and will) break down, though. Overheating can be caused by many different problems within the system.