Services

When it comes to getting your vehicle in here to Chuck’s Auto Repair for that tune-up you know you need but have been putting off, we understand completely: life has a way of making scheduled maintenance seem like the least of your priorities.

The tires are the only part of the vehicle that make contact with the road. They are extremely important for optimal car performance and occupant safety.

Because brakes don’t go from great to ghastly overnight, it isn’t always easy to discern when yours have reached the point where they can fail and cause you and others harm. That’s why it’s crucial to have one of Chuck’s mechanics inspect your brakes as often as we rotate your tires.

For gasoline-powered passenger vehicles and light trucks, vehicle manufacturers recommend an oil change once a year or every 7,500 miles, whichever comes first. Diesel and turbo-charged engines should be given oil changes every 3,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first.

Whenever there’s a car, truck or minivan in your possession, you’re in charge of making sure it gets the maintenance it requires to keep it running and serving you well. Check your owner’s manual to see when you should start bringing in your model for new drive belts, timing belts, oil changes, fluid checks and other necessities it requires to keep you keepin’ on.

Wondering what to expect in the way of service and maintenance services as your vehicle approaches 30, 60, 90k miles of travel? You’ve come to the right place to find out.

Most vehicle manufacturers recommend that you replace your timing belt somewhere between 60,000 and 105,000 miles. You’ll notice that’s a big gap—wait too long and you can rack up a seriously expensive repair bill.

It’s the belts that keep nearly everything running as well as they’re supposed to. Failure to inspect and replace belts when recommended can result in your vehicle stranding you during critical moments.

Beneath the hood of your vehicle (or the trunk/boot, if you own a VW), there’s a lot going on when the engine is running. A lot of surfaces get very hot, very fast under there. It’s the belts that keep nearly everything running as well as they’re supposed to.

Your vehicle’s radiator can go south for a number of reasons: brittle hoses, damaged water pump; weakened solders; leaky fittings; malfunctioning thermostat; rusting, and more.

Right up there next to accelerating and braking responsibly is the ability to steer your vehicle. That’s pretty much a no-brainer. But did you know that your steering ability is closely tied to your vehicle’s suspension systems?

If your vehicle is beginning to ride like a jalopy, your shocks/struts are likely to blame. Signs of ailing/aging shocks/struts include bouncy trips, ‘bottoming out’ when you hit a bump or dip in the road, front end ‘bowing/dipping’ during a sudden stop, a bouncy tire while driving down the road or loss of control when you brake quickly.

Here at Chuck’s Auto Repair we take ‘check engine light’ notices seriously. Although you may have no other indication (beyond the warning light) that your engine needs help, it’s always a good idea to stop by and have your engine checked out by one of our ASA-ASE/Master-certified mechanics.

When it comes to vehicle emissions, here at Chuck’s we know that it’s all about the Seattle our kids will inherit. We are a AAA certified repair facility, so if your Catalytic Converter gets stolen, bring it in to us and one of our certified technicians will get it repaired, or get you a preventative theft shield installed to help prevent the theft from happening to begin with.

No matter what kind of electrical issues you’re having, the ASA/ASE/Master-certified mechanics here at Chuck’s Auto Repair can find and fix them. And although we can’t guarantee “the lowest prices in town”, we do guarantee you a 24-month, 24,000 mile warranty on all repairs for parts and labor.

The alternator in your vehicle provides electrical power while the engine is running. It also recharges the battery that brings your engine to life. Without an alternator the battery will quickly drain leaving you and your wheels dead in the water.

Your car’s battery delivers the spark that puts everything else under the hood in motion. Without a good battery in your vehicle, all you have is an expensive garage or driveway ornament. So when your vehicle doesn’t start, the first place to check is its battery.

If your car doesn’t start readily when prompted, your starter may be the culprit. Your vehicle’s starter system includes a solenoid, a motor and the electrical circuits that power it.

The last thing most vehicle owners want to hear from a service adviser or mechanic at an auto repair shop is, “It’s your transmission.” Ouch! Usually a diagnosis like this translates to big money.

Here at Chuck’s Auto Repair, we’ll inspect your clutch for wear and tear. We’ll investigate fly wheels, pressure plates, the entire intricate network. And when your clutch is misbehaving, chances are we’ll recommend complete assembly replacement simply because replacing clutch parts piecemeal can become a far-more-costly proposition than can simply taking care of the entire assembly at once.

Vehicle CV axles usually last a long time—upward of 100,000 miles. But when they begin to go bad, you need to attend to them promptly. If you keep driving on a bad CV axle, you run the risk of having one of its bearings freeze up; if this happens you can skid out of control.

A differential is the way manufacturers get your vehicle’s tires/wheels to rotate perpendicular to the rotation of the engine or driveshaft. The engine spins clockwise at an angle from front to back, then has to spin left to right to power the wheels down the road.

Water is as vital to the life of your vehicle as it is to your own. The water that courses through the pump and various tubes keeps your engine cool and performs other crucial functions. So when your water pump starts misbehaving, you need to jump right on it and get it repaired or replaced (usually replaced).

This service is just like a 4wd system except for the fact that, like it’s name, is full time 4wd so all four wheels are being turned by the engine at all times.

As much as you’d rather not have to think about it, your vehicle comes with vehicle maintenance needs, whether you bought it off a showroom floor or secondhand.

Prudent car care ensures that your vehicle will last longer, go farther on every tank of gas, and put fewer toxins into our beautiful Pacific Northwest air than do infrequently-serviced vehicles.

When Seattle gets hot and humid, commute time can become cranky quickly unless the air conditioning unit in every car is working at peak efficiency.

It probably should come as no surprise to learn that wheel bearings tend to be among the most overlooked parts of a vehicle, even though they are absolutely crucial to the functioning of your car.

A crucial multi layered metal and/or graphite composite that makes a water-tight seal between two halves of an engine.

Before you pack your bags, cancel your newspaper and mail delivery, and pile into your vacation vehicle for your long-awaited and much-anticipated road trip, please be sure to remember to get an inspection.