Don’t Know Why the Check Engine Light is On? We Do. A Necessary Aggravation We know (because we’re drivers, too) that an illuminated check engine light is an aggravation. However, it’s a necessary feature that lets you know when your automobile needs attention. This feature gives you a heads-up that something is amiss, and that can keep your vehicle from passing the required annual North Carolina state inspection, including an emissions test for vehicles less than 20 years old in 22 of the 100 counties. Rather than focusing too long on the irritating light, use it as a reminder to schedule you ..read more

Hot and Cold: What About an Auto AC that Can’t Make Up its Mind? Really? You’re counting on your vehicle’s air conditioner to work when the weather turns hot. If it needs to be fixed, however, you might feel an alternating warm and cool air pattern. That might leave you asking, “Really? Can’t you make up your mind, A/C?” If you find yourself in this predicament, stop questioning your car’s A/C and bring it to the attention of the ASE-certified technicians at A & J Automotive in Raleigh, North Carolina. What Are You Doing? Before you become so frustrated that you ask your automobile what it ..read more

An Overview of Brake Safety Thinking About Brakes The time to think about brake safety is always. Complete brake failure rarely occurs instantly, so making a habit of preventive maintenance service and timely repairs can remedy most problems before they even happen. To ensure that you can operate your vehicle safely and stop in an emergency, count on the ASE-certified technicians at A & J Automotive in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ensuring Braking Ability Although it’s easy to mindlessly press the brake pedal, expecting your car to stop, day after day, you should be intentional about thinking ..read more

Oil Change: The Dirty Truth of Neglecting this Preventive Care Point Can You Live in Filth? Nobody’s house can be perfectly spotless and germ-free at all times. In fact, unless you’re a clean freak, you probably have a few dust bunnies hiding away somewhere or some undone chores. That’s much different, however, than living in absolute filth–the kind that’s likely to make you sick from exposure to disgusting things. Most people will likely say no when asked if they can live in this kind of nastiness. Why would you allow your car to befall that same fate if you’re one of them? Yet that’s exactly ..read more

How to Fix the Problem You may not know what wheel alignment is, but you’ve probably experienced the consequences of bad wheel alignment before. Ever wonder why your car seems to pull to one side of the road when you’re driving? That’s usually a sign that your wheel alignment is off. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what causes bad wheel alignment and how you can fix it. Causes Bad wheel alignment can be caused by a number of things, including hitting a pothole or curb, driving over a speed bump too fast, or even just normal wear and tear. The good news is that bad wheel alignment is usually a ..read more

Three Factors That May Contribute If your car’s AC is making a strange noise, it could be due to a number of different factors. Here are a few potential causes of strange noises coming from your car’s AC unit and what you can do about them. Loose or damaged fan belts If the noise coming from your car’s AC unit sounds like squealing or screeching, it could be due to loose or damaged fan belts. If this is the case, you’ll need to have the belts replaced as soon as possible. Fan belts that are in good condition are essential for proper functioning of the AC unit. Another potential cause of stra ..read more

H2: In A Clutch, You Can Count On A&J Automotive for Transmission Repair What Does a Transmission Do? Whether you drive a manual or an automatic transmission, its job is the same. To take power from the engine and deliver it to the wheels to maintain a designated speed. It’s a complex system, and if any of the components aren’t working properly, it can lead to problems that cost you time and money. A proper maintenance program is the best way to avoid a transmission issue. By knowing the signs of a transmission problem, you can take the proper steps to schedule a transmission repair quickl ..read more

Your Wheel Alignment Questions Five Common Questions About Wheel Alignment Maintaining proper wheel alignment is one of the easiest ways to prolong the life of your tires and promote top-notch handling. But just like an occasional trip to the chiropractor for an adjustment, it’s necessary to visit your trusted alignment shop for a vehicle alignment. At A&J Automotive, we receive a lot of questions on this topic, so our certified technicians took the time to answer your top-five questions. Q: What is Wheel Alignment? A: Wheel alignment, also known as front-end alignment or tire alignment, i ..read more

Four Common Signs Your Brake Lines Need Repairing How Brake Lines Help You Stop Your vehicle brakes help keep you and those around you safe on the road. Unreliable or faulty brakes can cause you serious trouble, but with proper maintenance and a little education, you can ensure your brake system is ready to stop on a dime. What do brake lines do? They are metal hardlines found on most modern vehicles and, through hydraulic pressure, turn brake pedal pressure into stopping power. When you apply pressure to your brake pedal, the brake fluid stored in the master cylinder is transferred to the bra ..read more

A&J Automotive Gets to the Truth About Motor Oil What’s True and False About Motor Oil? There are a lot of myths brewing about motor oil. When it’s time for an oil change, what’s true and what’s false? We asked our experts at A&J Automotive to help guide you through this murky subject. Eight General Motor Oil Myths Debunked Myth #1: Change your oil every 3,000 miles. FALSE. This is an old-school way of thought. For many of today’s modern vehicles, oil change intervals should be dictated by the owner’s manual or when the check oil light comes on. Most manufacturers recommend an oil chan ..read more