McFarland Auto Repair

If you're driving in the cold winter months and your car heater is blowing cold air instead of warm, it can be a frustrating and uncomfortable experience. Fortunately, there are a few common reasons why this might be happening, and many can be easily resolved with the help of a professional auto repair shop. Low coolant levels: One of the most common reasons for a car heater blowing cold air is low coolant levels. Coolant, also known as antifreeze, is responsible for keeping the engine warm and maintaining the correct operating temperature. If the coolant levels are low, the engine may not be warm enough to heat the cabin, causing the heater to blow cold air. Faulty Thermostat: The thermostat is in charge of regulating the temperature of the coolant in the engine. If the thermostat is faulty, it may not be opening and allowing the coolant to circulate properly, causing the engine to run cold and the heater to blow cold air. Blocked Heater Core: The heater core is a small radiato ... read more

Whenever an unfamiliar light or symbol appears on your dashboard, you might feel a level of concern or even panic. Most of the time, they are easy to read and self-explanatory. Other times, you may have no clue. One warning indicator that our customers tend to ask us about is the TPMS light, or tire pressure monitoring system light.  The TPMS light looks like a horseshoe with an exclamation mark, and it can appear when your tire pressure is too low in one or more of your car’s tires. Here is every step you should take following the appearance of this light: Step 1: Look Up What Your Tire Pressure Should Be At Every manufacturer has a labeled pressure, usually in the units of psi, for your front tires and rear tires. It can be found on a sticker on the driver’s door jamb. If not, you should check the manual. Step 2: Measure Tire Pressure Manually Next, you will want to check each tire’s pressure using a tire gauge manually. You can go to a local gas station ... read more

With millions of people traveling on the road over the holiday season, some traffic will almost always be inevitable. Whether traveling solo, in a duo, or with a packed full car, you might as well make some fun of it. To make your road journey merry and bright, how about jamming to some holiday classic tunes road? Here are some of our favorites that always make our playlist cut every year: All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry Santa Claus is Coming to Town – The Jackson 5 I’ll be Home for Christmas – Elvis Presley Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano Last Christmas – Wham! It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams Santa Tell Me — Ariana Grande Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays — NSYNC It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Michael Buble Rockin Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee Underneath the Tree – Kelly Clarkson Holly J ... read more

Proper wheel alignment optimizes vehicle handling, reduces wear and tear on your tires and surrounding components, and improves overall vehicle efficiency. At Tom's Auto Center, we cannot stress the importance of wheel alignments enough. Not only do we want to help you out with regular wheel alignments and tire checks, but it is in our best interest to keep you and your vehicle safer on the road. Over the course of your vehicle’s life, brakes will be slammed, sharp turns will be taken, and speed bumps and potholes are inevitable. All these things can offset your wheel alignment and cause your car to veer to one side. A wheel alignment ensures your tires and wheels are turned to their safe angles specified by the manufacturer. So you might be wondering, how can you tell if your car is out of alignment? And the answer is, you'll definitely know in one way or the other! Below are some of the most common signs of wheel misalignment: Uneven or premature ... read more

The transmission is one of the most important components in your car. It needs to be powerful enough to do the job of moving power from the engine to spin and move your wheels. Therefore, when your transmission goes out, you won’t be able to take your car anywhere. Since the transmission is necessary to drive your car, it is no secret that it requires regular service to keep it in check. A faulty transmission is hard to go unmissed. At Tom’s Auto Center, we want to educate you on how to spot these problems early to save you time and money on extensive repairs later on. Below are some of the most common symptoms that indicate you need transmission repairs: Slipping gears Humming, buzzing, or other unusual sounds in neutral Transmission has a burning smell Car doesn’t move when put in drive Difficulty shifting gears Check engine light illuminated If you notice an issue with your transmission or any warning signs listed above, please bring your car to our auto re ... read more