McFarland Auto Repair

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

What do you do to slow or stop your vehicle? Step down on the brake pedal, of course. But, the brake system is a lot more complex than a simple pedal. It involves many parts to produce the pressure necessary to slow down your wheels’ rotation. Over time, these parts will wear down and need service.    Typically, you can tell when your brakes are going bad using your senses. Fortunately, brakes show early signs of weakness like squeals and squeaks. With routine and regular brake service, you shouldn’t find your brakes fail abruptly. Otherwise, failing brakes can be very frightening and put you and your loved ones at risk of an accident.    Below are some of the symptoms of bad or failing brakes: Brake warning light or ABS light illuminated on dashboard Squealing, squeaking, or grinding noises Spongy brake pedal Shaky or vibrating brake pedal Brake pedal goes straight down to the floor Car pulls to one side when braking Brake pedal feels stiff a ... read more

On a hot summer day, it’s normal for your car’s air conditioning to blow hot air upon start-up… at least until it warms up. It should take no more than a minute or two for you to feel cold air. Otherwise, your auto air conditioning system may be malfunctioning. Don’t be caught melting in the heat this summer by taking your car to Tom’s Auto Center for reliable A/C repair.   When you bring your vehicle to our auto service shop, we will provide a comprehensive inspection and test your car's A/C. We’ve got you covered, from everything including the condenser, blower motor, evaporator, filter, refrigerant, electrical wiring, and more. Common Causes of A/C Problems  Low Refrigerant - Refrigerant is the substance that flows through the A/C system to keep the air cool. If there is not enough of it, it typically means you have a leak that needs to be repaired. Once the leak is patched, a professional mechanic can top your car off with some ... read more

The suspension system in your car helps to reduce jarring and shocks when you're going along the road. The suspension also aids in bettering how the car works. There are many various kinds of suspension systems, but the one that combines shock absorbers and struts is by far the most used. Shock absorbers are utilized on both the front and rear wheels of newer vehicles, whereas they are largely employed on the rear wheels of earlier vehicles and strut assemblies on the front. Shock absorbers' life span Shock absorbers have a minimum lifespan of 4 to 5 years. But the truth is that it depends on the state of the roads. If you usually drive the automobile on well-maintained roads, the lifespan may even increase to ten years. Similar to that, if you typically travel on uneven, bumpy, or pothole-filled roads, it can be less than five years. However, wherever you drive as well as how you drive are the true deciding factors. Signs you need to check your shock absorbers The shock ab ... read more