Carters Automotive and Transmission

EXPERT AUTO AIRCONDITIONING REPAIR IN AUSTIN

carterstrans — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:55:12 +0000

WELL spring is almost here and the temperature is rising which means it’s AC season. If you live in Texas you can’t live w/o your car AC working properly. Almost all of the calls we receive are the same, “my AC was marginal for the summer but I haven’t needed it again until now”. Translated, it was going out last year and has finally failed. Usually it is due to a leak in the system which means a major repair is necessary but there are several reasons the AC system won’t function properly: 1) inadequate air flow over the condensor-could be dirt/debre pluging it, a relay or blown fuse, or a bad fan motor, 2) switches or sensors or 3) inside control has failed. These are usually easy repairs and therefore inexpensive. At CARTERS TRANSMISSIONS AND AIRCONDITIONING REPAIR WE OFFER FREE ESTIMATES PEFORMED BY HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS. WE HAVE BEEN SERVICING CENTRAL AUSTIN FOR MORE THAT 50 YEARS. PLEASE GIVE US A CALL.

NORTH: 512-748-5099 & SOUTH: 512-748-7528

WE ACCEPT APPOINTMENTS AND DROP-OFFS

Thanks again:

Jake under the Hood

Make sure to visit our Twitter and Facebook page

CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS

carterstrans — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 20:57:40 +0000

WELL, it’s a new month and it seems like our most asked questions are about the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. It may sound odd until you put 2 & 2 together and realize that it is due to state inspection. Austin is designated “clean” emissions city and as such you won’t get your vehicle inspected w/ that menacing “CHECK ENGINE LIGHT” on. Since 1996 the Feds have required all manufactures to use a 2 generation onboard diagnostic system, OBDll, which monitors many different sensors and systems. Sadly, this single light can be triggered by HUNDREDS of different reasons and usually involves lots of time to diagnose and repair. This means money and sadly if not done correctly means more money. That is why any consumer should be cautious where they go to have this type of repair done. CARTERS TRANSMISSION REPAIR AND AUTOMOTIVE HAS BEEN REPAIRING AUTOMOBILES FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, You could say we grew up before the car had a computer. There is no substitute for experience.

Give us a call for a free estimate on your “CHECK ENGINE LIGHT” problem.

NORTH @ 512-748-5099 OR SOUTH @ 512-748-7528.

Signing off for the weekend: Jake’s under the Hood

TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE

carterstrans — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:08:03 +0000

My father used to tell his customers that “…if you treat you car right for the 1st 100,000 miles it will return the favor for the 2nd 100,000”. It was true then and it’s true now. Maintenance and transmission repair is the most important area the owner has control of over his vehicle. Most of our customers know about changing the engine oil. Most know about there tires but their knowledge of their transmission is nearly 0. Transmission servicing is becoming more critical and the units become more complicated. A modern transmission can have eight forward speeds, a dedicated computer, dozens of sensors, and be interconnected to the braking system, the traction control system, and the steering system. All this in an effort to increase “efficiency” by 1%.

Lost in all this high tech engineering is the need to keep the transmission fluid clean. When a transmission is serviced only some of the fluid is replaced w/ new. That’s correct, the only time a transmission has 100% new fluid is when it is brand new or being replace, otherwise we are “blending” a portion of new fluid (20% to 50%) w/ the old fluid. If we wait to long the service it then the “blended” result is poor. This is even more critical when our customer learns that his vehicle’s transmission filter is NOT servicable. That’s right, some manufactures starting in the 1980’s placed the transmission filter inside the transmission in such a manor that the transmission has to be removed & disassembled just to replace a $5.00 filter. Brilliant, just brilliant. you don’t want to get behind the maintenance curve on these units.

CARTERS TRANSMISSIONS HAS BEEN HELPING YOU KEEP YOUR CARS’ TRANSMISSION GOING SINCE 1946. WE OFFER FREE DIAGNOSTICS, EXPERT ADVISE, AND SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODEL. CALL US NORTH@ 512-451-2141 OR SOUTH @512-748-7528

Overheating

carterstrans — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:27:04 +0000

Car breakdown, young man with problems on car

If you want more images with car breakdown please click here.

[url=/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=12090460][img]http://www.photodiem.nl/knoppen/breakdown.jpg[/img][/url]

If you want more images with insurance please click here.

[url=/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=11703795][img]http://www.photodiem.nl/knoppen/zoeken2a.jpg[/img][/url]

If you want more images with a accident at work please click here.

[url=/file_search.php?action=file&lightboxID=10578453][img]http://www.photodiem.nl/knoppen/accident.jpg[/img][/url]

" data-image-caption="" data-large-file="https://carterstrans.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/austin_overheating_services.jpg?w=425" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-197" style="margin:7px;" alt="Car trouble, need help" src="https://carterstrans.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/austin_overheating_services.jpg?w=300&h=199" width="300" height="199" srcset="https://carterstrans.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/austin_overheating_services.jpg?w=300 300w, https://carterstrans.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/austin_overheating_services.jpg?w=150 150w, https://carterstrans.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/austin_overheating_services.jpg 425w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Recently i took a call from a customer w/ a overheating concern. He said the temp. guage would climb to the top when he was in traffic but seemed OK as long as he was driving. He had replaced the thermostat 2 times but no change. It didn’t make sense to him. My first question was what type of vehicle. When he said it was a late model Ford sedan I began to suspect the radiator cooling fans. I asked him to bring it by for a quick check. The fans would not come on. I checked the fan connector and could see it had been drawing alot of current. I recommended new fan assembles and relays. He agreed and we had him back on the road in hrs.

His only question was why it didn’t overheat when he drove faster. I explained to him that I divide overheating into 2 catagories (assuming there is liquid in the system) WATER FLOW vs AIR FLOW. When he drove faster and it cooled better, it simply needed more air across the radiator.

JAkE UNDER THE HOOD

Austin Transmission Repair – Quality Work at Affordable Pricing

carterstrans — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 01:35:22 +0000

Carters Transmission Repair – Transmission Repair, Engine Repair, Transmission Service Maintenance Schedule and Complete Auto Care in Austin, TX.

Carters Transmission Repair has been successfully serving customers in the Austin area since 1965. Our business objectives are to provide 100% customers satisfaction and high quality of work at a fair price! Give us a call and find out why over thousands of customers trust us with their business.
Our business objectives are to provide all of our valued customers with honesty,integrity, complete customer satisfaction, and a high quality product at a fair price. We are under the same owner ship and our management team is committed to these common values and we demand the same of all our employees.

In addition, Carters Transmission Repair and Auto care has several on going business improvement initiatives including:

Improved Customer Satisfaction Program
Quality Improvement Program
Certified Suppliers
Training / Certification Program
Technical Exchange seminars

All of these initiatives are directed toward continuous improvements to our products and services on behalf of our customer.

About Us: Providing Auto Repair Services in Austin for More than 60 Years

If you’re looking for a local auto repair shop that you can trust, consider Carters Transmission Repair. Ever since 1965, Carters Transmission Repair has been providing our friends and neighbors in Austin with dependable, trustworthy auto repair services. Whether your vehicle needs a minor tune-up to a major overhaul, our trained service technicians are skilled at quickly diagnosing and pinpointing solutions to problems, saving you valuable time and money.

Carters Automotive Auto Repair and Transmission Repair

carterstrans — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:11:09 +0000

Carters Auto Repair in Austin has been providing quality car care in Austin since 1964. We are a family owned business delivering honest and professional automotive repair and auto maintenance services to the people of Austin and surrounding areas. The quality ASE (automotive service excellence) certified technicians at Carters Auto Repair and Transmission Repair employ today’s latest automotive technology and are equipped to handle all major and minor repairs on foreign and domestic vehicles.

Carters Auto Repair is a certified Auto Care Center, we are able to provide the benefits of an established national entity while maintaining the personal touch of a family owned business. We understand that your vehicle is a major investment, and that is why we care for each customer’s vehicle as if it were our own.

Please be sure to go to our Shop Specials section for our current promotions and specials.

Come by and visit our clean and professional shop in Austin, TX

About Carters

At Carters Auto Center, we follow a strict Code of Ethics so customers will know up front what to expect. As part of this code, we pledge to:

To perform high quality diagnostic and repair service at a fair price using quality parts
To employ ASE certified technicians
To be dedicated to customer satisfaction
To exercise reasonable care for the customers property while in our possession
To obtain prior authorization and provide a price estimate for work performed
To provide a system for fair settlement of customer complaints should they occur
To maintain the highest standards of our profession
To uphold the integrity of all members of the NAPA AutoCare Program

Our Services:

Austin auto air conditioning – It’s getting cold now

carterstrans — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:30:02 +0000

Austinites that cold time of the year is upon us. Now is a good time to make sure your heater in your auto is working good. Carter’s Austin auto air conditioning and heating is already prepared for these cold days ahead. Make sure you don’t get stuck out in the the cold with a broken heater. We have 2 shops that you can visit in the Austin area. ( View shops to the left )

Heating and Auto Air Conditioning Tips

Too much or too little refrigerant in your Air Conditioning system is a major cause of A/C compressor failure and it can also waste fuel.

The proper amount of refrigerant in the system is very critical to A/C operation. Running the system low on refrigerant causes compressor failure as the system lubricant flows with the refrigerant. Low refrigerant flow means poor lubrication. If your A/C system works but just doesn’t seem cold enough, it is a good idea to get it looked at sooner than later.

Today’s air conditioning systems do not have a way to visually check the refrigerant level and the only accurate way to get the proper amount into the system is to recover the refrigerant, measure it and then put the proper amount back in. Many times when the A/C system isn’t working well, someone may add more refrigerant by just “guessing” by when it seems to be working fine. It is easy to get too much in at this time which causes higher pressures and heat, which causes mileage loss and eventual compressor failure.

Other things that can cause air conditioning performance problems are not running in “recirculate” in hot weather, cooling fan problems, debris in front of the radiator/condenser and heater control problems.
We recommend having the system evacuated and refilled every 3 – 4 years, as even a system with no visible leakage may lose a little every year.

To see if your A/C system is performing, measure the outlet temperature at the vent with an accurate thermometer. Drive the car with the A/C on “max”. With temperatures in the 70’s to 80’s Fahrenheit the outlet temperature should be around 35 to 48 degrees.

R12
Car air conditioning before 1994 used freon called R12 which was found to be harmful to the ozone. They can be retrofitted to use R134. The correct way to do it is to remove and drain the oil in the compressor, replace the accumulator or drier and flush the old oil out of the system as it is not compatible with R134a. You can just replace the accumulator or drier, skip the flush and oil drain and recharge the system but efficiency may not be very good. With changing to R134 you also need to refill the the system with R134 compatible oil also as the mineral oil used with R12 will not flow with R134 and will just pool in different areas and be useless.

Other Automotive Services We Offer:

Austin Auto Repair Shop

carterstrans — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:53:26 +0000

Carters Austin auto repair shop is your trusted and certified repair shop in Austin. We have 2 conventionally located shops that are up north and down south. Carters Automotive has been serving the great city of Austin for over 60 years now. We’ve earned a reputation for honesty, competency and for standing behind our work. We treat our customers the way we want to be treated – with courtesy and integrity. We are committed to our customers. Our mission is to get it right the first time, to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and estimate so you can make informed and affordable choices.

Together with our team of ASE Master Technicians, they can provide your car, truck, SUV, or van with the proper maintenance and repair service that your car needs. Take advantage of one or all of the services that are provided by Carters Austin auto repair shops.

If your vehicle has an electrical problem, check engine light issue or any other drivability problems, you can be assured that it will be diagnosed properly the first time. And, unlike so many other auto repair establishments, they will also save you a lot of money in unnecessary part replacement with proper diagnosis.

Carters Austin Auto Repair Shop Benefits

Why go to Carters Auto Repair when there are so many other auto repair shops to choose from in Austin?

For starters, one of their most important benefits is that they offer a nationwide extended 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty with every repair and maintenance service, even factory required dealer maintenance.
If your vehicle ever breaks down, Carters Auto Repair offers free towing to their shop within 10 miles. So if you live or work in the cities of Austin, give us a call.

We offer auto repair on these cars Toyota, Honda, Ford, Nissan, Saturn, Acura, Infiniti, Chrysler, Dodge, General Motors (GMC), Hyundai, Kia, Isuzu, Volvo, Mazda, Lexus, Subaru and Jeep and More.

Please visit our auto repair services

Transmission Repair and Maintenance in Austin

carterstrans — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:37:25 +0000

Everybody knows how important is to keep your vehicle maintained regularly. Keeping the oil changed, rotating the tires, vehicle tune-ups, and so forth are important, but what about the transmission? Transmission repair and maintenance is one place that most people overlook and forget to check. The transmission is a very important part of your car would services hundreds of parts that keep your car running. Transmission fluid is very important because it lubricates cools, transmits force, inhibits varnish buildup, transmits pressure and protects the engine. Regular maintenance ensures a clean transmission fluid, and a smoother running transmission.

Harsh driving conditions can devastate the life of the transmission fluid, which can then lead to transmission failure. Old and dirty transmission fluid can lead to the need for an entirely new transmission. Regular transmission maintenance services can help to prevent transmission failures and keep your transmission in Road Ready condition.

Our transmission repair and maintenance services in Austin include replacement of transmission fluid, replacement of transmission filter (where applicable), replace pan gasket and perform lift inspection.

To help familiarize you with the types of difficulties that may arise with the transmission, we have listed a few of the common malfunctions that can occur.

Loss of power upon acceleration
Transmission is unable to go into gear
Hard or late shifting of gears
Transmission slipping
Chatter or grinding noise in the transmission
Transmission leaking
Car is unable to move

Do’s & Dont’s of Transmission Maintenance

Below are a few standard tips to help you avoid future transmission damage:

Do scheduled maintenance according to vehicle owner’s manual.
Do have transmission fluid checked when having oil changed.
Do not drive a vehicle with low or no transmission fluid.
Do not change gear ranges from drive to reverse when your vehicle is moving.
Do not spin tires on turns with front wheel drive vehicles.
Do not drive your vehicle when there are transmission problems, this may cause further damage.
Do not drag race your vehicle as it puts unnecessary strain on your transmission.
Do not drive in 4×4 range on dry pavement unless vehicle is all wheel or automatic 4×4.
Do make sure you come to a complete stop before moving gear into another range.
Do not drive on spare tires or mismatched tire sizes with front wheel or all wheel drive vehicles for extended periods of time.

Please visit our other services

Engine Maintenance and Auto Tune Ups in Austin

carterstrans — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 23:58:38 +0000

Hopefully regularly scheduled Tune Ups are part of your car maintenance routine. If not, it is time to start and Carters engine tune up and maintenance in Austin can provide you with the state-of-the-art inspection and adjustment your car requires. This essential step in car maintenance will not only help save on gas (we assume good gas mileage is important to you), but help prevent critical damage to your engine by identifying and replacing worn or damage parts.

Call us today to schedule an appointment 512-748-7528

If your gas mileage is important to you, as well as saving money in future, check with your manufacturer or with Carters to see when your next scheduled Tune Up is and make an appointment.

Carters Tune Ups include the following

Replacing the air filter.
Replacing the fuel filter(s).
Installing new spark plugs and replacing any worn spark plug wires.
Inspecting and installing a new distributor cap if one is needed.
Inspecting and installing a new rotor if the old one has cracks, burning and carbon.
Inspecting the valve-cover gasket and adjusting the valves (if your car has adjustable valves).
All fluids checked and topped off.
A battery check and terminal cleaning, if necessary.
A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve replaced, if clogged.

Your car may have special Tune Up needs and Carters can address those as well.

Carters Automotive Tune Up Tips

If your car is performing poorly or different, a Tune Up may not solve the problem. If you are experiencing anything out of the ordinary or lower performance out of your car, you need to have it diagnosed properly by a mechanic.

Talk to Carters Automotive about when you need to have your timing belt replaced. Remember, being preventative will save you repair cost in the future.

Find out when your car is due for scheduled maintenance’s. Every make and model is different so consult your owners manual or your dealership and set an appointment with Carters engine tune up and maintenance in Austin

Call us today to schedule an appointment 512-748-7528