A Comprehensive Assessment of Your Heating and Cooling System Comprises of:
- Examination of internal controls and blower
- Inspection of radiator coolant temperature, hoses, radiator cap pressure, and thermostat
- Evaluation of the compressor belt
- Thorough inspection of the system and seals for leaks or damage
- Conducting a cooling system pressure test
- Verification that A/C pressure meets manufacturer specifications
- Measurement of the interior vent air temperature
Our Repair and Maintenance Services Include:
Belts
The fan belt, also referred to as a drive belt, connects your vehicle's engine to its front-mounted accessories. This belt is responsible for rotating the water pump and engine fan, ensuring a cool engine environment. Unfortunately, over time, your vehicle's fan belts can dry out and develop cracks, requiring a replacement.
It's important to entrust this kind of task to seasoned professionals. Our mechanics can conduct a thorough inspection of your car's belts, replace any worn ones, and ensure the installed belts are properly adjusted for optimum performance.
Coolant System Flush
A car's coolant system transfers excess heat from one part of the engine and dissipates it through the radiator fins. As time goes on, the coolant can become old and contaminated, negatively impacting the system's performance. To maintain optimal system function, consider regular coolant system flushes as part of your vehicle's cooling system maintenance.
Hoses
Hoses have the crucial role of transferring coolant and antifreeze throughout the engine's cooling system, including the radiator. With time, these hoses can dry out and develop cracks, leading to leaks. When it's time for replacement, you can rely on our team of experts for your vehicle repair needs.
Radiator Flush
Your vehicle's radiator is responsible for keeping the engine cool and safeguarding it from excessive heat. To maintain its effectiveness, the radiator must remain clean at all times. Sludge, rust, and other solid deposits can accumulate inside the radiator, leading to clogs and reduced system efficiency. This, in turn, can negatively affect your vehicle's performance. Incorporating regular radiator flushes into your routine car maintenance schedule is essential.
Radiators
Radiators serve as heat exchangers, cooling your car's internal combustion engine. They accomplish this by circulating engine coolant through the engine block and then releasing the heat into the atmosphere through radiation.
Radiators consist of a set of tubes through which engine coolant flows, surrounded by fins. When a radiator fails, the excess heat produced by the engine could potentially damage vital engine components. To prevent such issues, it's crucial to have your radiator regularly serviced. For expert radiator maintenance, visit Affordable Automotive Repair today.
Summerize Your Vehicle
Getting your car ready for the challenges of summer, including heat, dust, and traffic congestion, can significantly reduce the risk of breakdowns. At Affordable Automotive Repair in Fredericksburg, our technicians are equipped to perform essential preventive maintenance to ensure your car is summer-ready. Here are some recommended services:
- Battery check
- Fluid replacement
- Examination of belts and hoses
- Inspection of climate and coolant systems
- Evaluation of wiper blades
- Tire inspection
- Assessment of headlights, turn signals, and tail lights
- With these services, your car will be fully prepared to handle hot weather, allowing you to enjoy your summer to the fullest
Winterize Your Vehicle
Winter weather can be harsh on both you and your vehicle. You can trust the skilled technicians at Affordable Automotive Repair to prepare your car for the challenges of winter. Here are some recommended services:
- Check the battery
- Check the tires
- Check wiper blades
- Check fluids
- Check headlights, turn signals, and tail lights
- Check the exhaust system for leaks
- Check the belts and hoses
- Check the heating system
With these services, your car will be ready to tackle winter weather, ensuring your driving experience remains safe and comfortable.
Radiator FAQs
When should the radiator in my car be replaced?
Often, radiators will last for the entire life of a car. On average a radiator lasts 8 to 10 years. However, there are a few factors that can reduce a radiator's working life such as improper maintenance, driving habits and environmental conditions.
When replacing a radiator what else should be replaced?
If you replace your radiator you may need to replace three other parts as well - the thermostat, water pump and heater core. An auto repair professional at Affordable Automotive Repair will let you know what other parts need to be replaced.
What does radiator service include?
Radiator service starts with draining the system. Then we flush the radiator and engine block, inspecting all hoses to make sure they're not cracked. Next we refill the radiator with fresh coolant and finish by pressure testing the radiator cap and cooling system.
Why is my car engine overheating?
The most common reason a car overheats is a lack of coolant or a coolant leak. However, if you have an older vehicle, it may also indicate that it is time to replace your radiator, thermostat, water pump or heater core. If it continues to be a problem that you can't fix, your best bet is to bring it to our shop in Fredericksburg.
Coolant FAQs
When is the coolant temperature too high?
The engine coolant is overheating if it's around 240 to 250 degrees. When the coolant gets this hot a light on your dashboard will come on to alert you. Pull over and turn your car off. The coolant is very hot and under extreme pressure. Do not attempt to remove the radiator cap until the car has cooled.
Why is my coolant light on and what should I do?
If the dashboard light is red, indicating your car is overheating then you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and switch off the engine. If the coolant level is low or there is another problem with your cooling system, you could cause serious damage by continuing to drive.
Why is my coolant leaking?
Corrosion within the radiator is the leading cause of a coolant leak. As the radiator tubes get older and weaker, sediment or debris collects inside and causes a leak. The sealing gasket between the tank and the radiator can also wear out, and lead to a leak.
When should I do a coolant flush?
Your vehicle's owner's manual will recommend getting the coolant flushed about every 30,000 miles or three to five years, whichever comes first. Make sure to consult your owner's manual as some outline a more specific interval depending on the vehicle's make and model and your driving habits.
What is the average lifespan of a radiator?
While radiators usually last 8-10 years, some factors can shorten their lifespan. Watch for signs of deterioration to know when replacement is needed.
How do I know what coolant I should use?
Your car's owner's manual provides a wealth of information. Follow the recommendations in your car's owner's manual to the letter unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer or auto repair professionals. It will tell you what type of coolant is best to use in your vehicle. If you don't have a copy of your owner's manual, you can most likely find the information you need on the manufacturer's website.
To learn more about our Heating and Cooling services, call us at 540-710-5400 or request a quote by clicking below:
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09/08/2020
Let me start by saying James was a pleasure to work with and that there wasn't a time where I was uniformed or out of the loop. I took my car in for an AC repair and it ended up being that the AC compressor had failed, which means I had the pleasure of replacing the entire AC system. I believe it took a day to get the parts and finished it the day the received the parts. The AC ended up not cooling as it should due to a faulty part, which was no fault of their own. I did have to end up taking the vehicle back for another appointment, but was provided a loaner vehicle to keep from having to UBER. Additionally, they took care of the problem for no additional charge, which I definitely appreciated. Hopefully, I never need any more repair services, but If I do, I'll take it to Affordable Automotive Repair where they have already demonstrated to me that they are both fair and honest.
Daniel W.
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I had been having issues, check engine light (CEL) had been coming on for some time, didn't seem to effect engine performance, boy was I wrong. The issues started out with the notorious "loose gas cap", I did a little on line search and saw where it was an easy fix, so I replaced the gas cap. Well, wouldn't you know it; that didn't fix the problem. The next "code" that popped up was "small evap leak". I figured I'd find the leak myself and bought a smoke machine. Well, long story short, I never used the smoke machine, I'm getting to old to crawl around on my truck searching for some small leak in the evap system. The easy fix was disconnect the battery, problem fixed, for a while. The problems went from loose gas cap, small evap leak, to misfire on #2 cyl. It seemed that every time I disconnected the battery, the truck seemed to run fine, for a while. I've been taking my vehicles to Affordable Automotive for years for inspections, I took my 2015 Ram 1500 in and told them the story, seems that the issue was the injectors were starting to fail, James called me and gave me the diagnosis, James and the people at Affordable Automotive are the greatest, can't say enough about them, my truck runs like new! I will definitely be bringing my vehicles to Affordable Automotive in the future!
Great customer service! This is what I remembered from previous visits in the past to Affordable Auto Repair. They are friendly and courteous. They take the time to explain everything up front and answer all your questions. Matthew handled everything concerning my service from beginning to end. James also followed up to make sure things were right and was a great listener. Just good people to deal with. Oh what did I have done? Had my 2007 Toyota Highlander inspected there today. Inspections are always a necessary pain and I hate it when it comes around. I was there when they opened at 8am and they took my car in right away. I had a couple of items that needed to be fixed to pass which Chris the inspector explained to me and showed me. Matthew, who checked me in, said if I got these fixed, they would slip me back in to verify the fixes, remove the Rejection and replace it with a new inspection sticker. Done deal! Just as they said! I couldn't have asked for more. Thanks Matthew, James, and Chris!
