Baltimore Auto Repair

Do you know if your tires will get you through the 6-12 inches of snow in the immediate forecast? If you don't know the answer you better find out. Winter weather is starting early early and slippery conditions can appear without warning. If your tires tread is too thin slipping and sliding is in your forecast. Check your tread depth with a quarter. If you can't see the top of George's head you should be alright. Personally I would not want to see his hairline on top of his head. You can also look between the tread bars for the wear indicator. The tread wear indicator is a small rubber bar that if near even with the remaining tread lets you know your tires need to be replaced. If you have any questions stop by for a quick inspection and we will show you what to look for. Here at Framerite Auto Repair we can take care of you and your vehicle to keep you safe for whatever Old Man Winter brings

  Should I have my engine oil changed at a quick lube shop? Do you want to see a first year medical student when you have a health problem? Many quick lube businesses employ people without a lot of experience in the industry. Your vehicle is probably the second largest investment you will  have besides your house. Do you want to trust it with someone in a hurry and with a lack of experience? Taking your vehicle to a trusted local garage with experienced technicians looking out for the long term benefit of you and your car is the best way. I don't know about you but I want a doctor to take their time with me to properly diagnose me and to locate any other problem I may have. Taking your vehicle to be serviced in a timely manner and giving the technician time to give your vehicle a physical inspection is the best way to have peace of mind for safe driving. At Framerite Auto Repair we employ technicians with many years of experience to give you confidence that you ... read more

Can the computer on my car make my air conditioner leak? The answer is yes. We recently had a 2017 Chevrolet Impala come in to check the A/C system. When connecting the gauge set we discovered no refrigerant in the system. We then added some to check for a leak and could actually hear the refrigerant escaping. Taking our refrigerant leak detector to find the source of the problem we found the evaporator core in the dash leaking profusely. Performing a Technical Service Bulletin search we discovered a recall #N182186880 for 2016-2018 Chevrolet Impala's. The bulletin explains that the program in the computer runs the A/C compressor too long causing ice to build up on the evaporator core. As the ice continues to expand it actually breaks the tubes causing the refrigerant leak. If you have one of these vehicles GM has extended the warranty for 6 years and or 72,000 miles to cover this situation. Not only is this a major repair as the entire dash has to be removed to ... read more

Should I be worried about my suspension with the condition of the streets in Baltimore? The answer is yes! Anywhere you travel the system that connects your wheels to your vehicle is your suspension. Every time you hit a pothole, a bump or an object in the road your suspension has to absorb that punishment.  As you can imagine, the suspension on your vehicle has lots of joints, bushings and pivot points that allow your wheels to move up and down and allow you to turn and steer. These parts include ball joints, tie rod ends, pitman and idler arms as well as many bushings. They simply wear out over time or become damaged due to the harshness they have to endure. As they wear handling and steering develop a loose feel and may include strange noises. Sometimes a loose or worn suspension part can put stress on another part causing premature failure. Usually the first sign of suspension problems is you will notice that your tires are wearing irregularly. If you feel the handling on your ... read more

Dear friends and valued clients, At Framerite Auto Repair we are taking the coronavirus very seriously. We believe everybody has a role to play in mitigating this illness. Fortunately, we work in an industry the requires little to no human contact. We can achieve a “zero contact” transaction by use of a key drop, free pick up & delivery and payment over the phone. We are disinfecting all keys, door handles, steering wheels and shifter handles before and after service as our commitment to your safety remains our top priority. If you need any services or repairs to your vehicle please do not hesitate to text or call us

Can change be shocking to your radio? Yes! We had a 2011 Subaru Forester with a complaint that the radio did not work. First thing to check was the fuse that controls the power to the radio which was blown. We installed a new fuse and everything came back to life. But why did the fuse blow in the first place? After a short test drive the radio was not functioning again. The technician confirmed the fuse was blown again and the circuit remained a dead short. When looking over the wiring diagram we could separate the circuit in two halves. When we did this the radio side of the circuit still had the short. Tracing the wiring back to the radio we found no obvious wiring exposed. We removed the radio and the problem disappeared. Shaking the radio revealed the problem. The children had been inserting coins and a paper clip into the CD drive causing a short across the circuit board in the bottom of the radio. Once the coins & paper clip were removed everything is working properly. G ... read more

"What is that shaking when I am braking?" This vibration from your brakes can be very slight at high braking or just about take the steering wheel out of your hands when coming to a stop. All newer vehicles have front disc brakes and more manufacturers are switching to rear disc brakes instead of drum brakes. If you have ever had a bicycle with the hand brakes, there is a caliper that squeezes the pads on each side of the rim to stop. The disc brakes on your car are similar but the brake pads are squeezed against a metal disc (called a brake rotor) by a hydraulic caliper to stop. What causes that shaking while braking is uneven thickness of the rotor. Sometimes rotors can be resurfaced to make them straight and even. Many newer vehicles are using thinner and lighter rotors, with a different construction. Resurfacing rotors in this case can make them thinner then allowed by the manufacturer and require replacement. Sometimes rotors get thin from normal braking o ... read more

Why does your alignment cost more than the tire store? We receive many calls inquiring about the price of an alignment and how long does it take. When we answer what our price is and the length of time it takes to perform a proper alignment is we often hear "Well I can get that alignment for $49.95". If you can remember what the old saying is, “You get what you pay for!” Proper alignment is very important to the handling of the vehicle, making sure your tires wear to their rated design and for your best fuel mileage. Generally it takes 1-1 1/2  hours to perform an alignment correctly. The manufacturer gives us specifications that sometimes have a wide parameter. The best alignment is usually in the middle of the parameter of preferred settings. Experience has shown us that sometimes the manufacturers specifications are not the best for the vehicle. If you take your vehicle to have an alignment for the cheap price you are not going to get the be ... read more

"Why do I smell gasoline when I am near my car?"  Have you ever had a strong whiff of gas and wondered if it's your car or somebody else's in the parking lot? You drive home and you may or may not get the odor of gas. The next morning you leave for work and there it is again. Now you are wondering what to do now. Check around your vehicle to see if there is a noticeable leak under the car. If not and the odor is strong enough towing it to the shop is recommended. Gasoline odors can be caused by a leak somewhere in the fuel evaporative emissions systems. Some possibilities include a rusted fuel line, fuel seeping by connections in the fuel system or an emissions system hose that has split open. Remember that gasoline fumes can be dangerous and a health hazard. Gasoline fumes can catch fire if exposed to a spark or flame. Whatever the cause give Framerite Auto Repair a call to fix the problem. Remember the fire risk is h ... read more