Colorado Auto Repair

Littleton auto owners have probably noticed that the government mandates a lot of equipment on cars: emission devices and control computers; safety equipment like airbags; and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the motoring public in Denver but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car in Colorado. Because new cars are more expensive, Littleton residents are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. 68% of vehicles on the road have more than 75,000 miles/120,000 kilometers. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today’s cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on going. Some owner’s manuals don’t outline service requirements and schedules at higher mileage. Of course, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be done. In fact, it’s more important t ... read more

Many Denver drivers don’t realize that there is more to exhaust system maintanance than just tailpipes and mufflers. And if you can see smoke, or if it’s too loud. Exhaust service at a full-service automotive center like EAS Tire & Auto is really a lot more comprehensive these days. For example, in the U.S., the federal government required catalytic converters for all cars in Littleton in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. Colorado and federal emissions requirements have forced car makers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental laws. This also goes for cars sold in Canada. So, exhaust service has really become exhaust and emissions service. High-tech computer-controlled emissions devices are now necessary. And because it’s so sophisticated, car makers recommend having your emission system checked out by a qualified technician, like the ones we have at EAS ... read more

Call EAS Tire & Auto to make an appointment to check your transmission in Littleton. 7921 S Platte Canyon Rd Littleton, Colorado 80128 Do you have any plans around Littleton Colorado for the weekend? Maybe you and some friends and are taking the boat up to the lake. Maybe you’ll be having a lot of fun water skiing and doing a little fishing. You got the boat all ready. It’s all gassed up. You packed lots of snacks and the cooler’s stocked – ready to go. How about your tow vehicle? It has plenty of gas and you’ve even vacuumed it out, but is your auto maintenance up to date? Stop and think. You’ll have some heavy traffic on your way out of town. Hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it may be hot weather. And all the time you’re going to be towing around several thousand extra pounds. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmi ... read more

Today’s EAS Tire & Auto post focuses on using the proper fluids for your vehicle. Significant advancements in automotive technology have lead to the development of high-tech fluids to keep modern cars operating at peak performance. This is due to both engineering advances and new high-tech materials used to build SUV automotive systems. A simple example of this is the cooling system. For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses. There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion. Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics. These materials require different additives to protect them from corrosion. Since the materials used vary among SUV car makers, we now have a number of different kinds of coolant. It’s essential for Littleton car owners to use the right coolant. If you pour in the wron ... read more

There are a number of factors that contribute to the high nighttime accident rate in the greater Denver area, things like drowsy driving and a higher rate of impaired driving. Without a doubt, visibility is a major contributor. Let’s focus on visibility… It’s said that 90 percent of our driving decisions are based on what we see. Nighttime driving has the effect of reducing 20/20 vision to the equivalent of 20/50 vision. What you could clearly see at 50 feet in daylight can’t be seen until you are just 20 feet away at night. Too make sure your headlights are giving you the greatest visibility, visit us at EAS Tire & Auto\. you’ll find us located on 7921 S Platte Canyon Rd, Littleton, Colorado 80128. Please give us a call to make an appointment. Accident avoidance is dependent on reaction time. Reaction time deteriorates measurably in low light conditions. One thing we can do to improve visibility is to make sure our headlights are as ... read more

Many Littleton motorists have been hearing about technological advances in power steering, specifically, electric power steering. Some very high-end cars have been featuring electric power steering for a few years now. An electric motor directly provides the power assist to make steering easier. Undoubtedly we’ll see much more of this in Littleton as full electric cars and electric hybrids become more common. The vast majority of cars and trucks serviced at EAS Tire & Auto in Littleton use a hydraulic power boost system. With hydraulics, fluid is pressurized by a pump which actuates a hydraulic cylinder to reduce steering effort. Some of these pumps are powered by an electric motor. Most pumps are powered by the serpentine belt driven by the engine. Power steering fluid has the necessary hydraulic properties and the ability to lubricate the internal parts. The power steering fl ... read more

Denver motorists may have an alignment problem if their car drifts or pulls to one side, the steering wheel’s off center, they notice uneven tire wear or the car doesn’t feel like it handles right as they drive down Littleton Colorado streets and freeways. When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes, smacking a curb or other objects around Littleton, Colorado are great ways for Lakewood motorists to knock their car out of alignment. Then one or more of your wheels starts pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin. Driving for an extended time when your car is out of alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly and excessively. Sometimes the tire can be worn so badly that it will fail. At the very least, you’ll have to replace your tires sooner. You could end up with premature wear to your suspension system, which can be costly. The f ... read more

If you’re reading this article in Littleton, Colorado, then you probably care about your car and how it runs. Even though you care, there is still that moment of dread when your service technician tells you the manufacturer recommends some additional service. Your heart beats a little faster, your blood pressure rises. You worry about spending more money than you had planned. And you worry that if you say “no”, you might be harming your SUV or risking your family’s safety. At the risk of sounding like your dad, you really should have done your homework. Service recommendations are in your owner’s manual. But it is not like you want to keep your SUV auto maintenance schedule on your nightstand for bedtime reading. Cars are complicated machines and it takes some effort for Littleton motorists to keep them running well. That is why vehicle manufacturers have maintenance schedules that explain how to keep your ... read more

People near Littleton Colorado often ask EAS Tire & Auto how often they should have a particular service done. It’s a great thing to ask. You can look at your owner’s manual, or have your Littleton Colorado service advisor at EAS Tire & Auto look up your vehicle in a service database. What you find is often a surprise to people – there are actually two service schedules. One is the regular schedule and the other is the severe service schedule. Service intervals are shorter on the severe service schedule. When asked, most folks in Littleton Colorado will say that their driving is normal and that the ‘regular’ schedule probably applies to them. ‘Severe service’ sounds pretty extreme – ‘I don’t drive like that’. Well, here is what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions; you can draw your own conclusions. If that’s severe driving, what constitutes regular driving? Well, it ... read more

There’s a segment of the Littleton population that’s not committed to proper vehicle maintenance. Mistaken perceptions have crept into the Colorado area over time. Many Littleton motorists think the root lies in the fact that modern cars are so reliable. Reliability has improved dramatically in recent years. Quality surveys report fewer problems with new cars than ever before. Back when cars spent more time in the repair shop, Littleton drivers were more mindful of routine service. Now, it’s much easier to put it off. Take tune-ups for example. In the days of mechanical ignition systems, an engine needed to be tuned-up every couple of years. The ignition points had to be replaced, spark plugs and coils replaced and the timing adjusted. If your engine was out of tune, you knew it. It ran poorly and got bad fuel economy. Now, the ignition system in your SUV is electronic and controlled by the engine management computer. S ... read more